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2015 What's In The News?

NEW YORK STATE WILL SOON HAVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA THAT’S CERTIFIED KOSHER

Any potential medical marijuana users in New York state who were concerned that partaking in pot for health purposes might clash with Judaism can stop shvitzing. The Orthodox Union has certified the marijuana products made by Vireo Health of New York as kosher, the latter announced Wednesday.

School to remove 58-year-old Ten Commandments monument — after single complaint

CONNELSVILLE, Pa. – A Pennsylvania junior high school is moving a Ten Commandments stone monolith from its campus after a $64,000 court battle resulted in a judge ruling the display unconstitutional.

Jobless Claims in U.S. Increase to Highest Level Since July

The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits rose more than projected during the Christmas week, reaching the highest level in almost six months, perhaps reflecting typical swings during holidays.

Hawaii raises smoking age to 21; military supports new law

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii is raising the legal smoking to age 21 for traditional and electronic cigarettes on Jan. 1, becoming the first state in the nation to do so.

Rising floodwaters close interstates near St. Louis, four people reported missing

In record flooding that has killed at least 20 people, officials were forced to shut down parts of two interstate highways near St. Louis and searched for four people who may have been swept away in the flood waters.

N.W.T. Catholic Bishop Mark Hagemoen on the Pope and the apology

Following the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report, and its recommendation that the Pope make a formal apology within one year, the CBC's Lawrence Nayally, host of Trail's End, sat down with Mark Hagemoen, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, to talk about what an apology would mean for the people of the N.W.T.

Freak storm pushes North Pole 50 degrees above normal to melting point

A powerful winter cyclone — the same storm that lead to two tornado outbreaks in the United States and disastrous river flooding — has driven the North Pole to the freezing point this week, 50 degrees above average for this time of year.

Italy’s smog crisis may embolden Pope Francis on the environment

ROME — If all politics is, indeed, local, then one probably shouldn’t expect Pope Francis’ focus on the environment and climate change to diminish anytime soon, as his own backyard in Rome and across Italy struggles with one of its most pronounced ecological crises in recent memory.

AP-NORC Poll: Religious rights most vital for US Christians

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans place a higher priority on preserving the religious freedom of Christians than for other faith groups, ranking Muslims as the least deserving of the protections, according to a new survey.

As Flooding Continues, Missouri Asks Residents to Move to Safety

Residents along the Mississippi River in central Missouri were urged to move to higher ground late Tuesday as the swollen waterway inundated levees and buildings and shut down highways, the authorities said.

Magnitude-4.4 Earthquake Shakes Southern California Suburbs

A moderate earthquake shook an inland area of Southern California near San Bernardino on Tuesday night, giving a start to thousands across a heavily populated area with more than one person comparing it to a rumbling big rig.

UK floods: Looters target flooded homes - as it happened on Tuesday 29 December

Homes have been left without power and air passengers delayed as Storm Frank began to batter the UK on its way towards flood-hit areas.

Prosecutor seeks rehearing in Catholic church abuse case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Despite losing on appeal twice, Philadelphia's district attorney said Monday he will continue to fight to keep a Roman Catholic church official who will soon be eligible for parole in prison over his handling of sex-abuse cases.

9 Christians Killed by Islamic Rebels on Christmas Day in Philippines

As many as 200 Islamic rebels killed at least nine people from Christian villages in the southern Philippines in attacks on Christmas Day, officials have said.

Pope Francis: Atheists And Homosexuals Welcome In Heaven

Pope Francis’ progressive attitude toward non-Catholics and non-believers has shocked many followers of God since he took on the papal position. His inane desire to accept everyone for who they are, and not reject them for the label they carry, has drawn attention toward him in both positive and negative lights...

Obama stunner: 31 Christians vs. 2,000 Muslims

Christians continue to be the most persecuted religious people in the world this Christmas, but they don’t figure to get much help from Western governments in Washington, London or Brussels.

Texas under siege: Tornadoes, flooding, snow and ice

The death toll from a swath of tornadoes that roared through the Dallas area rose to 11 Sunday as the state struggled to combat heavy rains, floods and what was shaping up as an "epic" snowstorm.

Winter Storm Goliath Brings Blizzard Conditions to Texas and New Mexico, Where Gov. Warns of 'Dire Situation'

Fierce Winter Storm Goliath plowed into the southern High Plains on Sunday, bringing blizzard conditions and forcing at least one governor to declare a state of emergency. About 33 million people were under some sort of winter weather warning tied directly to the storm.

Two major earthquakes over the holiday period: a mag 6.3 Afghanistan and a mag 6.1 in the South Pacific

The two quakes are the 7th and 8th quakes of December bringing the total for the year to 145 major quakes for 2015 with just 5 days to go.

U.S. judge sworn into office on Quran

New York’s newest 7th Municipal District Court judge for the Brooklyn borough, a Muslim woman named Carolyn Walker-Diallo, has reportedly shied from the Bible and turned to the Quran to swear in to her seat.

Science conceding Earth must have had a Creator

“O, Almighty God, I am thinking Thy thoughts after Thee!” wrote astronomer Johannes Kepler, 1619, in “The Harmonies of the World.”

Strong earthquake hits northeast Afghanistan

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit northern Afghanistan and Pakistan late on Friday, two months after more than 300 people were killed by a quake in the same mountainous region.

Christmas cleanup begins after severe weather leaves at least 15 dead in Southeast

Residents of communities across the Southeast are spending Christmas trying to put the pieces back together after an outbreak of severe storms, including tornadoes, killed at least 15 people and damaged or destroyed dozens of homes — as another twister touched down in Alabama Friday evening.

7 evangelical Christians jailed for refusing to convert not to Islam but to Catholicism in Mexico

Seven evangelical Christians are facing a different kind of persecution—this time not by Islamic radicals but, surprisingly, by fellow Christ-believing Catholics.

Philippine Muslim guerrillas murder seven in Christmas eve raids

Tukuran (Philippines) (AFP) - Seven Christian farmers were killed on Thursday as Muslim guerrillas launched a series of attacks in the troubled southern Philippines, the military said.

Heavy snow dumping in Sierra on Christmas Eve

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) —It is a white Christmas Eve day in the Sierra and foothills, where snow began to fall as low as 3,000 feet early Thursday morning.

Death Toll Rises to 10 After Tornadoes, Storms Ravage South

At least 10 people were killed, including a young boy, after a spring-like storm system swept across the southeast. The storms mixed with unseasonably warm weather, spawning tornadoes that killed people in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Scores were injured.

Pope Francis faces a real dilemma in ‘Vatileaks 2.0’

ROME — In a Christmas audience with Vatican employees and their families on Monday, Pope Francis issued an unusually blunt mea culpa: “I want to apologize for the scandals that there were in the Vatican,” he said, referring to 2015.

U.S. city OKs Satanist's blood spill on Virgin Mary

Oklahoma City officials have granted a permit to a Satanist to desecrate a statue of the Virgin Mary in front of a Catholic Church on Christmas Eve, a decision that is outraging Christians who say the city’s mayor would have never allowed a similar permit to be issued in protest of a mosque.

Brazil declares emergency after 2,400 babies are born with brain damage, possibly due to mosquito-borne virus

Brazilian health authorities are sounding the alarm about a mosquito-borne virus that they believe may be the cause of thousands of infants being born with damaged brains.

