Latest Religion and politics News
After Roe's demise, clergy lead faithful in praise, laments
Praise and lament for the overturning of abortion rights filled sacred spaces this weekend as clergy across the U.S. rearranged worship plans or rewrote sermons to provide their religious context -- and competing messages -- about the historic moment. Abortion is a visceral issue...
Providers argue Florida's privacy measure protects abortion
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A state court is being asked to block a new Florida law which bans most abortions after 15 weeks just days after a conservative U.S. Supreme Court majority overturned a landmark case that had provided constitutional protections for women seeking abortions for almost 50...
Arrests in Istanbul as LGBTQ marchers try to defy Pride ban
ISTANBUL (AP) — Dozens of people were detained in central Istanbul after city authorities banned an LGBTQ Pride march, organizers said Sunday. Turkey's largest city has banned the march since 2015, but large crowds nonetheless gather every year to mark the end of Pride Month....
Iraqi caretaker PM in Iran to rekindle talks with Saudis
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iraq’s caretaker prime minister met with Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday, state TV reported, on a visit aimed at reactivating Baghdad-mediated talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi officially received Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who...
In Lebanon, how to say 'I do' sparks fierce debate
BEIRUT (AP) — Dona-Maria Nammour was looking for a love story. The night she met Mazen Jaber for the first time, they ended up dancing for hours. But their tale is about more than a meet-cute to happily-ever-after romance. It is also about frictions in their native Lebanon over...
Abortion foes, supporters map next moves after Roe reversal
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (AP) — A Texas group that helps women pay for abortions halted its efforts Saturday while evaluating its legal risk under a strict state ban. Mississippi's only abortion clinic continued to see patients while awaiting a 10-day notice that will trigger a ban. Elected officials...
Is abortion illegal in the U.S. now? Depends where you live
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that had provided a constitutional right to abortion. The ruling is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states, although the timing of those laws taking effect varies. Some Republican-led...
Religious schools may face another hurdle to state tuition
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Religious schools got what they wanted when the Supreme Court allowed them to participate in a state tuition program. But the state attorney general said the ruling will be for naught unless the schools are willing to abide by the same antidiscrimination law...
Senator in 2010 deposition: 13-year-olds can consent to sex
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Before he became a leading voice for conservative causes on Capitol Hill, U.S. Senator James Lankford spent more than a decade as the director of youth programming at the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, a sprawling campground about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City that...
Some sheriff's candidates run on not enforcing certain laws
DENVER (AP) — More than a dozen candidates campaigning to be top law enforcement officials in counties across Colorado are running on a unique platform: Not enforcing the law. These candidates fit the profile of a loose movement sometimes referred to as “constitutional...
