Featured Stories
Statement From Trust for Public Land on House Committee Advancement of the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 17 -- The Trust for Public Land issued the following news release:
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Statement from Trust for Public Land on House Committee Advancement of the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act
September 16th, 2026
Washington, DC - Upon official vote by the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources to advance the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act (H.R.9269/S.4767), Trust for Public Land's Senior Director of Black History and Culture, Dr. Jocelyn Imani issued the following statement:
"Trust for Public Land applauds the House Committee
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 17 -- The Trust for Public Land issued the following news release:
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Statement from Trust for Public Land on House Committee Advancement of the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act
September 16th, 2026
Washington, DC - Upon official vote by the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources to advance the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act (H.R.9269/S.4767), Trust for Public Land's Senior Director of Black History and Culture, Dr. Jocelyn Imani issued the following statement:
"Trust for Public Land applauds the House Committeeon Natural Resources for advancing the Renewing the African American Civil Rights Network Act. This bipartisan action is an important step toward ensuring that the people, places, and stories of the African American Civil Rights Movement continue to be preserved, interpreted, and shared with generations to come.
The African American Civil Rights Network gives communities across the country a way to connect these stories and understand the Civil Rights Movement as an essential part of the broader American story. Reauthorizing the Network will help ensure that this history is not only remembered, but remains accessible, tangible, and meaningful to all Americans.
We are incredibly grateful to Representatives Jim Clyburn and Mike Carey for their leadership in advancing this legislation in the House and urge the full House and Senate to build on this bipartisan momentum and send the bill to the President's desk. At a moment when our nation is reflecting on the ideals of freedom and equality that have shaped 250 years of American history, preserving the places and stories that illuminate our ongoing pursuit of those ideals is critically important."
First established through bipartisan legislation in 2018, the African American Civil Rights Network is a National Park Service program that links together more than 130 National Park units, non-federal historic sites, and research programs relating to the African American Civil Rights Movement. The AACRN connects these interrelated sites under the NPS banner to facilitate peer learning, increase public awareness, and allow the members to compete for certain grants. It was originally authorized on a seven-year basis that lapsed in January of 2025. Network members include historic properties where significant events occurred or where influential leaders lived and worked; facilities such as museums, libraries, archives, and interpretive centers dedicated to preserving Civil Rights Movement history; and educational programs, tours, performances, curricula, and other initiatives that help bring these stories to life. Together, these resources create a nationwide network that connects Americans with the history of one of the nation's most transformative movements.
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About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, in Florida alone, TPL has protected more than 185,000 acres of public land and created more than 470 parks, trails, and iconic outdoor places. Nationally, TPL has raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
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Original text here: https://www.tpl.org/media-room/statement-from-trust-for-public-land-on-house-committee-advancement-of-the-renewing-the-african-american-civil-rights-network-act
[Category: Environment]
NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Expands Hours at Its New Adult Sickle Cell Clinic
NEW YORK, Sept. 17 -- The New York Health and Hospitals issued the following news release:
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NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Expands Hours at Its New Adult Sickle Cell Clinic
* Opened earlier this year, the new clinic is now open on Mondays and Fridays from 8am to 4pm
* NYC Health + Hospitals is one of the largest providers of sickle cell care in the country
* Harlem Hospital's clinic is built into primary care, so adults with sickle cell disease get their sickle cell care, preventive care, and chronic-disease care from one team in one place
* Services include daily medication to reduce
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Sept. 17 -- The New York Health and Hospitals issued the following news release:
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NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Expands Hours at Its New Adult Sickle Cell Clinic
* Opened earlier this year, the new clinic is now open on Mondays and Fridays from 8am to 4pm
* NYC Health + Hospitals is one of the largest providers of sickle cell care in the country
* Harlem Hospital's clinic is built into primary care, so adults with sickle cell disease get their sickle cell care, preventive care, and chronic-disease care from one team in one place
* Services include daily medication to reducethe risk of severe symptoms, pain management, care navigation, and reproductive counseling
Sept. 16, 2026
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As part of Sickle Cell Awareness Month, NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that the new Adult Sickle Cell Clinic at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, a program housed within the hospital's Adult Primary Care service that serves as a primary care medical home for adults living with sickle cell disease, now offers extended hours. The clinic, which launched in January, is now open on Mondays and Fridays from 8am to 4pm. Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder and complex chronic disease that causes anemia, pain, organ damage, and early death. It predominantly affects people of color, specifically those with ancestry in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the US and about 10,000 in New York State. A common feature of sickle cell disease is unpredictable episodes of severe, debilitating pain, known as vaso-occlusive pain crises. Patients with pain crises often go to the Emergency Room for treatment. However, by providing access to robust, comprehensive, and preventive sickle cell disease care, healthcare systems can reduce the frequency and severity of these painful episodes, and can help patients to stay healthy and engaged in their lives.
