RNS Opening Budget — Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Religion News Service

April 21, 2021 at 10:54 a.m. ET

NEWS STORY
RNS-Verdicts-Reax: Faith leaders praise Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdicts, acknowledge work ahead
(RNS) — Religious leaders and faith-related organizations reacted swiftly to the three guilty verdicts in the trial of former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd. By RNS staff. 2,200 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Facebook-Prayer: Likes and prayers: Facebook tests new ‘prayer post’ feature
(RNS) — A Facebook spokesperson confirmed to Religion News Service that the social media platform is currently testing a prayer post feature. The idea for prayer posts grew out of the myriad ways users have connected over Facebook while distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the spokesperson. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 500 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-USCIRF-AnnualReport: Russia, China, Myanmar recommended for State Department list of religious freedom violators
(RNS) — A religious freedom watchdog is urging the State Department to name four additional countries to its list of the worst religious freedom offenders. In its 2021 annual report, released Wednesday (April 21), the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom said India, Russia, Syria and Vietnam should be considered “countries of particular concern.” By Adelle M. Banks. 500 words. (category: a)

COMMENTARY
RNS-Dates-Oped: Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict might be an exodus for America
(RNS) — The guilty verdict of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd might be an exodus for America. This guilty verdict is an opportunity for the liberation of not just Black, brown and Asian Americans, but for white Americans, too. Chauvin, like many anti-Black authoritarians before him, was imprisoned by his sense of supremacy long before he was assigned a prison cell in Minnesota on Tuesday afternoon. By Charlie Dates. 947 words. (category: k)

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