War on Terror, Iraq'd, Militants, Israel and Palestine; Drones, VA, PTSD, Soldiers; NSA Spying, Surveillance and Privacy, Police State, Wifi

War on Terror

• Media seeks Guantanamo force-feeding videos—"[T]he Defense Department has classified the videos as 'secret' national security information." Politico
• U.S. Court Rules Constitutional Rights Don't Apply for Americans Overseas
• Federal judge rules U.S. no-fly list violates Constitution—Blatantly anti-liberty.
• Al-Jazeera journalists jailed for seven years in Egypt—"Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed of Al-Jazeera English sentenced on terrorism-related charges."
• Pair wrapped bacon around door handles of Edinburgh mosque
• Hannity Goes After Muslim Student Who Asked Question At Benghazi Panel
• Blackwater trial defence raises possibility of witness coaching—"Lawyers for ex-Blackwater guards accused of killing 14 in Baghdad in 2007 say prosecution witnesses 'orchestrated' stories."
• TSA Agent Arrested For Dealing Cocaine

Iraq'd

• Reporter Who Was Wrong About Iraq: Stop Criticizing Those Who Were Wrong About Iraq—Never forget the cunt-astic coverage of war whoring Judith Miller.
• Megyn Kelly Takes On Another Iraq War Architect
• NYT Journalist Stands Behind Her John Bolton Reporting Amid GOP Outrage
• Thank God For Dick Cheney (Really)—"The more the former vice president talks, the better Obama seems."
• Cheney doesn't want to talk about 'what happened 11 or 12 years ago'
• Iraq dredges up painful memories for GOP—"Amid the renewed chaos in the country, key figures from George W. Bush's administration have reemerged in the public spotlight, bringing fresh attention to past mistakes the GOP would rather forget."
• This Leading GOP Congressional Candidate Insists We Found Saddam's WMD Program—"Former Army officer Steve Russell claims his friend discovered Iraq's nuclear weapons program—but says the war had nothing to do with WMDs anyway."
• US fired depleted uranium at civilian areas in 2003 Iraq war, report finds—"Dutch peace group Pax says findings show US was in breach of official advice meant to prevent suffering in conflicts."

Militants

• Judge Raouf Abdul Rahman who ordered Saddam Hussein's death in 2006 reportedly killed by jihadists
• MI6 Fears 300 Islamist Fighters Back In UK—"An ex-intelligence chief tells Sky News that security services face a "nightmare" tracking militants who return to Britain."
• Jihad in Syria lures Somalis from Minnesota
• Obama Warns Threat From Iraq Militants Could Grow
• Why the Iraqi army can't defeat ISIS
• Hezbollah: Gulf states will regret funding ISIS

Israel and Palestine

• The Christian family refusing to give up its Bethlehem hill farm—And doing it peacefully.
• Presbyterians Vote to Divest Holdings to Pressure Israel—"The church voted at its general convention to divest from three companies that it says supply Israel with equipment used in the occupation of Palestinian territory." NYT
• Palestinian boy, 7, dies of injuries from Israeli air strike: medics
• Israel continues crackdown in Palestine in search for settlers—"Israeli troops arrested 30 more Palestinians in the West Bank Wednesday night as they ramped up a massive search for three young settlers believed to have been kidnapped."
• Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian Teenager Protesting Arrests in the West Bank NYT
• Attack from Syria kills Israeli teen; Israeli military kills two Palestinians
• HRW: Israel orders removal of security camera that showed Nakba killings
• Palestinian village wins UNESCO listing against Israel barrier plan—"A Palestinian village joined UNESCO's world heritage sites list on Friday after an emergency nomination meant to try to block Israel from building a barrier across its ancient farmland."

Drones

• Court releases DOJ memo justifying drone strike on US citizen
• "Civilian casualties" authorized under secret US drone-strike memo—"US justifies killings as acts of war despite civilian deaths, global precedent."
• When drones fall from the sky—"More than 400 large U.S. military drones have crashed in major accidents around the world since 2001, showing the potential dangers of throwing open U.S. skies to drone traffic, according to a year-long Washington Post investigation." WaPo
• US officials move to ban drones from national parks
• African firm is selling pepper-spray bullet firing drones

VA

• VA deaths covered up to make statistics look better, whistle-blower says
• Every Senior V.A. Executive Was Rated 'Fully Successful' or Better Over 4 Years NYT
• GOP Sen. Ron Johnson: It costs too much to fund the VA—Support the troops, and then don't.
• VA looks into the fatal shooting by police of KC veteran Issac Sims
• Marine vet says VA classified him as dead

PTSD

• Government's PTSD treatment for veterans lacking, report finds LA Times
• Arizona judge rules pot can be used for PTSD
• British Army turns to Oculus Rift to take the sting out of battlefield trauma

Soldiers

• Airman on his way to report for duty gets stranded in Price, community comes to his rescue
• Marine who took grenade blast for comrade receives Medal of Honor
• Baxter's back! Family agrees to return deployed soldier's beloved dog after girlfriend sold him on Craigslist... even though their children were attached to him—The parents did the right thing.
• Vet says he was asked to leave Walgreens because of service dog
• Baton Rouge Hotel Reprimanded for Refusing Service Dog—"The front desk worker told the family she was aware of laws protecting access for service dogs, but the owner insists."
• Local sailor ordered to be in court, despite being out to sea—"Hindes' Navy commanders point to the 'Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.' [...] But circuit court judge Margaret Noe in Michigan denied that protection for Hindes." Grounds for mistrial?

