‘Sister Wives’ star appeals court decision upholding polygamy ban

The stars of TLC's “Sister Wives” are pushing forward in their case to overturn Utah’s ban on polygamy.

Kody Brown has asked the full Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to hear his appeal, saying his polygamy is legal because he is legally married only to one of his wives, while the other marriages are "spiritual unions."

In 2013, Brown won his initial suit and a judge struck down Utah's law against polygamy, making simultaneous multiple cohabitating "marriage" no longer a crime.  The Utah Attorney General appealed, and a three-judge panel from the Tenth Circuit Court agreed with the state and upheld the law.

Judge gives parents brief reprieve from hospital removing toddler’s life support against their wishes

A California family has been granted a little more time to keep their two-year-old boy alive as his hospital plans to remove his life support.

On Thursday, a federal court gave Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF) a restraining order enjoining Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Sacramento from withdrawing two-year-old Israel Stinson’s life support through the weekend.

The Pacific Justice Institute worked with LLDF on the order, giving Israel’s family a reprieve until the next hearing on Monday afternoon.

Campaigners warn UN of 'extinction' of Christian communities in Middle East

The crisis in the Middle East is the "greatest humanitarian crisis since World War II", and the massacre of Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities demands international action, a UN meeting heard on Thursday.

Speaking at a panel sponsored by the Holy See's permanent observer mission to the UN in New York on Thursday, Carl Anderson, head of the Knights of Columbus, said: "We face the very real prospect of the extinction of many of the communities indigenous to the region".

The panel was part of the #WeAreN2016 conference being held this week.

'N', or ن in Arabic, is a symbol that has been used by ISIS to identify who is a Nazarene – a Christian. It has been drawn on doorways and in front of houses in cities captured by militants.

Race is on to save California toddler as hospital plans to remove life support today

Time is running out for a California toddler on life support as his parents and attorneys search for a medical facility to accept him temporarily so he can have a chance at life.

Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Sacramento will be withdrawing treatment today from two-year-old Israel Stinson, and unless another hospital agrees before then to take him in the meantime, he will die.

The family needs to find a hospital that will admit him, even if only for a short time, until they can find a long-term facility, LLDF Executive Director Alexandra Snyder said, and they have arranged for a life flight to transport Israel anywhere in the country.

The Future of America? More Than Half of All U.S. Adults Under Age 30 Now Reject Capitalism

A shocking new survey has found that support for capitalism is dying in America. In fact, more than half of all adults in the United States under the age of 30 say that they do not support capitalism at this point. You might be tempted to dismiss them as "foolish young people," but the truth is that they are the future of America.

As older generations die off, they will eventually become the leaders of this country. And of course, our nation has not resembled anything close to a capitalist society for quite some time now. In a recent article, I listed 97 different taxes Americans pay each year, and some Americans actually end up returning more than half of what they earn to the government by the time it is all said and done. So at best it could be said that we are running some sort of hybrid system that isn't as far down the road toward full-blown socialism as most European nations are. But without a doubt, we are moving in that direction, and our young people are going to be cheering every step of the way.

Man Dressed in Panda Suit Shot by Police

A man wearing a panda suit who allegedly made a bomb threat at Fox Television's Baltimore affiliate on Thursday was shot by police outside the building, the station reported.

The man was not killed, Baltimore police told a news conference, and police said they sent a robot to check on the man, who was described as in his 20s. The police said they had no information yet on the man's identify.

The man broke into the Fox affiliate, which is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, "demanding the news station cover a story about some sort of government conspiracy," the television station, WBFF, said.

Three children among more than 27 dead as hospital hit by strikes in Aleppo

At least three children are among more than 27 dead after an air strike hit a hospital in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

The bombing was part of new wave to hit rebel-held areas of the city. At least 30 more civilians have been killed by the strikes, which local sources said were either carried out by Russian or Assad government's war planes. The Syrian military has said it did not target the hospital.

17-year-old ballerina’s death caused by birth control pill, doctors believe

Maria Santa, a healthy and gifted 17 year-old ballerina from Romania, died unexpectedly from a blood clot that doctors believe was caused by taking oral contraceptives.

Maria, who was studying in England on a scholarship at Manchester’s famous Northern Ballet School, went to a walk-in medical facility complaining of severe headaches, her father Robert Santa explained.  No testing was done to see what was wrong, and Maria was sent home with antibiotics.

But Maria only got worse "day by day," her father said.  A second visit to the doctor did not help, either.

