White House: Under Biden, faith-based office bookended by COVID-19, war in Gaza
ADELLE M BANKS and JACK JENKINS, of Religion News Service, report on the work of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during Biden’s presidency…
Biden warns US faces oligarchy as Trump looms over legacy
Updated: 3:45pm (AEDT) Washington DC, US Reuters President Joe Biden capped a half-century political career on Wednesday with a final Oval Office speech as he hopes to seal a legacy overshadowed by Democrats’ failure to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House. Biden opened his speech with a familiar message – asking Americans […]
Fewer Australians will accept lockdowns in future pandemics, report says
Sydney, Australia Reuters Australians have lost trust in government and many are likely to resist drastic health measures in a future pandemic, the first review of the country’s COVID-19 response showed, while the cost of vaccine delays ran into $A31 billion. Rebuilding and maintaining trust was key to fighting future pandemics, the 877-page report released […]
Global health fund says health, climate, conflict ‘triple whammy’ hits world’s poorest
London, UK Reuters Climate change and conflict risk overshadowing efforts to improve people’s health, when in reality the issues overlap, Peter Sands, head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, said. He was speaking in London ahead of Thursday’s release of the Global Fund’s 2024 report covering its work last year, which […]
Orthodox Church: US churches boomed during pandemic, study finds, but calls growth “mixed bag”
MEAGAN SALIASHVILI, of Religion News Services, reports that almost half of US Orthodox churches remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to only 12 per cent of all religious congregations…
Vatican reports financial gains as it prepares for new profit strategy
Vatican City RNS After sweeping financial reforms and the economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vatican has reported a positive balance, even as it continues to struggle to maintain the operational costs of the Roman Curia. In its 2023 budget statement, published on Monday, the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See – […]
Biden ends faltering re-election campaign, backs Harris as nominee
Updated: 11:45am (AEST) Rehobath Beach, Delaware Reuters US President Joe Biden abandoned his re-election bid on Sunday under growing pressure from his fellow Democrats and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s candidate to face Republican Donald Trump in the November election. Biden, who at 81 is the oldest person ever to have occupied […]
Once defiant, Biden is now “soul searching” about dropping out of race
Updated: 11:40pm (AEST) Rehoboth Beach, Delaware/Washington DC, US Reuters President Joe Biden was “soul searching” about dropping his Democratic reelection campaign, a source said, while Donald Trump prepared to accept the Republican presidential nomination in what aides said would be an unusually reflective speech. The fortunes of the two candidates appeared to be on opposite […]
British public were failed by flawed planning for COVID pandemic, inquiry finds
London, UK Reuters Britain let down its citizens by leaving the nation ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic because of significantly flawed planning and failures by ministers and scientific experts, a public inquiry concluded in a scathing report on Thursday. Britain recorded more than 230,000 deaths by December 2023, a similar death rate to the United […]
Methodist Church in UK to explore virtual fellowship, communion
Norwich, UK The growth of online churches and online communion are to be closely scrutinised by the Methodist Church following a decision at its recent annual conference. Dr Mark Rowland, secretary of the Faith and Order Committee, told Sight that “people in the Methodist Church have been discussing this issue for some years”. Dr Mark […]