NSA Spying

• Reps. Goodlatte And Ruppersberger Admit That NSA Is Warrantlessly Spying On Americans' Communications
• The NSA's mass surveillance program for phone call metadata is still going
• New leaks show Germany's collusion with NSA—"Several new Snowden-leaked documents show how closely Germany's intelligence agencies work with the NSA. But did the German government deliberately soften laws protecting privacy to make life easier for them?"
• Looks like someone's profiting from Snowden—European defense firms—"Chill is just beginning for US cloud companies as governments seek local help."
• Microsoft: NSA security fallout 'getting worse' ... 'not blowing over'
• 'That is total bullsh*t!': Glenn Greenwald and Iraq War vet square off on Snowden leaks

Surveillance and Privacy

• Ralph Fiennes hits out at internet surveillance and loss of press freedom—"Actor says lack of web privacy is 'frightening' and Russian media has had its 'spine snapped' over reporting on anti-gay measures."
• Seizing data for 2.5 years amounts to "general warrant," court says—"Decision limits government powers to search seized computer data carte blanche."
• Poorly anonymized logs reveal NYC cab drivers' detailed whereabouts—"Botched attempt to scrub data reveals driver details for 173 million taxi trips."
• Delaware Attorney General Throws Subpoeana At Reddit Over Comment On Photo Of Two People Having Sex Behind A Dumpster—Over consensual sex.
• New sensors will scoop up 'big data' on Chicago

Police State

• The Surveillance/Police State: Assisting the Dismantling of Inalienable Rights
• US police departments are increasingly militarised, finds report
• Illinois buys cell-tracking gear complete with NDAs, no-bid process—"Homeland Security grant funded secret buy of stingrays for state police."
• Google, Microsoft Commit to 'Kill Switch' Phone Tech—Worked well for Apple, but the question remains, will this 'feature' be turned against us?
• Researchers Find and Decode the Spy Tools Governments Use to Hijack Phones—Whoops, too late.

Wifi

• Appeals Court Says Using Open WiFi May Be A Crime
• "Free" Wi-Fi from Xfinity and AT&T also frees you to be hacked
• The EFF wants to improve your privacy by making your Wi-Fi public

Iraq'd, ISIS, Benghazi; Ukraine and Russia, China; Corruption; Bad Sports, Sterling; Church and State, Trojan Horse, Educamation, Extermists

Iraq'd

• The Case for Doing Nothing in Iraq—"The same people who got us into this mess want America to 'do something.' Ignore them." Politico
• Neocons promised Iraq would be Model of Democracy, Left US Holding the Bag
• FLASHBACK: Remember When Paul Wolfowitz Said Not to Worry About Sectarian Violence in Iraq?—"The former Bush administration official is perhaps the worst person to give advice about the current crisis in Iraq—but that hasn't stopped him from speaking out."
• Media Malpractice: Iraq War Blunderers Keep Getting Invited to Criticize Obama
• Americans poorly served by media on Iraq, Benghazi
• Cheneys reach the bottom of the barrel, drill deeper
• Jay Carney Had The Perfect Response To Dick Cheney On Iraq
• Sorry, George W. Bush, but this whole mess is still your fault—"GOP wants to pin Iraq on Barack Obama. Perhaps they need a simple refresher in the real history of the last decade." Salon
• How the Top Iraqi Terrorist Was Helped by a Bush-Signed Agreement—"Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who heads the jihadists threatening Baghdad, was freed from prison under a deal W. struck with Iraq. "
• Gunmen Attack North of Baghdad as Obama Weighs Options for Iraq
• Iraq formally asks US to launch air strikes against rebels
• 5,000 Iranians volunteer to defend Iraq holy sites from ISIL militants
• Saudis give apparent warning to Iran: don't meddle in Iraq
• Jon Stewart blasts John McCain over Iraq foreign policy Salon
• Glenn Beck admits: Liberals got Iraq right Politico

ISIS

• ISIS storms across Iraq: What would a jihadist state look like?
• The rules in ISIS' new state: Amputations for stealing and women to stay indoors.
• The ISIS Extremists Causing Havoc in Iraq Are Getting Funds and Recruits From Southeast Asia
• ISIS's Savage Strategy in Iraq—"The brutality currently on display, initiated by the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham, is more than a carnival of revenge."
• Someone Is Spilling ISIS's Secrets on Twitter

Benghazi

• Obama Administration Won't Send Benghazi Suspect To Gitmo
• Benghazi Suspect Said He Was Moved To Take Revenge For American-Made Video
• Hiding in plain sight: Captured Benghazi suspect an enigma
• Abu Khattala was an unlikely leader before Benghazi attacks — and a loner afterward WaPo
• Harry Reid Slams 'Disgusting,' 'Pathetic' GOP Response To Benghazi Arrest
• 7 Republicans Who Said Obama Wasn't Trying Hard Enough to Bring the Benghazi Attacker to Justice
• GOP's Benghazi humiliation: Capture of suspect upends deranged agenda—"With alleged ringleader now in custody, the Benghazi Select Committee just lost a prized grandstanding opportunity." Salon

Ukraine and Russia

• Tanks and gas politics in eastern Ukraine: The crisis heats up again while the world is distracted by Iraq
• Russia cuts natural gas supply to Ukraine
• Ukraine Says Mysterious Pipeline Explosion Is Not So Mysterious
• Ukraine's Poroshenko 'to order unilateral ceasefire'
• Russia 'using words to destroy meaning', say writers—"Group of authors including two Nobel laureates condemns Russian Federation's 'waves of propaganda' against free expression."