Knowledge is empty unless it leads to love, Pope Francis says

On Wednesday Pope Francis said that just because someone is an expert in God’s law and a strict adherent to the rules doesn’t necessarily mean they know how to love and serve others.

“It’s not automatic that whoever frequents the House of God and knows his mercy knows how to love their neighbor. It’s not automatic,” the Pope said April 27.

“You can know the bible, you can know all the liturgical norms, you can know theology, but ‘to know’ is not automatically ‘to love,’” he said, explaining that “to love has another path, with intelligence, but it has something more.”

Nigeria: Dozens slaughtered and church burned down in latest Fulani massacre

Upto 40 people or more have been slaughtered in a new atrocity by an armed force of Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria's Enugu State, according to local reports.

In the run-up to the massacre, local news sites commented on the arrival of 500 heavily-armed herdsmen in and around seven villages in the Nimbo area.

Ten homes were razed by arson, cars and motorcycles were destroyed, animals killed and Christ Holy Church International also burnt to the ground, the Nigerian news site Vanguard reported.

Robert Jeffress Predicts 'Massive Boycott' of Republican Party If Donald Trump Loses

 

Texas megachurch leader Robert Jeffress warned that the Republican Party will face a massive boycott if they do not nominate current frontrunner Donald Trump.

Recently, Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich announced an alliance to attempt to prevent Trump from getting the necessary number of delegates to secure the presidential nomination.

In an interview on the Fox Business channel earlier this week, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas argued that Cruz and Kasich's strategy was "distasteful."

New York events will give a voice to victims of anti-Christian persecution

This week’s #WeAreN2016 Congress aims to call on the world to stop the persecution of Christians and other minorities. Victims of persecution and leaders from around the world will speak about the need for action in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and elsewhere.

“Christians account for 80 percent of persecuted minorities,” the congress website said. “They are victims of the deliberate infliction of conditions of life that are calculated to bring about their physical destruction in whole or in part. They are being murdered, beheaded, crucified, beaten, extorted, abducted, and tortured.”

Pope Francis names new archbishop of Havana, Cuba

The Holy See announced Tuesday that Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez of Camagüey to head the Archdiocese of Havana, Cuba. He will be replacing retiring Cardinal Jaime Ortega Almino.

The Archdiocese of Havana expressed in a statement their gratitude for the appointment and announced that the date of the archbishop's possession of his new see will be announced in due time.

“Along with our feelings of thanksgiving to God and gratitude to our Holy Father Francis for this appointment, we lift up our prayers to the Lord that he may continue to pour out on Archbishop Juan García, our new Pastor, the gifts of the Spirit, that will help him fulfill this new mission that the pope has entrusted to him,” the Archdiocese of Havana said.

Polish doctors deliver baby two months after his mother’s declared ‘brain dead’

Preserving the mother's life is so often used to justify abortion, but one Polish woman wouldn't even let apparent death stop her from giving life to her child.

The woman had an incurable brain tumor and ended up in the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław. According to media reports, she was 41 years old, 17 weeks pregnant and had known about her disease for ten years. She had decided not to treat it for fear of the complications. Her brain cancer grew, cutting the blood supply to the brain. The doctors diagnosed her as brain dead, but her heart was beating. Along with her husband, they decided to maintain her vital functions to save the unborn baby.

Boycott launched against Game of Thrones over graphic sexual violence

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation has launched a campaign condemning the HBO series Game of Thrones for “normalizing sexual violence” and making graphic depictions of rape and torture sex into “mass entertainment.”

Their Shame of Thrones effort includes a petition, launched on LifePetitions, which says, “Instead of choosing to deal with subjects like rape with sensitivity and gravity, Game of Thrones has consistently portrayed these scenes with salacious detail.”

Christian church website hacked by militant Islamist cyber terrorists

Islamist terrorists have hacked a Christian church website with the statement: "We will conquer your Rome, break your crosses and enslave your women by the permission of Allah, the Exalted."

The website hack of Lamont Christian Reformed Church in Michigan was discovered by a Elizabeth Storteboom, aged 15, when she was searching the site in order to put the church number on a form.

Instead she saw the words: "You have been hacked by the United Cyber Caliphate." A YouTube video featuring Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-adnani also played automatically.

She told Fox 17: "I clicked on the website and all of the sudden this video pops up, and I'm like, what is going on? It just started playing, and I was reading the bottom, and it was talking about crazy things. I called my dad in, and said he needs to see this. I covered the camera, because I was super scared there for a second.