NYC Health + Hospitals is one of the largest providers of sickle cell care in the country, with seven sickle cell clinics for pediatric patients and three sickle cell clinics for adults. Services include preventive medications, such as hydroxyurea, to reduce the risk of severe symptoms; preventive screening tests; pain management; and care navigation; At Harlem Hospital, these services are delivered alongside routine primary and preventive care by the same primary care physician, so patients do not have to navigate a separate clinic for their everyday health needs.The clinics also include a social worker and a community health worker to help patients address mental health needs such as depression and anxiety, as well as the social determinants of health such as food insecurity or housing instability.
"NYC Health + Hospitals is committed to health equity and comprehensive care," said Nichola Davis, MD, MS, Chief Population Health Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. "The new Adult Sickle Cell Clinic at Harlem Hospital is an example of this mission in action. By leveraging in-house sickle cell disease expertise and promoting cross-facility collaboration, we are prioritizing the care of a patient population that is often neglected in healthcare."
"The expansion of the Sickle Cell services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem is another major victory for the Harlem community," said NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem Chief Executive Officer Georges H. Leconte, MPA, FAB. "Patients affected by sickle cell disease can now leverage access to consistent, coordinated and culturally-competent care to better manage their health, reduce preventable complications, and ensure they receive the exceptional clinical expertise they deserve. The initiative reflects our unwavering dedication to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes for patients and families impacted by sickle cell disease."
"Adults living with sickle cell disease deserve what every other adult expects from primary care: a medical home, with a doctor of their own who manages their sickle cell disease together with their overall health, and a team that handles the pain, the paperwork, and the follow-up as one," said Yong Eun, MD, Attending Physician, Adult Primary Care, and Clinical Lead, Sickle Cell Disease Primary Care Program, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem. "That is what we built at Harlem Hospital, and the extended hours are a direct response to what our patients told us they needed."
The following hospitals have specialized adult care for sickle cell disease:
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
The following hospitals provide specialized pediatric care for sickle cell disease:
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
* NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx
* NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem is a 268-bed hospital that provides a broad array of preventive, primary and acute care services including general medicine and medical subspecialties, general surgery and surgical subspecialties, infectious diseases, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and neonatology, critical care, imaging, radiology and nuclear medicine, rehabilitation medicine, psychiatry and substance abuse services, dental and oral surgery, physical, speech and occupational therapies. They are an Area-Wide Burn Center and Level II Trauma, with Centers of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery, Breast Imaging and Sexual Assault Forensics, a designated Stroke and AIDS Center, a World Health Organization's UNICEF Designated Baby Friendly. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/harlem.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city's five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system's trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth --all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Original text here: https://www.nychealthandhospitals.org/pressrelease/nyc-health-hospitals-harlem-expands-hours-at-its-new-adult-sickle-cell-clinic/
[Category: Health Care]
NRDC Statement on Colorado Pollinator Executive Order
NEW YORK, Sept. 17 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council issued the following news release:
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NRDC Statement on Colorado Pollinator Executive Order
Governor Polis' action to protect pollinators from harmful chemicals
September 16, 2026
DENVER -- Today, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order at the Denver Zoo, directing state agencies to strengthen protections for pollinators.
Following is a statement from Allison Johnson, a senior attorney with the Nature team at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
"Governor Polis' executive order is an important step toward
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Sept. 17 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council issued the following news release:
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NRDC Statement on Colorado Pollinator Executive Order
Governor Polis' action to protect pollinators from harmful chemicals
September 16, 2026
DENVER -- Today, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order at the Denver Zoo, directing state agencies to strengthen protections for pollinators.
