European court declines to take pro-gay marriage cake case
London, UKAP A top European court declined Thursday to rule in a high-profile discrimination case centered on an activist’s request to have a cake decorated with the Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie and the words “Support Gay Marriage”. The European Court of Human Rights said the case was inadmissible because activist Gareth Lee had […]
Sight-Seeing: Freedom is often not what we think it is
NILS VON KALM explores what true freedom looks like…
Christian world marks Epiphany with series of celebrations
Vatican CityAP Christians around the world on Thursday marked Epiphany, known as Three Kings Day for Catholics and the Baptism of Christ for the Orthodox, with a series of celebrations. Pope Francis used a Mass at St Peter’s Basilica to decry consumerism, parades were held in Spain the night before, and Orthodox believers watched swimmers […]
World food prices hit 10-year high in 2021
Paris, FranceReuters World food prices jumped 28 per cent in 2021 to their highest level in a decade and hopes for a return to more stable market conditions this year are slim, the UN’s food agency said on Thursday. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s food price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, […]
Fresh violence in Kazakhstan after Russia sends troops to put down uprising
Almaty, KazakhstanReuters Fresh violence erupted in Kazakhstan’s main city on Thursday after Russia rushed in paratroopers to put down a countrywide uprising in one of Moscow’s closest former Soviet allies. Police in the main city Almaty said they had killed dozens of rioters overnight into the early hours of Thursday morning. The authorities said at […]
Asylum seekers shut out of financial system by some EU banks, watchdog finds
London, UKReuters Some European Union banks are shutting out asylum seekers and other types of customers in mishandled efforts to comply with anti-money laundering rules, the bloc’s banking watchdog said. Banks have become far more nervous as regulators in the EU, the United States and elsewhere crack down on inadequate “know your customer” checks, prompting […]
With child tax credit stance, US senator runs afoul of former faith allies
Washington DC, USRNS As US Democrats struggle to revive talks over the stalled Build Back Better bill, Senator Joe Manchin is facing pushback from a spectrum of religious groups frustrated by his position on the child tax credit – including conservative-leaning faith organisations whose concerns he has championed in the past. Debate over the Build […]
Dog custody: Spain to consider pets’ welfare in divorce battles
Madrid, Spain Reuters Spain will consider a pet’s welfare when couples divorce or break-up from Wednesday in a legal shift that strengthens the case for couples obtaining shared custody of their animals. The decision follows similar moves in France and Portugal and obliges judges to consider pets as sentient beings rather than objects owned by […]
North Korea launches second hypersonic missile in fiery test
Seoul, South KoreaReuters North Korea fired a hypersonic ballistic missile this week that successfully hit a target, state news agency KCNA reported on Thursday, its second such test as the country pursues new military capabilities amid stalled denuclearisation talks. The launch on Wednesday was the first by North Korea since October and was detected by […]
Ransom freed some missionary hostages in Haiti, workers say
AP An unidentified person paid a ransom that freed three missionaries kidnapped by a gang in Haiti under an agreement that was supposed to have led to the release of all 15 remaining captives early last month, workers for their Ohio-based organisation have confirmed. The person who made the payment was not affiliated with Ohio-based […]