Catholic groups seek to delay mandate
WASHINGTON – Catholic organizations made a last-minute effort Tuesday to get the Supreme Court to block portions of President Barack Obama’s health-care law that will force them to provide health insurance for students and employees that includes birth control.
Several organizations, including the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, Catholic University and the Michigan Catholic Conference, asked justices to block the law until their arguments are heard. Parts of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, go into effect today.
The law requires employers to provide insurance that covers a range of preventive care, free of charge, including contraception. The Catholic Church prohibits the use of contraceptives.
Thousands protest leader of Africa nation
ANGUI, Central African Republic – Thousands of angry people flooded the runway of the international airport in the chaotic capital of Central African Republic, shouting slogans against the nation’s Muslim president, who grabbed power in a coup nine months ago.
French forces deployed at the airport were unable to stop them and international flights appeared to have been suspended.
Central African Republic has been in a state of near-anarchy since an attack on the capital, Bangui, earlier this month by a Christian militia aiming to overthrow Michel Djotodia, the Muslim coup leader. That attack unleashed a wave of communal violence.
The number of displaced people in Bangui has increased 70 percent in the past two weeks, from 214,000 to 370,000, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Between 70,000 and 100,000 people have sought refuge at the airport, the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
Associated Press
