UK bans sex between government aid workers and recipients to rein in abuse
Dakar, SenegalThomson Reuters Foundation Britain has banned sexual relations between government staff giving aid and people receiving it, as lawmakers seek to stamp out abuse in the aid sector following a string of sex scandals. Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also banned staff exchanging money or jobs for sex, sexual relationships based on […]
This Life: Do you listen with your heart?
US columnist CAROL ROUND, in an article first published on ASSIST News Service, looks at what it means to “listen with your heart”…
Plot thickens over origins of Pope’s civil union endorsement
Vatican CityAP Questions swirled Thursday about the origins of Pope Francis’ bombshell comments endorsing same-sex civil unions, with all evidence suggesting he made them in a 2019 interview that was never broadcast in its entirety. The Vatican refused to comment on whether it cut the remarks from its own broadcast or if the Mexican broadcaster […]
In WHO overhaul push, EU urges changes to handling of pandemics
Brussels, Belgium/Berlin, GermanyReuters The European Union wants the World Health Organization to become more transparent about how states report emerging health crises, a draft proposal on reforming the UN agency says, following criticism of China’s initial handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper, drawn up by the German Government after discussions with other member states, […]
Republican-led Senate panel advances US Supreme Court nominee Barrett as Democrats boycott
Washington DC, USAP Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans powered past a Democratic boycott Thursday to advance Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate, keeping President Donald Trump’s pick on track for confirmation before the 3rd November election. Democratic senators refused to show up in protest of the GOP’s rush to install Trump’s nominee to replace […]
Vatican, China extend bishop agreement over US opposition
Updated: 8am, 23rd October (AEDT)Vatican CityAP The Vatican and China extended a controversial accord on bishop nominations Thursday over strong opposition from the White House and conservative Catholics given Beijing’s crackdown on religious believers. The Holy See and Beijing government jointly announced a two-year extension to the 2018 agreement, which expired Thursday. Pope Francis waves […]
Judge throws out extortion charges against megachurch leader
Los Angeles, USAP Citing insufficient evidence, a judge on Wednesday threw out extortion charges against the leader of a Mexican megachurch but left in place accustations of child rape and human trafficking. The California attorney general’s office failed to show that Naasón Joaquín García, the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz del Mundo, extorted sex acts […]
Podcasts: Lively, intelligent and engaging conversation along ‘The Way’
NILS VON KALM listens to a podcast coming out of St John’s Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane…
HSBC, Australia’s Queensland buy ‘credits’ to protect Great Barrier Reef
Sydney, AustraliaReuters The Australian state of Queensland and HSBC said on Thursday they will make a “world-first investment” to protect the world-heritage listed Great Barrier Reef which is suffering from extensive coral bleaching events. Rising sea temperatures and poor water quality are the two biggest threats to the Great Barrier Reef, which has lost more […]
Origins: The history of oath ceremonies and why they matter when taking office
With the swearing of oaths part of the process which US Supreme Court nominees must go through once approved, JOANNE M PIERCE, professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, looks at the origins of oaths…