Pope Francis taps an American as spokesman in communications shakeup

ROME — In moves that clearly seem to afford English-speaking communications officials in the Vatican greater influence and visibility, Pope Francis has named two key aides to new roles, including putting the first American in line eventually to serve as his personal spokesman.

FDA lifts lifetime ban on gay men donating blood

(CNN)—The Food and Drug Administration has lifted its lifetime ban on accepting blood donations from men who have had sex with men.

Slovenians Vote on Whether to Uphold Same-Sex Marriage Law

Slovenians held a referendum Sunday on whether to allow same-sex marriage and become the first former communist nation in Europe to do so.

Virginia county closes schools as Islam assignment prompts backlash

Schools in a Virginia county closed on Friday as a safety precaution after a classroom assignment asking students to practice Arabic calligraphy using a Muslim statement of faith sparked an angry outcry from parents and threats from outside the district.

UN: World's Refugees And Displaced To Exceed 60 Million This Year

GENEVA, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The number of people forcibly displaced worldwide is likely to have "far surpassed" a record 60 million this year, mainly driven by the Syrian war and other protracted conflicts, the United Nations said on Friday.

Found: Archaeological evidence linked to Jesus' miracle

(Breitbart) Evidence has been uncovered corroborating the site of one of Jesus’ most powerful and dramatic miracles: the casting out of demons into a herd of swine in the land of the Gadarenes (or Gerasenes).

Mother Teresa to Be Made a Saint After Pope OKs Miracle

VATICAN CITY — Mother Teresa, the tiny, stooped nun who cared for the poorest of the poor in the slums of India and beyond, will be declared a saint next year after Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to her intercession.

The Professor Suspended for Saying Muslims and Christians Worship One God

Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? It’s a question that has bedeviled theologians and everyday believers for centuries. And this week it may have cost a tenured professor her job.

Preacher convicted of quoting Bible, now high court jumps in

An appeals judge in the United Kingdom has issued a stunning reversal of a lower-court judge’s blast at the Bible over a street preacher who quoted Leviticus in explaining the Christian perspective on homosexuality.

U.S. not so 'stupid' as to 'welcome terrorists to kill us'

House Speaker Paul Ryan calls the omnibus spending bill a compromise that gives both sides of the aisle some of what it wants, but Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, says the bill is a non-starter because it doesn’t take the steps necessary to keep terrorists from entering the country.

Justin Trudeau to seek formal apology from Pope for church's role in residential schools

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed he will seek a formal apology from Pope Francis for the Roman Catholic Church's role in the residential schools controversy, a day after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made public its final report into the legacy of the schools.

Oxfam: Expect 2016 drought in Philippines amid 'super' El Niño

Droughts, erratic rains and frosts brought by a super-charged El Nino are severely impacting the Pacific, with Papua New Guinea worst hit, aid group Oxfam said in a report Monday.

Historic Supreme Court Ruling Bans GMO Crop Trials in Philippines

The Supreme Court of the Philippines has ordered a permanent ban on field trials of GMO eggplant and a temporary halt on approving applications for the “contained use, import, commercialization and propagation” of GMO crops, including the import of GMO products.

Pope Francis will venerate Mary at Mexico shrine next year

VATICAN CITY (CNS) –- On the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Pope Francis announced that he would travel to the Marian shrine in Mexico City and pray to Mary so that Christian communities "may become oases and rivers of mercy."

Thousands flee, classes suspended as Nona makes landfall

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Nona (international name Melor), which made landfall over Northern Samar and Sorsogon yesterday, was expected to dump rains over the Visayas and parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, today, the state weather bureau said.

Pope Francis praises ‘historic’ Paris climate change agreement

ROME — Pope Francis on Sunday praised what he called an “historic” agreement reached at a United Nations climate change summit in Paris and called for a global commitment to implement it, including special attention to the poorest populations.

196 countries approve historic climate agreement

LE BOURGET, France — Negotiators from 196 countries approved a landmark climate accord on Saturday that seeks to dramatically reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for a dangerous warming of the planet.

Seventh-day Adventists reaffirm commitment to preserving the environment.

As world leaders gather in Paris for the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference, the Seventh-day Adventist Church supports and applauds the efforts of these leaders to come to an agreement to stem the deterioration of our earth due to climate change.

Americans are twice as willing to distance Christian extremists from their religion as Muslims

The Islamic State's effort to terrorize the United States appears to be working. A new survey from the Public Religion Research Institute released Thursday shows a sharp increase in the number of Americans who are actively worried about terrorism. In November 2014, a third of Americans said they were "very" or "somewhat" worried about themselves or a family member being a victim of a terrorist attack. This year, after attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., nearly half of Americans say they share that concern.

How climate deal could actually kill people

As world leaders move closer to an expected landmark climate agreement in the coming days, a leading U.S. skeptic says the plan would trigger much higher energy costs and lead to thousands of deaths without actually changing the climate at all.

Obama slams Trump, critics on global warming

President Barack Obama fired back at Republican frontrunner Donald Trump shortly after the GOP presidential candidate blasted Obama’s claim that global warming was one of the greatest threats to the United States.

Pope Francis opens St Peter's Holy Door to launch jubilee

Pope Francis pushed opened the huge bronze Holy Door of St Peter's Basilica in Rome to launch the Catholic Church's "Year of Mercy". Tens of thousands attended a Mass in St Peter's Square for the start of the Pope's "revolution of tenderness".

Fire destroys around 1,000 slum homes in Mumbai, 2 killed

Two persons were killed and eleven others injured in a fire that gutted over a 1000 hutments in a slum colony in suburban Mumbai and is suspected to have been caused when gas cylinders exploded, police said.

Magnitude-7.2 earthquake rattles mountainous region in Tajikistan

(CNN)A magnitude-7.2 earthquake hit a sparsely populated region in Tajikistan on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, rattling buildings in nearby nations.

13 inches in 24 hours: Flooding storm ‘Desmond’ shatters U.K. rainfall records

A powerful storm blasted Ireland and parts of the U.K. with strong winds and torrential rainfall — as much as 13 inches in a 24 hour period — over the weekend.

China issues first-ever red alert on air pollution

Dangerous air pollution levels have led China to issue its first "red alert" for smog in the capital city. Officials urged Beijing schools to close and restricted traffic and factory production in an attempt to protect people from the unhealthy air. Many Beijing residents have resorted to wearing surgical masks.

EU, Internet Giants Join Forces to Fight Online Extremism

The European Union on Thursday launched a forum bringing together Internet firms like Google, Facebook and Twitter as well as law enforcement agencies to combat online extremism.

Pope Francis Teaches Cowardly Republicans How To Dialogue With Muslims

When the Pope visits anywhere he is surrounded by security, but this trip to a besieged Islamic enclave in a foreign land required extraordinarily heavy UN and Vatican protection. Why? Because like Jesus Christ he represents, Pope Francis traveled in his open “popemobile” right into the heart of PK5, where 15,000 Muslims are completely surrounded by heavily-armed and violent Christian militiamen. Less than a year ago there were about 122,000 Muslims living in the capital, but with bloodthirsty onward Christian soldiers on a crusade, the Muslim population has nearly been virtually vanquished.