Following is a statement from Allison Johnson, a senior attorney with the Nature team at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
"Governor Polis' executive order is an important step towardprotecting Colorado's bees, butterflies, and other pollinators from pesticides. Neonicotinoids are among the most dangerous pesticides for pollinators because they can contaminate soil, water, pollen, and nectar, exposing insects long after the initial application.
"By directing the Department of Natural Resources to lead and collaborate on a statewide pollinator strategy, this order can help Colorado move from good intentions to coordinated, measurable action.
"The order recognizes the need to support private landowners and local governments in creating more habitat and reducing pesticide reliance. Technical assistance and education through state agencies, including the Colorado Department of Agriculture, can help communities, farmers, ranchers, and land managers choose safer pest-management approaches while restoring the native habitat pollinators need to survive.
"Pollinators are essential to Colorado's food security, wildlife, wildflowers, and outdoor heritage. Reducing toxic pesticide exposure, especially from unnecessary and harmful neonics, is an essential step the state can take now to help them recover."
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NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).
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Original text here: https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/nrdc-statement-colorado-pollinator-executive-order
[Category: Environment]
NAIT, CAIR Release Updated 'Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide'
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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NAIT, CAIR Release Updated 'Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide'
September 16, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), the nation's pioneering and largest custodian of Islamic community properties, today released their updated "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide."
SEE: Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide 2026
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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NAIT, CAIR Release Updated 'Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide'
September 16, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), the nation's pioneering and largest custodian of Islamic community properties, today released their updated "Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide."
SEE: Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety Guide 2026(https://islamophobia.org/anti-prejudice-tools/best-practices-for-mosque-and-community-safety-guide-2026-version/)
Originally written by a security expert and released in 2012, the updated guide's content is organized with an eye toward community leaders finding what they need quickly and then expanding on those quick action suggestions. As part of the guide's modernization, NAIT and CAIR consulted with mosque security experts and also public resources produced to help protect all places of worship.
NAIT was established to protect Mosques and Islamic Schools as a Waqf and has been doing this for over half a century," said NAIT Executive Director Maqsood Quadri. "Now, we are taking this beyond just the protection of titles to establishing the Protection and Resilience Waqf fund. This guide is a crucial first step in empowering our institutions with the tools they need to stay safe, secure, and resilient in an increasingly challenging environment."
SEE: Protection and Resilience Waqf (https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/in_loving_memory__honor_of_san_diego_martyrs__resilience_and_protection_waqf)
"Mosques must remain places of community, learning, and prayer," said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor. "Our guide starts with that in mind and then recommends steps to help ensure safeguarding congregations or students becomes a routine as paying the bills."
In May, then Muslim men sacrificed their lives protecting worshippers and children from anti-Muslim extremists who attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego. By the end of July, CAIR said it in May, June, and July it documented an 183 percent increase over the same three-month period the previous year.
SEE: CAIR Documents 183 Percent Increase in Mosque Incidents Compared to Same Time Period Last Year (https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-documents-183-percent-increase-in-mosque-incidents-compared-to-same-time-period-last-year/)
Also in May, CAIR hosted a webinar, titled "Protecting Your Mosques: What Every Mosque Needs to Know and Do," that featured experts in mosque safety, community security, crisis preparedness, and threat prevention.
SEE Webinar First 30 Minutes: Introductory Section of Protecting Your Mosques Self-Defense Seminar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40ntuFs7WVU&feature=youtu.be)
Request Full Video: Houses of worship and other nonprofits organizations can request access to the full video by CLICKING HERE (https://action.cair.com/a/mosque-safety-webinar_recording).
The North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) is dedicated to supporting the American Muslim community's institutions through Waqf, halal investments, halal certification and lifestyle.
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CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/nait-and-cair-release-best-practices-for-mosque-and-community-safety-guide/
[Category: Sociological]
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: Placenta Study Identifies Earliest Signs of Autism Risk
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, Sept. 17 (TNSjou) -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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Placenta study identifies earliest signs of autism risk
16 September 2026
The Takeaway
CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle and postdoc Irene Sanchez Martin have discovered that inflammation during a specific window of pregnancy contributes to autism-like traits in males only. Their study establishes a link between placenta health and autism risk, which could point to new therapeutic targets and earlier interventions. It may also help explain why autism is more common among
... Show Full Article
COLD SPRING HARBOR, New York, Sept. 17 (TNSjou) -- The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory issued the following news:
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Placenta study identifies earliest signs of autism risk
16 September 2026
The Takeaway
CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle and postdoc Irene Sanchez Martin have discovered that inflammation during a specific window of pregnancy contributes to autism-like traits in males only. Their study establishes a link between placenta health and autism risk, which could point to new therapeutic targets and earlier interventions. It may also help explain why autism is more common amongboys.