China

• To bolster its claims, China plants islands in disputed waters
• Chinese Hackers Are Practicing How To Blow Up US Pipelines And Shut Down Power Plants
• German security firm finds spyware on Chinese-made smartphone

Corruption

• How Corrupt Is the U.S.? Just Watch 'House of Cards,' China Party Arm Says
• Mayor of Venice resigns after corruption inquiry
• Russia's Former Top Anti-Corruption Cop Commits Suicide During Questioning

Bad Sports

• The Brazil World Cup Could Be The Last True Sports Mega-Event
• World Cup Produces Arrest of Mexican Drug Lord Going to Game
• France cries foul at World Cup "spy drone"—"Quadrocopter buzzed French practice facilities near Sao Paulo, Brazil."
• The Odds of a World Cup in Qatar in 2022 Are Falling
• "Open Wide for Some Soccer!": The Simpsons' Brilliant Parody of the Beautiful Game

Sterling

• Donald Sterling pulls support from Clippers sale, suing NBA again
• Donald Sterling hires 4 private investigators to dig up dirt on NBA heads, owners
• Donald Sterling, New Black Girlfriend Vacation In Palm Springs Following Racism Allegations Against NBA

Church and State

• S. Korean PM Nominee: Japan's Occupation Was 'God's Will'—"A leaked video shows Park's prime minister nominee saying that Japan's occupation and Korea's division were 'God's will.'"
• GOP lawmaker: I'm like Paul the Apostle because God told me to run for Congress
• GOP State Legislator Asks Why America Can't Be More Like Saudi Arabia—"A Republican state legislator miffed about an Arkansas judge's ruling that struck down the state's same-sex marriage ban suggested on a conservative radio show that politicians should emulate Saudi Arabia by basing laws off Christian doctrine...."
• Spain to Deport Pakistani Refugee for Criticizing Islam
• New Facebook Group to Block 'Offensive' Posts Against Religious Figures—Say no to sectarian censorship. FSM forever!

Trojan Horse

• UK PM 'concerned' over Muslim schools row—"Remarks come as education minister prepares to submit report on alleged Birmingham plot by 'Islamic extremists.'"
• Dossier of Trojan horse evidence finally laid bare after leaks and allegations
• Books 'promoting stoning' found at Olive Tree Primary School

Educamation

• Christian homeschoolers accused of running 'concentration camp'
• Allegations of racism surface in Israel's ultra-Orthodox schools
• Tony Abbott spends millions to push God in schools—"The prime minister has allocated $226 million for more chaplains, all while slashing his country's education budget." Salon

Extremists

• Nigerian army arrests 486 alleged Boko Haram members—"Boko Haram, which has killed more than 1,500 people in Nigeria this year, is also the group responsible for abducting more than 200 schoolgirls."
• Saudi minister says beheading, lashings 'cannot be changed'
• Mob torches Christian shops in Egypt ahead of trial
• Alleged kidnappings, murder and a female Christ: The banned religious group that has China worried
• Woman in Sudan sentenced to death for apostasy forced to give birth 'with her legs chained'
• Muslim convert to Christianity sues Tulsa church—"The Tulsa County resident, identified only as John Doe in court papers for his own safety, alleges that because the news of his conversion appeared on the Internet, he was kidnapped on a trip to his native Syria by radical Muslims seeking to enforce Shariah law."
• Provocative Islamic sign that says 'Do not walk your dog here! Muslims don't like dogs' investigated by police

Fat Tuesday; Veterans; Obamacare, Big Pharma; Dying, Think of the Children; Contagious, Food Insecurity; Sports, Heights; War on Terror, Iraq'd

Fat Tuesday

• The 'Dr. Oz Effect': Senators Scold Mehmet Oz For Diet Scams
• Female Hormones May Be Making Western Men Fat
• 900-Pound Woman Has Wall Removed To Leave Bedroom For First Time In 2 Years
• Parents Arrested Over Obese 11-Year-Old Son—"Police have defended their actions saying it was rare to make such an arrest after questioning the couple over child cruelty."
• Climb stairs, cut calories: Southeast Asia fights flab
• Always Hungry? Here's Why NYT

Veterans

• F.B.I. Begins Criminal Inquiry in V.A. Scandal—"The F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, said the bureau was looking into accusations that Department of Veterans Affairs officials had manipulated medical waiting lists." NYT
• VA Official Arrested For Allegedly Taking $40K In Illegal Gifts
• Phoenix VA gave out $10 mil in bonuses in last 3 years
• Price of coming forward: 37 VA whistle-blowers claim retaliation
• V.A. Punished Critics on Staff, Doctors Assert—"In response to employee whistle-blowers, the Department of Veterans Affairs has made clear over the years that it would not hesitate to retaliate, disciplining and even firing those who spoke up." NYT
• VA chief: 100,000 vets were on fake wait lists
• Audit: More than 57,000 await first VA appointment
• Lack of funding is the real VA scandal—Insufficient to handle the load.
• The VA Reform Legislation Is a "Trojan Horse" for Privatization—"It would do more harm than good."
• ABC, NBC Too Busy With O.J. Simpson Police Chase Anniversary To Cover V.A. Scandal
• Hospitals aren't the VA's only scandal—"The focus on VA hospitals health care for veterans obscures a separate but another scandal: a massive problem in another massive problem — a scandal of its own – the VA's disability-benefits system."
• Bill Cassidy said Senate Democrats only moved to fund new VA clinics after scandal—Politifact says: False. In fact, Republicans are the ones who blocked the latest bill prior to the outbreak of the scandal this year.

