No delay: Justices signal readiness to tackle keep-or-kill question for health care overhaul WASHINGTON (AP) — As demonstrations swirled outside, Supreme Court justices signaled on Monday they are ready to confront without delay the keep-or-kill questions at the heart of challenges to President Barack Obama’s historic health care overhaul. Virtually every American will be affected by the outcome, due this summer in the heat of the election campaign. On the first of three days of arguments — the longest in... Read more

No delay: Justices signal readiness to tackle keep-or-kill question for health care overhaul WASHINGTON (AP) — As demonstrations swirled outside, Supreme Court justices signaled on Monday they are ready to confront without delay the keep-or-kill questions at the heart of challenges to President Barack Obama’s historic health care overhaul. Virtually every American will be affected by the outcome, due this summer in the heat of the election campaign. On the first of three days of arguments — the longest in... Read more

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — An organization that includes atheists and agnostics has filed a lawsuit over a state House resolution that declares 2012 the Year of the Bible, saying the measure violates the U.S. Constitution’s provision that prevents government from enacting laws “respecting an establishment of religion.” The Freedom from Religion Foundation on Monday sued the measure’s main sponsor, Rep. Rick Saccone, R-Allegheny; House clerk Tony Barbush; and House parliamentarian Clancy Myer over the resolution. The lawsuit says the resolution... Read more

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 30-scroll set of nature paintings from the 1700s that’s owned by Japan’s royal family and considered a cultural treasure is being shown in its entirety for the first time outside of the country at an exhibit in Washington. The “Colorful Realm of Living Beings,” created more than 250 years ago by artist Ito Jakuchu, consists of intricate paintings of birds, flowers, insects, fish and other animals on vertical silk scrolls. It opens to the public Friday... Read more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A high-ranking monsignor on trial in Philadelphia “won’t run” from the Catholic Church’s sex abuse crisis, his lawyer said Monday when the landmark child endangerment trial opened. Monsignor William Lynn supervised more than 800 priests as the secretary for clergy in Philadelphia from 1992 to 2004. He’s the first U.S. church official ever charged over his handling of abuse complaints. Prosecutors charge that he kept dangerous priests in parish work around children to protect the church’s reputation... Read more

SANTIAGO, Cuba (AP) — Cuba’s Raul Castro tells pope his country favors complete religious freedom for all. Read more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A lawyer for a high-ranking Catholic monsignor on trial in Philadelphia says his client won’t run from the church’s sex abuse crisis. The defense says Monday that Monsignor William Lynn is perhaps the only person in the Philadelphia archdiocese who tried to address it. Lynn supervised more than 800 priests as the longtime secretary for clergy. He’s the first U.S. church official ever charged over his handling of abuse complaints. Prosecutors say Lynn helped the church cover... Read more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia protected sexual predators in its ranks for more than 70 years, putting the church’s reputation over the safety of children, a prosecutor said Monday at the start of a landmark priest abuse case that’s shaken the Roman Catholic establishment. The church kept secret files dating back to 1948 that show a long-standing conspiracy to doubt sex abuse victims, protect priests and avoid scandal, Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho said in opening statements. Coelho... Read more

EL COBRE, Cuba (AP) — She’s 400 years old and stands just over a foot (35 centimeters) tall, but the petite wooden statue housed in a small-town church in eastern Cuba is among the most powerful Catholic icons in the world, and an object of pride and reverence for hundreds of thousands of island faithful. The Virgin of Charity of Cobre is also responsible, at least partially, for persuading Pope Benedict XVI to make Cuba the second stop on his... Read more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Prosecutors say the Archdiocese of Philadelphia engaged in a long-standing criminal effort to protect sexual predator priests, putting the reputation of the church over the safety of children. Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coehlo (coh-EHL’-oh) told a jury Monday during opening statements of a landmark trial against a priest and high-ranking church official that a decades-long conspiracy met victims with skepticism “at all cost.” Monday marked the beginning of prosecutors’ case against Monsignor William Lynn and the Rev.... Read more