Vatican’s liturgy chief contradicts Pope Francis on Communion for non-Catholics

The Vatican’s cardinal in charge of liturgy and the sacraments has strongly defended the Church’s tradition on reception of Communion in the wake of Pope Francis’ comments to a Lutheran woman suggesting she could choose in conscience to receive.

World Leaders Must Listen to Pope Francis on Climate Change

The climate change conference that kicked off this week in Paris has been called the world’s “last, best hope” for an international agreement to combat climate change. Though past conferences have largely been failures, there’s a new player in town this year who could change everything: Pope Francis.

Pope Francis Is PETA’s Person of the Year

He's named after the patron saint of animals - Pope Francis has been selected as person of the year by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

China Will Start Cloning Cattle to Meet Rising Beef Demands

A commercial animal cloning center is currently being built in China to help meet the country’s rapidly rising beef demands.

Pope Francis: 'Christians and Muslims are brothers'

Pope Francis has told worshippers in a mosque in the capital of the Central African Republic that "Christians and Muslims are brothers and sisters".

Pope says fundamentalism is 'disease of all religions'

Aboard the papal plane (AFP) - Pope Francis said fundamentalism is "a disease of all religions", including the Roman Catholic Church, as he returned from a three-nation tour of Africa in which he preached reconciliation and hope.

Protestants Follow Catholics' Lead on Martyr Tourism as Pope Francis Visits Uganda

Pilgrims walk hundreds of miles to swat at mosquitoes and dip their jugs, body parts, and even their babies into the murky water of a rectangular lake here on the northeast outskirts of Uganda’s capital city.

Kyoto Treaty Fizzled, But Climate Talkers Insist Paris Is Different

On November 30, delegates from nearly 200 nations are scheduled to arrive in Paris to negotiate a new agreement to curb global warming.

Buyer beware! The FDA just approved GMO salmon

The Food and Drug Administration just approved genetically modified salmon patented by a company called AquaBounty Technologies, which means it will start showing up in the market in two years or so. The New York Times reports:

The meaning, importance of Pope Francis' flag

During Pope Francis three-day visit to Kenya, a yellow and white flag featured several times; on his official car, airplane and in the different meetings he attended.

Pope: 'Catastrophic' if climate deal derailed

Pope Francis, speaking in Africa on the eve of critical climate change talks in Paris, warned Thursday that it would be “catastrophic” if world leaders let special interest groups get in the way of a global agreement to curb fossil fuel emissions

Paris Attacks, COP21 and the WCC: Embracing the Other

Friday November 13, 2015's terror attacks in Paris, which followed on attacks in Baghdad and Beirut and preceded the attack in Yola, break my heart. All such attacks do. What makes people want to kill innocent people enjoying their Friday night with friends and family at a concert and in restaurants? Such attacks not only kill the bodies, they deeply wound the spirit.

Barack Obama’s Dual Mission at Climate Talks in Paris

President Barack Obama‘s trip next week to Paris has been years in the making, the culmination of the administration’s longstanding efforts to forge an international climate accord.

It's official: 'Homophobia' now a mental disorder!

If you think there might be something wrong with homosexuality, you most likely have a mental disorder, according to a recent study by a team of Italian researchers.
[Commentary: The Bible says that homosexuality is an abomination. (please read Genesis 19:1-13; Leviticus 18:22,29; Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:27,32; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:8-10)] Prophecy said Antichrist would be homosexual in Daniel 11:37

U.N.: 2015 is the hottest year on record

Because of man-made global warming and a strong El Nino, Earth's wild weather this year is smashing the annual heat record, the World Meteorological Organization announced on Wednesday.

Pope Francis calls for unity, links terror to poverty as he launches Africa tour

Almost as soon as Pope Francis alighted from his flight to Kenya's capital on his first trip to Africa, he sent a powerful message of humility and equality.

HOUSTON: Pope Francis Names First Bishop to Lead Catholics Nurtured In The Anglican Tradition

Bishop-elect Steven Lopes to be introduced at press conference today in Houston, Texas Rome sends top official to North America to lead structure equivalent to a diocese Vatican also approves use of new texts for the celebration of Mass

UPDATE 2-Vatican puts journalists on trial amid human rights furore

VATICAN CITY, Nov 24 Five people, including two Italian reporters, went on trial in the Vatican on Tuesday, to outrage from rights groups, on charges arising from publication of books in which the Holy See was portrayed as mired in mismanagement and corruption.

Boy dies of Ebola in Liberia, first fatality in months

A 15-year-old boy has died of Ebola in Liberia, the first such fatality for months in a country declared free of the disease in September, its chief medical officer said on Tuesday.

New York now can race on Palm Sunday

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill on Saturday allowing New York racetracks to conduct live racing and take simulcast bets on Palm Sunday, lifting an unusual 42-year-old ban. Palm Sunday is March 20 in 2016.

Pew: White Christians no longer a majority

White Christians now make up less than half of the U.S. population, largely receding from the majorities of most demographic groups, with one notable exception: the Republican Party.
Survey: Public Trust in Government: 1958-2015

Earthquakes between 4.1 and 6.2 magnitude strike Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal

Earthquakes of varying magnitudes struck Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal on Sunday night.

‘She is my mama': Francis is sharing his love of Our Lady with the whole world

The Holy Father is never afraid to show that he defers to Our Lady - National Geographic has published a landmark article on Our Lady, entitled “How the Virgin Mary Became the World’s Most Powerful Woman”. There is an excellent and beautifully written account of Our Lady of Guadalupe, including a history of Juan Diego’s tilma, which miraculously bears the image of Our Lady. The image of Our Lady is superimposed on St Juan Diego’s tilma like a photo.

Francis, Fatima and the End of the World

At the end of April it was confirmed that Pope Francis will travel to Fatima for the one hundredth anniversary of the Marian apparitions, and it is rumored that he will use the occasion to canonize the two youngest seers, Jacinta and Francisco Marto.

Pope Francis: World War III has begun - Third Secret of Fatima gives warning

Pope Francis has invoked World War III, saying that it has begun in a piecemeal fashion. The Third Secret of Fatima could provide Christians a framework for considering this terrifying new development.

Did Obama just say he's a Muslim (again)?

Born to a Muslim father and raised in his early childhood by a Muslim stepfather in a Muslim nation, where he was registered in school as Muslim, Barack Obama has many ties to Islam that have caused some to doubt his profession of Christian faith.

Pope Francis’ US ambassador calls Jesuit educators to reaffirm their Catholic identity

In an address to U.S. bishops gathered in Baltimore this week, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò called on all Jesuits and their respective schools to show “respect to their great tradition” and take the lead in “re-affirming the Catholic identity of their educational institutions.”

Elevation Church pastor: Keeping mum about personal finances fair to family, in line with Jesus’ teaching

In a rare media interview broadcast Tuesday night, Elevation Church Pastor Steven Furtick said revealing how much money he makes and how much of it he gives away would be unfair to his family and would violate Jesus’ call to be discreet about donations.

Michael Savage: Even reporters shocked by Obama's ISIS response

In contrast to the U.S. president, even the “progressive, socialist pope” recognized the Paris attack as “a piece” of a third world war, talk-radio host Michael Savage told his listeners Monday.

AFTER PARIS, POPE FRANCIS TELLS CHRISTIANS TO BE READY FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

Two days after the horrendous jihadist attacks in Paris, Pope Francis preached about the “end times,” encouraging his hearers to be vigilant and ready at any moment to meet God face to face.

