Sight-Seeing: In Advent, we hope and wait. Climate change doesn’t lend itself to either
US Catholic commentator THOMAS REESE – in an article first published on Religion News Service – writes that Advent is supposed to be a time of anticipation and hope, but the threat of global warming brings me anxiety and fear…
UN Iran expert concerned about death sentences for protesters
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters A UN-appointed independent expert on Iran voiced concern on Tuesday that the repression of protesters was intensifying, with authorities launching a “campaign” of sentencing them to death. The United Nations says more than 300 people have been killed so far and 14,000 arrested in protests that began after the 16th September death in […]
Christians a minority in England; non-religious grow – census
London, UKAP Fewer than half the people in England and Wales consider themselves Christian, according to the most recent census – the first time a minority of the population has followed the country’s official religion. Britain has become less religious – and less white – in the decade since the last census, figures from the 2021 census […]
Chinese authorities seek out COVID protesters
Beijing, ChinaReuters Chinese authorities have begun inquiries into some of the people who gathered at weekend protests against COVID-19 curbs, people who were at the Beijing demonstrations told Reuters, as police remained out in numbers on the city’s streets. Two protesters told Reuters that callers identifying themselves as Beijing police officers asked them to report […]
Russia protests Pope’s comments as Vatican seeks to mediate
Rome, ItalyAP Russia has lodged a formal protest with the Vatican over Pope Francis’ latest condemnation of atrocities in Ukraine, in which the pontiff blamed most of the cruelty on Chechens and other minorities in an apparent effort to spare ethnic Russian troops from criticism. The Kremlin’s Ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Avdeev, told […]
NATO pledges more aid to Kyiv as air raid sirens blare again across Ukraine
Kyiv, UkraineReuters The United States and NATO allies on Tuesday promised more arms for Kyiv and equipment to help restore Ukrainian power and heat knocked out by Russian missile and drone strikes, as air raid sirens blared across Ukraine for the first time this week. Ukrainians fled the streets for bomb shelters, although the all-clear […]
Great Barrier Reef should be put on “in danger” list, UN panel says
Sydney, Australia Reuters Australia’s Great Barrier Reef should be listed as a world heritage site that is “in danger”, a UN panel recommended on Tuesday, saying the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem was significantly impacted by climate change and warming of oceans. Frequent bleaching events are threatening the reef, including four over the last seven […]
Haiti still needs foreign strike force to confront gangs, official says
Washington DC, USReuters The international community should send a strike force to Haiti to confront gangs even though police have ended a blockade of a fuel terminal that caused a humanitarian crisis, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States said on Monday. The UN Security Council in October discussed sending troops to confront gangs, but those […]
Sudan’s military leader freezes unions to curb Islamists’ influence
Khartoum, Sudan Reuters Sudan’s military leader issued decrees on Monday to freeze the activities of trade unions, control their finances and take over their leadership, according to a statement by the ruling sovereign council he heads. The move would sideline former ruling Islamists after their resurgence in the civil service, in the aftermath of the […]
US, Russia have used ‘deconfliction’ line once so far during Ukraine war – source
Washington DC, USReuters A communications line created between the militaries of the United States and Russia at the start of Moscow’s war against Ukraine has been used only once so far, a US official told Reuters. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the United States initiated a call through the “deconfliction” […]