Connecticut is sixth US state to end religious vaccine exemption
AP Connecticut will no longer allow a religious exemption from childhood immunization requirements for schools, colleges and day care facilities, becoming the sixth state to end that policy. The legislation was signed into law Wednesday by Governor Ned Lamont, hours after the Democratic-controlled Senate passed the bill late Tuesday night. More than 2,000 opponents had rallied outside […]
Russia, China sow disinformation to undermine trust in Western vaccines, EU report says
Brussels, BelgiumReuters Russian and Chinese media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western COVID-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European report said on Wednesday. From December to April, the two countries’ state media outlets pushed fake news online in multiple languages sensationalising vaccine safety concerns, making unfounded […]
Australia marks 25 years since worst mass shooting
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australia marked the 25th anniversary of the country’s worst mass shooting on Wednesday in which a lone gunman killed 35 people and forced authorities to implement some of the world’s toughest gun laws. Martin Bryant went on a shooting spree on 28th April, 1996 at a cafe and tourist site at the former […]
India’s coronavirus death toll surpasses 200,000 after record case surge
Bengalaru/New Delhi IndiaReuters India’s COVID-19 death toll surged past 200,000 on Wednesday as shortages of oxygen, medical supplies and hospital staff compounded a record number of new cases of the virus. India’s second wave of COVID-19 infections has seen at least 300,000 people a day test positive for the past week, overwhelming healthcare facilities and […]
Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel gets seat at Washington National Cathedral
Washington DC, USAP Washington National Cathedral, the massive Episcopal house of worship that prides itself on being an unfinished work-in-progress whose stones and stained glass tell the story of the 20th and 21st centuries, is unveiling its newest addition: a carving of iconic author, human rights campaigner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. The carving completes […]
StrangeSights: A dog of a holiday; a walk in a bear suit; and, swimming in a “sky pool”…
DAVID ADAMS looks at the odder side of life…
Mozambican churches urge decisive government action on deadly armed conflict
As Mozambican churches respond to growing humanitarian challenges in the country, their leaders are urging the government to act decisively to end a violent conflict in the north which has left behind a trail of death, destruction and displacement. The church leaders’ focus is on Cabo Delgado, a northern province, where attacks blamed on an […]
“No voice”: Child brides left out of India’s domestic violence data
Mumbai, IndiaThomson Reuters Foundation Child brides being beaten by their husbands will no longer be included in India’s biggest survey of domestic violence – potentially hiding the problem and making it even harder for married girls to get help. India’s national health survey is a mine of statistics on key social indicators – from fertility […]
Denmark firm on returning refugees to war-torn Syria
Copenhagen, DenmarkReuters Despite mounting pressure from lawmakers and civil society organisations, Denmark is determined to push ahead with efforts to return refugees to war-torn Syria as it claims conditions in parts of the country have improved. On Tuesday, the EU’s top migration official expressed concern about the approach after the Nordic country decided last year […]
Crypto power: Can solar panels boost cheap, green homes in South Africa?
KIM HARRISBERG, writing for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on a new development project which its creator hopes will be a blueprint for green, safe and cheap homes across South Africa…