NEWS BRIEF
RNS-California-Holocaust: Newsom launches council to focus on teaching California students about the Holocaust
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education as a way to help students and teachers “recognize and respond to on-campus instances of anti-Semitism and bigotry.” By Alejandra Molina. 420 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Dune-Islam: Dune novels draw on Islamic motifs and have in turn inspired Muslims
(RNS) — The film Dune is arguably the most anticipated sci-fi film of the year. The original 1965 Frank Herbert novel draws on motifs and ideas from Islamic cultures and Sufi practices in some surprising ways. Herbert worked hard to include some Arabic expression in the original novel. Similar ideas popped up a little over a decade later in the “Star Wars” trilogy. The piece will examine some of these influences and how they have been reflected or not reflected in the latest film version of the film. By Joseph Hammond. 700 words (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Refugee-Church: How one church is stepping up to help Afghan evacuees arriving in the Chicago area
WARRENVILLE, Ill. (RNS) — Across the country, churches like Immanuel Presbyterian Church are finding practical ways to partner with refugee resettlement agencies as they assist Afghan evacuees now settling into their new homes. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 1,000 words. Photos (category: a)