Obamacare

• Since Obamacare Passed 50 Months Ago, Healthcare Has Gained Almost 1 Million Jobs
• More insurers joining ObamaCare
• Obamacare cut Minnesota's uninsured rate by 40 percent
• More Young Adults Get Inpatient Psychiatric Care After Health Law
• Memo to GOP: The War over Big Government health care is over, and you lost WaPo
• Once again, U.S. has most expensive, least effective health care system in survey WaPo
• 80,000 Cover Oregon customers must re-enroll through federal health insurance exchange
• Why the New Obamacare Website Is Going to Work This Time
• GOP's quiet Obamacare disaster: How this week's biggest story got overlooked—"While everyone obsessed over the Bergdahl flap, the real story was revealed by a nomination hearing and new data." Salon
• Really, Dr. Carson? Obamacare Is Worse Than 9/11?—"The Republican presidential hopeful thinks that Obamacare has caused Americans more pain than jetliners crashing into the World Trade Center and two costly wars."

Big Pharma

• American drug companies don't want to pay US taxes—but they want global customers to pay US drug prices
• One simple drug switch could save Medicare $18 billion over the next decade
• The Sunshine Act Will Publicize Big Pharma's Undue Influence on Doctors
• India thwarts Big Pharma push at WHO assembly

Dying

• Quebec passes 'dying with dignity' bill—Act respecting end-of-life care, Bill 52, allows terminally ill patients to choose death
• Judge: Daughter Can Stop Food for Casey Kasem
• 'Millions denied end-of-life drugs'—"Lack of access to pain relief for dying patients is a 'public health emergency,' say experts."
• 'Right to Try' laws spur debate over dying patients' access to experimental drugs WaPo
• 'Scooby Doo' actor and radio legend Casey Kasem dies at 82—"The actor's decline was unfortunately marred by a public court battle between Kasem's four children and his second wife. Kasem's daughter Kerri made the decision earlier this month to take her father off a feeding tube, according to his written instructions."
• Opinion: Let the dying choose how they exit

Think of the Children

• Religious orders allowed over 2,000 Irish children to be used in medical experiments
• Newborns exposed to dirt, dander, germs may have lower allergy, asthma risk
• Bounce house hysteria: The biggest dangers to your kids this summer are not inflatable

Contagious

• Saudi MERS response hobbled by institutional failings
• California reports whooping-cough epidemic
• 4,000 pounds of beef, some at Whole Foods, recalled over fears of mad cow disease

Food Insecurity

• A superbug resistant to "last-resort" antibiotics has made its way into the food supply—"Researchers discovered carbapenem-resistant bacteria in raw squid for the first time." Salon
• Quality Egg admits to selling tainted eggs, bribing official
• 80% of Meat Labels Could Be Meaningless, Exclusive Report Says
• Costco keeps selling treats from China despite dog death—"Yorkshire terrier suffered and died from renal failure; other illnesses, deaths reported."
• FDA May Destroy American Artisan Cheese Industry—"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an executive decree banning the centuries old practice of aging cheese on wooden boards. One bureaucrat within the FDA, without surveying all of the scientific literature, and without public commentary, has rattled hundreds of small businesses across the United States."
• Supreme Court Hands Down Ruling in Major Pomegranate Juice Case—"The Pom Wonderful company, a purveyor of pomegranate juices, can sue Coca-Cola for marketing a competing 'Pomegranate Blueberry' juice that is 0.3 percent pomegranate juice and 0.2 percent blueberry juice, the Supreme Court ruled today."

Sports

• Renaissance Man—"An interview with MMA commentator, stand-up comedian, wild game hunter, television host, and deep thinker Joe Rogan"
• Why Do Football and Basketball Players Have to go to College?
• Blast from the Past: The Creation Of Yao Ming—"From the beginning, the life of China's biggest sports star was shaped by two powerful, often competing forces: his mother and the Communist government."

Heights

• Why did humans grow four inches in 100 years? It wasn’t just diet
• Short men and heightism: We short men need to stop attacking other short men.
• NFL players: height and weight over time

War on Terror

• Wikileaks: Obama Administration Secretly Worked To Prevent Prosecution of War Crimes By The Bush Administration
• Manning: The Fog Machine of War—"I saw firsthand how the United States military rationed what the American public knew about its operations in Iraq." NYT
• 'Inventing terrorists': New study reveals FBI set up terrorism-related prosecutions
• Afghan election: Taliban 'removed voters' fingers'
• Pakistan Launches Large Ground Offensive Against Taliban
• The Milk Carton Guy—"Bergdahl critics didn't howl when Bush freed prisoners." NYT
• The Dumbest Thing You'll Read All Day About the Benghazi Suspect Capture
• Heritage's ugly Benghazi panel—"Attendees taunted a woman in the room who wore Islamic head covering." WaPo
• Pa. town rues sacrifice of its war dead
• Just what are we getting for the $7 billion spent on the TSA?

Iraq'd

• Images purport to show 'massacre' by militants
• Tony Blair rejects 'bizarre' claims that invasion of Iraq caused the crisis—"'We have to liberate ourselves from the notion that 'we' caused this', argues former prime minister in website essay." Is this Catholic guilt trying to distance yourself from your fuck-up Blair?
• Bush's toxic legacy in Iraq
• Fox News Praises George W. Bush's Ability To Anticipate Problems In Iraq
• Mission never accomplished: Iraq exposes fallacies of US foreign policy
• The Iraq Mess: Place Blame Where It Is Deserved—"We have reached the moment that skeptics of the 2003 United States invasion of Iraq warned about all along."
• Paul Wolfowitz, Bill Kristol, and Douglas Feith should be ignored: The neocons already destroyed Iraq once
• No, Obama Didn't Lose Iraq—"What the president's critics get wrong." Politico
• GOP Iraq Hypocrisy Hits Overdrive—"Obama is 'taking a nap' as ISIS takes over? It was Boehner's party that gave us this war, and it was Bush who negotiated the 'peace.' Is there anything they won't play politics with?"
• ISIS: The Saudis helped create a monster they can't control in Iraq
• Obama Critics Invent Absurd New Explanation For Iraq War
• Qatari: U.S. intervention in Iraq would be seen as war on Sunni Arabs