Pope Francis: No religious or human justification for Paris attacks

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has called the attacks in Paris “a piece” of the “piecemeal Third World War.”

Obama Calls Paris Events ‘an Attack on the Civilized World’

ANTALYA, Turkey — President Obama said on Sunday that the “skies have been darkened by the horrific attacks” in Paris and pledged again that the United States would stand with the French as they pursue the terrorists who killed at least 129 people and wounded hundreds more.

Lawyer charges feds admit spying on everyone

The Obama administration’s insistence on further delaying a court ruling against the National Security Agency’s telephone surveillance program indicates the government actually was spying on “everyone,” charges a brief by the plaintiffs.

Paris attacks: 60 reported killed; hostage situation ongoing

Paris (CNN)Dozens of people are reported dead after a series of what appear to be coordinated attacks across Paris late Friday. A hostage situation is continuing at a concert hall. CNN will update this story as information comes in:

M7.0 quake hits off Kyushu; small tsunamis reported

TOKYO — A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the southwestern coast of Japan at 5:51 a.m. Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, with Japanese authorities reporting several small tsunamis on at least two islands.

TRANSGENDERS PUT BULL'S-EYE ON BATHROOM DOORS

Houston just recently finished a nearly two-year long fight over a transgender ordinance that “gay” activists said was essential, and the same fight now is erupting in Dallas.

Sexting scandals: how to protect kids from risky behavior – and legal fallout

A pair of sexting scandals in New York and Colorado are the latest reminders of the need for parents to engage young people in conversations about sex and social media, experts say.

First on CNN: Secret Service officer arrested in child sex sting

Washington (CNN)A Secret Service officer assigned to the White House was arrested after he was caught in a sting sending naked pictures of himself to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl from Delaware, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday.

8 dead babies found in German apartment, police say

(CNN)The bodies of eight babies have been found wrapped in towels and inside plastic bags in an apartment in Germany's Bavaria state, police said Friday -- a gruesome discovery that spurred authorities to hunt for the woman who last lived there as they try to explain why and how this happened.

Teen mom tied up toddler with cellophane and packing tape, police say

A Georgia mother has been arrested after police said she bound her 16-month-old son with packing tape and kept him in a locked vehicle for hours.

Noah's Ark theme park in Kentucky to open July 2016: founder

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - A controversial Noah's Ark-themed amusement park in Kentucky will open on July 7, 2016 and should attract 1.4 million people annually, the park's founder said on Thursday.

The Pope Francis effect: One speech on climate change, a 10-20 point shift in opinion polls

Pope Francis’s campaign for the climate has won hearts and minds in the United States in just a matter of months, suggests a recent survey of Americans’ attitudes to climate change (pdf). Yale University researchers are calling it another example of “The Francis Effect.”

Was Earth's water actually here all along?

Water sloshes over more than two-thirds of Earth’s surface, giving it the nickname of the Blue Planet. Without water, our planet would look very different.

El Niño now third strongest on record - Australian weather bureau

SYDNEY - The six-month long El Niño over the Pacific Ocean is now one of the three strongest ever recorded, Australia's bureau of meteorology has confirmed.

Vatican puts 2 reporters under investigation in leaks probe

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican said Wednesday it had placed two Italian journalists under investigation in its probe over leaked documents that revealed waste, greed and mismanagement at the highest levels of the Catholic Church hierarchy.

C.African Catholics look to papal visit for salvation

"The pope will bring us salvation. I believe this and I pray ceaselessly that everything will go well for him," said Marie Yangbo, a trader in the centre of Bangui, expressing both the hope and the fear prevailing ahead of the visit due on November 28 and 29.

Transgender in China: secrets and surgery

Beijing (AFP) - At home her son still calls her daddy, at work she dresses in a masculine style, but this Chinese person has a "little secret" -- she was born male, but is not any more.

Obama becomes first president to appear on cover of gay-rights magazine

President Obama is “out.” Mr. Obama became the first sitting president to appear on the cover of an LGBT-themed magazine Tuesday when his photo appeared on the cover of OUT magazine, a gay fashion and lifestyle publication.

Barack Obama addresses climate change in first Facebook video

The White House launched a Facebook page on Monday for President Barack Obama and used the social media platform to send a message on climate change.

Pope Francis calls books exposing Vatican mismanagement 'deplorable'

In his first public comments on the latest scandal rocking the Vatican, Pope Francis told followers in St. Peter's Square on Sunday that the theft of documents describing financial malfeasance inside the Holy See was a "crime" but pledged to continue reforms of its administration.

Sunday trading law proposals put 'on hold'

Government plans to relax Sunday trading laws in England and Wales have been put on hold, after SNP opposition meant it faced defeat in the Commons.

Amnesty: Saudi Arabia’s executions at 20-year high

Saudi Arabia has executed at least 151 people this year — the most since 1995 and far above the annual figure in recent years, which rarely exceeded 90, Amnesty International said on Monday.

Hundreds of Nude Photos Jolt Colorado School

CAÑON CITY, Colo. — At least 100 students at a high school in Cañon City traded naked pictures of themselves, the authorities said Friday, part of a large sexting ring.

State of emergency declared over parking lot hole in Miss.

MERIDIAN, Miss. - It's not every day that a giant hole opens up in an IHOP parking lot, swallowing more than a dozen cars suddenly, which is why Meridian Mayor Percy Bland declared a state of emergency on Monday.

Forecasters: 63 Million Should Have Eye out for Bad Weather

Forecasters are warning 63 million people in the central U.S. to have an eye out for bad weather this week as colliding air masses threaten to generate high winds and possibly tornadoes.

Consuming charred meat may up kidney cancer risk

People who eat large amounts of meat cooked at high temperature or over an open flame, and are also genetically susceptible, may have a higher risk of kidney cancer, according to a new study.

Ben Carson: Seventh-Day Adventists Should Ordain Women

Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson said in a recent interview that he believes his denomination, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, should ordain female clergy. Carson told the Associated Press that the denomination made a “mistake” when they voted against allowing female clergy at their 60th General Conference Session in July.

A Massachusetts Church Claims God is a Woman, Will Host ‘Drag Gospel’ Festival

A Massachusetts church is planning a “Drag Gospel” event, and welcoming people of all walks of life to attend.

Ald. Burke Defends Ten Commandments Joke, Citing Catholic Church Catechism

Indeed, the Vatican lists the Ten Commandments in a different order than you’ll find in the Bible. The sixth commandment is “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” and the ninth commandment is “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”

Scientists Study Links Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather

Did climate change cause that heat wave? That hurricane? That drought?

DOJ sets hearing on ex-Iglesia minister's case vs church leaders

MANILA, Philippines – More than two months since expelled Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) minister Isaias Samson Jr accused top church officials of serious lllegal detention, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to hold its first preliminary hearing on the case.

Tacloban's gays enjoy spirit of acceptance after Typhoon Haiyan

TACLOBAN, Philippines (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Filipino hotel manager Jerick Florano used to open Grindr on his smartphone, the same four or five faces always greeted him on the dating app for gay and bisexual men.

Man dies after tapeworm inside him gets cancer

A Colombian man's lung tumors turned out to have an extremely unusual cause: The rapidly growing masses weren't actually made of human cells, but were from a tapeworm living inside him, according to a report of the case

High school football death toll sadly rises with news of Luke Schemm's passing

High school football player deaths have stretched across the country and back again this season, and now tragedy has struck the Midwest, where another teen died after collapsing during a football game this fall.

