Fiji wins presidency of UN rights body after vote unblocks leadership impasse
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters Fiji, the favourite of Western nations, won the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, beating Bahrain and Uzbekistan in a secret ballot that resolved a tense deadlock over the selection. The vote was called after an impasse that meant the council, the only intergovernmental global body to promote and protect […]
Lifestory: National Guard sleeping in the Capitol an echo of Civil War
As National Guard troops sleep in the US Capitol ahead of this week’s presidential inauguration, ALLEN G BREED, of Associated Press, recalls the experience of his great-grandfather, a doctor during the American Civil War…
“Alarming” number of babies being sold in Uzbekistan, anti-trafficking groups say
Tbilisi, GeorgiaThomson Reuters Foundation Anti-slavery groups have urged Uzbekistan to step up action to tackle baby trafficking after government figures revealed an “alarming” number of infants were being sold in the country. Uzbek authorities recorded 185 such cases during the past four years, the interior ministry said earlier this month, with officials citing difficult financial […]
Updated: “It was a non-event”: US capitals see few protesters after bracing for violence
Updated: 12pm (AEDT)Harrisburg, Pennsylvania/Lansing, Michigan, US Reuters Law enforcement officers far outnumbered protesters at state capitol grounds on Sunday, as few Trump supporters who believe the President’s false claim that he won the 2020 election turned out for what authorities feared could be violent demonstrations. More than a dozen states activated National Guard troops to […]
International COVID-19 vaccine poll shows higher mistrust of Russia, China shots
London, UKReuters People across the world are generally likely to say yes to getting a COVID-19 vaccine, but would be more distrustful of shots made in China or Russia than those developed in Germany or the United States, an international poll shows. The survey, conducted by the polling company YouGov and shared exclusively with Reuters, […]
Cardinal Pell calls for more laity involvement in Vatican financial reform efforts
Vatican CityRNS Cardinal George Pell, former secretary for the economy, praised Pope Francis’ ongoing financial reform efforts in an online conference last week, while calling for more lay involvement. “The Catholic people are entitled to honesty and efficiency,” Pell said at the online event on Thursday organised by the Global Institute of Church Management. “Financially […]
The new face of Egypt’s parliament: led by 83-year-old female lawmaker
Cairo, EgyptThomson Reuters Foundation When 83-year-old Farida El Choubachy ran for parliament in Egypt last year, she did not expect to win, let alone become the first woman in 42 years to preside over its opening session. Her speech to parliament last Tuesday made history in Egypt for a second reason – more than a […]
In the US, Martin Luther King, Jr, faith events continue in time of COVID-19 and Capitol chaos
RNS Commemorations of the life of Rev Martin Luther King, Jr, look different this year, with few in-person opportunities to preach, pray and volunteer amid the coronavirus pandemic. But many online gatherings that mark his birthday on Friday and the holiday in his honour on Monday will apply his messages of years ago to the […]
The Long Read: One pastor’s fight to stop old men marrying young girls in Nigeria
LINUS UNAH, writing for Religion Unplugged, reports on Richards Akonam’s mission to put an end to the “money marriage” tradition in Nigeria…
Updated: Damaged roads, lack of gear hinder Indonesia quake rescue
Updated: 11am, 17th January, 2021Mamuju, IndonesiaAP Damaged roads and bridges, power blackouts and lack of heavy equipment on Saturday hampered rescuers after a strong earthquake left at least 49 people dead and hundreds injured on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island. Operations were focused on about eight locations in the hardest-hit city of Mamuju, where people were still […]