SUPREME COURT-BIRTH CONTROL
Birth control rule seems to divide Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is expected to release its ruling today on whether Hobby Lobby and other for-profit companies have religious rights, a case challenging President Barack Obama’s health overhaul and its guarantee of birth control in employees’ preventive care plans.
The family-owned companies that are challenging the provision provide health insurance to their employees but object to covering certain methods of birth control that they say can work after conception, in violation of their religious beliefs.
Hobby Lobby, with more than 15,000 full-time employees at 600 stores in 41 states, is owned by the Green family, evangelical Christians who say they run their business on biblical principles. The other company awaiting today’s ruling is Conestoga Wood Specialties, which is owned by a family of Mennonite Christians.
The companies and their backers argue that a 1993 federal law on religious freedom extends to businesses through their owners.
Sound:
205-c-23-(Jerry Bodlander, AP correspondent)-“their religious beliefs”-AP correspondent Jerry Bodlander reports the court’s ruling today deals with part of the health care law that it upheld two years ago. (29 Jun 2014)
< 206-c-20-(Jerry Bodlander, AP correspondent)-“of preventive care”-AP correspondent Jerry Bodlander reports the high court has waited until the last day of its term to issue what may be the most anticipated ruling of the year. (29 Jun 2014) < 204-v-33-(Jerry Bodlander, AP correspondent)–The Supreme Court is set to issue a long-awaited ruling on the final day of its term. AP correspondent Jerry Bodlander reports (29 Jun 2014) < CATHOLIC BROADCASTER-CONTRACEPTION Ala. broadcaster wants injunction in health suit MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — A Catholic broadcaster is asking for a U.S. Supreme Court injunction as it pursues a lawsuit against requiring employers to include contraception in their health care coverage. A federal judge dismissed the suit filed by the Eternal Word Television Network on June 18. The network is planning an appeal, but says it needs a Supreme Court injunction before a July 1 deadline for complying with the national health care law. The filing states that the network would either face high fines or be forced to provide benefits that don’t match its religious beliefs without an injunction. Dozens of church-related organizations have filed suit over the law across the country. Like those groups, EWTN contends the government is violating its rights by requiring employers to provide health care coverage that includes contraception. The U.S. Supreme Court was expected to rule today on whether for-profit companies can claim a religious exemption from the birth control mandate. MORMON EXCOMMUNICATION No decision on Mormon gay-rights advocate case SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Mormon man who’s well-known for advocating for gay rights and questioning some church policies says a Utah church leader is taking time to decide whether he’ll be excommunicated. John Dehlin says the regional church leader told him Sunday in Logan, Utah, that he needs to think and pray about Dehlin’s case. The meeting came six days after Kate Kelly, the founder of a prominent Mormon women’s group, was excommunicated in a case that sent ripples throughout the country. Dehlin says another meeting or deadline has not been set and that he agreed not to talk with the media any more about his case. Dehlin was told in June to resign from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or face a disciplinary committee. He’s operated a website for church members questioning their faith. SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS-FAITH Faith offers valuable connection for Southern Dems ATLANTA (AP) — The South is considered the country’s most religious region, and Democrats hoping to reverse Republican gains there are hoping that talking about their faith will help them connect with voters. In Georgia, Democratic U.S. Sen. candidate Michelle Nunn has used a TV ad to talk about attending church as a child with her grandmother and “learning how we live out our faith by helping others.” Nunn and Jason Carter, the president’s grandson who’s running for Georgia governor, say they talk about their faith because it’s an important part of who they are. U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election this year, is trying to win over those who might disagree with his vote for the federal health care law but who might be willing to support someone who calls the Bible his compass. Sound: 208-a-12-(Michelle Nunn, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, in AP interview)-“and as senator”-Michelle Nunn, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Georgia, says she wants voters to know she’s a person of faith. (29 Jun 2014) < 207-a-09-(State Sen. Jason Carter, Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, in AP interview)-“I make decisions”-State Sen. Jason Carter, the Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, says he wants voters to know about his religion. (29 Jun 2014) < IRAQ-CHRISTIANS RETURNING Iraqi Christians return to villages IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Thousands of Iraqi Christians are returning to their homes, days after an artillery offensive by Sunni militants sent them fleeing to Irbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region. Many attended Sunday Mass conducted by the Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church, Ignatius Joseph III, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Irbil. They