Marriage Equality, Politics and Media, Homophobia, TG; Sex Abuse Scandal, Church and State, Religion; War on Women, Sexism, Abortion and Birth Control, Culture Clash, Rape

Marriage Equality

• South Dakota Couples Challenge Gay Marriage Ban
• North Dakota's same-sex marriage ban to be challenged WaPo
• GOP Congressman Comes Out In Favor Of Marriage Equality
• Gay Marriage Will Destroy the GOP—"If conservatives don't embrace the inevitable, they'll become irrelevant." Politico
• Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi: Gay Marriage Would Cause Harm
• Kan. Democrat who opposes same-sex marriage leaving party for GOP
• Mormon Family That Supported Prop 8 Discovers Their Son Is Gay

Politics and Media

• Obama Proclaims June LGBT Pride Month, Calls Out Congress For 'Injustice' Of Not Passing ENDA
• Anti-Gay Houston Official Threatens To Recall Mayor If Bill Prohibiting Discrimination Passes—Will he push through with it now that it has passed?
• Republican Gay Rights Groups Denied Booths At Texas GOP Convention
• Gay Republican congressional candidate's California office vandalized
• GOP Michigan Guv Backs LGBT Workplace Protections
• Out Gay Pennsylvania Republican Loses GOP Primary, But Will Remain On The Ballot As A Democrat
• Fighter Alex Reid: 'Sex with men doesn't make you gay or bisexual, just like a cigarette doesn't make you a smoker'
• Anderson Cooper on show host who called airing Sam kiss 'wrong'
• Robert De Niro opens up about gay father in 'Out': 'I wish we had spoken about it much more'
• Obamacare Is the Most Important Piece of Gay Rights Legislation Ever Passed

Homophobia

• Mistakenly believing one of them to be gay, two homophobes attack each other
• Couple says they were asked not to come back to East Texas restaurant because they are gay—"Here at Big Earl's we like for men to act like men and for ladies to act like ladies, so we want you to never return."
• Slovak parents fail to block adoption by gay couple
• Aiding Turkey's Gay Inmates—"Ankara's proposal to segregate gay, lesbian and transgender prisoners will do more harm than good." NYT

TG

• What Is This Child Doing in Prison?—"The transgender teenager needs treatment, not isolation." NYT
• Ban lifted on Medicare coverage for sex change surgery WaPo
• Parents make heartwarming tribute to 6-year-old transgender son
• Transgender tipping point: Laverne Cox on the cover of TIME

Sex Abuse Scandal

• Pope Francis to meet with sexual abuse victims
• UN Panel Slams Vatican on Priest Sex-Abuse Scandal
• Archbishop of Manila has been at forefront of sex-abuse scandal reforms
• Australia: Department defends claims sexual abuse commission funding redirected to insulation inquiry
• Protestant Church Faces New Sex-Abuse Scandal as Victims Defy Threats, Censorship to Speak Out

Church and State

• Virginia county board says no followers of 'pre-Christian deities' allowed to deliver prayers
• After Possible Church/State Violation, Mayor Allegedly Tells Atheist: "Take Me to Fucking Court because I Don't Care"
• Sudan to release woman facing death penalty for being Christian—"A Sudanese official says that Meriam Ibrahim will be released from prison. She was raised a Christian by her mother but a court ruled earlier this month that she is Muslim because that was her father's faith. She was sentenced to death by hanging for renouncing Islam."

Religion

• Investigators reveal alleged suicide note, suspect cites recent bible verse
• Evil cult beat woman to death at Chinese McDonalds
• Spies, Cash, and Fear: Inside Christian Money Guru Dave Ramsey's Social Media Witch Hunt—"When critics appeared online, employees say the evangelical financial whiz went ballistic, allegedly firing innocent employees and offering bounties for information."

War on Women

• Limbaugh: Hillary's 'Only And Greatest Achievement' Is 'Being Female'
• Why Jill Abramson's Firing Triggers Women's Worst Fears About Sexism
• National Review Writer: Liberals 'Brainwash' Women To Cry 'Rape'..

Sexism

• Scout Willis topless Instagram protest: Daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore rallies against female nudity policy
• Restaurant Responds to Review Requesting Servers 'Show Some Skin' In Clever Way
• Snapchat CEO 'mortified' by leaked e-mails—"In the e-mails, acquired by Gawker's Valleywag blog, Evan Spiegel encourages fellow Kappa Sigma members to get sorority women drunk enough to have sex, mocks another fraternity by suggesting its members are gay and refers to a different group of sorority members as 'sororisluts.'"

Abortion and Birth Control

• "There is so much shame": Emily Letts on why she filmed her abortion — and what happened next—"Emily Letts' abortion video became a viral sensation. Here's what she was thinking -- and the best reaction she got." Saon
• Commissioners reject KDHE grant—"Price said the long-term form of birth control, an intrauterine device, or IUD, which the grant would fund, was an abortion issue. 'I'm not very smart on this because I'm just a man. But I'm against it,' Price said. He said he was acting on the advice of two physicians." Emphasis mine.
• Things are about to go from bad to worse in Oklahoma: Governor signs off on Texas-style abortion restrictions—"An admitting privilege requirement threatens to leave one clinic to serve 3.8 million people." Salon
• Texas Ed Board Candidate Who Fathered Child at 16: Supports Ten Commandments, Opposes Sex Ed in Schools
• What If We Admitted to Children That Sex Is Primarily About Pleasure?
• Update on SC sex-ed law closer to passage
• Schools return 'suggestive' condoms
• School District To Allow Teachers To Give Condoms To Sixth-Grade Students

