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MIAMI – A judge on Tuesday overturned a strict Florida law that blocks gay people from adopting children, declaring there was no legal or scientific reason for sexual orientation alone to prohibit anyone from adopting. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said the 31-year-old law violates equal protection rights for the children and their prospective gay…

DHARMSALA, India – The Dalai Lama warned that the decadeslong dream of a free Tibet would be in danger if exiled leaders weren’t careful, after they said they might push for independence if China refuses to grant autonomy soon to the Himalayan region. The Buddhist spiritual leader also called for dialogue with the Chinese people…

DALLAS – A Muslim charity and five of its former leaders were convicted Monday of funneling millions of dollars to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, finally handing the government a signature victory in its fight against terrorism funding. U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis announced the guilty verdicts on all 108 counts on the eighth…

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky – A lawsuit against the Vatican alleging top church officials should have warned the public or authorities of known or suspected sexual abuse of children by priests here can go ahead, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave the go-ahead for the lawsuit filed by three…

WASHINGTON (RNS) A federal court has ruled that the Arizona License Plate Commission must approve an anti-abortion group’s “Choose Life” specialty license plate. The Arizona Life Coalition applied for the specialty license plate in 2002, but the Arizona License Plate Commission, which oversees the requests, rejected its application. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF)…

NEW YORK (RNS) A New York City Police Department report that characterizes young Muslim men as susceptible to Islamic extremism and “jihadization” is biased and unfair, a Muslim civil rights group said Thursday (Nov. 20). The Muslim American Civil Liberties Coalition, created last year in response to a NYPD analysis of terrorism plots, said it…

POTSDAM, Germany – Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said Friday. Domestic intelligence services will continue to monitor the group, officials said. The German branch of the Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology has been under observation by domestic intelligence services for more…

Baltimore – Recognized widely for his catchphrase – “the family that prays together stays together” – the late Rev. Patrick Peyton spread his message to millions by radio and later television, using Hollywood stars to emphasize prayer and moral values. Now, the man known as the “Rosary Priest” for his penchant to use rosary beads…

The online match-making site eHarmony has agreed to launch a same-sex matching service next March after settling allegations that the company violated New Jersey’s anti-discrimination law by excluding gays and lesbians. A New Jersey gay man filed a complaint with the state in 2005, saying that eHarmony violated his rights by not offering a same-sex…

Jerusalem – Archaeologists who have analyzed artifacts discovered at Herodium, an ancient Judean palace built by King Herod, are more convinced than ever that the famed monarch was buried high atop the complex outside Jerusalem. Herod, who served as the king of Judea from 37 to 4 BC, built such monumental structures as the Second…
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