Councils join Christian MP as pressure mounts on government over gambling regulation

Pressure was heaped on the government over betting regulations on Tuesday after local councils joined Christian MP Jim Shannon to call for a clamp down on the "crack-cocaine of gambling".

Fixed-odd betting terminals (FOBTs) were targeted by Shannon in his parliamentary debate on Tuesday morning as he called for the maximum stake to be reduced from £100 to £2.

The local government association (LGA), which represents 373 councils in England and Wales, also waded into the debate over the controversial machines. The fast-paced games take stakes of up to £100 per 'spin' lasting 20 seconds. Players can lose up to £300 per minute and £18,000 per hour leading to growing calls for the maximum stake to be cut.

Sex education? No, we’re witnessing the pursuit of ignorance on matters of sexuality

If you can trace your family tree back far enough, you'll probably encounter people who had no formal education, owned no books, perhaps couldn't read and write. But your uneducated ancestors knew what "marriage" meant-- which is more than you can say for the typical Ivy League professor today. Your "benighted" ancestors would be both absolutely astonished that the literati of the early 21st century cannot figure out what was so obvious to them, centuries ago, and utterly appalled by the bogus unions that our contemporaries accept as marriages.
 
(By the way, I am not just thinking only of same-sex unions. I also have in mind the "open" marriages and the deliberately barren unions, the Hollywood-style serial marriages, the Kardashian couplings.)

Manitoba school district stands by policy against middle school gay lessons

The Hanover School Division is sticking to its guns – and the provincial curriculum – by refusing a lesbian mother’s call for middle-school instruction on same-sex unions.

“Middle school teachers can talk about it if a student raises it in class, but then they are directed to discuss it privately with the student,” school board chairman Ron Falk said in a media statement. “We believe this is sensitive matter best raised in the family.”

After her son was allegedly bullied because she was in a lesbian relationship, Michelle McHale asked the school board to teach middle schoolers about alternative family structures, including single mothers and households “with two moms.”

The insidious danger behind 'family balancing'

For years, expectant parents have relied on ultrasounds to find out the sex of their unborn baby.

But now, technology allows them to pick the sex of their child before he or she even enters the womb – a development that ethicists warn could have grave moral consequences.

Sex selection of human embryos orders a fertility company to “deliver a product” rather than a human child, said Dr. John Brehany, an ethicist and director of institutional relations at the National Catholic Bioethics Center.

India: Church vandalised and pastor and wife doused in petrol

A pastor and his wife have been doused in petrol during an attack on their church in India, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports.

Two men posing as Christians in need of prayer turned up at Pastor Deenanath's Berseba Church in Karanji Village in the central Chattisgarh State and forced him to let them in.

He was made to chant "jai sri ram", or "hail Lord Ram", before he and his wife were doused with petrol in an attempt to force them to convert to Hinduism. Lord Ram is a Hindu deity.

Armenian migrants in Turkey fear tense political climate

A century after her forebears fled massacres in Turkey for Armenia, Alla has gone the other way, hoping to win Turkish citizenship after leaving her impoverished homeland.

She works as a nanny in Turkey but fears deportation, one of thousands of undocumented workers from the former Soviet republic who feel hostage to a decades-old diplomatic dispute.

The conflict dates back to the killings of up to 1.5 million Christian Armenians by Ottoman Muslims that were being commemorated on Sunday, with tensions between Armenia and its Turkey-backed neighbour, Azerbaijan, especially amplified this year.

Does Sex Have a Spiritual Side?

It's silly not to talk about the No. 1 issue, the No. 1 temptation, the No. 1 economic engine in culture for men—and that's sex.

Testosterone never goes away; your sex life isn't just a physical thing. God knows where your sex life really is—on the inside. There is so much sexual confusion, so much brokenness. I have never met a man who hasn't, in some way, been impacted or broken in the area of sex in one form or another.

God's mind on sex is very positive. Sex is a gift. That's how He created you. Sex is a good thing. He wants you to use that aspect of your life for positive things, not to misuse or abuse it.

Jerry Falwell Jr. Responds to Liberty University Debate Boycott Due to 'Islamophobia'

Liberty University hosted the Virginia High School League state debate championships over the weekend, but some teams didn't show up, boycotting the Christian university on the basis of president Jerry Falwell Jr.'s comments on Muslims.