Culture Clash

• Pregnant Pakistani woman stoned to death by family—"I killed my daughter as she had insulted all of our family by marrying a man without our consent, and I have no regret over it." Jeebus.\
• Egyptian doctor to stand trial for female genital mutilation in landmark case—"Raslan Fadl, a doctor in a Nile delta village, is accused of killing 13-year-old schoolgirl Sohair al-Bata'a in a botched operation."
• Man killed wife for making vegetarian dinner: prosecutors—"Defense attorney Julie Clark admitted Hussain beat his wife — but argued that he is guilty of only manslaughter because he didn't intend to kill her. In Pakistan, Clark said, beating one's wife is customary."
• Iranian actress Leila Hatami faces public flogging—"Iranian court is asked to order the public flogging of award-winning actress Leila Hatami for greeting Cannes festival president with a kiss."

Rape

• Marital rape is officially legal in India—"A judge in India has officially confirmed that rape laws do not apply to married couples — once you’re legally wed, forced sex is no longer a crime."
• Young Widow to Be Caned After Gang Rape by Sharia Vigilantes—"A 25 yr. old Indonesian widow in Aceh will be caned under sharia law for having an affair. She was gang raped by sharia vigilantes."
• 2 dalit sisters gang-raped, bodies found hanging from tree
• Malaysian teenager gang-raped by 38 men

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, Islamic, Church and State, Prayer, Educamation, Creationism, Atheism

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

• Islamic Extremists Now Crucifying People in Syria—and Tweeting Out the Pictures
• Suffering under ISIL rule: testimonies from al-Raqa—"Syrian residents living under the rule of the al-Qaeda-inspired 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) in al-Raqa suffer "daily oppression" and "crackdown on freedoms"."
• Sudan judge sentences Christian woman to death for apostasy
• Saudi Arabia calls for criticism of religion to be outlawed in Norway
• Deemed "disparaging," anti-Muslim website denied trademark—"Activist claims decision based on fears of reprisal from 'Islamic supremacists.'"

Islamic

• Lloyds Bank accused of religious discrimination over free overdrafts on Islamic accounts
• Subway removes ham and bacon from nearly 200 stores and offers halal meat only after 'strong demand' from Muslims—The (paying) customer is always right?
• Keep Indonesia Secular, Yudhoyono Urges

Prayer

• Town Meetings Can Have Prayer, Justices Decide—"In a 5-4 ruling that split the Supreme Court's liberal and conservative members, the justices said that towns may start their sessions with sectarian prayers." NYT
• Town of Greece v. Galloway: Roanoke, Virginia, already seeing the effects of the Supreme Court prayer decision.
• Prompted by U.S. Supreme Court Ruling, Florida Satanist Wants to Open Meeting With Prayer
• Roanoke County Supervisor Reiterates That Non-Christians Will Be Banned from Delivering Invocations—"The freedom of religion doesn't mean that every religion has to be heard."
• Hindu Prayer Interrupted In Senate By Christians

Church and State

• Here's the First Look at the New Satanic Monument Being Built for Oklahoma's Statehouse
• Iowa GOP Senate Candidates Vow To Block Judges Who Won't Follow 'Biblical' Law
• Occupy Christ? White House hopeful wants state religion, gays off TV, and CEO pay cap
• Watch: Alabama Chief Justice Says Freedom of Religion Should Only Apply to Christians
• Americans Claim to Attend Church Much More Than They Do NYT

Educamation

• 'Trojan horse' teacher breaks into girl's phone—"Parent complains to police over school's action to uncover 'forbidden' relationship with a fellow 16-year-old pupil."
• Public School Superintendent Says No to Graduation Prayers; Now He's Under Fire from the Community
• Teen ejected from prom after dads experience 'impure thoughts'
• Seattle school renames Easter eggs 'Spring Spheres'
• Bryan College losing nearly 25% of faculty after 'Adam and Eve' controversy—"The dispute at Bryan College, named for William Jennings Bryan, began in February when trustees clarified the school's statement of belief to state that Adam and Eve were historical people who were not created from previously existing life forms."

Creationism

• Science wins: Religious language struck from South Carolina state fossil bill—Fossilized thinking in the Palmetto State.
• Pat Robertson says Young Earth Creationists are "deaf, dumb and blind"—"The televangelist also says the belief that Earth is only 6,000 years old makes fundamentalists 'look silly.'" Ken Ham reacts.
• Leading GOP Senate Candidate: Creationism Should Be Taught in Public Schools—"Inside Montana Rep. Steve Daines' curious ties with creationism—and dinosaur museums."

Atheism

• Christianity's faith-based freakout: Why atheism makes believers so uncomfortable—"Rather than respecting the right of atheists to disbelieve, christians are constantly forcing them to fake it." Salon
• Atheist TV: Coming soon to a television near you WaPo
• Ken Ham Is Furious That My Book Will Be Handed Out to High School Students in Kentucky

Marriage Equality, Cases; Schools; Latta, Intolerance, LGBT; War on Women, Abortion and Birth Control; Religion, Think of the Children

Marriage Equality

• Republican Activists Push Party On Gay Marriage
• Illinois GOP Replaces Officials Who Opposed Chairman On Gay Marriage
• Nauseating political cynicism led to inspiring gay marriage triumph—"A new book details how Obama's evolution on marriage equality was orchestrated. It's sickening -- but encouraging." Salon
• Idaho Won't Allow Lesbian Veteran To Be Buried With Her Wife
• Stop twisting the Bible: There is no message against same-sex marriage—"Moses and Paul are being misinterpreted: They were against gang rape and pederasty, not loving relationships." Salon
• Blast from the Past: Wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin Body-Slams Marriage Equality Critics

