World’s glaciers contain less ice than thought – report
London, UKReuters Advances in satellite technology have revealed that the world’s glaciers contain significantly less ice than previously thought, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience on Monday. The revised estimate reduces global sea level rise by three inches if all glaciers were to melt. But it raises concern for some communities that rely […]
This Life: Christ-like behaviour reveals your identity
US columnist CAROL ROUND, in an article first published on ASSIST News Service, says our actions reveal much about who we are…
“Where can we go?” Fear and self-defence near Ukraine’s eastern frontiers
Donetsk/Kharkiv, Ukraine Reuters Viktor, a pensioner, goes to sleep in breakaway eastern Ukraine, listening out for shelling in case he needs to take cover. In the city of Kharkiv, Viktoria Makarova, a building firm manager, is learning to fire a rifle in case of an invasion. Far from the rarefied rounds of diplomacy aimed at […]
COVID disrupts health services in over 90 per cent of countries – WHO
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters Disruptions in basic health services such as vaccination programs and treatment of diseases like AIDS were reported in 92 per cent of 129 countries, a World Health Organization survey on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic showed on Monday. The survey, conducted in November-December, 2021, showed services were “severely impacted” with “little or […]
South Africa failed to foresee, disrupt deadly unrest, report says
Johannesburg, South AfricaReuters South Africa’s police and intelligence services failed to anticipate and disrupt days of arson and looting last year in which more than 300 people died, a report into the unrest commissioned by the President and released on Monday found. The violence was sparked by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma for […]
After two years of closed borders, Australia welcomes the world back
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australia said on Monday it will reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers this month, ending two years of misery for the tourism sector, reviving migration and injecting billions of dollars into the world number 13 economy. The move effectively calls time on the last main component of Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, […]
Dumping plastic in waterways is “criminal”, Pope says in TV interview
Vatican CityReuters Dumping plastic in waterways is “criminal” and must end if humanity wants to save the planet for future generations, Pope Francis said in a television interview on Sunday. In the hour-long interview on state broadcaster RAI’s Channel 3, Francis also reiterated some of the key themes of his papacy, condemning excessive spending on […]
Fearing junta, hundreds of Myanmar parents disown dissident children
Reuters Every day for the last three months, an average of six or seven families in Myanmar have posted notices in the country’s state-owned newspapers cutting ties with sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren who have publicly opposed the ruling military junta. The notices started to appear in such numbers in November after the army, […]
Spanish ombudsman set to probe church sex abuse
Barecelona, SpainAP Spain’s Prime Minister wants to task the nation’s ombudsman with the country’s first official investigation into the depth of sexual abuse committed by Roman Catholic clergy. The decision by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, head of Spain’s Socialist Party, was reported Sunday by the Spanish newspaper El País and confirmed by the government to […]
North Korea grows nuclear, missiles programs, profits from cyberattacks – UN report
United NationsReuters North Korea continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs during the past year and cyberattacks on cryptocurrency exchanges were an important revenue source for Pyongyang, according to an excerpt of a confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters. The annual report by independent sanctions monitors was submitted on Friday evening to […]