Number of people with dementia set to jump 40 per cent to 78 million by 2030 – WHO
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters More than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, a neurological disorder that robs them of their memory and costs the world $US1.3 trillion a year, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. The progressive condition can be caused by stroke, brain injury or Alzheimer’s disease. With populations ageing, the number of […]
Drought leaves Afghans hungry as economic collapse looms – UN
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters Many Afghans were struggling to feed their families amid severe drought well before Taliban militants seized power last month and millions may now face starvation with the country isolated and the economy unravelling, aid agencies say. “In the current context there are no national safety nets…Since the 15th of August [when the Taliban […]
GreenSight: ‘Sinapis’ or mustard plant
ALVIN JOHNSON looks at some famous Biblical mentions of the mustard plant…
Migrant arrivals to Spain’s Canary Islands double from last year
Gran Canaria/Barcelona Spain Reuters Spain’s sea rescue service on Wednesday rescued around 100 migrants trying to reach the Canary Islands in rickety boats from north or west Africa amid a surge in arrivals that have more than doubled so far this year from 2020 levels. The migrants were rescued off three boats and all appeared to […]
Australian doctors warn health system may “capsize” when COVID-19 curbs ease
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australian doctors on Thursday warned the country’s hospitals are not ready to cope with the government’s reopening plans, even with higher vaccination rates, as some states prepare to move from a virus suppression strategy to living with COVID-19. The Australian Medical Association said the health system was in danger of being locked into […]
Podcasts: “Intelligent and relevant” – Nomad tackles issues across the spectrum
NILS VON KALM listens to Nomad, what he describes as an “intelligent and relevant” look at “issues, dilemmas and areas of concern for Christians of a more progressive persuasion”…
Taliban wrestle with Afghan economy in chaos, humanitarian crisis
Reuters Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers struggled to keep the country functioning on Wednesday after the final withdrawal of U.S. forces, with foreign donors alarmed about an impending humanitarian crisis. Two weeks since the Taliban’s sweep into Kabul brought a chaotic end to 20 years of warfare, the Islamist militants have yet to name a new […]
Some 30 per cent of global tree species at risk of extinction – report
Reuters Almost a third of the world’s tree species are at risk of extinction, while hundreds are on the brink of being wiped out, according to a landmark report published by Botanic Gardens Conservation International on Wednesday. According to the State of the World’s Trees report 17,500 tree species – some 30 per cent of […]
Vatican exonerates US bishop accused of sexual abuse
New York City, USAP The Vatican has concluded that allegations of sexual abuse dating back a half century against the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn do not “have the semblance of truth,” but an attorney for the accusers said they would press forward with their civil cases. Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, […]
The Bible: First Nations Version translates the New Testament for Native American readers
EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, of Religion News Service, reports on the story behind the making of a new Bible translation for First Nations people…