NEWS OF THE WEEK
Attorney General Eric Holder proposed major reforms this week to the country’s prison system. Under new Justice Department rules, some nonviolent drug offenders will no longer face mandatory minimum sentences. Attorney General Eric Holder: “Too many Americans go to prison … More
A commission of faith leaders is calling for an end to the IRS ban on clergy endorsements of political candidates. In a report to Senator Charles Grassley, the group said the regulation infringes on free speech. Under the current policy, … More
The country’s largest Lutheran denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, has elected its first female presiding bishop. Reverend Elizabeth Eaton is the ELCA bishop of Cleveland. She is described as a moderate who supported the denomination’s decision to allow … More
Political philosopher Jean Bethke Elshtain died this week. A professor of ethics at the University of Chicago, she was a strong proponent of the just war theory and defended U.S. intervention in Iraq: Professor Jean Bethke Elshtain: “In the classic … More
A judge in Tennessee is under fire for ordering a couple to change their baby’s name from Messiah to Martin. The boy’s mother and father, who aren’t married, were in court because they couldn’t agree on a last name for … More
Muslims around the world celebrated the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr, one of their most important holidays. The festival was observed with special prayers and elaborate feasts to break the month-long daytime fasting. But in some areas, the holiday … More
Fighting continued in Syria, where civilians prayed for an end to the two-year conflict. Meanwhile, Syrian friends of a prominent Italian priest, Father Paolo Dall’Oglio, confirmed that he had been abducted inside Syria more than a week ago. The internationally … More
The temporary closing because of terror threats of 19 US embassies across the Mideast, Africa and Asia this week highlighted the complex nature of diplomatic work in some of the world’s major hotspots. Among the challenges, critics have long charged … More
Humanitarian officials are sounding the alarm about the impact of a massive drought in the sub-Saharan nation of Namibia. UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency, said more than 100,000 children there are at risk of malnutrition. Namibia is suffering its … More
At the Vatican, Pope Francis continued urging Catholics to reject consumerism. Again this week, he said wealth doesn’t bring true happiness. Some conservative Catholics are voicing concerns that Francis doesn’t spend enough time publicly condemning abortion. But prominent Boston cardinal … More
-
Providing Support for pbs.org
What's New