Mother-of-one died after downing up to eight litres a day of PEPSI MAX while on anti-depressants

A mother-of-one drank herself to death with Pepsi Max while on anti-depressants, an inquest heard. Victoria Lane, from Clayton, Stoke-on-Trent, died from 'excessive' levels of caffeine and fluoxetine after downing up to eight litres of the fizzy drink on a daily basis because she enjoyed the taste of it.

TOXIC THREAT THREATENS ENTIRE CRAB SEASON IN CALIFORNIA

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KGO) -- The California Department of Public Health has issued a major warning for people to not eat crab caught along the California coast under any circumstances.

Q&A: If bacon causes cancer, should we all become vegetarians?

In an announcement that has alarmed bacon lovers and sent the beef industry into a furor, the World Health Organization's cancer research arm on Monday declared processed meat a carcinogen, like tobacco, and said red meat is probably one, too. Here's what experts have to say about what this new warning means for your diet:

Doctors Find Tapeworm Larva in California Man's Brain

Singel said such parasitic worms in a body aren't too uncommon. The problem occasionally occurs if people eat pork infected with worms, he said. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said infection from pork tapeworms is a problem worldwide and is spread most easily in developing communities where pigs have access to human waste and where hygiene and sanitation are poor.

Sleeping Longer Over Time Raises Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Increasing sleep duration over time may raise the risk for type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and older women, and doing this as an antidote to shorter sleep duration earlier in life may not ameliorate the adverse effects of the latter, a new study suggests.

Religiously Affiliated Americans Are As Devout As Ever

(RNS) Americans as a whole are growing less religious, but those who still consider themselves to belong to a religion are, on average, just as committed to their faiths as they were in the past — in certain respects even more so.

AMERICANS LOSING THEIR RELIGION: POLL

Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study found in its poll released Tuesday more and more Americans are becoming less and less religious, and fewer nowadays are attending church and participating in daily acts of prayer than in past survey years.

Christian persecution spikes in Pakistan, prompting calls for US to exert pressure

Violence against Christians is on the rise in Pakistan, where a disturbing trend of attacks by Islamist fanatics has made life inside the U.S. ally hell for religious minorities.

Feds to school: Let transgender boy dress with girls

An Illinois school district faces the loss of Title IX funding for refusing to let a boy who identifies and dresses as a girl into the female locker room to change and shower.

More cases of E.coli in Washington, Oregon expected after Chipotle outbreak

Health officials expect the number of people sickened by an E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle restaurants in Washington state and Oregon to grow while they investigate the cause of the infection.

Interfaith Peace Building Could Be Key in Ending Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Across the globe, diverse people watch with a mixture of sadness, frustration, and even anger as violence once again escalates in Israel.

Nepal is in crisis, and it has nothing to do with the earthquake. Here’s what you need to know.

Nepal is edging closer to a humanitarian crisis potentially even bigger than the massive earthquake that struck in April. This time, however, it’s a political crisis rooted in Nepal’s social divisions.

Heavy Fog in Europe Causes Major Delays and Epic Pictures

Nepal is edging closer to a humanitarian crisis potentially even bigger than the massive earthquake that struck in April. This time, however, it’s a political crisis rooted in Nepal’s social divisions.

Antarctica is Actually Gaining Ice — Not Losing, NASA Says

Antarctica is gaining more ice than it's losing, according to a recent NASA study that challenges other reports, including one by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.New analysis of the agency's satellite data shows the Antarctic ice sheet gaining 112 billion tons of ice per year from 1992 to 2001.

POLICE: DRIVER IN BRONX FATAL TRICK-OR-TREAT CRASH MAY HAVE HAD MEDICAL ISSUE

MORRIS PARK, N.Y. (WABC) -- Police are trying to find out what caused a motorist to crash into a group of trick-or-treaters in the Bronx Saturday, leaving three people dead.

Pins, needles reportedly found in Halloween candy

WOODBURY HEIGHTS, N.J. — Authorities are urging parents to carefully go through the candy their children collected while trick-or-treating as there have been reports of needles and pins found in Halloween candy.

Related: 11-Year-Old Girl Finds Pills in Her Halloween Candy

Dead comet with skull face to hurtle by Earth on Halloween

Miami (AFP) - A massive space rock that will shave by Earth on Halloween looks like a dead comet with a skull face, NASA said after gaining a closer look at the spooky space object.

Gene-Editing Scientists ready to play God

Emerging gene-editing technology is primed to turn the scientific community into an army of Victor Frankensteins

Grave visits for the dead, not picnics – Bishop

A Catholic prelate has reminded the faithful not to forget the real reason why they go to the cemetery during All Souls’ Day, which is to visit the departed and not to have a picnic...The Cardinal also urged the faithful to pray not only for the souls of their dead loved ones but also for those in purgatory.

Related Tract: State of the Dead

Cyclone Chapala Will Grow Stronger as It Crosses Arabian Sea

The storm’s top winds were almost 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour, about 455 miles south-southeast of Masirah Island off the coast of Oman, the U.S. Navy and Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in an 11 a.m. New York time advisory. It was moving west-southwestward at about 7 mph toward the Gulf of Aden.

Greece: Shipwrecks Kill 31 People In Aegean Sea

LESBOS, Greece (AP) — Greece's prime minister lashed out Friday at European "ineptness" in handling the continent's massive immigration crisis after 31 more people — mostly children — drowned in shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea.

A Most British Response to the W.H.O. Study on Processed Meats

LONDON — It has been a staple for as long as anyone can remember at bed-and-breakfast establishments and greasy spoon cafes, offered alike to travelers in five-star hotels and bleary-eyed passengers at the tail end of overnight flights to London.

Too Much TV Linked to Leading Causes of Death

A new study links watching too much TV with some of the leading causes of death in the United States. Ninety-two percent of Americans have a TV in their home, according to background information in the study. And 80 percent of American adults watch an average of three-and-a-half hours of TV a day, which is more than half of their leisure time.

Tuberculosis deaths now rival HIV - Despite being completely curable, why are 10 million people suffering?

Deaths due to tuberculosis rivaled those by HIV/AIDS last year. A completely curable disease, TB is now one of the leading causes of death globally.

You Probably Have Herpes, World Health Organization Says

According to a report released by the World Health Organization, more than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 — or 67 percent of the population — are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1, which is transmitted by oral-oral contact and causes "cold sores" around the mouth.

Teen, 16, charged in stabbing death of student at Scottish school

A 16-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the stabbing, which took place at lunchtime on Wednesday at the Cults Academy in Aberdeen.

Ted Cruz: ‘Climate Change Is Not Science, It’s Religion’

GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz told Glenn Beck in an interview that aired on TheBlaze TV Wednesday night.

'Global warming the greatest scam in history' claims founder of Weather Channel

THE debate about climate change is finished - because it has been categorically proved NOT to exist, one of the world's best known climate change sceptic has claimed.

Related: Busted! Leaked emails snag global-warming alarmists - Top Ten Reasons Climate Change is a Hoax - Climate change will lead to the Mark

World’s Catholic bishops to world leaders: Use Paris climate conference to end the ‘fossil-fuel era’

The world’s Catholic bishops, divided on some doctrinal issues, have come together to call on world leaders at next month’s global climate conference in Paris to act decisively to reach “just and legally binding” agreements to curb greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change.