then boarded buses back to their villages in an area 45 miles from the frontier of the self-ruled Kurdish region. Following Sunday’s mass, Ignatius Joseph III said he had encouraged them to “go back, be strong, and stick to their land.” Christians in Iraq have warned that their ancient community’s survival is threatened by the Sunni insurgency that has seized much of northern Iraq, including their ancient heartland of Nineveh and Mosul. Sound: 107-a-12-(Ignatius Joseph III, patriarch, Syriac Catholic Church, in AP interview)-“to their land”-Patriarch Ignatius Joseph, from the Syriac Catholic Church, urges Christian Iraqis to follow his lead and return home after an artillery offensive by Sunni militants sent them fleeing to the northern Kurdish region of Iraq. (29 Jun 2014) < NIGERIA-VIOLENCE Gunmen torch churches, kill scores in Nigeria MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Witnesses say suspected Islamic extremists sprayed gunfire at Nigerian worshippers and torched four churches in a village just miles from the town where more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped. They say scores of people have been killed Sunday in Kwada village and survivors are hiding in the bush. Police say they are unable to confirm the attack because bad communications have kept them from reaching the nearest security post at Chibok. That is the site in northeast Borno state of the mass abduction in April. Officials say 219 girls remain captive. Boko Haram extremists are demanding the release of detained fighters in return for the girls. The extremists are blamed for last week’s bombing of a shopping mall in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, which killed 24 people. VATICAN-POPE Pope leads long Vatican Mass after health setbacks VATICAN CITY (AP) — Looking tired but relaxed, Pope Francis has led his first major public ceremony since health problems forced a spate of canceled appointments. The 77-year-old pontiff appeared to hold up well during the 90-minute Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica to honor Saints Peter and Paul. The Vatican has played down the cancellations, including one at the last minute on Friday, attributing them without elaboration to some mild health problem. Francis, often chuckling, chatted with each of 24 archbishops kneeling before him to receive a white woolen band symbolizing shared episcopal power. He later addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square and appealed for Iraq’s leaders to save the nation from further warfare. The Vatican insisted on Friday “there are no reasons to worry about the pope’s health.” Sound: 104-r-26-(Sound of Pope Francis, during 90-minute Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica)–Sound of Pope Francis in the first major public ceremony since health problems forced some canceled appointments, appealing for Iraq’s leaders to use dialogue to save national unity and avoid further warfare. (29 Jun 2014) < AUSTRALIA-BISHOP CHARGED Australian Catholic bishop accused of abusing boy SYDNEY (AP) — A senior member of Australia’s Catholic Church has stepped down from his post after being charged with sexually assaulting a student decades ago. The Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia said on Monday that Bishop Max Davis is accused of abusing a student in 1969 when he was a teacher at St. Benedict’s College in Western Australia. Davis is now the head of the church’s military diocese in Australia. Western Australia police said they charged a 68-year-old man on Friday with indecently assaulting a 13-year-old boy. Davis has denied the charges and stepped down from his post while the court deals with the case. He will appear in a Perth court on July 25. CATHOLIC CHURCH-ISLAMIC CENTER Closed church gets new life as Islamic center ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — One of the oldest Catholic churches in St. Paul, Minnesota, had to close down because of a dwindling congregation, but it’s been given new life as an Islamic community center. A St. Paul Pioneer Press report says the Church of St. John parish was built in 1886. It closed in 2013, but it reopened Friday as the Darul-Uloom Islamic Center. Islamic Center spokesman Feisal Elmi says there are a lot of East Africans in the area, and the city’s growing Muslim community wanted to make sure they had a place to worship and be educated. Charles Lake was a parishioner at St. John for 20 years. He says when he first heard rumors about the parish being sold he “felt sick.” But he says he’s glad the building will continue as a house of faith. MUSLIMS-RAMADAN Muslims begin fasting month of Ramadan BEIRUT (AP) — The monthlong daylight fast of Ramadan has begun for the world’s estimated 1.6 billion Muslims. During Islam’s holy month, Muslims abstain from food, drink and other pleasures from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is the time Muslims believe God started to reveal the Quran to Muhammad. It’s meant to be a time of reflection and worship, remembering the hardships of others and being charitable. Islam is based on a lunar calendar, so the timing of Ramadan varies each year. When it falls during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, as Ramadan does this year, the long hot days make the daytime fast more challenging for Muslims. Islam exempts the elderly, young children, pregnant women and those who are ill or travelling from fasting. In some countries like Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, non-Muslims are banned from eating, drinking, or smoking in public during Ramadan. Other countries are more flexible.
