The European Union has approved a law that brings the euro zone’s 130 largest banks under the direct scrutiny of the European Central Bank through a new Single Supervisory Mechanism established by the central bank, the European Parliament and member…

The United States National Security Agency routinely shares “raw,” unfiltered and “un-minimized” spy data it collects with Israel without first removing information about US citizens or the citizens of those close allies such as Australia. The spy information includes “transcripts,…

Las Cruces, New Mexico’s unusual ordinance violates religious expression and discriminates against pastor-led churches. The city now requires all pastor-led churches within city limits to register with the city, pay a registration fee and pass a discretionary review process before…

The United States is on the cusp of another big social change. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that federal authorities would not interfere when states make laws allowing medical marijuana or legalize the drug entirely. Some legislators think that…

The death toll from the Colorado flooding remains at eight, now that all those unaccounted for have been found. More than 1,000 people were unaccounted for during the peak of the flooding. On person remains missing and is presumed dead….

“Yet another study is warning parents to limit soda consumption with children.” The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, says that soda pop consumption causes aggressive and even violent behavior in children as young as five years old. The long-term…

A militant group linked to Al-Qaeda took responsibility for an attack on a mall in an upscale district of Nairobi, Kenya that lasted four days. At least sixty-one civilians, six Kenyan Special Forces soldiers, and five of the attackers were…

A gang-related shooting at a neighborhood basketball court in Chicago left up to 13 people injured, including a 3-year old child. A witness said that dreadlocked men fired from a gray sedan. “They’ve been coming round here looking for people…

Pope Francis recently granted a papal audience to the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Algirdas Butkevičius. The two men discussed the “contributions of the Catholic Church in the social and educational fields in Lithuania.” They also discussed “improving awareness of spiritual…

On September 17, 2013 Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old civilian U.S. Navy IT contractor entered the Navy Shipyard in Washington DC and began killing people with a shotgun, 9mm pistol and a AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Thirteen people died including Alexis (killed…

The U.S. Treasury Department and the IRS have declared that all same-sex couples who are legally married will be recognized as such for federal tax purposes, even if the state where they live does not recognize their union. The ruling…

Yingluck Shinawatra, the Prime Ministers of Thailand visited Pope Francis in the Vatican. She also met with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the papal secretary of state, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States. The Prime Minister and the Pope…