Wow!: Preserve, revive, restore – Indian ponds spring back to life
ANURADHA NAGARAJ, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports from southern India on community efforts to restore water sources…
Anglican bishops call for end to exploratory drilling in Namibia’s Kavango Basin
Thirty-four Anglican bishops and three archbishops from across the world have signed a petition calling for an immediate halt to exploratory drilling in the Kavango Basin, Namibia. The move comes after Canadian company ReconAfrica bought the rights to drill for oil in more than 35,000 square kilometres of the Kavango Basin, a World Heritage-listed and Ramsar Wetland […]
In California, Junipero Serra’s Carmel Mission to be restored for historic site’s 250th anniversary
RNS After a difficult year in which the early Californian missionary was vilified as a slaver and a toxic proselytiser and his statues were pulled down in raucous demonstrations, Junipero Serra is getting a little support. A $US4 million restoration project at the Carmel Mission, founded in 1771 by the 18th-century Franciscan priest and saint, is expected […]
Two-thirds of tropical rainforest destroyed or degraded globally, NGO says
Brasilia, BrazilReuters Humans have degraded or destroyed roughly two-thirds of the world’s original tropical rainforest cover, new data reveals – raising alarm that a key natural buffer against climate change is quickly vanishing. The forest loss is also a major contributor of climate-warming emissions, with the dense tropical forest vegetation representing the largest living reservoir […]
Pope weighed Iraq virus risk but believes God will protect
Aboard the papal planeAP Pope Francis said Monday he weighed the risks of a high-profile trip to Iraq during the coronavirus pandemic, but said he decided to go ahead with it after much prayer and belief that God would look out for the Iraqis who might get exposed. Francis described his decision-making process en route […]
Myanmar forces trap protesters as UN and US urge restraint
Reuters Myanmar security forces cornered hundreds of young protesters overnight in a district of Yangon and threatened to hunt for them door-to-door as the United States and United Nations appealed for them to be allowed to leave. Thousands of people defied a night time curfew to take to the streets of Myanmar’s main city in […]
After historic whirlwind visit, Pope leaves Iraq for Rome
Baghdad, IraqAP Pope Francis on Monday wrapped up his historic whirlwind tour of Iraq that sought to bring hope to the country’s marginalised Christian minority with a message of coexistence, forgiveness and peace. The pontiff and his traveling delegation were seen off with a farewell ceremony at the Baghdad airport, from where he left for […]
Kenyan tribal elders vow to end FGM, child marriage in ‘milestone’ for girls
Kisima Village, KenyaThomson Reuters Foundation Tribal leaders in northern Kenya pledged on Friday to end female genital mutilation and child marriage in their communities, a step hailed by President Uhuru Kenyatta as “an important milestone” in boosting girls’ rights. One in five women and girls aged between 15 and 49 in Kenya have undergone FGM, […]
US Republicans push bills to allow social media “censorship” lawsuits
Lindenhurst, New York, USAP Republican state lawmakers are pushing for social media giants to face costly lawsuits for policing content on their websites, taking aim at a federal law that prevents internet companies from being sued for removing posts. GOP politicians in roughly two dozen states have introduced bills that would allow for civil lawsuits […]
“Turning point”: Cities urged to act on lessons learned in pandemic
Washington DC, USThomson Reuters Foundation From better hygiene to greater awareness of inequality and recognition of “essential workers”, lessons learned during the coronavirus pandemic could be harnessed to improve city life for years to come, city leaders and others said last week. The health crisis has gutted urban economies, emptied offices and public transport and […]