Climate change will bring deadly heat to the Middle East

New York (CNNMoney) — Climate change could ultimately make parts of the Middle East too hot for human beings to survive, according to studies published in Nature Climate Change.

Persian Gulf heat: It may become too hot for humans to survive, study warns

(CNN)We frequently hear of the future dangers that human-caused climate change could bring, but few paint as bleak a picture as the one laid in a new study released this week.

Most tobacco-using teens start with flavored products

(Reuters Health) - A survey of teen smokers has added more evidence that flavored tobacco products are particularly attractive to people younger than the legal smoking age. Cigarettes can include menthol flavoring, and other tobacco products like hookah are available in wide variety of flavors.

Widow commits suicide two weeks after husband was brutally hacked to death

Yesterday, Patti Stevens was found dead in Dallas due to an apparent suicide. She was married to Dave Stevens, who was brutally hacked to death just two weeks ago, according to the New York Post.

Inside the Vatican Synod on Family: Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox Working Together (Day 18-21)

This Vatican Synod is generating great interest among Catholics and Evangelicals alike as Pope Francis continues to make overtures for increased cooperation with Evangelicals to protect religious freedom in a world of increased persecution of Christians.

Reports of injuries, damage in powerful Afghanistan quake

(CNN) -- A magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck southern Asia on Monday afternoon, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was 45 kilometers (28 miles) south-southwest of Jarm, Afghanistan, near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Hong Kong probes ferry crash as injury toll rises to 124

HONG KONG - Hong Kong officials were Monday investigating a weekend ferry crash that injured 124, including five critically, amid fresh concern over the safety of its busy waterways.

Hurricane Patricia Races for Mexico's Pacific Coast as Potential Monster

Hurricane Patricia developed rapidly into a "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 storm that could sweep waves of almost 40 feet onto Mexico's Pacific coast Friday, forecasters said.

Marijuana Use in America Has Doubled in the Past Decade, Study Says

Rates have increased especially among middle-aged people, senior citizens, blacks and Hispanics. Pot has seen a stark rise in popularity in the U.S. over the past 10 years, according to new research.

Too Many Antibiotics May Make Children Heavier

A new study finds the strongest evidence yet that antibiotics in early childhood can contribute to more, and lasting, weight gain. There’s growing evidence of the long-term health problems linked to too much exposure to antibiotics. Not only are the drugs becoming less effective as bacteria become resistant to existing medicines, but they are changing our bodies, particular those of young children, in potentially unhealthy ways.

Wake Up! Pope Francis has a new album coming

On Nov. 27, Pope Francis will release “Wake Up!” a collection of his speeches set to music. While much has been made of Francis’ dropping a prog-rock album, that’s not entirely the case. Producer and musical director Don Giulio Neroni told Rolling Stone that in making the album, he tried to be “strongly faithful” to the personality of His Holiness, “the pope of dialogue, open doors, hospitality.”

Abortion Clinic Staffer Impersonates Jesus to Taunt Pro-Life People Praying Outside

An abortion clinic escort impersonating Jesus outside an Alabama abortion clinic mocked God by calling himself “Jesus Choice” to promote child killing in the womb.

Singapore Church Founder Is Convicted of Fraud

HONG KONG — The pastor of a Singapore megachurch was convicted of fraud on Wednesday, with a judge finding that he had used millions in church funds to promote his wife’s career in pop music.

'Black Jesus' is back, smoking dope, dropping F-bombs

Jesus is back, and he’s still black – at least on “Black Jesus.” The late-night TV show that has outraged Christians for having a modern-day Jesus as a black guy living in the hood, smoking dope and dropping F-bombs has been renewed on Adult Swim, the cable network that shares airtime with Cartoon Network on Turner Broadcasting.

Netizens report #EarthquakePH real-time

MANILA, Philippines – Earthquake and typhoon on the same day? Not the best combination. Netizens quickly turned to social media in the wake of the magnitude 5.4 earthquake, which shook Occidental Mindoro on Monday evening, October 19. Prayers poured on social media as keywords #earthquake and Lindol quickly trended on Twitter just a few minutes after the quake.

Scientists spot new, huge energy waves coming out of the Sun

Scientists have seen huge, extra-powerful particles shooting out of the sun, in what they have described as a brand new solar phenomenon.

Thousands displaced as Typoon Koppu pummels northern Philippines

(CNN)Thousands of residents of the northern Philippines were forced to flee Sunday as Typhoon Koppu began its multiday battering of the region.

Homeless emergency declared in Hawaii

(CNN)Hawaii is a place many go to kick back, relax and enjoy the good life. But for others, it's a land of struggle. That's why its governor on Friday signed an emergency proclamation to tackle homelessness in the state, saying the measure will help turn around the lives of young and old.

Americans Increasingly Coming Out on Facebook

Americans are coming out as gay on Facebook in record numbers, according to a new report from the social network.

Police find 'more than a dozen containers of fetus parts' and strong anesthetic inside trunk of doctor's car amid claims he carried out illegal abortions

Police have found what appears to be more than a dozen containers of aborted fetus parts inside the trunk of a gynecologist's car. Dr Michael Roth was stopped by police in Michigan after an alleged collision with a disabled man when they made the gruesome discovery. Officers, who also found a strong anesthetic in the back of Roth's vehicle, raided his home and medical practice on Tuesday amid claims he is suspected of carrying out illegal abortions.

Challenge to Pope as 'gay lobby' talk fills Vatican

Pope Francis is being challenged by some powerful cardinals holding key posts inside the Vatican who fear for their careers, as a smaller group of clerics who support his reforms are pushing for change.

El Nino: Wet winter likely across California, not just in south, new report says

In the latest sign that El Niño conditions are likely to bring wet weather to drought-parched California, federal scientists on Thursday announced for the first time that the entire state — including the northern part of California from the Bay Area to the Oregon border — is now expected to receive average or above-average rainfall this winter.

No Rain Coming as Texas Wildfire Scorches Dry, Hard-Hit Area

A wildfire chewing the same Central Texas forestland scorched by a devastating blaze in 2011 slowed dramatically Thursday as improving weather kept the deadly destruction of four years ago at bay.

Polygamy In Full Swing - 'Gay' married couple divorces to include 3rd man.

(London Daily Mail) Two married men have revealed how they got a divorce just one year after tying the knot – so they could include a third man in their relationship.

Pope Francis Apologizes For Vatican Scandals

“I would like to ask for forgiveness in the name of the church for the scandals that have happened" Pope Francis apologized on Wednesday for scandals within the church at a general audience in St. Peter’s Square.

LGBT litigators show 'true colors' in new attack on Kim Davis

Now it’s becoming clear: A case that erupted in Kentucky because same-sex duos demanded marriage licenses from a Christian county clerk who refused to issue them wasn’t about marriage at all. It was about forcing a homosexual agenda on a Christian.

Dry autumn delivers fire and destruction to prairie states

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wildfires burning on prairie land in five states have destroyed more than a dozen homes and killed livestock in the past few days as a region normally accustomed to crisp temperatures and even snow this time of year gets a taste of California-style drought.

