Atlanta, for the first time, has replaced Chicago as the metro area with the largest number of African-Americans after New York. The percentage of the nation’s black population living in the South has hit its highest point in half a century, according to census data released Thursday, as younger and more educated black residents move... Continue Reading

The Justice Department announcement came in response to two court cases previously filed by opponents of DOMA in 2009. In July 2010, a federal judge ruled in the plaintiff’s favor and Bush Administration Justice officials appealed — an appeal the Obama Administration plans to drop. Following a recent announcement that the Obama Administration will no... Continue Reading

“If you sign up for a little yoga class, you’re signing up for a little demon class,” the Rev. Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church told followers during a widely broadcast sermon. “Satan doesn’t care if you stretch as long as you go to hell.” Christians stand on mats at a church hall, stretching their... Continue Reading

The increased activity by this crop of conservatives has been driven in part by a huge fight in the state last year over gay marriage. Voters ousted three Supreme Court justices because of their role in a decision striking down a ban on same-sex marriage. Activists also were energized by huge GOP gains in the... Continue Reading

While many people abstain from alcohol during Lent, J. Wilson took the opposite approach. The Iowa newspaper editor vowed to consume only beer and water from Ash Wednesday until Easter. Wilson says he wants to connect with Franciscan monks — and he promises to consult a doctor. Wilson isn’t the only one making sacrifices this... Continue Reading

Nielsen said he will decide in a lawsuit against a local mosque, the Islamic Education Center of Tampa, whether the parties in the litigation properly followed the teachings of the Koran in obtaining an arbitration decision from an Islamic scholar. TAMPA – The question of what law applies in any Florida courtroom usually comes down... Continue Reading

The bank estimates the damage to be between $123billion and $235billion. This is the equivalent of between 2.5% and 4% of the country’s economic output in 2010. Japan may need up to five years to rebuild from the disastrous earthquake and tsunami that has caused up to $235bn (£145bn) of damage, the World Bank said... Continue Reading

A High Court judge has overturned a decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that an advertisement by a Belfast church was homophobic. Sandown Free Presbyterian Church launched judicial review proceedings against the ASA after being found to be in breach of its code of practice. The judge ruled the ASA’s decision interfered with the... Continue Reading

Fewer young people are experiencing the joy of playing outdoors and exploring nature, says a noted author, who shows how such neglect can be harmful and how programs like Scouting can help to reverse the trend. Can anyone remember those lazy childhood summer days spent roaming the woods and fields? When Mom said, “Go outside... Continue Reading

In a state where politics, religion and culture are so intertwined, that fight itself could have huge repercussions. The traditional links — that a good Mormon is a good conservative — has been broken, many Mormon Tea Party members say. “My mother says, ‘If he’s a bishop, he must be a good Republican,’ ” said... Continue Reading