How does autism develop? While genetics play a major role, researchers know that environmental factors during pregnancy also contribute to autism spectrum disorder.
New research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) reveals that inflammation during a critical window of pregnancy can contribute to autism-like traits in male mice. Scientists also uncovered an unexpected link between the placenta and autism risk in some pups.
"To truly understand autism spectrum disorder, we have to look beyond the brain," CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle says. "Our work suggests that maternal immune activation and changes within the placenta are a gateway to autism for some unique individuals."
Cheadle's lab simulated a viral attack in different stages of pregnancy by injecting mice with a compound that triggers the immune system without causing an infection. At 12.5 days, they found that fetuses were the most susceptible to developing abnormalities following inflammation. About a third showed signs of altered development within just one day, says Irene Sanchez Martin, a postdoc in the Cheadle lab. While maternal immune activation has been studied for a long time, this is the earliest that scientists have ever seen signs of disruption.
Perhaps most remarkably, in all trials, only the male mouse fetuses showed autism-like traits. Females developed as expected. This may provide clues for why autism is diagnosed at a much higher rate in boys than girls, Cheadle says:
"It's really fascinating, because we're looking at an age which precedes hormonal surges. It precedes sexual differentiation in the brain and many other regions. So, it's surprising there would be a sex-based difference this early."
To understand why some pups developed abnormalities while others did not, Cheadle and Sanchez Martin turned their attention to the placenta. They focused on spongiotrophoblasts--cells in a region of the mouse placenta where maternal and fetal cells meet. In pups that developed as expected, this region appeared healthy. But in males with developmental abnormalities, spongiotrophoblasts showed signs of damage.
Normally, spongiotrophoblasts help the immune system tolerate a growing fetus. After maternal immune activation, however, these cells can lose their protective function, making the mother's body respond in a way that can harm the fetus.
The data suggest male embryos may have unique proteins that the mother's body reacts negatively to after a viral infection. On the other hand, Cheadle says, "a protective mechanism may exist within the female that could be harnessed to help the male. We're trying to understand how autism emerges in both sexes," he explains. "The evidence says that there are potentially different mechanisms."
Cheadle's lab plans to continue studying both the male and female pups, which could reveal potential targets for therapies. And that could mean new avenues for earlier autism intervention.
Written by: Margaret Osborne, Science Writer | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455
Funding
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Institute of Mental Health, National Cancer Institute, Rita Allen Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation
Citation
Sanchez Martin, I., et al., "Maternal-fetal immune conflict contributes to male-specific impairments in a mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorders," Science Advances, September 16, 2026. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aeg0779
Core Facilites
"The Animal Imaging Shared Resource provides researchers with both expertise and access to state-of-the-art, non-invasive preclinical imaging modalities. These include optical, ultrasound, CT, SPECT, and PET. These scanners collectively offer the researcher a high degree of experimental flexibility to non-invasively visualize and quantitate in vivo biology." -- Director Scott Lyons, Ph.D.
"The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource offers researchers equipment, training, and assistance with cellular analysis for a variety of applications as well as cell sorting. Our staff oversees equipment maintenance and quality control, trains new users on instrument operation, and assists with assay development and data analysis. We also provide tissue culture facilities for sample preparation and cell maintenance during ongoing flow cytometry experiments." -- Director Pamela Moody
"The Microscopy Core Facility provides training, consultation, experimental design and technical assistance to investigators at CSHL in widefield, spinning disk laser scanning or point laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy, and super-resolution microscopy. In addition, the Microscopy Shared Resource provides customized state-of-the-art optical imaging and quantitative image analysis applications to support a wide range of scientific endeavors." -- Director Erika Wee, Ph.D.
The Takeaway
CSHL Associate Professor Lucas Cheadle and postdoc Irene Sanchez Martin have discovered that inflammation during a specific window of pregnancy contributes to autism-like traits in males only. Their study establishes a link between placenta health and autism risk, which could point to new therapeutic targets and earlier interventions. It may also help explain why autism is more common among boys.
