Wow!: Japanese smart city offers residents quake, privacy protection
RINA CHANDRAN, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on a new technological push to safeguard residents in Aizuwakamatsu city…
No decision yet on foreign spectators, says Tokyo 2020 president Hashimoto
Tokyo, JapanReuters Japan has not decided whether to allow spectators from abroad at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Organising Committee President Seiko Hashimoto said on Thursday, denying media reports that a decision had been reached. “We are still continuing discussions and have not yet reached a conclusion,” she said. Seiko Hashimoto, president of Tokyo 2020, […]
More than 20 countries found weakening environmental protection during pandemic
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilThomson Reuters Foundation At least 22 countries enacted or proposed changes during the coronavirus pandemic that weaken environmental regulation, endangering protected areas around the globe, according to a research paper published on Thursday. Brazil, India and the United States are the hotspots of COVID-era rollbacks, said the paper, part of a wider […]
International evangelical pastor Luis Palau dies at 86
Updated: 12pm (AEDT)Portland, OregonAP Luis Palau, an evangelical pastor who was born in Argentina and went on to work with Billy Graham before establishing his own powerhouse international ministry, died on Thursday. He was 86. The Luis Palau Association said he died at his home in Portland, Oregon. He had announced in January, 2018, that […]
Myanmar junta accuses Suu Kyi of taking bribes, 12 protesters killed
Reuters Myanmar’s junta added new bribery allegations to its charges against deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, while an advocacy group said security forces killed 12 protesters in one of the deadliest days since the military took power. The bloodshed came hours after the UN. Security Council had called for restraint from the […]
US House chaplain criticises lawmakers in prayer for “failing” to unite around pandemic relief
Washington DC, USRNS The chaplain to the US House of Representatives chastised lawmakers during a prayer on Wednesday, asking God to “forgive them” for failing to unite around pandemic relief legislation. Rear Admiral Margaret Grun Kibben, an ordained Presbyterian Church (USA) minister who assumed the role of House chaplain in January, included the criticism in her […]
Tokyo Olympics chief invokes power of sport on anniversary of disaster
Tokyo, JapanReuters Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto highlighted the power of sport on Thursday as she expressed condolences on the anniversary of a deadly earthquake and tsunami, saying it provided hope for survivors and in facing the coronavirus. On 11th March, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off north-east Japan, triggering a tsunami that devastated […]
US churchgoers say they plan to return to in-person services – survey
RNS A study of 1,000 US Protestant churchgoers found 91 per cent said they planned on returning to in-person worship when it is safe to do so. The study from Lifeway Research, a non-profit affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, suggests churchgoers are eager to return to pre-pandemic worship practices. “Many of these pastors are wondering if […]
Sight Helpdesk: How to deal with a year of accumulated burnout from working at home
In an article first published on The Conversation, NULIFAR AHMED, a lecturer in social sciences at University of Bristol in the UK, looks at how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we work and how we can address issues like “Zoom fatigue”…
Pope’s wind-whipped mantle drives Vatican tailors to consider Velcro
Vatican CityRNS Countless pictures document the struggle: For decades, popes have suffered embarrassment and even frustration when their light, shoulder-length mantle, inspired by a sudden gust of wind, smacked them right in the face as they greeted world leaders or waved to crowds while cameras whirred. Pope Francis was not spared during his appearances on […]