NEWS STORY
RNS-Afghan-Refugees: Refugee aid groups criticize Biden for stumbles in evacuating ‘desperate’ Afghans
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Faith-based agencies have been calling for the evacuation of Afghan allies as a moral imperative and are working now to help bring those people to the U.S. amid the takeover of the country by the Taliban, the militant group that previously ran Afghanistan under a harsh interpretation of Islamic law. By Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins. 1,400 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-LottCarey-WomanPrez: Gina Stewart becomes first woman elected to lead U.S. Black Baptist organization
(RNS) — In a pathbreaking decision, the Rev. Gina Stewart has been elected as the first woman president of the Lott Carey Baptist Mission Society, marking the first time a female has been chosen for the highest post of a Black Baptist organization. By Adelle M. Banks. 650 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Homeboy-Industries: Homeboy Industries undergoing a ‘rebirth’ in wake of millions of dollars in financial gifts
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Homeboy Industries, dubbed as the world’s largest reentry organization for formerly incarcerated and gang involved men and women, is undergoing what the Rev. Allan Deck sees as a revival. The organization has received a $20 million gift from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and $15 million in funding from the state of California. By Alejandra Molina. 750 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-COVID-Kids: Back-to-school time influences congregations’ decisions on masking and meeting
(RNS) — Across the country, congregations of a variety of faiths are grappling with what to do and what not to do as children — especially those under 12 who do not have access to a COVID-19 vaccine — are returning to academic classrooms amid rising cases often attributed to the delta variant. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,200 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Burke-Ventilator: Cardinal Burke is placed on ventilator days after testing positive for COVID-19
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — A message from the Twitter account of Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, a conservative prelate and outspoken skeptic of the COVID-19 vaccine, confirmed Saturday (Aug. 14) via Twitter that he had been placed on a ventilator after testing positive for the virus. By Claire Giangravé. 430 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Silk-Oped: Why Jews should support Ben and Jerry’s boycott
(RNS) — Most American Jews do not embrace the Israeli settlement policy. According to a 2019 AJC survey, 41% support dismantling some of the settlements and an additional 25% support dismantling all of them. The question is why such support shouldn’t extend to the kind of economic renunciations made by McDonald’s and Ben and Jerry’s. By Mark Silk. 840 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Davie-Lewis-Oped: LGBTQ freedoms — all of our freedoms — depend on restoring voting rights
(RNS) — The future of racial justice, defending the rights of women and enshrining LGBTQ nondiscrimination into law depends on this democracy remaining a democracy. The clear solution to this crisis is to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. By Frederick A. Davie and Jacqui Lewis. 680 words. (category: k)