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Original text here: https://www.cshl.edu/placenta-study-identifies-earliest-signs-of-autism-risk/
[Category: Science]
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: Elder Andersen Invites BYU Students to 'Settle This in Your Hearts' and Follow Jesus Christ
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 17 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release:
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16 September 2026
Elder Andersen Invites BYU Students to 'Settle This in Your Hearts' and Follow Jesus Christ
Discipleship requires a conscious commitment to the Savior, covenants and revealed truth amid confusion and competing voices
Encouraging young adults to make a firm and lasting commitment to Jesus Christ, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited students at Brigham Young University to decide now that they will follow the Savior and keep
... Show Full Article
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 17 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release:
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16 September 2026
Elder Andersen Invites BYU Students to 'Settle This in Your Hearts' and Follow Jesus Christ
Discipleship requires a conscious commitment to the Savior, covenants and revealed truth amid confusion and competing voices
Encouraging young adults to make a firm and lasting commitment to Jesus Christ, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited students at Brigham Young University to decide now that they will follow the Savior and keepthe covenants of His restored gospel.
Speaking at a campus devotional in the Marriott Center on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, the Apostle centered his message on a phrase from Joseph Smith's translation of Luke 14 in the New Testament. There the Savior declares:
"Settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you."
For his message, Elder Andersen focused on one of the meanings of the word "settle." He described it as a decision that is "definitively and conclusively" resolved, "stable and permanent." He taught that discipleship requires a commitment to Jesus Christ that is firmly established rather than continually unsettled by doubt, distraction and competing influences.
"As a Latter-day Saint, what does it mean to have your faith in Jesus Christ and your devotion to the restored gospel 'settled' in your heart?" he asked. The Apostle taught that having faith "settled" in one's heart means thoughtfully choosing the covenant path, finding peace in that decision and moving forward with confidence in Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.
Acknowledging the challenges facing young adults, Elder Andersen said today's students live in "a world of information and misinformation overload" and "a world of commotion and unsurprising confusion."
"With so many choices and alluring paths before you," he said, "it will require strength of heart and mind to boldly, without distraction or deception, settle this in your heart and walk the road less traveled toward the Savior."
Drawing upon teachings from President Dallin H. Oaks, Elder Andersen explained that both reason and revelation play important roles in gaining spiritual knowledge. Quoting from a lesson he learned decades earlier from a book President Oaks wrote, he emphasized a principle he said helped shape his own approach to faith and discipleship: "Reason has the first word; revelation has the last word."
Elder Andersen taught that followers of Christ do not need answers to every question before committing themselves to the Savior and His restored gospel. Instead, he encouraged listeners to exercise patience and trust in spiritual witnesses already received.
"Allow the questions that do not yet have answers to rest patiently in a box labeled, 'Answers Forthcoming,'" he said.
Elder Andersen identified several truths that strengthen faith in the Savior, including the reality of God as the Father of His children, the divine mission of Jesus Christ, the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the importance of covenants and ordinances, and the gift of the Holy Ghost.
He also offered two specific invitations to students:
1. Think more about our Savior.
2. Embrace more completely the Book of Mormon.
Speaking of Jesus Christ, he taught, "The more you put Him into each of your days, the more you will know He is your Savior and Redeemer. Settling this in your heart will be the natural consequence of your renewed confidence in Him."
Regarding the Book of Mormon, Elder Andersen testified that it has the power to strengthen faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to the restored gospel.
"It is absolutely true and sacred scripture," he said.
Near the conclusion of his devotional, Elder Andersen described the blessings that come when disciples freely and completely dedicate themselves to God. He taught that when "a heart willingly and completely, on its own, without compulsion, turns the key of consecration, a door of freedom and spiritual power is opened."
Bearing his witness of the Savior, Elder Andersen declared:
"He lives. He is the central being of all human history. He is our Savior and Redeemer."
He concluded by blessing students that as they seek to "settle this in your hearts," their faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to the restored gospel will guide and direct them.
