Cheryl K. Chumley

Sorcery killings lead Papua New Guinea to mull law to institute firing squads

Sorcery killings have become such a problem in Papua New Guinea that political leaders are pushing for the creation of firing squads as a cost-effective way of dealing with crime.

May 2, 2013

Pentagon: Soldiers who spread faith may be prosecuted

Soldiers who promote their faith can be prosecuted under military law, the Pentagon said in a brief statement released to the media.

May 2, 2013

Paula Broadwell turns to faith, family to smooth over affair

Paula Broadwell, the woman at the heart of the sex scandal involving now-retired Gen. David Petraeus, is finally speaking in public, and her message is simple: Faith and family are what matter.

May 2, 2013

Seattle May Day protest turns violent; 17 arrested

Seventeen were arrested for hurling objects at police in a Wednesday evening May Day protest in Seattle that turned violent.

May 2, 2013

North Korea sentences American to 15 years of hard labor

North Korea has sentenced a Washington state citizen to 15 years of hard labor, accusing him of "hostile acts" against the government.

May 2, 2013

PepsiCo pulls Mountain Dew ad seen as racially offensive

PepsiCo was forced to pull a Mountain Dew online advertisement after complaints it was racially charged and poked fun of violence against women.

May 1, 2013

New evidence: Starving Jamestown settlers resorted to cannibalism

Archeologists said Wednesday they've solved a decades-long mystery with the discovery of evidence that shows Jamestown, Va., settlers did indeed engage in cannibalism.

May 1, 2013

Media scrub face-first fall from horse by Turkmenistan president

Call it the fall that never happened. When Turkmenistan President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov fell face-first from his horse and hit the dirt hard during an elite race attended by thousands, media turned a blind eye — and camera, and pen. The nation's press doesn't have any account of it occurring.

May 1, 2013

Bolivia expels USAID for ‘conspiring’ against government

Leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales said Wednesday that he's giving the boot to the U.S. Agency for International Development for supposedly undermining his government.

May 1, 2013

Tax dollars at work: Calif. kids get free condoms by mail

Children as young as 12 in California are able to get free condoms delivered to their doors by simply clicking a computer mouse — and the initiative is reportedly funded partly by federal tax dollars.

May 1, 2013

Depressing statistic: 11 Boston University deaths in 13 months

Obituary writers at the student-run newspaper at Boston University have faced an uncomfortable honing of talents lately, as campus-related deaths soared into the double-digits in recent months.

May 1, 2013

Colorado shooting suspect James Holmes’ attorneys mull insanity plea over client’s objections

Attorneys for James Holmes, the alleged gunman in last year's Colorado theater shooting, are considering whether the law allows them to void their client's wishes and enter an insanity plea on his behalf.

May 1, 2013

Gay sports hall of fame taking nominations

The nonprofit National Gay & Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame has opened the door to nominations and beginning this summer will take names of those who have "stood up to stereotypes" and supported gay athletes.

May 1, 2013

Robert Griffin III decries ‘tyranny of political correctness’

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III took to Twitter to espouse his views of political correctness, describing an America that's well on its way to tyranny.

May 1, 2013

Where’s the beef? Bloomberg launches vegetarian-only school lunch

Public School 244 in the Flushing section of New York's Queens borough has gone vegan — the first public school in the nation to serve only vegetarian meals for breakfast and lunch.

May 1, 2013

Where’s the global warming? Rockies face 5 inches of snow

Apparently, global warming has left the building. It's May 1, and 5 inches of snow are predicted for the Rockies.

May 1, 2013

Rep. Paul Ryan softens, now supports gay adoptions

Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, said in a town-hall discussion earlier this week that he still opposes gay marriage but that he's softened on the right of same-sex partners to adopt.

May 1, 2013

Atheists win right to pass out materials at Florida high schools

If the Christians get to do it, then so should we. That was the winning argument of atheists who fought for access to several Florida high schools to distribute group documents — same as evangelicals did with Bibles in January.

May 1, 2013

Arab League sweetens peace deal, puts pressure on Israel’s P.M. Benjamin Netanyahu

The Arab League has sweetened a peace-making deal with Israel, putting the pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reignite talks with coalition members who have more moderate views on Palestinian relations.

May 1, 2013

Death toll from Bangladesh factory collapse passes 400

The death count from a Bangladesh garment factory collapse has risen again, and law enforcement in the country on Wednesday say they've now pulled at least 400 bodies from the rubble.

May 1, 2013