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Reports a federal indictment in New Jersey accuses eight women and two men of participating in a smuggling ring that brought females from Honduras to the United States. Charges against the ten for conspiracy to commit forced labor offenses, alien smuggling, and harboring illegal aliens; How Honduran women were recruited for slave labor and abused; Comment from the federal prosecutor, Christopher J. Christie; The names listed in the indictment, including the ringleader Luisa Medrano, a naturalized citizen who is from El Salvador.

Focuses on a New Jersey megachurch and its fight to build on a new site. The robust growth of Christ Church, a nondenominational church in Montclair; How its quest for a new home has led the church into federal court; Objections of residents to the building plans; How local land use laws can make it difficult for religious congregations to build new homes; Intent of Christ Church's leaders to build offices, Bible study rooms, an elementary school, gym and outdoor sports facilities; Comments of the Reverend David Ireland; Diversity of the church; Details of the church's complaint.

Harold Wenning, 69, remembers what he called ''the one-for-five trick'' from his days running a news kiosk in Midtown Manhattan. ''They'll say it's a five and give you a one,'' he said. ''I had a guy say it was a 20 once and he gave me a one. I had a guy buy a roll of quarters from me and he gave me a dollar. That happens.'' [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article reports that Warren Joseph, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War of 1991 who has been detained by immigration officials in the U.S. since the year 2004, has been granted a hearing to determine if he is being detained legally. Judge Jose L. Linares of the Federal District Court in Newark, New Jersey ruled on May 22, 2007 that Joseph was entitled to a hearing about whether he has been held in violation of his rights. The hearing will be held on June 19, 2007.

The article focuses on a lawsuit which has been filed against child welfare agency in New Jersey. The lawsuit has been filed by the adoptive mother of a girl who was abandoned at 10 months by her 15 year old mother. The girl spent some time with her father who used to torture her by burning her feet and genitals. She was adopted by her current foster mother in 2006 who appealed to the system to provide better conditions for children.

The article informs that Bilal Shareef, a Muslim student in Newark, New York, has sued the Newark public schools on March 7, 2007 claiming that he was unable to attend his high school graduation in June 2006 because it was held in a church. Shareef said that it was against his beliefs to set foot in any building with symbols involving God.

The article reports on 48-year-old James Thomas Sr., chief of the Unalachtigo band, a tribe of the Nanticoke Lenni Lenape Nation, who plans to open a huge casino complex 10 miles north of the George Washington Bridge in New York City. There are 60 members in the tribe who have claimed in a lawsuit filed in federal court in 2005 that the state has sold 3,044 acres of land without the required act of Congress, on which they have rights.

The article presents news briefs related to crimes and sentences in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Zachary Gibian was sentenced 25 years in prison by the New York Supreme Court for killing his stepfather. John Merla, the former mayor of Keyport, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in Federal District Court for accepting bribes during his tenure. The body of missing New York City college student Joseph Zahornacky was found in a lake in Connecticut.

The article focuses on a lawsuit filed against Aetna Inc., an insurance company, by a couple living in New Jersey. The couple claims that the firm refused to pay for nearly 10 weeks of their daughter's treatment for anorexia nervosa. The lawsuit has been filed by Cliff DeAnna and Maria DeAnna in the United States District Court in Newark, New Jersey.

Reports on the lawsuit filed by the State of New Jersey against Honeywell International, Occidental Petroleum Corp., and PPG Industries Inc., to force the cleanup of locations contaminated by chromium chemicals they produced.

Reports on the search for serial sex offender Anthony Jones after the discovery of the body of a homeless woman under the boardwalk in New York City. Identification of Jones by one of the witnesses.

Reports on a State Appellate Court decision that New Jersey legislative districts need to be redrawn. Ruling that Newark and Jersey City should each contain no more than two districts, as opposed to the current three, and no other cities should have more than one district; Implications for the state's political balance, in light of the districts being widely seen as helping Democrats by including city voters in suburban districts, which gives minority candidates a better chance; Outlook for a ripple effect that would force the Legislative Apportionment Commission to redraw other district lines.

Reports that a police officer from Nassau County, New York has been arrested and charged with sexual assault while he was on duty. Charges brought against Officer Matthew Murphy; Details of the alleged incident and claims of a similar assault by Murphy in August 2000.