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Original text here: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-andersen-byu-devotional-settle-this-in-your-heart-september-2026
[Category: Religion]
CAIR Welcomes Rhode Island Resolution Rejecting Anti-Islam Hate
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Welcomes Rhode Island Resolution Rejecting Anti-Islam Hate
September 16, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the approval of the "Hate Has No Place Resolution" by leaders in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
The South Kingstown Town Council passed the resolution on Monday night following an incident on August 25, 2026, in which anti-Islam banners carrying messages were flown by aircraft
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Welcomes Rhode Island Resolution Rejecting Anti-Islam Hate
September 16, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the approval of the "Hate Has No Place Resolution" by leaders in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
The South Kingstown Town Council passed the resolution on Monday night following an incident on August 25, 2026, in which anti-Islam banners carrying messages were flown by aircraftover local beaches along the South County coast. Passed "on behalf of the good people of all faiths and no faith," the resolution explicitly reaffirms First Amendment protections for religious freedom, including Islam, and rejects discriminatory messaging targeting Muslim community members.
In a statement, Washington, D.C.-based CAIR said:
"We applaud the South Kingstown Town Council for standing up firmly against Islamophobia and making it clear that hate speech has no place in their community. Swift public condemnation from civic leaders sends a vital message of safety and solidarity to American Muslims, reassuring them that their rights and dignity will be protected."
Yesterday, CAIR welcomed law enforcement's decision to pursue hate crime charges against a suspect accused of harassing community members, uttering anti-Islamic threats, and attempting to break into a Washington state mosque.
CAIR also welcomed the federal indictment of a Thornton, Colorado, man who allegedly made violent threats against American Muslims, law enforcement, judges, federal agents, and Muslims.
On Sunday, CAIR's Michigan chapter called on law enforcement and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office to pursue all appropriate charges, including applicable hate crime charges, against a man who allegedly threatened to kill four Muslim men outside the Troy Public Library while reportedly armed with a handgun.
CAIR's national office recently welcomed the federal indictment of a Utah man on a hate crime charge for allegedly stabbing a Muslim man at the West Valley Mall in West Valley City, Utah.
At its annual gala in Washington, D.C., CAIR recognized the three men who were killed saving countless lives when they confronted two white supremacist gunmen during the May 18 terror attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego.]
BACKGROUNDER: CAIR recently responded to a number of anti-Muslim hate incidents nationwide.
On Friday, CAIR's national office said Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith's escalating anti-Muslim rhetoric, including comments made marking the anniversary of 9/11, incites anti-Muslim hatred and put American Muslims at risk of violence.
Also last week, CAIR called on law enforcement authorities in West Virginia to step up security in the area of mosques and Islamic institutions and investigate a reported online threat to "kill" Muslims in that state.
CAIR's Ohio chapter welcomed federal charges filed against Wyatt Brzoska, a 20-year-old Valley City man accused of posting online threats and planning a violent attack against a mosque in Columbia Station, Ohio.
CAIR's New York chapter condemned the reported harassment of Muslim minors outside a mosque in Albany, New York
Other recent anti-Muslim incidents:
CAIR welcomed the reported indictment of a Winston-Salem, N.C., teen allegedly connected to the May 2026 white supremacist terror attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego.
CAIRexpressed support for an Indiana restaurant manager who reportedly stood up for a young Muslim employee after a customer allegedly made anti-Muslim comments about the employee's hijab and reportedly said that Muslims "scare" her.
CAIR welcomed an arrest of a suspect in an allegedly bias-motivated spitting attack on a Muslim woman in Kentucky.
CAIR's Maryland office condemned the reported harassment of multiple Muslim women wearing Islamic headscarves, or hijabs, at a market in Montgomery County.
CAIR's Los Angeles office condemned the violent online threats responding to an online anti-Muslim smear campaign targeting the Islamic Center of Irvine (ICOI).
In New York, CAIR called on local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate reported hate vandalism targeting a mosque site on Long Island as a possible hate crime.
CAIR's Florida chapter welcomed charges for an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a mosque.
Its Michigan chapter welcomed federal charges against an Alaska man accused of making threats to injure and murder Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and issuing violent, Islamophobic threats against Muslims.
Its Pittsburgh and Philadelphia chapters welcomed the City of Erie's response to reported threats targeting the local Muslim community and urged authorities to remain vigilant in protecting residents from anti-Muslim hate and intimidation.
CAIR's latest civil rights report documented 8,683 anti-Muslim bias complaints in 2025 - the highest number ever recorded by the organization since it began publishing civil rights reports in 1996.
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CAIR's mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-rhode-island-resolution-rejecting-anti-islam-hate/
[Category: Sociological]
