The government plans to enforce the anticonversion law in March, following a court directive. This push comes as the influence of Hindutva, a political ideology that advocates for Hindu supremacy, grows throughout the country and is championed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Christians in Arunachal Pradesh fear a new wave of repression is on the horizon. (Kaur, Christianity Today)
Read MoreSouth Korean actor Kim Sae-ron’s death this week has triggered an outpouring of grief and calls for changes to the way the country’s celebrities are treated in the public arena and on social media, which critics say can foster a culture of harassment. (Tong-Hyung, AP News)
Read MoreTo get at the effect of the significant expansion of online betting platforms since 2018, Ayers and his colleagues looked at internet search terms that indicated people are struggling with gambling addiction. People are Googling phrases like "Am I addicted to gambling?" and "Help me find help with gambling addiction.” … And we see that those searches nationally increased about 23 percent since the Supreme Court case legalized sportsbooks." (Riddle, NPR)
Read MorePope Francis is seriously worried about his health after being hospitalized with severe bronchitis, and is rushing to tie up loose ends ahead of the battle to succeed him. The pope was admitted to a special ward earlier this month in Gemelli Hospital in Rome with a respiratory infection, and he has since been forced to cancel a number of public appearances. (Munster, Politico)
Read MoreFundamental differences arose between Americans over what we expect from our government, how much tolerance we have for health risks, and which groups and sectors to prioritize in a pandemic. Many of these divides continue to play out in the nation’s politics today. (Tyson, Lipka & Deane, Pew Research)
Read MoreThe Baptists’ decision to accept the grant comes as faith-based groups such as Church World Service, Lutheran Services in America, Catholic Charities and World Relief have been under fire for accepting federal funds for helping immigrants and refugees. President Donald Trump’s political allies have called the grants “money laundering” and “illegal,” while some of the president’s religious allies accuse charities of selling their faith out to liberals. (Smietana, Religion News Service)
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