Falwell spoke to Liberty University students last December after the San Bernardino shooting, discussing the radical Islamic terrorists responsible for the attack. "It was clear to all in attendance that when I said, 'if more good people [obtained their concealed carry permits and carried a gun], we could end those Muslims before they walked in and killed,' I was only referring to the Muslim terrorists who attacked innocents in San Bernardino and in Paris, France," the Liberty University president writes in an April 22 op-ed in The Washington Post.

Pope pays surprise visit to Earth Day celebration

Pope Francis encouraged Christians to courageously venture into the metaphorical deserts of the world during a surprise visit to an Earth Day celebration in Rome Sunday.

“There are so many deserts in the cities, in the lives of people who have no future, because there are…always prejudices and fears,” the Pope said in off-the-cuff remarks.

“We must not be afraid to go to the desert and transform it into a forest, where there’s abundant life,” he continued.

Francis admitted a common temptation to avoid entanglement in the lives of others. But, he said Christians must “never, never turn away in order to not see conflict.”

The World of Women

I can concur that the power to procreate, duplicate and multiply in order to forestall the extinction of humankind lies more in the hand of the women than the men. But, the question is--how are the women using that power? Are they using it judiciously or not?

Owing to the feeble nature of the women, I am of the opinion that many of them have been ethereally or mystically cajoled, coerced or persuaded to breed certain calibre of individual human beings outside the ideal.
Most of the women accepted the call to the assignment without a clear understanding of what they are involving into.

The Juice Lady: Living Foods Make All the Difference

In my book The Juice Lady's Living Foods Revolution, I explain in detail how to choose and combine "living foods" to improve and maintain health and vitality. I want to apply what I have learned toward improvement, if not reversal, of diabetes and prediabetic conditions. Some experts claim that type 2 Diabetes can be completely reversed by carefully following a low-glycemic regimen that includes juicing. I am convinced that type 1 diabetics can benefit from a knowledgeable application of the same principles. I have met type 1 diabetics who have greatly improved their condition with this type of diet.

Refined and processed foods are the biggest food culprits. The body of someone who eats a lot of refined foods (which means eating a lot of sugar and refined flour products) will develop an imbalance in the hormone insulin. Over time, poor eating can lead to insulin resistance and eventually diabetes. This takes years to develop, but it doesn't have to happen at all. If you start making wise food choices now, your body (and your family) will thank you forever.

ISIS Horror: 9-Y-O 'Raped by So Many Men She Died,' Teen Reveals

A 16-year-old Yazidi girl has revealed in her testimony that Islamic State fighters raped every last girl older than age 8 in her community, including one 9-year-old girl who was raped by so many men she died from her injuries.

The girl's testimony was shared by British Conservative MP Fiona Bruce earlier this week, after members of Parliament voted unanimously to declare IS' treatment of Christians and Yazidis a genocide, and refer the issue to the United Nations Security Council.

School for Enslaved Children in Pakistan Named After Boy Martyr Who Rescued Thousands From Bonded Labor

 

A London-based human rights charity will open a free primary school in a poverty-stricken area of Pakistan that aims to give Christian children an education, an alternative to working as bonded laborers and a chance to break free from their family's cycle of poverty.

The British Pakistani Christian Association announced earlier this week that it has purchased land in the town of Kasur, just outside the city of Lahore, and will build the free school to be named after 12-year-old childhood martyr Tim Iqbal Masih, who was shot and killed in 1995 after helping to free thousands of children from bonded labor.

New State Department actions don't go far enough, religious freedom leader says

Religious freedom leaders applauded the U.S. State Department’s recent re-designation of nine countries – and the inclusion of one more – as the worst situations for religious freedom, but urged the agency to do more.

After the State Department on April 14 added Tajikistan to its “Country of Particular Concern” list, keeping the nine countries already on the list, the chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said it “welcomes the designation of these ten countries.”

One of the Biggest Sources of Spiritual Delusion in the Church Today

The next verse in our study is Revelation 1:17:
  
"When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though I were dead. Then He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last" (Rev. 1:17, MEV).

At the time John received this revelation, he was the only one of the Twelve still alive. Therefore, he had walked with the Lord Jesus more than any other apostle. The most intimate of the apostles with Jesus, John would lean his head up against the Lord's chest as they reclined for their last meal together. Even with this remarkable history, when John saw the Lord in His glory, he fell at His feet like a dead man!

One of the biggest sources of spiritual delusion and false doctrine in the church today is the lack of the fear of the Lord. He is an awesome God not to be trifled with. Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 9:10 tells us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Proverbs 1:7 says that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." So, the fear of the Lord is the foundation of both wisdom and knowledge.

