CALIFORNIA
Scientologists Decry New Ritalin Labeling
CNSNews.com
"A mental health advocacy group in California connected to the Church of Scientology is railing against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's revised labeling for the drug Ritalin, which now includes the option of sprinkling the drug onto a tablespoon of applesauce."

Murderous Manson Girl's New Parole Bid
NY Post
"A Charles Manson disciple has a court hearing on her parole this week - and a prosecutor says she has a real chance of being sprung. Leslie Van Houten, 52, was convicted in the 1969 slayings of Rosemary and Leno La Bianca."

Dancer, church reach accord
The Sacramento Bee
"A 5-year-old Rancho Cordova girl will return to kindergarten at the Capital Christian School after being expelled last week because administrators discovered her mother works as a nude dancer."

INDIANA
Liberal biblical interpretations divide Presbyterian Church
Associated Press
"Protestants stake everything on the Bible, but they've been wrangling over it for more than a century. Lately, the hot times have occurred in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)."

UTAH
Mountain Meadows Land Swap Was Sought by the LDS Church
The Salt Lake Tribune
"Martin's Cove in Wyoming is not the only publicly owned national historic site the LDS Church has expressed an interest in acquiring. In 1999, the U.S. Forest Service considered, and later rejected, a proposal from church officials who wanted to acquire 7.5 acres of Dixie National Forest land at Mountain Meadows in southwestern Utah, scene of the 1857 massacre of 120 members of an Arkansas wagon train in a Mormon-led attack."
ALSO: LDS Church tried to acquire site of massacre, The Associated Press

Judge Rules in Utah Newspaper Case
Judge Says One Salt Lake City Newspaper Can Block Sale of Other
The Associated Press
"SALT LAKE CITY — A fight over ownership of The Salt Lake Tribune was partly resolved Monday when a federal judge said he planned to rule that a family that lost ownership of the newspaper can try to exercise an option to buy it back."

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Congress Considers Free Speech Protection For Churches
CNSNEWS.com
"In the past 22 years, the Internal Revenue Service has either revoked the tax-exempt status of a church or religious organization or levied taxes on such a group for engaging in "prohibited political activities" fewer than ten times. But some members of Congress say that is ten times too many."

Study: Hispanics shifting to Protestantism
Religion News Service
"A major new study has found that while a strong majority of Hispanics in the United States are Roman Catholic, there has been a generational shift to Protestantism."

COMMENTARY
The Islaming of Europe
CNSNEWS.com
"The recent assassination of Pim Fortuyn, a Dutch politician, an outspoken opponent of immigration in general and Muslims in particular, plus the uproar over the initial success of the French politician, Le Pen, who shared similar views, points out the growing concerns many Europeans have regarding its Muslim population, in particular, and immigrants in general."

AUSTRALIA
Catholic Bishops Refuse Communion To Homosexual Activists
CNSNews.com
"God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve," the Roman Catholic bishop of Australia's largest city told his congregation Sunday morning, minutes after refusing to give communion to homosexual and lesbian activists.

Meetings with Dalai Lama restricted
ABC News
"Australia has created a general rule that its political leaders will not meet the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama."

Dalai Lama shrugs off talk of snub by Australia PM
Reuters
"MELBOURNE -- Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, on a nine-day visit to Australia, shrugged off suggestions on Tuesday he had been snubbed by Australia's political leaders because of pressure from China."

CHINA
Unofficial Catholic churches demolished in south China: report
AFP
"Two unofficial Catholic churches in south China's Fujian province have been razed by police in what appears to be part of an ongoing crackdown on underground religion, a local resident said."

EGYPT
Islamic states open conference to correct image of Islam
AFP
"CAIRO - Delegates from Islamic nations opened a conference here Monday aimed at correcting what Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and others said were attempts to distort the image of Islam since the Sept. 11 attacks."

IRAN
Are Islamic codes beyond reach of Iranian reform drive?
Executions may draw scrutiny if inspectors return
The Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran — The condemned man kissed the rope. "I am not scared," Ahmad Dowlatyari shouted to the crowd that assembled at sunrise Monday to watch his hanging. "My life is now over. I want to go with a smile."

ISRAEL
Rabbis in bribes-for-convert scandal
AFP
"Two Israeli rabbis were formally charged with taking bribes to ease conversions to Judaism by Gentiles wanting a fast-track to Israeli citizenship, court officials said today."

KENYA
Sect Leader Jailed Over Jesus Claim
The Nation
"NAIROBI -- A sect leader has been jailed for six months for openly denouncing Jesus Christ and supporting female circumcision. Julia Wanjiru Nduhiu of Hee Ma Ya Ngai Wi Muoyo (There is Truth in the Living God) was convicted by a Nyeri court of behaving in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace."

NEPAL
Nepal honours 'witch' who defies local superstition
BBC News
VIDEO: BBC reporter Daniel Lak observes woman who educates villages about the growing superstition of witchcraft in Nepal. Real Player is required to view this report.

RUSSIA
Russia grows increasingly anti-Catholic
Orthodox Church's influence unbridled by freedom of religion
San Francisco Chronicle
"MOSCOW -- For 14 years, Catholic Bishop Jerzy Mazur had always been there in person when he conducted Masses for his congregation in Siberia. But last month, Russian authorities banned the Polish-born bishop from entering the country."

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