Belgian Government announces breakthrough in migrant hunger strike
Brussels, BelgiumAP The Belgian Government announced a breakthrough Wednesday that it hoped would end a hunger strike by several hundred migrants seeking to collectively obtain legal residency. The chairman of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s Liberal party, Egbert Lachaert, said that under the outline of a deal those concerned would have their cases looked at […]
Germany counts cost of floods as hopes of finding survivors fade
Berlin, GermanyReuters A relief official dampened hopes on Wednesday of finding more survivors in the rubble of villages devastated by floods in western Germany, as a poll showed many Germans felt policymakers had not done enough to protect them. More than 170 people died in last week’s flooding, Germany’s worst natural disaster in more than […]
WHO head Tedros backs Tokyo Games amid pandemic
Tokyo, JapanReuters The Tokyo Olympics should go ahead to demonstrate to the world what can be achieved with the right plan and measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic, World Health Organization head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday. Speaking to the International Olympic Committee members at their session in the Japanese capital, Tedros said the world […]
Central Chinese province swamped after heaviest rain in 1,000 years
Beijing, ChinaReuters Large swathes of China’s central Henan province were under water on Wednesday, with its capital Zhengzhou hardest-hit after being drenched by what weather watchers said was the heaviest rain in 1,000 years. In Zhengzhou, a city of over 12 million on the banks of the Yellow River, 12 people died in a flooded […]
Children in developing world face long-term impacts due to COVID pandemic – study
Children living in the world’s developing nations are facing long-term impacts from the coronavirus pandemic which include negative emotional and psychological symptoms and negative impacts to their education, according to a new study. The Baptist World Aid Australia study looked at the impacts of the pandemic on some 906 children and youth, aged between five and […]
StrangeSights: Michelangelo’s thumbprint?; a cheesy ice cream; and, a new burpee record…
DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
UK Home Secretary outlines steps to tackle violence against females
Reuters UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was publishing a new strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, which include reviewing options to limit the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of sexual harassment in higher education. A new online tool called StreetSafe will be launched shortly which will enable people to anonymously […]
General secretary to US bishops resigns amid misconduct allegations
Vatican CityRNS Citing “improper behaviour”, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops announced the resignation of its general secretary, Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, in a statement released on Tuesday. “On Monday, we became aware of impending media reports alleging possible improper behavior by Msgr Burrill,” read the statement, signed by the president of the bishops’ conference, […]
Global interfaith prayer service advocates for vaccine equity
RNS Faith leaders from across the globe and from numerous faith traditions gathered together on Tuesday both on Zoom and with some 100 participants in person on the National Mall in the US capital of Washington, DC, to urge President Joe Biden to share COVID-19 vaccine stockpiles and to advocate for equitable global distribution of vaccines. […]
SOS: Stranded and shattered seafarers threaten global supply lines
JONATHAN SAUL and ROSLAN KHASAWNEH, of Reuters, report on the plight of tens of thousands of seafarers around the world…