Sri Lanka’s Rajapaksa quits; ‘We are the real power’ says protester
Colombo, Sri LankaReuters The speaker of Sri Lanka’s parliament formally accepted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation on Friday after he fled to Singapore to escape a popular uprising brought about by his country’s worst economic crisis in seven decades. “From this point, we will move to constitutionally appoint a new president,” the speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, […]
Snapshot: Smiling in Papua New Guinea…
See VIKA CHARTIER’s image…
Facebook-owner Meta releases first human rights report
Reuters Facebook owner Meta released its first annual human rights report on Thursday, following years of accusations that it turned a blind eye to online abuses that fueled real-world violence in places like India and Myanmar. The report, which covers due diligence performed in 2020 and 2021, includes a summary of a controversial human rights […]
On the Screen: Unusual golfing tale on par
DAVID ADAMS enjoys ‘The Phantom of the Open’…
Beirut port fire revives trauma ahead of blast anniversary
Beirut, LebanonReuters A fire smouldering for days at Beirut port has revived painful memories of the explosion that devastated the Lebanese capital in 2020, with the government struggling to find a way to extinguish it as the second anniversary of the blast approaches. The fire has been burning slowly in the ruins of the port’s […]
Pope tells religious orders to report abuse, protect others
Rome, Italy AP Pope Francis told members of three religious orders Thursday that they must have “zero tolerance” for sexual abusers in their ranks and that they must report them to protect others. Francis pleaded with them not to cover up the “reality” of clergy sexual abuse by transferring rapists to other countries. Pope Francis […]
Pandemic behind “largest backslide in childhood vaccination in a generation” – UN
London, UKReuters Around 25 million children around the world missed out on routine vaccinations that protect against life-threatening diseases last year, as the knock-on effects of the pandemic continue to disrupt health care globally. That is two million more children than in 2020, when COVID-19 caused lockdowns around the world, and six million more than […]
Priest begins protest outside Hong Kong prison against detentions of activists
Hong KongReuters A Catholic priest launched a three-day protest on Thursday in sweltering heat outside a Hong Kong maximum security prison, demanding the release of activists and democratic politicians held under a sweeping national security law. Milan-born missionary Franco Mella, a longtime rights activist in the Chinese-ruled city, vowed to refuse food as he stood […]
The Interview: Ukrainian priest on funerals, food aid and prayers for victory
MARIKA PROCTOR, of Religion News Service, speaks with Rev Oleksiy Zavada, a Greek Catholic priest living in Lviv, about about the many funerals he’s presided over, how the life of the church has changed – and stayed the same – since the war started, and why he plans to stay…
More than a quarter of Australians likely experiencing financial stress, says Christians Against Poverty
Geelong, Australia More than one in four Australians are already likely to be experiencing some level of financial distress as cost-of-living increases and rising interest rates bite – but many are unaware of it, according to Christians Against Poverty. Stuart Sampson, learning and development manager at CAP Australia, told Sight that many people are already […]