Here are some important law-and-religion news stories from around the web:
- Blue slips could become a thing of the past if Sen. Lindsay Graham ignores Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s withdrawal of support from judicial nominee Gordon Giampietro after a Buzzfeed article elucidated his traditional Catholic position on marriage and other issues.
- The father of an Alabama woman who joined ISIS filed suit in an effort to allow her return to the United States.
- Australian Cardinal George Pell has been remanded in custody after being found guilty of sexual offenses against children in Australia.
- The Methodist Church voted to ban actively gay clergy and same-sex marriage, evoking debate among members.
- Tennessee lawmakers advanced legislation that would make it illegal for most women in the state to have an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
- A spokesman for the Holy See said that a new child protection law, protecting minors from sexual abuse in Vatican City, is in the works.
- The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the WWI cross case of American Legion v. American Humanist Association, demonstrating the justices’ different perspectives on separation of church and state.
- A purported prophet was sued by three Johannesburg funeral homes after he used their hearse to perform a hoax in which he claimed to have resurrected a dead person.
- The Buffalo Diocese faces a $300 million lawsuit by a Niagara County woman who claims she was sexually abused by a priest who taught at her Catholic high school.
- The EctHR ruled that the suspension of two Romanian ministers by their respective churches violated Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
- The Trump administration issued a final rule on Friday that could effectively cut off tens of millions of federal family planning dollars to Planned Parenthood.
- Egyptian President Sisi said if Jews are interested in establishing a community in Egypt, his government will build synagogues and other communal institutions.