In the US, Democrats urge Biden to grant deportation relief to at least two million immigrants
Washington DC, USReuters US Senate Democrats are urging the Biden administration to allow at least two million immigrants in the country illegally to prolong their stay and to prevent deportation to home countries where natural disasters and crises prevent their safe return. They want President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat, to take executive action to […]
Postcards: Morocco’s tough COVID restrictions hammer tourism sector
AHMED ELJECHTIMI, of Reuters, reports from northern Africa on how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting tourist operators…
Sorrow, grief shatters Bronx community after deadly fire
New York City, USAP Sorrow welled across a Bronx community Monday, a day after a fire and choking smoke engulfed a high-rise apartment building that claimed the lives of 17 people, eight of them children. As survivors recalled the frantic chaos of their escape, bereft family and friends of those who perished coped with shock, […]
Myanmar’s Suu Kyi faces six years in jail after new sentences – source
Reuters A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Monday sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to four years in jail on charges including possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies, a source familiar with the proceedings said. The latest sentencing in legal proceedings that rights groups have criticised as a farce and a “courtroom circus” means she faces […]
Pope on COVID vaccines says healthcare a “moral obligation”
Rome, ItalyAP Pope Francis suggested Monday that getting vaccinated against the coronavirus was a “moral obligation” and denounced how people had been swayed by “baseless information” to refuse one of the most effective measures to save lives during the pandemic. Francis used some of his strongest words yet calling for people to get vaccinated in […]
With peak yet to come, Europe’s healthcare creaks under Omicron’s rapid spread
Madrid, Spain/London, UKReuters Europe’s healthcare systems are being strained once again by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus over the holiday period, with large numbers of key staff ill or self-isolating and experts predicting the peak of infections is yet to come. Despite early studies showing a lower risk of severe […]
Kazakhstan detains 7,939 people over unrest
Nur-Sultan, KazakhstanReuters Kazakhstan’s security forces have detained a total of 7,939 people as of Monday over last week’s unrest, the Interior Ministry said, the worst bout of violence in the Central Asian nation’s post-Soviet history. Government buildings were briefly captured or torched in several cities last week as initially peaceful protests against fuel price increases […]
Australia vows to “push through” Omicron wave as infections cross a million
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australia must “push through” the fast-moving Omicron outbreak, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, as infections surpassed one million, more than half in the past week alone, throwing a strain on hospitals and supply chains. Although aggressive lockdowns and tough border controls kept a lid on infections earlier in the pandemic, Australia […]
Anglican Church locks out expectant mothers as Uganda reopens schools for 15 million students after two-year lockdown
Kampala, Uganda The Anglican Church of Uganda has indicated it will not allow expectant mothers to return to school after the government directed the lifting of a two-year lockdown on primary and secondary schools. In an interview with journalists on Saturday, 8th January, at his home in Mukono District, central Uganda, Anglican Bishop of Mukono […]
From puddings to trees, palace sets out Queen’s Jubilee celebrations
London, UKReuters Inventing puddings and planting trees are just some of the things Britons are invited to do for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, events to mark her 70th anniversary on the throne that culminate in a “blockbuster weekend of celebrations” in June. The 95-year-old, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, will add another milestone when […]