NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Qureshi-Judge: Report: Biden administration mulls appointing first ever Muslim federal judge
(RNS) — The Biden administration is considering appointing the first ever American Muslim federal district judge. According to media reports, the Biden administration has had the FBI vet Washington D.C. based attorney Abid Riaz Qureshi. Qureshi was previously nominated for the same position a federal district judgeship by then President Barrack Obama in 2016. By Joseph Hammond. 370 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Chaldeans-Pope: Chaldean Christians in the US, delighted with pope’s visit, say it comes too late
(RNS) — Many in the Chaldean Christian diaspora say they are happy about the pope’s brave and peaceful visit, and his urging as he arrived in Iraq that its “dwindling Christian community should have … full rights, freedoms, and responsibilities.” But many also feel Francis’ trip and his sentiments come too late, noting that few Chaldeans are left in the region. By Weam Namou. 865 words. (category: i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Kaddish-Movie: ‘A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff’: Jewish artist Alicia Jo Rabins turns financial crisis into spiritual film
(RNS) — A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff” premiered last week and is available to watch online through Sunday (March 14) as part of the Portland International Film Festival. Jewish singer-songwriter Alicia Jo Rabins talked to RNS about her quest to make beauty from brokenness and what lessons audiences might learn from the financial crisis and Madoff’s story for this moment of crisis, a year into a pandemic. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 1,600 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Tanzania-Covid: Amid deadly resurgence, Tanzanian officials maintain they can pray the ‘coronavirus devil’ away
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (RNS) — Some religious leaders have even proclaimed the country free of the coronavirus because of the power of prayer. Meanwhile, the government has refused to report any data on the number of cases in the country. The World Health Organization has urged Tanzanian authorities to start releasing COVID-19 data amid increasing warnings that the country is witnessing a deadly resurgence in infections. By Tonny Onyulo. 1,194 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Dollinger-Profile: He was shot down for suggesting white Jews benefited from white supremacy. Now he’s more popular than ever.
(RNS) — Since last May, San Francisco State University historian Marc Dollinger has led 80 Zoom lectures and workshops, speaking to synagogue groups, college students, and interfaith leaders. The subject, as always, is Jews and race, or more specifically, whether white U.S. Jews share the blame for America’s racial injustices. Last year, Brandeis University Press rejected a preface he wrote for one of his books on Black-Jewish relations. But it hasn’t stopped his ongoing reckoning with his own white privilege. By Yonat Shimron. 1,400 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Voting-Restrictions: Faith leaders push back against proposed ‘Souls to the Polls’ voting restrictions
(RNS) — More than 500 signatories on a Faith in Public Life petition delivered to Governor Brian Kemp condemn proposed changes in voting policies they say will particularly harm people of color, including “Souls to the Polls” activities where Black church attenders have headed directly from their pews to their polling places. Religious leaders across the country are expressing concern about hundreds of voter restrictions bills that state legislatures are considering. By Adelle M. Banks. 900 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Camosy-Oped: ‘Silence is not an option’: Harold Braswell on Canada’s new assisted suicide law
(RNS) — A controversial law passed Thursday (March 11) in the Canadian Parliament that has extended the right to physician-assisted suicide (or PAS) to disabled people has been received by many of those people as an attack on their well-being. A Q&A with Harold Braswell, an associate professor of health care ethics at Saint Louis University. By Charles C. Camosy. 1,053 words. (category k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Randall-Oped: Biden promised to end ‘forever wars.’ Then he bombed Syria.
(RNS) — No matter the justification or the number of casualties, the Syria bombing was contrary to President Biden’s election commitment to end forever wars. The deadly cycle continues apace. By Diane Randall. 884 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Aten-Oped: 7 ways a national COVID-19 day of mourning can help us heal
(RNS) — Based on experiences of helping others through difficult milestones, we recently launched National COVID-19 Day, the purpose of which is to help the United States navigate our collective grief, encourage one another and embrace hope for what is ahead. By Jamie Aten and Kent Annan. 1,372 words. (category: k)