Russian Jehovah Witnesses Jailed for Extremism; Not Welcome in Russia,Greek Orth. Church Rules

 Several Jehovah's Witnesses have been sentenced in Russia recently for being members of the religious group that Moscow has labeled as extremist and banned in the country, the RFE/RL website reports today (November 30, 2020). 

A court in the Siberian city of Omsk today sentenced 48-year-old Sergei Polyakov to three years in prison after finding him guilty of "organizing the activities of an extremist group."

Polyakov's wife, Anastasia Polyakov, and two other Jehovah's Witnesses, Dinara Dyusekeyeva and Gaukhar Bektemirova, were convicted of "taking part in the activities of an extremist group" and handed suspended two-year prison terms each.

For decades the Jehovah's Witnesses have been viewed with suspicion in Russia , where the dominant Greek Orthodox Church is championed by President Vladimir Putin.

Fauci:Thanksgiving Visits May Make Surge Worse; Social Distancing,Masks Still Needed to Lick Virus

 Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's leading infectious disease expert, warned today (November 29, 2020) that the travel-heavy Thanksgiving holiday could make the current surge in COVID-19 cases even worse for December, the AOL website reports. 

"What we expect, unfortunately,  as we go for the next couple of weeks into December, is that we might see a surge superimposed on the surge we are already in," he said. 

Dr. Fauci urged Americans to be careful upon their travel back home, and to take proven steps like social distancing and wearing masks. 

Pope Elevates 13 Cardinals in St. Peter's Basilica; Warns Them Not to Use Titles for Personal Gain

Pope Francis raised 13 new cardinals to the highest rank in the Catholic hierarchy today (November 28, 2020) and immediately warned them not to use their titles for corrupt, personal gain, presiding over a ceremony marked from beginning to end by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the AP website.

Two new "princes" of the church -- from Brunei and the Philippines -- didn't make it to Rome because of the COVID-19 travel restrictions, though they were shown on giant screens watching it from home in the nearly empty St. Peter's Basilica. 

Throughout the socially distanced ceremony, which lasted about 45 minutes, cardinals new and old wore protective masks. 

During the homily, Francis warned the new cardinals against falling into corruption or using their new rank for personal advancement, saying just because they have a new title, "Eminence," doesn't mean they should drift from their people. 

National Math,Reading Tests Delayed Until 2022; Annual Assessment Tests Skip 2021 Due to COVID

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) said this week  that the national math and reading tests -- used annually to track U.S. students' knowledge in those subjects -- are being postponed until 2022 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Reuters website reports today (November 27, 2020). 

"I have determined that NCES cannot at this time conduct a national-level assessment in a manner with sufficient validity and reliability to meet the mandate of the law," NCES Commissioner James Woodworth said.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos supported the postponement of the national testing for a year, as NCES testing is federally mandated and funded. 

High Court Ends NY Church Limit Due to COVID; Rules Limiting Church Attendees Violates Const.

 The Supreme Court placed religious freedom before pandemic precautions last night (November 25, 2020), blocking recent rules in New York that restricted gatherings at houses of worship in areas hit hardest by COVID-19, according to the USA Today website. 

The justices split 5-4 with new justice Amy Coney Barrett in the majority.

The court's more conservative majority ruled that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's limits on churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship to 10 or 25 worshipers in hard-hit regions appeared to violate the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.

"Even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten," the court's majority opinion said. 

Biden to End Trump Policies by Executive Orders; Join Climate Accord, WHO, OK Worldwide Travel

When Joe Biden becomes the 46th president of the U.S. on January 20, he plans to reverse several of Donald Trump's policies by executive orders, the CBN News website reports today (November 25, 2020).

First, Biden plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord. "Climate change, global warming is a threat to humanity," Biden said. "We have a moral obligation to deal with it."

Biden also wants to rejoin the World Health Organization (WHO).

Biden will also use executive powers to repeal Trump's travel ban from heavily Islamic countries where terrorists find refuge, like Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.

NYC Synagogue Fined $15K for Secret Wedding; Mayor Said Synagogue Tried to Hide Ceremony

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio accused a New York City synagogue of trying to conceal a wedding from officials and fined the temple $15,000 for hosting a massive maskless wedding, the Daily Caller website reports today (November 24, 2020).

The wedding celebration occurred on November 8 in celebration of Yoel Teitelbaum, grandson of Satmar Grand Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum.

Mayor de Blasio called the clandestine ceremony at Brooklyn's Yetev Lev temple "just unacceptable."

The building has a capacity of 7,000 people.