CONNECTICUT
Books Being Targeted
The Hartford Courant
CROMWELL -- At least two residents want a pair of award-winning books removed from the middle school's curriculum, contending that the books promote witchcraft and violence.

GEORGIA
Putnam again nixes Nuwaubian building permit
Agent vows to sue to get permit for facility known as Rameses
The Macon Telegraph
EATONTON -- The five-year struggle by the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors to obtain a building permit appears headed back to court after the County Commission voted Tuesday to uphold the county engineer's decision to revoke a permit for the building.

HAWAII
McKinley sued over ‘God’ code
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
A McKinley High student has filed suit against the state Department of Education seeking to remove the words "love for God" in the school's Code of Honor.

INDIANA
Town steps back from 'door-to-door' ordinance
Indianapolis Star
The Fishers Town Council has repealed an ordinance requiring the licensing of people who solicit door to door. The action Monday was prompted by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision proclaiming ordinances that prohibit solicitation for constitutionally protected purposes are invalid.

MASSACHUSETTS
Sect couple won't face charges over stillborn death
The Associated Press
BOSTON -- Two members of a religious sect who refused to cooperate in a police investigation won't face criminal charges in the death of their stillborn child, a grand jury has determined.

OHIO
Studded horseshoes used by Amish damaging roads
The Cincinatti Enquirer
BELLEFONTAINE -- Special studded horseshoes worn by horses that pull Amish buggies are putting cracks in roads, causing increased maintenance and cost.

CANADA
Charter rights don't include beating children, St. Thomas, Ont., court told
Canadian Press
ST. THOMAS -- Although Canadians cherish their Charter right of freedom of religion, members of a church that condones corporal punishment should not be allowed to beat their children in the name of God, a lawyer told court Thursday.

High court grants retrial for B.C. cult leader convicted of sex abuse
Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- A British Columbia cult leader who was convicted on several counts of sexually abusing teenage girls will get a retrial on two charges, allowing his lawyers to further cross-examine an alleged victim about her diary.

Trust fund set up for ailing girl
Calgary Sun
All that stands between a girl who fought against her blood transfusions and the alternative therapy her parents say is her last hope is money, her father says.

ENGLAND
Murder trial told of vampire obsession
The Guardian
A teenager obsessed with vampires stabbed an elderly widow to death, removed her heart and drank her blood because he wanted to be immortal, a court heard yesterday.
Other News Agencies:
Teen Accused of 'Vampire' Killing , The Associated Press
,

MALAYSIA
Dept probes six deviant groups in Selangor
The Star
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) is investigating six groups for indulging in deviant teachings, including a sect banned in 1974.

NEW ZEALAND
No 'forbearance' for Falun Gong in Auckland airport lounge
Asia Pacific
New Zealand's Auckland airport has defended its decision to order the removal of a poster promoting the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

PAKISTAN
Pakistan court sentences Christian to die
The Associated Press
LAHORE -- A Pakistani Christian who claimed he was Jesus Christ and called Islam a fake religion was convicted of blasphemy on Thursday and sentenced to death by hanging, court officials said.

PHILIPPINES
Protection sought for witnesses vs Ecleo
The Philippine Star
Before it becomes too late again, the Crusade Against Violence (CAV) is asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to place a brother-in-law of detained cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr. and three others under the government’s witness protection program.

ZIMBABWE
Be Masters of Your Destiny, Farrakhan Urges Zim
The Herald
Visiting leader of the Nation of Islam of the United States, Minister Louis Farrakhan, has urged Zimbabweans to be masters of their own destiny.

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