A woman who sued a police officer for allegedly forcing her to be baptized was found dead in her home on April 13. The 42-year-old Shandele Marie Riley's body was discovered in her home in Log Cabin Lane in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee.
According to Hamilton County Police, Riley's cause of death is still unknown. The police are waiting for the medical examiner's autopsy reports to check for any foul play involved.
After announcing their " Fasting From Whiteness " for the Lenten season, a Christian church in Oak Park, Illinois, is in hot water. According to Religion News (RNS), the issue sparked so much controversy causing the church’s website to crash.
A Muslim imam was stabbed after an altercation that started with the suspect calling the victim a “fucking terrorist.” Sheikh Uthman ibn Farooq said he was followed and confronted by the suspect after his public preaching.
The San Diego-based imam has been performing the “dawah,” or public preaching, since his early 20’s. Farooq has gained popularity among Muslim individuals, including non-Muslims whom he engages on his Youtube channel.
On March 18, a U.S. District Court ruled against a county clerk charged with violating the rights of same-sex couples. The ruling will pave the way for a jury trial against Kim Davis from Rowan, Kentucky.
On March 15, the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. The resolution was sponsored by 55 predominantly Muslim member states and passed consensus with all 193 states in support.
A woman has been accused of stabbing her date in a Nevada hotel room on March 5. According to court documents submitted by the police, the 21-year old Nika Nikoubin wanted revenge for an Iranian leader killed by an American drone strike in 2020.
Nikoubin met the victim online through the Plenty of Fish online dating website.
On March 4, the United States Supreme Court overturned a ruling from an appellate court in favor of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The supreme court unanimously ruled that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has lesser precedence over state secrets privilege.
State secrets privilege allows the federal government to "block the release of any information in a lawsuit" if its release can lead to a breach of national security.
A new study shows that female atheists and those from Republican, Southern, or religious backgrounds are more likely to hide their beliefs. Published in Social Forces, the study revealed findings contrary to what the authors initially believed.
White supremacist propaganda “remained at a historic level in 2021,” according to an annual report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The report also revealed a dramatic increase in anti-semitic activities over the last year.
The ADL is a Jewish Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that seeks to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.”
Los Angeles County sees a new brand of pirates clearing out religious signage posted in public places. Atheist Street Pirates, a sub-group of Atheists United, a Los Angeles-based atheist group, has removed religious signs from streets and overpasses.