A foundation holds up an entire building. If you remove it, everything built upon it collapses. So it is with foundational doctrines like the fear of the Lord—we never leave them.

Singer Prince Found Dead in His Home, Reports Say

U.S. pop star Prince, the 57-year-old whose hits included "Purple Rain" and "Kiss," was found unresponsive on Thursday at his Minnesota home and was later declared dead, U.S. media reports said.

Rome's historic Trevi Fountain to be dyed red in remembrance of martyred Christians

Rome's historic Trevi Fountain will be dyed red in recognition of Christian martyrs around the world.

Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is organising the demonstration on April 29 to "call attention to the drama of anti-Christian persecution".

Pastor urges Southern Baptist Convention to stop displaying Confederate flag

An African American pastor has called on the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) to prohibit the public display of the Confederate flag.

Pastor Dwight McKissic of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Texas, has submitted a resolution urging individuals and institutions to stop using the Confederate flag "as a step in good faith toward racial healing" in America.

Harriet Tubman, new face of 20 dollar bill, praised for her faith

 

As the U.S. treasury announces the legendary Harriet Tubman as the new face of the 20 dollar bill, she also drew praise from religious freedom advocates for her deep and abiding Christian faith.

“Harriet Tubman was a woman of faith who was not afraid to act on her beliefs to fight for justice,” said Kristina Arriaga, executive director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

“Her incredible moral and physical courage is an example to all Americans, as is her willingness to act on her Christian faith. She is an icon of religious liberty.”

6 Ways You Can Redefine This Generation

Take a moment to put aside church politics, denominational boundaries and religious back-and-forth. Instead, take a moment to put your faith into action and cry out to Jesus.
 
That's the heart of Pray Together 2016, which aims to recruit 1 million Christians to intercede for the country on July 10.

The event will kick off Together 2016, which will gather 1 million believers to the National Mall to cry out for a reset.

Whole Foods sues gay pastor who claimed they put slur on his ‘Love Wins’ cake

Openly homosexual pastor Jordan Brown filed a lawsuit claiming that a Whole Foods in Austin added an anti-gay slur to a cake he ordered. Now, the chain has launched a lawsuit alleging he lied about the whole incident.

Brown said he asked for a cake that said "Love Wins," but after he left the store he discovered the cake said "Love Wins Fag."

In a lawsuit filed within hours of buying the cake on Monday, Brown said he was seeking damages and monetary relief for mental anguish, court costs and other expenses.

Mom puts off treatment for aggressive brain cancer to save her baby

Kim Vaillancourt began having harsh headaches during the Christmas holidays.  Under usual circumstances, she would have just "toughed it out," but because she was with child, Kim was concerned for her baby, and so she made a doctor appointment.

The doctor had devastating news.  Kim had Glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.  She had developed two brain tumors: one on the right frontal lobe, the other on the base of the brain.  Kim, 20 weeks pregnant, was rushed to emergency surgery to remove the tumors.

Louisiana passes 'pastor protection bill' deemed unnecessary by opponents

 

Louisiana's House of Representatives has passed a 'pastor protection bill' aimed at ensuring ministers and religious organisations are not forced to support same-sex marriages contrary to their beliefs.

The bill is similar to those already in force in Texas and Florida, but does not go as far as controversial legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi, which allow businesses to discriminate on religious grounds. These states have faced a backlash from corporations angered by their policies, while prominent entertainers have refused to perform there. Other states, including Georgia and Indiana, withdrew or amended similar legislation because of the potential economic fallout.

The Lousiana bill has been criticised as an unnecessary piece of grandstanding that panders to conservative pressure groups, as the US constitution and an existing state religious freedom law already protect pastors from being forced to conduct same-sex marriages.

Pressure mounts on government to clamp down on 'toxic' gambling machines

Pressure is mounting for the government to clamp down on highly addictive fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), after new figures showed over two-thirds of MPs want action.

FOBTs are electronic roulette machines where players can bet on a variety of different games. There is a maximum stake of £100 every 20 seconds, meaning £300 can be lost in a single minute – more than a week's wages for many.

The poll of 150 MPs showed 72 per cent want tougher regulations on high stake FOBTs.

81 per cent also say FOBTs are having a negative effect on society and 67 per cent say the current maximum stake is too high.

"This polling is extremely encouraging and shows there is real appetite for action on FOBTs from MPs all across the House of Commons," said Christian charity CARE's chief executive Nola Leach.

