Tokyo Olympics: From friendships to slogans, the Vatican makes its mark
CLAIRE GIANGRAVÉ, of Religion News Service, reports on the connections the Vatican is building with athletes, including those attending the Olympic Games…
Reflecting on Games past: Former US Olympians talk about faith and the mental health challenges
HAMIL R HARRIS, in an article first published on Religion Unplugged, speaks with Dominique Dawes and Rochelle Stevens…
Hard-won gains at risk as Delta variant spreads – WHO
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters The world is at risk of losing hard-won gains in fighting COVID-19 as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads, but WHO-approved vaccines remain effective, the World Health Organization said on Friday. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has described the Delta variant of the coronavirus as being as transmissible as chickenpox […]
Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan’s government on Friday proposed states of emergency through to 31st August in three prefectures near Olympic host Tokyo and the western prefecture of Osaka, as COVID-19 cases spike to records, overshadowing the Summer Games. Existing states of emergency for Tokyo – its fourth since the pandemic began – and southern Okinawa island […]
StrangeSights: South Korean broadcaster apologises for stereotypes in Olympic Opening Ceremony coverage; an app to show your cat’s pain; and, the world’s oldest tennis player…
DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
Tokyo Olympics: Faith events look different as COVID spikes – here’s how
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER and ADELLE M BANKS, of Religion News Service, report on faith outreach initiatives at the Tokyo Olympics…
WHO head Tedros backs Tokyo Games amid pandemic
Tokyo, JapanReuters The Tokyo Olympics should go ahead to demonstrate to the world what can be achieved with the right plan and measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. Speaking to the International Olympic Committee members at their session in the Japanese capital, Tedros said the world […]
Tokyo Archbishop bans Olympians from Catholic churches amid surge in COVID-19 cases
RNS Spectators already have been banned from the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo amid a surge in COVID-19 infections in the area. Now the city’s Catholic Archbishop has banned visitors to churches in the Archdiocese of Tokyo, too. That includes athletes competing in the games and their support staff, according to a letter released earlier this week by Tokyo […]
Christians called to pray for the “spiritual transformation” of Japan during upcoming Olympics
Christians across the world are being called to pray for the “spiritual transformation” of Japan in a “million hours of prayer” during the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. The push for prayer comes ahead of the games which are scheduled to start on 23rd July and run through until 8th August, originally scheduled to take […]
Organisers to ban Olympic spectators as Tokyo declares coronavirus emergency – report
Tokyo, JapanReuters Olympic organisers are set to ban all spectators from the Games, the Asahi daily said on Thursday, as Japan prepared to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo that will run through its hosting of the event to curb a new wave of coronavirus infections. Organisers were set to formally reach the decision […]