Social Issues

Boy Scouts' acceptance of gay boys draws heated reactions
After lengthy and wrenching debate, local leaders of the Boy Scouts of America have voted to open their ranks to openly gay boys for the first time, but heated reactions from the left and right made clear that the BSA's controversies are far from over.
Local leaders of the Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to ease a divisive ban and allow openly gay boys to be accepted into the nation's leading youth organization. Gay adults will remain barred from serving as Scout leaders.
Minn. Meals on Wheels agencies weather sequester cuts -- for now
No seniors have been forced out of the program, nor have any groups reduced the number of meals they provide because regional agencies have been able to tap reserves -- or make other adjustments -- to fill the gap.
The number of suburban Twin Cities residents living in poverty has more than doubled over the last decade, according to a new report. Data analyzed by the Brookings Institution show there are 115,000 more poor people living in the Twin Cities suburbs than there were 10 years ago.
Will Boy Scouts accept gay youth? Vote is imminent
With its ranks deeply divided, the Boy Scouts of America is asking its local leaders from across the country to decide whether its contentious membership policy should be overhauled so that openly gay boys can participate in Scout units.
Map: Countries that recognize same-sex marriage
Minnesota this month became the 12th state in America to legalize same-sex marriage. In the U.S., it's up to each individual state to decide the issue on its own. But other countries have adopted nationwide laws allowing same-sex marriage. We've compiled a map which illustrates the status of same-sex marriage around the world.
The chairman of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe is calling for an economic boycott of the city of Chamberlain, after the school board in the southeastern South Dakota city refused to allow a tribal honoring song during Sunday's graduation ceremony.
Pope blasts 'cult of money'
Pope Francis has denounced the global financial system, blasting the "cult of money" that he says is tyrannizing the poor and turning humans into expendable consumer goods.
Video: Gay rights pioneers Jack Baker and Michael McConnell predicted marriage victory in '70s
Jack Baker and Michael McConnell, two Minneapolis men who first fought for marriage equality in the 1970s, have kept a low profile this week. But decades ago on TV, they predicted this moment would come.