CUA school of business receives millions in donations, gets new name

The Catholic University of America’s business school has received several major financial gifts, including the largest donation in university history.

The Washington, D.C., university announced a total of six commitments totaling $47 million. The money will go to general university programs as well as operational costs for the business school, which will be renamed the Tim and Steph Busch School of Business and Economics after the lead donor in the project.

Boston Cardinal Seán O’Malley, chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, praised the development.

Several dead as huge Taliban suicide attack hits Kabul

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for a huge explosion in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday morning.

Several people have died and more than 200 wounded after a suicide attacker detonated a car bomb. Gunfire was ongoing between security forces and the militants at midday Kabul time (0830 BST), according to Reuters witnesses at the scene.

Christian woman bulldozed and killed during church demolition protest

A pastor's wife was killed after being buried while protesting the destruction of a church in China, according to a human rights organisation.

China Aid said that Ding Cuimei suffocated to death when she and her husband, church leader Li Jiangong, stepped in front of a bulldozer in an attempt to stop the demolition on April 14.

The bulldozer reportedly pushed the two into a pit, where they were covered in soil. Li was able to escape, but Ding was killed.

The incident took place at Beitou Church in Zhumadian, in China's central Henan province.

How to fight extremism? Unite for religious liberty, rabbi says

Facing a rising tide of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and government crackdowns on religious practice, European religious communities must stand together, insisted one religious leader this week.

“For the first time in history, we recognize that all faiths are at risk,” Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks told an audience at the National Press Club on Monday in Washington, D.C. He added that “all faiths can stand together recognizing our shared humanity under the sovereignty of God.”

Trudeau Liberals will consider lifting ban on sale of sperm: report

The Liberals are considering lifting the current ban on paying men to provide sperm for in-vitro fertilization, the Toronto Star reported last week.

“My sense after talking to my colleagues in the Liberal caucus is that there is an openness to amend the law,” said Anthony Housefather, Quebec MP and chair of the federal standing committee on justice and human rights.

Police charge student with murder of newborn son after finding body in her backpack

A 20-year-old university student has been charged with the murder of her newborn son after she allegedly delivered him in a dorm bathroom, suffocated him with a towel, and then hid the remains first under her bed, and then later in her backpack.

Last Monday, police charged Lindsay Johnson, a sophomore at the University of Illinois studying agricultural communications, with first-degree murder, child endangerment, and concealment of a homicidal death. The charges all involved the birth and death of her baby last month, The News Gazette reported.

How to Reduce Risk of Premature Death by 22 Percent

Enjoying life involves a variety of things, including spending time with children (or grandchildren) and being able to travel, or to enjoy simply life in general. Key health decisions impact the longevity of life, and many are simple to follow.

The Next Place You'll See Armed Guards

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a gun rights bill on Friday allowing churches to create security programs designating members to carry firearms to defend worshipers against violence.

The legislation, called the "Mississippi Church Protection Act," also makes it easier for residents in other settings to carry concealed weapons, drawing criticism from national gun control advocates.

Jerusalem bus blast causes around 20 casualties – Israeli media

An explosion aboard a bus in Jerusalem caused around 20 casualties on Monday, Israeli media said, and police said it may have been a militant attack or the result of a fire from other causes.

Television images showed smoke billowing from two burned-out buses, one of which apparently set fire to the other, on Derech Hebron, an area in southwest Jerusalem close to the boundary with the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Smoke billowed over the horizon.

Irish nun who died in Ecuador earthquake was 'beautiful person'

An Irish nun has been announced as one of more than 250 dead in an earthquake in Ecuador.

Sister Clare Theresa Crockett, 33, was described as a "superstar" by her family after it emerged she died when a stairwell in a school she worked in collapsed on top of her. The death toll has now risen to at least 272 with more than 2,000 injured by Saturday's earthquake.

Crockett was a nun in the Home of the Mother order and taught in a school in Playa Prieta. Her body was recovered with six others from the school's rubble on Monday morning.

In a statement, Crockett's family said: "On Sunday 17th April, we lost our daughter, sister and aunt Sister Clare Theresa Crockett as a result of the earthquake in Ecuador.

"She was situated in a school in Playa Prieta with the Home of the Mother Order. At this difficult time we would ask for privacy."

Father Roland Colhoun, who knew Crockett well as her spiritual director, said she was a "beautiful person".

He told the BBC: "The terrible news has devastated everyone in the last couple of hours.