Social Issues

Taiwan's parliament legalizes same-sex marriage, a first in Asia
In 2017, a court had given the government two years to create a legal framework for gay marriage. On Friday, lawmakers passed the most progressive of three bills.
A statement read by a victim advocate said in part, "I am smarter, braver and stronger than [Deonte] Lawson ever counted on. I am a survivor. And I know I am not his first victim, but I am going to make damn sure I am his last."
Kidnap victim Jayme Closs honored by Wisconsin Assembly
A 13-year-old teenager who was held prisoner in a Wisconsin cabin for three months before escaping her abductor is being honored by state lawmakers as a "hometown hero."
Large majority of Minnesota homeless people have a mental illness
A new study from the Wilder Foundation indicates nearly two-thirds of Minnesota's homeless population is living with a mental health condition, which can exacerbate their difficulty finding and keeping housing.
American Muslims in public life say they face outsized scrutiny
Many say the storm of criticism around Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar, the first black Muslim woman in Congress, is more about who she is than what she says. Her experience is familiar to other Muslim leaders.
'Depraved mind' not at play in Noor case, defense argues
Attorneys for former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor are asking a judge to acquit him of murder and manslaughter charges in the shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk.