by Adelle M. Banks The Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions announced Tuesday (Nov. 10) that a Chicago imam has been elected as its new chair, marking the first time a Muslim spiritual leader has led the prominent interfaith organization. Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, executive producer of a daily Muslim radio call-in talk... Continue Reading

by Dan Levine Try as they might, lawyers from one anti-gay rights organization just can’t get any love from judges in California. After being barred from intervening in the federal challenge to Proposition 8, the Campaign for California Families tried their luck Wednesday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. But a conservative panel... Continue Reading

Outrage is being expressed over a speech invitation extended by a major university to a convicted terrorist. Officials at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst have extended a speech invitation to Ray Luc Levasseur, former head of the United Freedom Front which carried out several bank robberies and bombings in the 1970s. One bombing of... Continue Reading

A little-noticed measure would put Christian Science healing sessions on the same footing as clinical medicine. Critics say it violates the separation of church and state. Backed by some of the most powerful members of the Senate, a little-noticed provision in the healthcare overhaul bill would require insurers to consider covering Christian Science prayer treatments... Continue Reading

By Tonia Moxley School officials are helping the military even as they grapple with yet another gruesome link to Blacksburg. On Thursday, news broke that Nidal Malik Hasan, a 1995 Tech graduate formerly of Roanoke, allegedly opened fire on fellow soldiers in a medical waiting room at Fort Hood, Texas, killing 13 and injuring about... Continue Reading

Despite a Republican boycott in the Senate, cap and trade legislation has been voted out of committee. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted to move cap and trade legislation out of committee by a margin of 11-to-1. Senator Max Baucus (D-Montana) was the only dissenting Democrat. Republicans were not present as they were... Continue Reading

Trial to be in military court. The FBI and the military investigated contacts between an Army psychiatrist accused of last week’s deadly shooting rampage at FortHood and a Yemen-based militant over the past year but concluded he didn’t pose a terrorist threat, senior law enforcement and military officials said Monday. The members of two Joint... Continue Reading

Gov. David A. Paterson said Nov. 5 that he would include gay marriage on the agenda of an extraordinary session he is calling for Tuesday, potentially setting up the first vote on the issue in the State Senate and a dramatic floor debate. Senate Democratic leaders could still block the issue from coming to the... Continue Reading

Bryan Derballa High-school seniors in Brooklyn, N.Y., sending text messages after school. A 17-year-old boy, caught sending text messages in class, was recently sent to the vice principal’s office at Millwood High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The vice principal, Steve Gallagher, told the boy he needed to focus on the teacher, not his cellphone.... Continue Reading

Thousands storm Capitol to protest health care bill’s abortion funding, immigration issues Although House leadership had vowed to set a vote on the health care overhaul for Saturday evening, Nov 7, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer indicated Friday that the vote may have to wait as they endeavor to scrape up enough support for the... Continue Reading