Schools spooked, pull u-turn on Halloween

(NEW HAVEN REGISTER) — MILFORD, Connecticut — Halloween – unless one’s religion deems it satanic, sinful and worthy of godly condemnation – conjures images of carefree children dressed as witches, goblins, or Elsa from “Frozen,” skipping down sidewalks amid the rustle of fall leaves, rushing to the next house where, if luck holds, a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup instead of a packet of dried-out raisins awaits. But, in Milford, Conn., Halloween now has another association: a PC, PR catastrophe.

Ben Carson Criticizes Young Earth Creationism, Says Earth Could Be Billions of Years Old

Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson clarified that he believes that God created the world but does not believe the Earth is only 6,000 years old, as young Earth creationists claim. Carson also criticized those who claim there is no way the Earth can be billions of years old, saying that such people put themselves "in the same category as God."

The Politics of Pope Francis's visit to Washington

At first glance, Pope Francis’s visit to the United States last week seems apolitical. Certainly in the United States, where we take pride in maintaining a distinction between church and state, many saw the Pope’s tour as strictly a visit to the Catholic faithful. Yet history might suggest otherwise. As the 266th individual to hold the most powerful office in the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis stands behind a long line of leaders who have used their office to promote a political agenda. When the Pope speaks, people listen. Even those, as it turns out, who write legislation for the hemisphere’s regional hegemony. This fact was evident in the warm reception given to the Pope in a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Sept. 24. It was the first time in U.S. history that a Pope had addressed Congress, and Pope Francis made the most of the momentous occasion. In a welcome break from partisan bickering, the Pope paid homage to both political parties, encouraging the legislators to work together to achieve universal goals. He urged Congress to “defend and preserve the dignity of the common good” claiming that “this is the chief aim of all politics.”

Ankara bombings: ISIS focus of Turkey's investigation

(CNN)Even though no group has claimed responsibility for the deadly weekend bombings in Ankara, the focus of the investigation is the militant group ISIS,Turkey's prime minister said. The Saturday attack near Ankara's main train station was carried out by two suicide bombers. It killed at least 97 people and wounded nearly 250 others.

Girl Marriage an Issue on International Day of the Girl Child

FREETOWN--Sunday, October 11, is the International Day of the Girl Child, which recognizes girls' rights and the challenges they face such as child marriage. According to the organization Girls not Brides, the rates of child marriage have risen sharply. It also says child marriage can increase during natural and humanitarian disasters. Now, the organization is calling on governments worldwide to implement policies and plans to end child marriage. In Sierra Leone the issue is a growing concern

Father supports son choosing Frozen's Elsa for Halloween costume

Let it go, disapproving parents. A young boy has decided to go as Elsa from Disney’s Frozen for Halloween, despite being bullied by his classmates for his decision, and his dad totally supports him.

1/3 of vegetarians eat meat when they get drunk

After one too many cocktails, people have been know to let their personal morals slip. But according to a new study, a sizeable number of vegetarians commit the ultimate dietary sin when they get drunk: they eat meat... Lest you think only British vegetarians are guilty of being two faced, a 2014 study conducted by the Humane Research Council found that 84 percent of American vegetarians will eventually start consuming meat again at some point in their lives.

Photos:Neighboors complain this Halloween display is too way graphics [WARNING:contains graphic images]

PARMA, Oh. — Blood and gore are a staple of Halloween.

Did bake off save the world?

So here we are – again – facing the slightly awkward postmortem that accompanies any failure of the apocalypse to arrive on a predicted date. The eBible Fellowship, an online outfit led by one Chris McCann, had gone on record with its determination of a “strong likelihood that 7 October 2015 will be the end of the world”. Alas, this has not come to pass...

Priest defends paedophiles, blames love-seeking children

An Italian priest has been suspended from his parish after defending paedophilia on live television and attempting to blame victims for “seeking affection”. Don Gino Flaim, of the San Giuseppe and Pio X parish in the northern Italian town of Trento, claimed on air that he “understands paedophilia” whereas “I’m not sure about homosexuality”.

Guatemala landslide death toll tops 220; another 350 missing

At least 220 bodies have been recovered after a massive landslide buried part of a town in Guatemala last week while about 350 people are missing, national disaster agency Conred said on Thursday.

E. Coli caused the death of 20 month old Colton in Maine after zoo visit

Two Maine toddlers were admitted to the hospital for contracting E. coli this week. The state health officials stated on Tuesday that they are investigating if their illness can be traced to the Oxford County fair where they came in contact with animals.

Associated Press count shows over 1,360 pilgrims killed in Saudi hajj crush, stampede in Mina

The AP count of dead from the disaster — the worst tragedy to strike the hajj in a quarter-century — is based on tolls offered by 18 countries through their officials or state media broadcasts. The tolls are said to only include those killed in the disaster at Mina, near Mecca.

NASA and ESA are forming a super space team to prevent armageddon

The American and European space agencies are teaming up to save the world, and they’re doing it all without cheesy Aerosmith songs or bad Ben Affleck haircuts.

These Mysterious Blazing-Fast Ripples Racing Around a Star Defy Explanation

Scientists were looking for planets forming in the large disk of dust surrounding a young star when they encountered a surprise: fast-moving, wavelike arches racing across the disk like ripples in water.

Israel leads in Google space race. Is a private moon landing imminent?

An Israeli spacecraft aboard an American rocket will take off for the moon in late 2017, becoming the leader in a space-race competition run by Google.

Christian group predicts the world will be 'annihilated' on Wednesday

While our planet may have survived September’s “blood moon”, it will be permanently destroyed on Wednesday, 7 October, a Christian organization has warned.
The eBible Fellowship, an online affiliation headquartered near Philadelphia, has based its prediction of an October obliteration on a previous claim that the world would end on 21 May 2011. While that claim proved to be false, the organization is confident it has the correct date this time.

Boy, 11, charged with killing 8-year-old girl after argument about puppies

An argument between two children over puppies turned tragic Saturday when an 11-year-old boy allegedly killed his 8-year-old neighbor with a shotgun, according to authorities in Jefferson County, Tenn.

Workers quietly removes Ten Commandments from the Capitol

A granite monument of the Ten Commandments that has sparked controversy since its installation on the Oklahoma Capitol grounds was being removed late Monday and will be transported to a private conservative think tank for storage.

Gov. Brown signs controversial assisted-suicide bill

Caught between conflicting moral arguments, Gov. Jerry Brown, a former Jesuit seminary student, on Monday signed a measure allowing physicians to prescribe lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill patients who want to hasten their deaths.

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Archaeologists uncover ruins of Sodom, the lost ancient biblical city destroyed by God

A team of archaeologists led by Prof. Steve Collins has reportedly unearthed the ruins of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which according to the Bible suffered a catastrophic destruction caused by God.

Hundreds of parents outraged by Islamic lessons being taught in Georgia schools

Public schools in Georgia have been teaching young children about the basic beliefs of Islam, and their parents are furious about it.

12 Christians Brutally Executed By ISIS Refused to Renounce Name of Christ

Twelve Christians have been brutally executed by the Islamic State, including the 12-year-old son of a Syrian ministry team leader who had planted nine churches, because they refused to renounce the name of Jesus Christ and embrace Islam. The martyrs were faithful to the very end; right before one woman was beheaded by the terror group, she appeared to be smiling slightly as she said, "Jesus!"