Focuses on Suffolk County highway patrol officer Frank Wright, who allegedly forced drivers Julianna Rubio and Angelina Torres to disrobe after telling them that they failed sobriety tests. Wright's suspension without pay for procedural infractions; Legal charges against him; Preliminary inquiry opened by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Similar complaints filed by Tracy Deon against an unidentified police officer.

Focuses on the decision of the State Health Department in New York City to revoke the license of Doctor Stuart Copperman due to alleged patient molestation. Reaction of Copperman on the allegations; Claims of several women on how Copperman molested them during their teenage years; Decision of the hearing committee of the state board on the case filed against Copperman.

Focuses on the third-degree assault charged by football player Brendan Wright of Freeport against football player Robert Mammone of Hewlett High School. Arguments raised by Jonathan Wright, father of the victim; Views of several sports and school directors on the involvement of injuries and aggression in football games; Court decision.

Reports the surrender of Christopher Slavin, one of the suspects in the beating of immigrant day laborers, in New York City. Information on the charges filed against Slavin and his conspirator, Ryan Wagner; Details on the beating incident; Discussion on his probable involvement in a supremacist group.

Presents news briefs in the United States as of November 1, 2000. Amount of money allocated for the cleanup of environmental hazards in New York; Indictment of Martita Gonzalez for killing her 16-month-old son; Repair and maintenance of the Ukrainian tall ship Bat'kivshchyna in Connecticut.

Reports on the charges against Ryan Wagner of Maspeth, Queens of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree aggravated harassment against Mexican immigrant workers in Farmingville, New York. Appreciation expressed by Paul J. Tonna, the Republican majority leader of the Suffolk County, to the police investigation; Background of Wagner.

Reports that Darrell Cabey has not received any payment for the injuries he suffered when he was shot by Bernard H. Goetz in a subway train in Manhattan, New York City in 1984. Amount of damages awarded to Cabey; Injuries suffered by the victim; Remarks from Ronald L. Kuby, lawyer of Cabey.

Presents information on legal cases in New York as of August 2000. Details on the trademark infringement case filed by Hormel, maker of Spam canned luncheon meat, against Jim Henson Productions Inc.; Reason for the decision of Deborah Volberg, formerly acting general counsel of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, to fire herself.

Covers news briefs in New York City, New York as of June 25, 2000. Case of Andrew Wiznia, a pediatric AIDS Specialist who was sued for malpractice; Protest of Morris Powell, a black entrepreneur, at the forefront of the Street Vendors Association.

Presents news briefs from New York City, New York as of May 7, 2000. Search for James C. Kopp, a fugitive indicted in the killing of obstetrician Barnett A. Slepian; City budget for the building of public toilets.

Reports on the failure of an alarm set on a newborn's umbilical cord that activates whenever a baby is brought near the doors to the ward, to stop hospital kidnapping at the Downstate Medical Center in New York City, New York. Details on some kidnapping cases; Charges filed against Angelique Lawrence for kidnapping; Information on cases of infant-switching.

Reports on the arrest of Jonathan Whitmore in connection with the fatal shooting of Maria Medina, a tenant patrol volunteer at the Far Rockaway housing project in Queens, New York City, New York. Criminal charges against the suspect; Details on the shooting; Views on Medina.

Focuses on a lawsuit filed by Donovan Byfield against ABC Carpets. Purpose of Byfield in suing the company; Employee benefits that are not given to carpet layers.

Reports on an investigation into a fatal shooting that cleared police officer Robert Flodquist in New Haven, Connecticut. Reasons for the shooting; Views on the decision.

Highlights the class-action lawsuit filed against New York City, New York on September 30, 1999 concerning the conditions at the hotels the city uses for short-term housing for homeless AIDS patients. Complaints of the hotels' residents and housing advocates; Names of the defendants; Results of a survey conducted by Housing Works, an AIDS service organization.

Discusses the lawsuits filed against companies in the United States, including Albertson's supermarket for uncompensated overtime. Views of former Albertson's deli manager Debra Chard, who is a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits; Details on the allegations against companies; Reference to civil suits filed concerning the Fair Labor Standards Act; Debate associated with the concept of overtime. INSET: Time is of the essence.