Cases

• Judge: Indiana Must Recognize Gay Couple's Marriage
• 10th Circuit arguments on gay marriage ban focus on family, fairness
• Ted Olson: Va. gay marriage ban 'flatly unconstitutional'
• Prop 8 lawyer's views on gay marriage evolving
• Italian Court Recognizes Gay Marriage for First Time
• Malta: Same sex unions approved - Celebrations in Valletta - Opposition abstains because of adoptions

Schools

• College basketball player comes out as gay
• Best Protest Ever: Students Walk Out During Anti-Gay Lecture, Leaving Room All but Empty
• Law society rejects school over gay policy—"Ontario's law society has refused to accredit a new law school at a faith-based university over a policy prohibiting same-sex intimacy that some say is discriminatory."
• Publicly funded school with anti-gay policy spurs Alberta review—"Alberta's education minister faced questions today about why tax dollars are going to a school with anti-gay policies."
• Religious Oregon teens wear 'Gay Is Not OK' shirts to school to protest lack of 'straight day'
• Washington school district will hire gay administrator forced out of Catholic school
• Trans teacher reinstated by school board following parent complaints

Latta

• Mayor Who Fired Lesbian Police Chief Caught On Tape In Homophobic Tirade—"I would much rather have.. and I will say this to anybody's face… somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children."
• Latta council fights for chief's job—"Mayor refuses to discuss police leader's dismissal before a packed meeting."
• South Carolina town rallies 'round fired gay police chief

Intolerance

• Tea Party Activist: 'Gay Supremacy Is Becoming A Monster That Carries Greater Evils Than White Supremacy Ever Did'
• Boy Scouts of America Shuts Down Seattle Troop Over Gay Scoutmaster
• Man gets 2 1/2 years for beating disabled brother to 'push the gay out'
• Brunei's new law permits stoning gay people to death
• Mistrust and Hate: The Frightening New Lives of Homosexuals in Uganda
• Serial Killer Arrested For Killing Gay Men In Pakistan
• For young women in China, slash fanfiction is a dangerous hobby

LGBT

• A frat boy's "gay experience"—"I always considered myself straight. What happened with Tom left me questioning everything about my sexuality." Salon
• Artist Creates Unique Portrait of Tom Daley to Combat Hate
• It's Not Just Frozen: Most Disney Movies Are Pro-Gay—"By preaching acceptance and questioning gender, the company's kids films offer a queer-studies crash course."
• Gun Barrel City mayor promises end to police surveillance of gay bar Garlow's
• Chelsea Manning: A Statement on My Legal Name Change

War on Women

• Chelsea Clinton's pregnancy gives birth to new conspiracies—"The news that Hillary Clinton is to become a grandmother has prompted questions about her ability to run for presidency. It's breathtaking sexism."
• Mitch McConnell Says He Stood Up for Women in a Senate Sexual-Harassment Scandal. The Real Story Is Damning.—"McConnell claims he led a 1995 investigation against a GOP senator accused of sexual misconduct. Actually, he took steps to keep it quiet."
• Prominent Republican: Women Need To Be Paid Less So They Can Find Husbands
• GOP Lawmaker Says Women Don't Deserve Equal Pay Because They're Lazier
• GOP Candidate: I'm Not Waging A War On Women Because I'm A Woman

Abortion and Birth Control

• North Dakota abortion ban ruled unconstitutional
• Lawsuit: Texas Hospital Caved to Anti-Abortion Activists' Demands
• Virginia GOPer: Incest exceptions in abortion restrictions unnecessary because sometimes incest is "voluntary"—"Asked to defend the remark, the delegate said, 'I don't care. ... if I say something in public, I say it in public.'" Salon
• South Carolina Bill Wants to Apply 'Stand Your Ground' Law to Fetuses
• Tennessee legislature passes bill to criminalize pregnancy: Women who have stillbirths after using illegal drugs may be charged
• The secret anti-abortion law that's sweeping America—"Pro-lifers can't reverse Roe v Wade. So they're shutting down clinics with red tape and a smile. Don't believe the lie."
• Nearly one-third of morning-after pills in Peru are fake

Religion

• Popes John Paul II and John XXIII made saints in double canonisation
• Pope Francis 'told divorced and remarried woman there is nothing wrong with her taking Communion', Italian newspaper says
• Britain in post-Christian era, says former archbishop of Canterbury—"Lord Williams says time of habitual worship is over and further decline of widespread faith likely in UK."
• "A Masturbation Lawsuit Is Rattling Christian Homeschoolers—"The sexual abuse lawsuit against 'Biblical Patriarchy' leader Doug Phillips is dividing Christian homeschoolers."
• Army approves 'humanist' as religious preference
• Court upholds ban on religious services in NYC public schools
• Shakespeare and atheism: What his works tell us about the playwright's religious views

Think of the Children

• Pope Francis asks forgiveness for child abuse by clergy
• Couple accused in death of daughter, 12, seek to exclude mention of faith healing
• 'Baptism is a crime against children': ECHR
• 'Muslim morality squads' accused of confiscating students' Easter eggs in U.K.
• SC Republican wants to end public schools: Nothing 'in the Bible about state education'
• W. Va. School Removes Bible Verse after Complaint
• US school's Bible class: Sinners will suffer

420, Medical Marijuana, War on Drugs, Law and Disorder, Prison, Mexico; Easter, Church and State, Creationism, Islamists

