Fears raised over facial recognition use at Moscow protests
Tbilisi, GeorgiaThomson Reuters Foundation Russian authorities are deploying facial recognition cameras to identify protesters during rallies in support of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in Moscow, human rights groups said, warning that the technology is being used to stifle peaceful dissent. With more than 105,000 cameras, Moscow boasts one of the world’s most comprehensive surveillance systems – which […]
In Australia, Fortescue pays royalties to Aboriginal group, a year late
Melbourne, Australia,Reuters Australia’s Fortescue Metals has pledged to pay nearly $A2 million in outstanding royalties to an Aboriginal partner, around a year after they were initially due, a spokesman for the group said on Thursday. The $A1.9 million figure represents full payments for 2019 and comes amid a growing spotlight on miners’ relationships with Indigenous […]
Southern Baptist leaders decry “stone cold racist” letter to Dwight McKissic
RNS Southern Baptist Convention officials have strongly condemned a letter sent by a critic of the SBC to Rev Dwight McKissic, a Black pastor in Texas who recently announced he was pulling his church out of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The 25th January letter came from John V Rutledge of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who […]
Less consumption, more recycling needed to meet climate goals, ministers say
Bogota, ColombiaThomson Reuters Foundation Countries worldwide will not meet their targets to slash planet-warming emissions unless they cut unnecessary consumption and shift urgently to circular economies that reuse resources, environment ministers and top executives said this week. In a circular economy, materials – such as metals, minerals and plastic – are recycled to cut back […]
Class led by dead professor in Canada spotlights COVID-era content rights
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation When Canadian university student Aaron Ansuini wanted to email his professor about a point he made during an online lecture, a search for the teacher’s email address instead turned up a memorial page marking his death two years earlier. Despite his demise, Francois-Marc Gagnon is still lecturing for an online course […]
End in sight?: Immigrants in sanctuary in US churches hope Biden offers relief
PHILIP MARCELO, SOPHIA TAREEN and JIM SALTER, of Associated Press, reports on the plight of those who have been living in church sanctuary to avoid deportation – and their hope things will change under new US President Joe Biden…
Pakistani PM urges Kashmir referendum, talks with India
Islamabad, PakistanAP Pakistan will allow people in the Pakistan-administered section of divided Kashmir to decide whether they wanted to join Pakistan or prefer to remain independent in a future referendum on the disputed Himalayan region, the Prime Minister said Friday. Imran Khan spoke at a rally in the town of Kotli in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir […]