El Salvador murders plummet by over half in 2022 amid gang crackdown
San Salvador, El SalvadorReuters Murders in El Salvador tumbled 56.8 per cent in 2022 amid a widespread crackdown on gang violence, the government said on Tuesday, extending a sharp drop in killings in a nation which for years had one of the world’s worst murder rates. Authorities registered a total of 496 homicides last year, […]
This Life: Lessons learned from a gingerbread house
US columnist CAROL ROUND reflects – in an article first published on ASSIST News Service – on lessons learnt while building a gingerbread house…
Pope Benedict’s funeral to be similar to that of reigning popes
Vatican City Reuters Tens of thousands more people paid homage to former Pope Benedict on Tuesday on the second day his body lay in state, and the Vatican announced that his funeral will be similar to that of a reigning pope, including a three coffin burial. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who like Benedict, has […]
Israel’s Ben-Gvir visits Al Aqsa mosque compound, Palestinians incensed
Jerusalem, IsraelReuters Israel’s new far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir briefly visited Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Tuesday, a site also revered by Jews, angering the Palestinians and drawing a slew of condemnations. “The Temple Mount is open to all,” Ben-Gvir said on Twitter, using the Jewish name for the site. Video footage […]
WHO urges China to share specific data regularly on COVID situation
Reuters The World Health Organization on Friday once again urged China’s health officials to regularly share specific and real-time information on the COVID-19 situation in the country, as it continues to assess the latest surge in infections. The agency has asked Chinese officials to share more genetic sequencing data, as well as data on hospitalizations, […]
Quick facts – Countries mandate COVID tests for China travellers, EU to discuss
Reuters Authorities around the world are imposing or considering curbs on travellers from China as COVID-19 cases there surge following its relaxation of “zero-COVID” rules. China has rejected criticism of its COVID data. Travellers walk with their luggage at Beijing Capital International Airport, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Beijing, China, on 27th December, […]
Benedict aide’s tell-all book will expose “dark maneuvers”
Vatican CityAP Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s longtime personal secretary has written a tell-all book that his publisher on Monday promised would tell the truth about the “blatant calumnies,” “dark maneuvers,” mysteries and scandals that sullied the reputation of a pontiff best known for his historic resignation. Archbishop Georg Gaenswein’s Nothing but the Truth: My Life […]
Bodies of 28 men found shot dead in Burkina Faso – prosecutors
Ouagadougou, Burkina FasoReuters The bodies of 28 men killed by gunfire have been found in the north-western Burkina Faso town of Nouna, prosecutors said on Monday. An investigation has been launched into the killings which were discovered on 30th and 31st December, prosecutors said in a statement that did not provide any details on the […]
Cuban influx forces US Park Service to close Florida islands
Reuters The US National Park Service closed Dry Tortugas National Park off the Florida Keys for several days starting on Monday after 300 immigrants had arrived on the islands in recent days, overwhelming first responders. “Like elsewhere in the Florida Keys, the park has recently seen an increase in people arriving by boat from Cuba […]
“Situation worsening”: In Haiti, a crisis of violence, chaos, and cholera goes largely ignored by outside world
BOB SMIETANA, of Religion News Service reports that charities do what they can to help the impoverished nation, but international action is needed to bring order and restore infrastructure, experts on the ground say…