420

• How 420 became code for marijuana
• Colorado legalized marijuana tax revs ahead of expectations: Moody's—"Colorado, the first state to tax legalized recreational marijuana sales, expects to bring in an estimated $98 million in revenue this year, exceeding the state's original expectations by 40 percent."
• 3 Months Later, Here's What Denver Looks Like Since Legalizing Marijuana

Medical Marijuana

• Uruguay Considers Using Medical Marijuana To Treat Cocaine Addicts In Prison
• Nurse practitioners added to list of those who can prescribe medical marijuana
• Weed Eases Anxiety, Says the Federal Government
• Corbett wouldn't legalize pot even if toddler grandson needed it
• Boston Mayor Walsh says he aims to block dispensaries—"Urges state to reject applications with errors."
• Pro-pot group files to recall Arizona senator—"A pro-marijuana group is trying to recall Arizona Sen. Kimberly Yee after she refused to hear a bill that would have helped fund research into the effects of medical marijuana on post-traumatic stress disorder."
• Missouri Rep Tells Marijuana Patient To "Get A Job And Get Off Dope"

War on Drugs

• Jesus would end the war on drugs—"Christian leaders issue Easter statement denouncing drug war and mass incarceration of minorities."
• Let's Just Get Rid of the DEA Already—"America's drug cops are determined to keep weed illegal just to maintain their jobs."
• Legalized pot 'makes us fight harder,' top DEA official tells Congressional committee
• DEA raids woman's Shorewood home after she shops at garden center
• Shocking police overreach haunts Southern city: Racial profiling, quotas and secret "conviction bonuses"—"How a federal grant incentivized a police department to go nuts on drug arrests -- and terrorize its community." Salon
• Utah cops warrantlessly search prescription drug records of 480 emergency personnel—"When searching for morphine thief, Utah cops have almost carte blanche powers to search database."
• Law professors demand cannabis legalization—"Over 120 German professors of criminal law are supporting an initiative to legalize cannabis. They have called on the Bundestag to discuss the issue. Merkel's coalition is skeptical."
• Maryland Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession

Law and Disorder

• Matt Taibbi: U.S. Should Be Ashamed It Treats Pot Smokers Worse Than Wall St. Criminals
• Remember when legal marijuana was going to send crime skyrocketing?
• LAPD officer gets community service, probation for lying under oath—"A Los Angeles police officer was sentenced Wednesday to community labor and three years' probation for falsely testifying about the details of a 2008 drug arrest."
• Dashcam from traffic stop of driver from legalized marijuana state—"Roseen believes he was profiled by the trooper because he had a Washington driver's license, Colorado license plates and had just crossed into Idaho from Oregon. All three of the other states have some form of legalized marijuana."
• "Free Jeff Mizanskey" Efforts Continue with Billboards and 360,000 Signatures
• 5 Accused of Trafficking Drugs, Using Day Care as Cover
• Woman, unhappy with pot purchase, calls cops

Prison

• Feds to Reconsider Harsh Prison Terms for Drug Offenders
• US Panel Votes to Reduce Drug-Dealing Sentences
• California Governor Jerry Brown Grants Dozens Of Drug Pardons
• Louisianan Given 13-Year Prison Sentence for Possession of Two Marijuana Cigarettes

Mexico

• Tracing the U.S. heroin surge back south of the border as Mexican cannabis output falls WaPo
• The Grisly Reality Behind Soaring Lime Prices—"Mexican cartels are making the citrus more expensive in the United States."
• Mexican drug lord's insider notes may set him free after 10 years—"Vicente Zambada, son of Sinaloa kingpin, struck deal with US to inform on cartels in exchange for reduced sentence."
• Mexico catches No. 2 in once-powerful Beltran Leyva drug cartel
• Mexico prepares first illegal drug financing blacklist—Is HSBC on that list?
• Two drug tunnels, with rail systems, found at U.S.-Mexico border

Easter

• Yes Candida, Christians Did Steal Easter—People like Candida push ignorance to hide the truth.
• Spanish village called 'kill Jews' mulls name change
• There Are No Errors in the Bible, Says Christian Pastor Who Clearly Hasn't Read the Bible
• Papyrus fragment put to test—"None of the testing has produced any evidence that the [Gospel of Jesus' Wife] fragment is a modern fabrication or forgery."

Church and State

• Louisiana Lawmakers Vote to Make the Bible the State Book
• Oklahoma School's 'Hobby Lobby Bible Curriculum' Raises Bias Concerns
• Atheist Witch Hunt: South Carolina Lawmakers Spar Over Appointed Official’s Supposed 'Godlessness'
• Warren mayor says atheist can't put up 'reason station' inside city hall
• After Being Denied "8THEIST" License Plate, New Jersey Woman is Suing State's Motor Vehicle Commission
• Media, rights groups urge court to revisit takedown of anti-Muslim YouTube video—"Media says decision allows subjects of news events to control coverage."
• Pastafarians rejoice as Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is granted permission to register as a religion in Poland

Creationism

• Bill Nye says he underestimated debate's impact
• The Real Darwin Fish—"Why creationists hate Tiktaalik."
• FunnyOrDie: Creationist Cosmos

Islamists

• Islamist plot: six schools face Ofsted special measures—"Six schools implicated in the so-called 'Trojan Horse' plot by extremists to 'Islamise' secular state education face being placed in special measures."
• State schools isolate non-Muslims—"Schools in Birmingham discrimate against non-Muslim students and restrict GCSE teaching to fit in with Islamic beliefs, according to official report."
• 'Sinful': Video of British Muslims dancing to Pharrell Williams's hit Happy comes under attack
• Poster dictates music haram in UK school
• 1,000 Christian, Hindu girls forced to convert to Islam every year in Pakistan: report
• China official says Islamists seek to ban laughter and crying