Cyclone Mocha floods Myanmar port city, sparing major refugee camps
Dhaka, BangladeshReuters Storm surges whipped up by a powerful cyclone moving inland from the Bay of Bengal inundated the Myanmar port city of Sittwe on Saturday, but largely spared a densely-populated cluster of refugee camps in low-lying neighbouring Bangladesh. Some 400,000 people were evacuated in Myanmar and Bangladesh ahead of Cyclone Mocha making landfall, as […]
Zelenskiy in Berlin: we can make Russia’s defeat “irreversible”
Kyiv, Ukraine/Berlin, GermanyReuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday Kyiv and its allies could make a Russian defeat “irreversible” as early as this year as he secured a bumper new military package on a trip to Germany. The visit formed part of a whirlwind weekend tour of several key European allies to drum up […]
Khartoum under bombardment as Sudan’s rivals talk
Khartoum, SudanReuters Shelling and air strikes pounded parts of Sudan’s capital on Sunday with little sign that warring military factions were ready to back down in a month-long conflict that has killed hundreds despite ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia. Khartoum and the adjoining cities of Bahri and Omdurman across the Nile’s two branches have been […]
Powerful cyclone barrels towards Myanmar, Bangladesh; 400,000 evacuated
Dhaka, Bangladesh Reuters A powerful storm closed in on the coasts of Bangladesh and Myanmar on Sunday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people to safer locations, many from frail homes in low-lying areas. Cyclone Mocha, packing winds of up to 210 kph, could bring sea surges of up to four metres affecting […]
Christian non-profit punished for feeding homeless people in California city gets federal backing
Santa Ana, California AP The US Department of Justice has lent its support to a religious non-profit that was penalised and threatened with criminal prosecution by the Southern California city of Santa Ana for feeding homeless people. A lawsuit by Micah’s Way claims Santa Ana infringed on the nonprofit’s right to religious exercise when the […]
Filipino priest on mission in Europe to halt fossil fuel financing
Frankfurt, Germany/Manila, The PhilippinesReuters A Filipino priest is touring top European banks to demand they curtail ties with companies behind new fossil fuel projects in a region of his home country that is rich in fish and coral. But he is leaving his meetings with bankers feeling frustrated. The priest, Edwin Gariguez, and the environmentalists […]
Europe could see record numbers trying to reach its borders this year, agency says
Warsaw, PolandReuters The European Union could see another record number of people seeking to reach its borders this year via irregular crossings, with more migrants driven by poverty and climate change rather than conflict, the EU’s Frontex border agency said on Friday. Frontex reported some 330,000 unauthorised arrivals via all routes last year, the highest […]
Church schism: Communities torn as Ukraine turns its back on Moscow-linked church
MAX HUNDER, of Reuters, reports on the impact on communities as authorities crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church…
Kenya cult death toll hits 200, with more than 600 reported missing
Nairobi, Kenya AP The death toll linked to a doomsday cult in Kenya hit 201 Saturday after police exhumed 22 more bodies, most of them bearing signs of starvation, according to the coast Regional Commissioner. The bodies are believed to be those of followers of a pastor based in coastal Kenya, Paul Mackenzie. He’s alleged […]
Pakistan PM orders those involved in violence tracked down and arrested
Karachi, Pakistan Reuters Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday gave authorities 72 hours to identify and arrest all those involved in violent acts after former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest this week sparked deadly unrest. Sharif said the cases would be tried by anti-terrorism courts. “All available resources including technological aid and intelligence are […]