Catholic officials halt activity in Haiti for nine kidnapped
Port-au-Prince, HaitiAP Roman Catholic institutions including schools and universities closed Wednesday across Haiti in a three-day protest to demand the release of five priests, two nuns and two other people kidnapped more than a week ago amid a spike in violence that the government is struggling to control. Catholic officials also organised Masses to pray […]
Chad in turmoil after Deby death as rebels, opposition challenge military
N’Djamena, ChadReuters The son of Chad’s slain leader Idriss Deby took over as president and armed forces commander on Wednesday as rebel forces threatened to march on the capital, deepening the turmoil in a country vital to international efforts to combat Islamist militants in Africa. The political opposition denounced the military’s takeover of control, as […]
Russia arrests over 1,400 at rallies for hunger-striking Navalny
Moscow, RussiaReuters Police rounded up more than 1,400 protesters on Wednesday as Russians in dozens of cities took part in rallies organised by allies of hunger-striking Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny over his failing health in jail. His spokeswoman was jailed for 10 days, and another close ally detained, on the same day that President Vladimir […]
Navalny supporters seek to drown out Putin speech with mass protests
Moscow, RussiaReuters President Vladimir Putin will deliver a state-of-the-nation speech to Russians on Wednesday as supporters of his fiercest critic, Alexei Navalny, plan nationwide protests over his deteriorating health in jail. Putin, who makes a point of never uttering Navalny’s name, has said his speech to both houses of parliament will focus on projects to […]
South Africa’s UCT campus salvaging books from burned library
Cape Town, South AfricaReuters Staring helplessly as flames from a weekend wildfire on the slopes of Table Mountain spread and razed the University of Cape Town’s library, chief librarian Ujala Satgoor was back amid the smouldering ruins on Tuesday to try and salvage what was left. One of Cape Town’s worst fires in recent memory […]
In the US state of Georgia, church leaders seek Home Depot boycott over voting law
Atlanta, USAP A group of religious leaders is calling for a boycott of Georgia-based Home Depot, saying the home improvement giant hasn’t done enough to oppose the state’s new voting laws. African Methodist Episcopal Bishop Reginald Jackson said the company has remained “silent and indifferent” to his efforts to rally opposition to the new state […]
StrangeSights: UK’s gnome shortage; a high swim; and, free burgers (for a tattoo)
DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
China, Myanmar and others criticised in report on rising religious persecution
Rome, ItalyReuters Violations of religious freedom are increasing and persecution takes place in more than 25 countries, with China and Myanmar among those that have the worst records, according to a report by a Vatican-backed charity. The Religious Freedom in the World Report, covering 2019-2020 and issued on Tuesday, said that in some countries, such […]
Quebec to appeal court ruling on disputed religious symbols law
Montreal, CanadaReuters The Canadian province of Quebec said on Tuesday it would appeal a court ruling that exempts some teachers and provincial politicians from a controversial law that bans public employees from wearing religious symbols. The ruling, which upheld most of a 2019 law, stops it from applying to educators in Quebec’s minority English-language school […]
Death toll from clashes between Ethiopian Amhara, Oromo groups rises to 50 – residents
Nairobi, KenyaReuters The death toll from violence last week in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region has risen to at least 50, residents said on Tuesday, amid tensions in the area between the country’s two largest ethnic groups, the Oromo and Amhara. Thousands of people took to the streets of Amhara’s regional capital Bahir Dar and other […]