Postcards: German churches save on heat, still help the needy warm up
The Associated Press report from Berlin on how churches in Germany are stepping up to help people struggling with freezing temperatures and rising energy costs…
25 militants killed in Pakistan army raid on detention centre; one hostage dies
Peshawar, Pakistan Reuters Pakistan’s security forces killed 25 of 35 Islamist militants holed up in a counter-terrorism centre in the northwestern city of Bannu, while one hostage and two commandos died in the operation to retake the compound, the army said. Militants being held at the centre took control of the compound on Sunday after […]
Hearses queue at Beijing crematorium, even as China reports no new COVID deaths
Beijing, China Reuters Dozens of hearses queued outside a Beijing crematorium on Wednesday, even as China reported no new COVID-19 deaths in its growing outbreak, sparking criticism of its virus accounting as the capital braces for a surge of cases. After widespread protests, the country of 1.4 billion people this month began dismantling its unpopular […]
Female students turned away from Afghan universities after Taliban ban
Kabul, AfghamistanReuters Female university students in Afghanistan were turned away from campuses on Wednesday after the Taliban-run administration said women would be suspended from tertiary education. The decision to bar women was announced on Tuesday evening in a letter to universities from the higher education ministry, drawing condemnation from foreign governments and the United Nations. […]
Thousands of UK ambulance staff strike as public urged to avoid risks
London, UKReuters Thousands of ambulance workers in England and Wales walked out over pay on Wednesday, increasing the strain on a state-funded health service a day after nurses went on strike, as government ministers advised the public to avoid taking risks. The government said the “deeply regrettable” strike would result in fewer ambulances on the […]
For Biden and Zelenskiy, US visit highlights trust after friction
New York, USReuters Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington on Wednesday marks a high point in ties between Ukraine and its most important ally, putting the spotlight on a relationship strengthened by Russia’s invasion, but not without some friction along the way. The visit, which is Zelenskiy’s first trip […]
Remember Ukraine’s smileless children this Christmas, Pope says
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis on Wednesday called on people to remember Ukrainian children suffering in the cold this Christmas. “Let us think of the many children in Ukraine who suffer, suffer so much, because of this war,” he said in unprepared remarks at the end of his weekly general audience in the Vatican. Pope Francis […]
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy goes to Washington seeking ‘weapons, weapons and more weapons’
Washington DC, US/Kyiv, UkraineReuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is travelling to the United States on Wednesday to meet President Joe Biden, address Congress and seek “weapons, weapons and more weapons” in his first overseas trip 300 days since Russia invaded its neighbour. Zelenskiy said he was going to Washington for talks with Biden to […]
Five endangered Iberian lynx set free to populate new territory in Spain
Iznalloz, Spain Reuters Five Iberian lynx have been released into the wild in southern Spain this week as part of an expanding breeding program aimed at conserving one of the world’s most endangered feline species with distinctive long black ear tufts. Darting out of their crates one by one, Saturno and Sotillo, two male lynx […]
One in four Ukrainians at risk of mental disorder due to conflict – WHO
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters A World Health Organization official said on Tuesday that 10 million people, or about a quarter of Ukraine’s population, may suffer from a mental health disorder in relation to the conflict there. “WHO estimates that up to 10 million people are at risk of some form of a mental disorder, varying from anxiety […]