Church relics: Carbon-dating of ancient tunics of Saints Peter and John separates legend from reality
Balancing act: In drought-hit Amazon, road paving fears grow as rivers run dry
Catholic Church: Despite Pope’s clear ‘no’ in a CBS interview, promoters of women deacons hold out hope
South Africa: Thirty years after end of apartheid, inequality persists
Heatwave response: In a boiling world, chief heat officers battle ‘silent killer’
Protecting children: Background checks are essential for kids’ ministry. No-one knows how many churches do them.
24th May, 2024
COLLAPSED: A two-storey restaurant building on the beach in Palma de Mallorca on Thursday, killing at least four people and injuring 16 people in the tourism hot spot in Spain’s Balearic Islands.
LAUNCHED: China, what it calls “punishment” drills around Taiwan on Thursday in what it said was a response to “separatist acts”; China has sent up heavily armed warplanes and staging mock attacks as state media denounced newly inaugurated President Lai Ching-te.
INJURED: Czech President Petr Pavel, in a motorcycle accident on a closed course, but not seriously, his office said on Thursday.
24th May, 2024
Proportion of boys and girls aged 15 in 44 countries who do not eat fruit or vegetables every day: 56 per cent of boys and 51 per cent of girls
Source: WHO, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study
Essay: The Vatican is cracking down on miracles. Here are the new rules for ‘supernatural’ occurrences
In an article first published on The Conversation, PHILIP C ALMOND, emeritus professor in the history of religious thought at The University of Queensland, looks at the new norms for differentiating supernatural phenomena from the natural within the Catholic Church…
Essay: Limit the machine – ethics and AI
MAL FLETCHER says it would be a tragic mistake to surrender stewardship of the Earth to an intelligence that knows nothing of human empathy or conscience…
Essay: “No-one can act with impunity” – ICC arrest warrants in Israel-Hamas war are a major test for international justice
In an article first published on The Conversation, AMY MAGUIRE, associate professor in human rights and international law at the University of Newcastle in Australia, looks at the ramifications of the ICC chief prosecutor’s request for arrest warrants…
24th May, 2024
“I am committed to ensuring that this reform will not be implemented by force.”
– French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in the new Caledonian capital Noumea after meeting local political leaders in a speech in which he said his ultimate aim was still to sign a controversial electoral reform measure into law, but only if peace returned and a broader pact on the island’s future could be forged (as quoted on Reuters).
24th May, 2024
There are seven key moments in the preparation of a sermon, writes PETER MEAD. Read his series of articles on Evangelical Focus…
Throne: Symbolically references God’s authority and dignity.
Finding hope and a future
In an article marking International Women’s Day, SALLY BRUCE, of DFN (Dignity Freedom Network), looks at how the organisation is working to set women free…
Are you ready to study the Bible?
DENIS PLANT, principal of Vision Colleges in Australia, writes about the advantages of studying the Bible “at your pace from your place”…
Welcome to Sight’s new ‘Sponsored Articles’ feature
DAVID ADAMS, Sight editor and publisher, explains why Sight is now offering advertisers a sponsored articles option…
Historically Speaking: An ancient manuscript up for sale gives a glimpse into the history of early Christianity
Expert on early Christian reading practices, IAN N MILLS, looks – in an article first published on The Conversation – at the history of the Crosby-Schoyen Codex…
This Life: Confronting fear
SAMANTHA ELLEY reflects on the New Testament account of a woman forced to face her fears – and her own experience doing so…
StrangeSights: Remote Indian family gets its own polling station; Japan community blocks Mt Fuji view; and, misbehaviour contained, Dublin-NYC portal reopens…
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
The Explainer: ‘Mary gardens’ bring Catholic piety to the garden
Librarians KAYLA HARRIS and BRIDGET RETZLOFF, in an article first published on The Conversation, look at the revival of a medieval tradition…
Lifestory: City of Los Angeles proclaims 19th May ‘Father Greg Boyle Day’
ALEJANDRA MOLINA, of Religion News Service, reports that the proclamation comes just two weeks after the priest who founded Homeboy Industries received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden…
Wow!: Age no barrier for Italy’s 90-year-old sprint queen
REMO CASILLI, of Reuters, reports on the extraordinary running career of Emma Maria Mazzenga…
Classic reads: ‘Snatchas’ and the caution of AI
In the first of a new review column looking at classic books, JO KADLECEK explores briefly how Jack Finney’s 1955 novel, ‘The Body Snatchers’ speaks to current coversations around AI…
On the Screen: ‘Planet of the Apes’ evolves with the birth of a new storyline
DAVID ADAMS watches the fourth instalment in the rebooted ‘Planet of the Apes’ series…
On the Screen: More than a stunt, Gosling and Blunt light up the screen in ‘The Fall Guy’
MARCUS CHEONG says ‘The Fall Guy’ is a “love letter” to those behind the scenes of movie-making…
A Sustainable Life: Measuring your food waste for six weeks can change your habits – new study
Researcher CATHRINE JANSSON-BOYD reports, in an article first published on The Conversation, that being aware of what ingredients must be used before they expire is a key factor in reducing housing food waste…
Great Works: Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo’s ‘Mary Magdalene’ is a powerful piece of storytelling
GABRIELE NEHER, in an article written for The Conversation to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Britain’s National Gallery, looks at one of the key work’s on show – Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo’s ‘Mary Magdalene’…
Helpdesk: How to spot fake online reviews (with a little help from AI)
In an article first published on The Conversation, NICK HAJLI and NICK JENNINGS look at how you can use AI to tell the fake from the real…
Snapshot: Huacachina, Peru
See WILLIAN JUSTEN DE VASCONCELLOS’ image…
Snapshot: Lagoa do Fogo, Azores, Portugal
See MARTIN MUNK’s image…
Snapshot: Church of Ayios Lazarus in Larnaca, Cyprus
See the image…
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