Pope’s recipe to heal his painful knee? A shot of tequila
Rome, ItalyAP Doctors have prescribed a wheelchair, cane and physical therapy to help heal Pope Francis’ bad knee. He has other ideas. According to a viral video of the Pope at the end of a recent audience, Francis quipped that what he really needs for the pain is a shot of tequila. Pope Francis arrives […]
Suspect charged in deadly California church shooting
Santa Ana, California, US AP The man accused of opening fire on a Taiwanese church congregation in California was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder for what a prosecutor called an effort to “execute” as many people as possible. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer also announced that David Chou, […]
Hundreds of Ukrainians defending Azovstal plant surrender to uncertain fate
Mariupol, Ukraine Reuters Hundreds of Ukrainian fighters surrendered to an uncertain fate on Tuesday after weeks holed up in the bunkers and tunnels below Mariupol’s Azovstal steel works as the most devastating siege of Russia’s war in Ukraine drew to a close. Russian forces pummelled Mariupol, a major port on the Sea of Azov between […]
Taiwan’s President condemns California church shooting
Taipei, TaiwanAP Taiwan’s President has condemned the shooting at a Taiwanese church in California by a man reportedly driven by hatred of the island, while a lawmaker from her ruling party questioned whether Chinese propaganda was a motivating factor behind the violence. President Tsai Ing-wen’s office issued a statement Tuesday saying she condemned “any form of […]
Vatican minister visits Ukraine as Pope toes delicate line
Vatican CityAP The Vatican’s foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, is heading to Kyiv this week as the Holy See seeks to balance its concern for Ukrainians with its efforts to keep open a channel of dialogue with Russia. Gallagher is due to arrive Wednesday and meet Friday with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, a visit […]
Mexico’s official ‘disappeared’ list grows to more than 100,000
Mexico City, MexicoReuters The number of people officially listed as disappeared in Mexico has risen to more than 100,000, government data showed on Monday, as family groups called on authorities to do more to find victims of violence linked to organised crime. The Interior Ministry’s national registry of missing people dates back to 1964 and […]
North Korea mobilises army, steps up tracing amid COVID wave
Seoul, South KoreaReuters North Korea has mobilised its military to distribute COVID medications and deployed more than 10,000 health workers to help trace potential patients as it fights a sweeping coronavirus wave, state media KCNA said on Tuesday. The isolated country is grappling with its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak, which it confirmed last week, fuelling […]
In El Salvador’s gang crackdown, quotas drive “arbitrary” arrests of innocents
San Salvador, El Salvador Reuters Dozens of innocent people have been apprehended in El Salvador in recent months amid President Nayib Bukele’s “war on gangs,” after superiors forced officers to meet daily arrest quotas during a state of emergency, five officials told Reuters. In March, El Salvador registered 62 murders in a single day, the […]
Cuban lawmakers pass new penal code critiqued by rights, media groups
Havana, CubaReuters Cuban lawmakers on Sunday approved a new penal code for the country that is being critiqued by some rights groups who say its clause on foreign funding may be used to unjustly stifle dissent and independent journalism in the wake of widespread anti-government protests last July. The government said the new code, which […]
Taliban dissolve Afghanistan’s Human Rights Commission, other key bodies
Kabul, AfghanistanReuters Taliban authorities in Afghanistan dissolved five key departments of the former US-backed government, including the country’s Human Rights Commission, deeming them unnecessary in the face of a financial crunch, an official said on Monday. Afghanistan faces a budget deficit of 44 billion Afghanis ($US501 million) this financial year, Taliban authorities said on Saturday […]