Francis Crowned the 'People's Pope' During Historic Visit to New York City

Evangelicals Help Greet Pope Francis at the White House

Pope Francis wants to be president of the world

WASHINGTON -- He hasn't announced his candidacy. Indeed, the job he seeks doesn't really exist. But shrewdly, methodically and with a showman's flair, the soft-spoken, 78-year-old Argentinian Jesuit priest named Jorge Mario Bergoglio -- Pope Francis -- showed Thursday that he is running to become president of the planet.

Trump to Pope Francis: 'ISIS wants to get you'

"I'm protestant but I have great respect for the pope. I like the pope. I actually like him. He's becoming very political, there's no question about it. But I like him," trump said. "He seems like a pretty good guy."

Pope Francis asks Waldensian Christians to forgive the Church

“On the part of the Catholic Church, I ask your forgiveness, I ask it for the non-Christian and even inhuman attitudes and behaviour that we have showed you,” said Pope Francis.

Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews Join Forces, Ask Supreme Court to Take Obamacare Contraceptive Mandate Case

As of Monday, a number of groups have written friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the order.
Briefs were written by six different orders of Catholic nuns, a coalition of Orthodox Jewish Rabbis, 20 state governments, the ERLC, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, National Association of Evangelicals, the Cato Institute and a multitude other religious and secular organizations, who urge the Supreme Court to not only review the nuns' case but also reverse the appeals court's decision.

Donald Trump Compares Himself to Billy Graham; Says 'My Favorite Book Is the Bible'

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump looked at the crowd gathered for his rally at a 40,000-seat college football stadium in Mobile, Alabama, saying he now knows how evangelist Billy Graham felt. He also said the book he likes the most is the Bible.

Baptist Church Founded by First SBC President Allows Ordination of Gay and Transgender Ministers

The South Carolina church that was founded by the Southern Baptist Convention's first president has adopted a new non-discrimination policy that will allow for the congregation to not only marry same-sex couples but also ordain openly gay, lesbian and transgender ministers.

Civil Liberties Group Demands Removal of Jesus Portrait at Kansas School

A picture of Jesus has been removed from a school in Kansas after complaints that it violates the First Amendment.

Whom do Evangelical Insiders Favor in 2016?

Good news for Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, and Carly Fiorina. Mixed news for Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz. Bad news for Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and Ben Carson. And if anyone thought Donald Trump or Chris Christie were picking up support from evangelical leaders, pop that bubble. Those are the findings from a survey of nearly 100 evangelical leaders and insiders. Numerous 2016 GOP candidates have identified evangelicals as a key part of their road to the White House, so WORLD, the leading evangelical news magazine, recently asked 103 evangelical leaders and insiders to see whom they prefer. Ninety-four responded.

'Science Supports Genesis': Geneticist Says Evidence Confirms Biblical Adam and Eve

A respected molecular geneticist explores the historicity of Adam and Eve in a newly-released documentary, explaining that modern findings in the field of genetics confirm the Bible’s teachings that all humans descended from an original couple created by God.

Priest gets prison time for groping a sleeping woman on an airplane

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A Catholic priest convicted of groping a woman on a U.S. airline flight was sentenced to six months in federal prison on Monday after the victim testified that she was still traumatized by the ordeal, prosecutors said.

Oklahoma Supreme Court reaffirms order to remove Ten Commandments monument

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma has reaffirmed an earlier ruling for the removal of a Ten Commandments monument outside of the state capitol.
In a 7-2 decision, the state's highest court denied Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt's request for a rehearing on the court's order to remove the monument last month.

Hundreds Gather for Unveiling of Satanic Statue in Detroit
The "largest public satanic ceremony in history"

A little before midnight on Saturday, a crowd of around 700 gathered in an old industrial warehouse a few blocks from the Detroit River for what they’d been told was the “largest public satanic ceremony in history.” Most of them professed to be adherents of Satanism, that loosely organized squad of the occult that defines itself as a religious group. Others came simply because they were curious. After all, Satanists exist in the popular psyche as those who casually sacrifice goats and impregnate Mia Farrow with Lucifer’s child; if this ceremony was indeed unprecedentedly big, who knew what could be in store?

The Satanic Temple's Nine-Foot, One Ton Statue Of Baphomet Needs A New Home

Last year, The Satanic Temple tried to place a massive statute of Baphomet outside an Oklahoma state building in response to a Christian statue sporting the Ten Commandments that was already there. So if one religion can be represented, then why not all religions, they argued. Well last week, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that instead of the Satanic statue going up, the Christian monument must come down, according to the Washington Post.

EX-SATANIST: BABIES RITUALLY ABORTED FOR DEVIL

Zachary King remembers the day well. It was in 1982. He was young, rebellious and dabbling in the occult.

Dismissed minister files illegal detention raps vs Iglesia execs at DOJ

El Niño event seen worst since 1998

THE GOVERNMENT expects nearly all the country’s 81 provinces by yearend to feel the brunt of a dry spell from the current El Niño episode that is seen to be the worst since the 1997-1998 event, the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) said in an article posted on its Web site yesterday.

Africa: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Youth Promote Dialogue for Peace

Young participants in a World Council of Churches (WCC) interfaith summer course representing Christian, Jewish and Muslim traditions hope to make a strong contribution towards dialogue in their home countries. Dialogue can break down stereotypes and build up peaceful communities, they say.

Jehovah's Witness mother dies in UK after refusing blood transfusion

A woman who recently gave birth by Caesarean section has died in a hospital in east London after refusing to receive blood transfusion because she was a Jehovah's Witness.

Pope Francis says Sundays are a gift from God not to be shunned

A day of rest and prayer each week are sacred Pope Francis has said in his weekly meeting at the Vatican noting that Sunday is a day the family can enjoy one another and not be slaves to work.

Interfaith dialogue vital to face today's challenges, Christian-Muslim gathering hears

Interreligious dialogue and opening hearts and minds to others are needed to face today's troubled times, participants in the Third Catholic-Muslim Summit held in Rome last week said.

Greece softens Sunday shopping rules to boost economy

ATHENS  (Reuters) - Greece has softened its restrictive Sunday shopping rules as demanded by its lenders, but went back on plans for full liberalization after strong opposition by small retailers and the Orthodox Church.

Mitch Horn heard his call to action in a Babies R Us outside Secaucus, New Jersey. For the third Sunday in a row, Horn had made the forty-minute round trip from his home in Hackensack, crossing from Bergen County to neighboring Hudson County to pick up the wants and needs of contemporary parenting—on this particular day, fresh onesies. The ordeal was maddening to him. On any other day of the week, he could drop by his local Babies R Us, less than five minutes from his front door. And in any other county in America, he could legally do so on a Sunday.

WATCH: Arizona State Senator Suggests That Church Be Mandatory

Arizona state Sen. Sylvia Allen is getting national attention this week for suggesting that church attendance be mandatory. On Tuesday, speaking before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Allen bemoaned fewer and fewer Americans attending church during a discussion on concealed weapons permits

Heat Worms replace heat in Zamboanga farm pestilence

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The rain came but with it, a pestilence as deadly as the  that had wilted the city’s crops—army worms.

Filipino priest flees U.S., wanted for hidden camera in rest room

Police in Sherwood, Oregon, have issued an arrest warrant for a Filipino priest who allegedly placed a hidden camera in a church bathroom, but he has fled to the Philippines.

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