Pope honours grandparents on first World Day for elderly
Vatican CityAP Pope Francis celebrated the Roman Catholic Church’s first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday. Francis solicited a round of applause from the faithful in St Peter’s Square and urged people everywhere to reach out to older generations. Faithful crowd St Peter’s square during the Angelus prayer celebrated by Pope Francis, […]
Twenty-eight abducted Baptist school students freed in Nigeria
Kano, NigeriaAP Armed kidnappers in Nigeria have released 28 of the more than 120 students who were abducted at the beginning of July from the Bethel Baptist High School in the northern town of Damishi. Church officials handed those children over to their parents at the school on Sunday. But Rev Israel Akanji, president of […]
Sierra Leone parliament votes to abolish death penalty
Dakar, SenegalReuters Sierra Leone’s parliament voted unanimously on Friday to repeal the death penalty more than two decades after the West African country carried out its last execution. President Julius Maada Bio is expected to soon sign the bill into law, which will make Sierra Leone the 23rd African country to abolish capital punishment. Sierra […]
Biden authorises $US100 million in emergency funds for Afghan refugees
Washington DC, USReuters US President Joe Biden on Friday authorised up to $US100 million from an emergency fund to meet “unexpected urgent” refugee needs stemming from the situation in Afghanistan, including for Afghan special immigration visa applicants, the White House said. Biden also authorised the release of $US200 million in services and articles from the […]
After the flood, Germany battles to clear mountains of trash
Bad Neuenahr, GermanyReuters Germany’s most devastating floods in 60 years have created mountains of trash, from broken fridges to wrecked cars, piled up on roadsides and in makeshift dumps. Disposing of it could take weeks and local leaders have appealed for help. Amid the stench and fear of disease, the country that pioneered modern waste […]
Vatican reveals property holdings for first time in transparency drive
Reuters The Vatican released information on its real estate holdings for the first time on Saturday, revealing it owns more than 5,000 properties as part of its most detailed financial disclosures ever. The information was contained in two documents, a consolidated financial statement for 2020 for the Holy See and the first-ever public budget for […]
The Long Read: War’s trauma apparent in portraits of Gazan children
AYA BATRAWY and FELIPE DANA, of Associated Press, look at the impact of years of ongoing conflict on the children of Gaza…