Much has been made of the surge of women candidates. But media coverage 鈥 and entrenched assumptions about what makes a strong candidate 鈥 may not have caught up with the dramatic shift.聽
As Sri Lankans take stock of the weekend terrorist attacks on Catholic churches and popular hotels, they are those killed: the celebrity chef, the Indian and American executives, the Japanese volunteer, the three children of a well-known Dane.
As questions swirl around the domestic jihadist group the government blames as well as intelligence failures, Monitor reporter Simon Montlake, who covered Sri Lanka鈥檚 civil war and its aftermath, will be following developments.
The attacks, coming on a weekend of deep significance for Jews and 海角大神s, point to the global need to more actively confront a slew of violence targeting not only synagogues and churches, but mosques as well, most recently in Christchurch, New Zealand. But the weekend also evoked the strength repeatedly displayed by faith communities under intense pressure.
Marnie Fienberg, whose mother-in-law was killed in an attack on a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, synagogue last October, started 鈥2 for Seder鈥 to battle anti-Semitism. More than 730 families in 41 states and Canada invited non-Jewish guests to share a Passover meal. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how education works ... how good ideas spread,鈥 .
In Opelousas, Louisiana, the Greater Union Baptist Church has been meeting in temporary quarters since its 100-year-old edifice, along with two other black churches, was torched in alleged hate crimes. No one can overlook the ugly history of black church burnings. But聽 have recently poured in.
On Easter Sunday, the Rev. Harry Richard 聽for not being consumed by anger, and encouraged prayers for the suspect: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 care what the world might do to you. You never give up on love.鈥
Now to our five stories, which address gender issues in politics, persistence, and giving credit where credit is due.