Russia’s Prigozhin buried quietly in hometown of St Petersburg
St Petersburg, Russia Reuters Overbearing in life but discreet in death, Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was buried quietly in a leafy cemetery on the outskirts of St Petersburg on Tuesday, six days after he was killed in an unexplained plane crash. The funeral took place away from the glare of the media and in […]
“Hundreds of thousands” trafficked into South-East Asian scam centres – UN
Bangkok, ThailandReuters Hundreds of thousands of people are being trafficked by criminal gangs and forced to work in scam centres and other illegal online operations that have sprung up across South-East Asia in recent years, the United Nations said in a report on Tuesday. The report cited “credible sources” estimating that at least 120,000 people […]
Pope did not aim to glorify imperialism in remarks on Russian tsars – Vatican
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis did not intend to glorify Russian imperialism when he extolled tsars that expanded the Russian empire, the Vatican said on Tuesday, after remarks last week that were criticised by Ukraine while welcomed by the Kremlin. Francis had told Russian youths in the unscripted remarks on Friday to remember that they are […]
Fighting in Ethiopia’s Amhara kills at least 183, UN says
Geneva, SwitzerlandReuters Fighting between Ethiopia’s military and militiamen in the Amhara region has killed at least 183 people, the UN human rights office said on Tuesday, providing the most comprehensive independent death toll to date of the month-long conflict. More than 1,000 people have been arrested nationwide, many of them reported to be young people […]
Storm Idalia to intensify into major hurricane ahead of Florida landfall
Guanimar, Cuba Reuters Tropical Storm Idalia lashed western Cuba and was expected to strengthen into a major hurricane on Monday as it crawled toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, where officials ordered evacuations and urged residents to prepare for an expected Wednesday landfall. Idalia was churning about 130 kilometres off the western tip of Cuba as it […]
Air pollution now a major risk to life expectancy in South Asia – study
New Delhi, IndiaReuters Rising air pollution can cut life expectancy by more than five years per person in South Asia, one of the world’s most polluted regions, according to a report published on Tuesday which flagged the growing burden of hazardous air on health. The region, which includes the world’s most polluted countries of Bangladesh, […]
White Christians think too many people see racism when it’s not there, new survey finds
United StatesRNS Three years after a national racial reckoning that followed the death of George Floyd – and 60 years after the March on Washington – Americans remain divided on issues of race and discrimination. That’s especially true for religious groups, according to newly released data from the Pew Research Center. In April, Pew asked Americans which was […]
Greece battles Europe’s deadliest fire of the summer for 10th day
Athens, GreeceReuters Hundreds of Greek firefighters were battling a huge blaze on Monday that has killed at least 20 people over the past 10 days, Europe’s deadliest wildfire so far this summer as record-setting heatwaves unleash blazes across the continent. The fire, which began near the city of Alexandroupolis, has raged uncontrolled in north-eastern Greece’s […]
London’s contentious clean air zone extends to entire city
London, UKReuters A London scheme to cut traffic emissions by imposing a daily charge on the most polluting vehicles expanded to the whole of the British capital on Tuesday, despite fierce opposition from those who say it will exacerbate a cost of living crisis. The Ultra Low Emission Zone was introduced in 2019 in a […]
Furore over Spanish soccer kiss grows as prosecutors launch probe against federation chief
Madrid, SpainReuters Spain’s High Court prosecutor on Monday opened a preliminary investigation into whether national soccer chief Luis Rubiales might have committed an act of sexual aggression when he grabbed player Jenni Hermoso and kissed her on the lips after Spain’s victory in the women’s World Cup. A spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said the […]