Half the world’s schools lack clean water, toilets and handwashing
Thomson Reuters Foundation Nearly half the world’s schools lack clean drinking water, toilets and handwashing facilities, putting millions of children at risk of disease, experts warned on Monday. Almost 900 million children have to contend with a lack of basic hygiene facilities during their education, putting their health at risk and meaning some have to […]
Big cities vow to make buildings carbon neutral by 2050
Thomson Reuters Foundation Leaders of some of the world’s biggest cities vowed on Thursday to make all buildings carbon neutral by 2050, ensuring they make no contribution to climate change. From London to Tokyo, 19 mayors said they would put in place regulations requiring all new buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030 and all […]
Indian churches perform fasting prayers, hold bucket collections, in solidarity with Kerala’s worst calamity
As Kerala, the southern state of India, nicknamed “God’s Own Country,” battles one of the worst flood disasters in a century, various religious communities have opened their doors to help homeless people. One such is St George’s Church in Ambayathode, Kannur, which opened its gates to house those affected by the floods. Rescue team near […]
COSTA RICA: AFTER NATE, COUNTRY LOOKS TO MEASURE MENTAL HEALTH DAMAGE TOO
SEBASTIAN RODRIGUEZ, writing for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how the Central American nation is including mental health impacts in its damage assessments conducted in the aftermath of 2017’s tropical storm Nate…
Australia unveils new government ministers in wake of leadership change
Peter Dutton will continue in the role of Home Affairs Minister but immigration has been split off into a separate portfolio under David Coleman as part of ministerial changes following last week’s leadership spilll which saw Scott Morrison emerge as the country’s new Prime Minister. In other news from the weekend, Julie Bishop resigned as Foreign […]
SIGHT-SEEING: THE CHURCH AND POWER
NILS VON KALM reflects on why the church should heed the warning about the link between corruption and power…
Religious freedom violations in Asia increasing – UN Rapporteur
World Watch Monitor Religious freedoms in Asia are “eroding”, with an increase in religious fundamentalism across much of the continent, according to UN Religious Freedom rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed. Shaheed spoke during an event, hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Club in Thailand’s capital Bangkok, on the back of the 4th Southeast Asia Freedom of Religion or Belief Conference. “Freedom of religion […]