Mexico-based church leader pleads guilty to sexually abusing three children
Los Angeles, USReuters The head of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch that claims about five million followers worldwide pleaded guilty on Friday to felony counts of sexually abusing three children, California state prosecutors announced on Friday. The guilty plea was entered in court by Nasson Joaquin Garcia, leader and self-styled apostle of the Guadalajara-based church La […]
Australia PM honours Queen Elizabeth II amid renewed republican debate
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Australia’s new Prime Minister honoured Queen Elizabeth in Canberra on Saturday amid celebrations for her 70 years on the throne and renewed debate about Australia becoming a republic. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends the Quad leaders’ summit, in Tokyo, Japan, on 24th May. PICTURE: Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool via Reuters Anthony Albanese, whose centre-left […]
Poland takes in most Ukrainians fleeing war in March, EU figures show
Reuters Poland was the European Union country that in March granted temporary protection to the highest number of Ukrainians fleeing war, while other countries have since increased how many people they are sheltering, EU data showed on Friday. What Moscow calls “a special military operation” in Ukraine has from 24th February triggered Europe’s worst refugee […]
Human rights body pleads with El Salvador amid gang crackdown
San SalvadorReuters The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights doubled down on its calls Friday for El Salvador’s government to respect the rights and dignity of tens of thousands of Salvadorans detained during a nationwide state of emergency. “The Commission reiterates its call to the State to ensure that actions related to citizen and prison security […]
Analysis – Ukraine waits for West to tip balance against Russia after 100 days of war
Kyiv, UkraineReuters After 100 days of war, Ukraine is fighting for time, trying to hold out against overwhelming Russian fire on its eastern front long enough for Western weapons to arrive and give it a badly needed edge. With casualties mounting and some delays in Western capitals with deliveries, Ukrainian officials fear the relief may […]
China’s Tiananmen victims won’t be forgotten, US says
Taipei, Taiwan/Hong Kong Reuters The efforts of the victims of China’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in and around Tiananmen Square 33 years ago will not be forgotten, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, as Hong Kong warned against unlawful gatherings. Saturday marks the 33rd anniversary of Chinese troops opening fire to end the […]
No end to Ukraine war in sight, hunger crisis looms – UN
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters United Nations officials warned on Friday that a protracted war in Ukraine threatened a hunger crisis in the country and around the world. Marking 100 days since Russia invaded its neighbour, UN crisis coordinator Amin Awad said at least 15.7 million people in Ukraine were now in urgent need of assistance and protection, […]
The Platinum Jubilee: Elizabeth II’s 70 years as head of the Church of England
CATHERINE PEPINSTER, of Religion News Service, reports that while Defender of the Faith has been, over the years, an inherited title and little more, Elizabeth II embraced it and made it her own…
US State Department officials report religious freedom woes, wins across the globe
United States RNS US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announcing a new global religious freedom report, said many governments are continuing to disregard the rights and the faiths of their citizens. The 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom points out both failures and progress across the world on religious freedom, which Blinken called “a vital foreign policy […]
Nigerian police seek abductors of prelate freed after ransom
Abuja, NigeriaAP Nigeria’s police on Friday said they are still looking for suspects in the abduction of the head of the Methodist Church Nigeria who was freed in exchange for a ransom of 100 million naira ($US240,600). Samuel Kanu Uche was freed on Monday, a day after he was kidnapped in Abia in south-east Nigeria, the Christian […]