Samuel Smith and World Watch Monitor

Latest

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  Feb 3, 2021

  Religious student faces disciplinary hearing for skipping school sex-ed program, lawyers say

  A high school student in Illinois will reportedly face a disciplinary hearing this week over her refusal to participate in the school’s gender and sexuality program after her parents requested that she be exempt from the requirement. 

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  Feb 2, 2021

  Rick Warren apologizes for Sunday school video that included Asian stereotypes

  Popular California megachurch Pastor Rick Warren has issued an apology after a Sunday school curriculum video posted online by Saddleback Church last weekend featured Asian stereotypes. 

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  Jan 29, 2021

  Poll: 76%, including most pro-choice Americans, favor restrictions on abortion

  A new survey has found that an overwhelming majority of Americans, and most who identify as “pro-choice,” favor implementing significant restrictions on the legality of abortion in the United States.

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  Jan 28, 2021

  Court blocks Vermont from barring religious school students from tuition program

  A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of Catholic high school students who sued Vermont over a policy barring students who attend religious high schools from accessing a high school tuition program.

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  Jan 27, 2021

  Witness recalls Eritrean troop brutality in Tigray conflict: 'They would kill you for crying'

  While hundreds of citizens have reportedly been killed in the ongoing Tigray conflict in Northern Ethiopia, survivors are now speaking out about the horrors of what they and their communities have experienced as millions are in dire need of assistance.

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  Jan 26, 2021

  Judge rejects Tony Spell's request to quash criminal charges for violating COVID-19 restrictions

  A judge in Louisiana has rejected a motion filed by controversial Pastor Tony Spell to quash six misdemeanor charges filed against him for holding church services in violation of state orders aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.

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  Jan 22, 2021

  Twitter sued after child sexual abuse video received over 167K views, 2K retweets

  A federal lawsuit was filed against social media giant Twitter on Wednesday on behalf of a teenager, who claims that the company waited for days to remove sexually graphic videos of himself and another minor posted to its platform by sex traffickers. 

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  Jan 21, 2021

  Christian immigration advocacy groups praise Biden's plans as 'glimpse of hope'

  Several faith-based immigration advocacy and humanitarian organizations have voiced support for the immigration proposal President Joe Biden sent to Congress on his first day in office Wednesday and the immigration-related executive orders he signed.

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  Jan 20, 2021

  Islamic State fighters temporarily capture Nigerian military base, force residents to flee

  Militants believed to be aligned with the Islamic State temporarily overran a town and military base near Lake Chad in Nigeria’s troubled Borno state, forcing many residents to flee for their lives as the rise of extremism continues to plague the northeast part of the West African country. 

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  Jan 19, 2021

  Body of kidnapped priest found with machete wounds in Nigeria; brother remains missing

  A Catholic priest's body was discovered last Saturday in Nigeria with apparent machete wounds while his brother remains missing following their abduction last week.