“Alive by a miracle”, Colombia landslide survivor tells how mud tore him from his home
Pereira, ColombiaReuters A survivor of a landslide in central Colombia which killed at least 16 people this week described how the early morning rush of mud and water tore him from his home, as local officials warned tens of thousands could still be at risk. The Tuesday landslide, which buried part of the La Esneda […]
Lifestory: Working at the “intersection of “faith and social justice”, Rev Cece Jones-Davis on the campaign that helped get Julius Jones off death row
ADELLE M BANKS, of Religion News Service, speaks with US minister Rev Cece Jones-Davis about her work in advocating for and supporting Julius Jones, a former death-row inmate whose sentenced was commuted to life last November…
In Uganda, clergy, Western donors condemn torture of political activists
Kampala, Uganda Ugandan clergy have joined the US and EU in condemning the ongoing brutal torture, detention without trial and forced disappearance of political and human rights activists in the country. The US and EU have each issued a statement condemning the forced disappearances, arbitrary detention and use of physical and mental torture by security […]
Egypt names first-ever Christian head of country’s top court
Cairo, EgyptAP Egypt’s President on Wednesday swore in the first-ever Coptic Christian to head the country’s highest court. Judge Boulos Fahmy is the 19th person to preside over the Supreme Constitutional Court since it was established in 1969. President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi picked the 65-year-old Fahmy from among the court’s five oldest of 15 sitting […]
Pope says war in Ukraine would be “madness”; condemns assisted suicide as Italian parliament mulls law
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis said on Wednesday that war in Ukraine would be “madness” and hoped that tensions between that country and Russia could be overcome through multi-lateral dialogue. Pope Francis arrives for the weekly general audience at the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, on 9th February. PICTURE: Reuters/Yara Nardi Speaking at his […]
Madagascar death toll from Cyclone Batsirai rises to 92 – state agency
Antananarivo, MadagascarReuters The death toll in Madagascar from Cyclone Batsirai rose to 92, the state disaster relief agency said on Wednesday, as information continued to filter in from areas of the country that were badly affected. The cyclone slammed into the Indian Ocean island late on Saturday, knocking down houses and electricity lines as it […]
“No to the IMF”: thousands protest in Argentina against debt deal
Buenos Aires, ArgentinaReuters Thousands of Argentines marched through the streets of Buenos Aires on Tuesday to protest against a likely deal with the International Monetary Fund to revamp more than $US40 billion of debt the country cannot pay back. The protesters paraded through the capital with banners saying “no to paying the IMF” and “no […]
Biden’s pick to combat anti-Semitism finally gets hearing
Washington DC, USAP Describing herself as an “equal-opportunity foe of anti-Semitism”, President Joe Biden’s pick to monitor and combat prejudice against Jews around the world finally got her day before the Senate committee that will evaluate her nomination. Deborah E Lipstadt, nominated to be Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, with the rank of […]
StrangeSights: How an eight-year-old author ensured his book was on library shelves; Britain’s “oldest pub” closes; and, Italian bell ringing priest fined…
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Net-zero: Consumers left in the dark as corporate plans fail to add up
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation Many top corporations with ambitious “net-zero” emissions pledges to tackle climate change lack a clear plan to achieve them, and are misleading consumers about how “carbon neutral” their products and services are, researchers warned on Monday. Taken together, net-zero pledges by 25 top global companies – from Amazon to Google – add up […]