Northeast

Twice a year, New Yorkers are able to witness a popular phenomenon known as "Manhattanhenge" where the sun aligns perfectly with the city streets resembling the same occurrence as England's Stonehenge.

The term "Manhattanhenge" was actually coined by astrophysicist and director of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium Neil deGrasse Tyson back in 2002. He coined it because the light cascading down the west-east streets mimicked the light that shines through the stones during the summer solstice in the Salisbury Plain in England.

"Manhattanhenge" usually happens around the summer solstice and not on the solstice itself because of the way the streets were arranged. more >>

Two predominantly black congregations in Harlem, NY., where the respective pastors are gay and lesbian, have merged to fight for homosexuality to be accepted by the Church, giving their congregation the message, "He (Jesus) got up so I can come out. He got up for you can come out!" However, their promotion that God created people gay has been firmly rejected by mainstream Churches, who maintain that the Bible clearly identifies homosexuality as a sin.

The Rivers at Rehoboth is a combination between Rivers of Living Faith, headed by Pastor Vanessa M. Brown, a lesbian, and Rehoboth Temple, which is led by Pastor Joseph Tolton, who is gay. The new church's message combines black church traditions but uniquely makes its core mission to minister to gay and lesbian people, The New York Times has reported.

"Aren't you glad Jesus got up?" Twanna Gause, Pastor Brown's partner, was quoted as asking the congregation at a sermon. more >>

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is set to challenge a federal law that limits betting on sports to only four states, when he lets his constituents bet on the outcomes of athletic games this fall.

Although Christie said he did not attempt to change the 1992 federal law that limits sports betting, he did say that his administration is making regulations for New Jersey sports fans who want to place their bets on their favorite teams and athletes this fall. Still, the governor said he expected to be faced with federal opposition.

"Am I expecting there may be legal action taken against us to try to prevent it? Yes!" the governor said at a recent press conference. "But I have every confidence we're going to be successful." more >>

A Hamilton Heights elementary school has become the first ever in New York City to require its students to study Arabic, in what it claims is an attempt to bolster international opportunities for children.

Starting next semester all students from second through to fifth grade at PS 368 in Hamilton Heights will have to study the language. The reason behind the decision appears to be the school's determination to earn a prestigious International Baccalaureate standing, according to The New York Post.

"(The Parents Association) were very supportive," said Angela Jackson, CEO of the Global Language Project, which is backing the initiative, according to The New York Post. The non-profit Qatar Foundation International, which describes itself as "a U.S.-based affiliate of Qatar Foundation (QF) dedicated to advancing QF's mission and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser's vision of connecting cultures and advancing global citizenship through education," is also helping bring the project ahead. more >>

A New Hampshire man has attracted support for his online petition to have the word "marriage" changed from its traditional definition of a union between one man and one woman to also include same-sex couples, which he says would strengthen legal arguments for gay marriage.

Mike Raven posted his argument directly challenging Dictionary.com, entitled "Dictionary.com: Correct the definition of marriage," on the petition website Change.org. So far, Raven's petition has received 7,630; his goal is to attract 10,000 signatures.

Raven writes that he posted the petition after seeing his lesbian twin sister's reaction to the North Carolina amendment, passed in May, which continues to make same-sex marriage illegal in the state. more >>

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the highest ranking Roman Catholic official in United States, has said that the church faces the dangerous prospect of having to end its services to the poor over the Health and Human Services mandate requiring employers to cover contraception, sterilization and some abortifacient drugs in their health insurance policies.

"If these mandates click in, we're going to find ourselves faced with a terribly difficult decision as to whether or not we can continue to operate. As part of our religion, it's part of our faith that we feed the hungry, that we educate the kids, that we take care of the sick. We'd have to give it up because we're unable to fit the description and the definition of a church given by, guess who? The federal government," Dolan said in a video aired Tuesday by MSNBC on Martin Bashir's program.

Bashir then turned to a panel of commentators asking them to explain how Cardinal Dolan's comments could be justified. The MSNBC host wondered if a compromise could be reached between the Catholic Church wishing to adhere to its beliefs by not allowing artificial birth control methods, while at the same time respecting women's rights to have access to such drugs. more >>