In New Zealand, Cyclone Gabrielle death toll rises to five as recovery starts
Wellington, New Zealand Reuters Recovery efforts continue in New Zealand Thursday after Cyclone Gabrielle caused havoc across the North Island leaving at least five people dead, displacing 9,000 and causing significant damage. Gabrielle, which reached New Zealand on Sunday before making its way down the east coast of the North Island, cut off entire towns, […]
Postcards: Why students at a Kentucky Christian school are praying and singing round the clock
BOB SMIETANA, of Religion News Service, reports that students have packed the chapel and overflow spaces at Asbury University for nearly a week, holding round-the-clock prayer and worship…
Trailblazing Episcopal priest Pauli Murray to be featured on US quarters
United StatesRNS The first Black woman to be ordained in the Episcopal Church, who was also a trailblazing lawyer, civil rights activist and writer, will be honoured on the US quarter next year. Pauli Murray, whose 1977 ordination to the priesthood was just one in a long series of firsts, has been chosen by the […]
Russia declares battlefield gains as Ukraine urges faster military aid
Kyiv, UkraineReuters Russia said on Wednesday it had broken through two of Ukraine’s fortified defence lines in the east and Kyiv spoke of relentless Russian attacks making it “difficult for us”, as Western allies announced more military aid for Kyiv including artillery rounds. Bolstered by tens of thousands of reservists drafted in December after months […]
Nicola Sturgeon quits to let new leader build case for Scottish independence
London, UKReuters Nicola Sturgeon resigned as Scottish First Minister on Wednesday, saying her dominance over her party and the country was no longer the asset it once was in the fight for an independent Scotland. In power since 2014, she said she had become too divisive – and too tired – to reach across the […]
At least 39 migrants die in bus crash off Panama cliff; dozens of migrants missing off Libyan coast
Panama City Reuters At least 39 have died in Panama after a bus carrying more than 60 migrants fell off a cliff early on Wednesday, the country’s migration authorities said, marking the worst migration accident in the Central American country’s history. The bus, carrying migrants who had travelled through the Darien Gap, a dangerous stretch […]
Three women, two children pulled from rubble in Turkey, some aid reaches Syria
Kahramanmaras, Turkey/Jandaris, SyriaReuters Two women were pulled from the rubble in Turkey’s southern city of Kahramanmaras and a mother and two children were rescued from the city of Antakya on Wednesday, as rescue efforts shifted to getting relief to survivors nine days after a deadly earthquake. Rescuers could be seen applauding and embracing each other […]
In “miracle” escape from earthquake, Syrian woman rescues children and bag of memories
Jableh, Syria Reuters When she felt the first tremors of the earthquake which hit Syria and Turkey last week, Um Kanan woke her three children and rushed them to a small closet in her bedroom for shelter, along with a collection of family photos and documents. The force of the quake brought their fourth floor […]
Dutch host first summit on ‘responsible’ use of AI in the military
Amsterdam, The NetherlandsReuters Delegations from both the United States and China are set to attend a summit on the “responsible” use of artificial intelligence in the military this week in the Netherlands, the first of its kind. Though it is not clear the 50 countries attending will agree to endorse even a weak statement of […]
StrangeSights: Winter swimming for “walruses”; and, robot cooking…
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…