More than 500 migrants rescued off Spain’s Canary Islands
Madrid, SpainReuters More than 500 migrants were rescued in the Atlantic Ocean off Spain’s Canary Islands, the Spanish coastguard said on Saturday, as the number of people arriving on the archipelago so far this year neared an all-time record posted in 2006. The coastguard said they had also found two dead bodies among those rescued […]
Protesters mass outside Israeli PM Netanyahu’s house as anger grows
JerusalemReuters Police held back protesters outside the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, amid widespread anger at the failures that led to last month’s deadly attack by Hamas gunmen on communities around the Gaza Strip. Waving blue and white Israeli flags and chanting “Jail now!”, a crowd in the hundreds pushed through […]
Arab leaders press Blinken for Gaza ceasefire after school blasts
Gaza/Amman, JordanReuters Arab leaders publicly pressed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, hours after Palestinians said an Israeli air strike killed at least 15 people in a UN-run school being used as a shelter. In a rare open display of disagreement, the top US diplomat pushed […]
Rescuers struggle to find Nepal quake survivors as deaths reach 157
Updated: 9am, 5th November, 2023 (AEDT)Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters Rescue workers in Nepal began digging through the rubble of collapsed houses with their bare hands on Saturday, searching for survivors after the country’s worst earthquake in eight years killed 157 people and shook buildings as far away as New Delhi. The quake struck the Jajarkot region […]
El Salvador electoral tribunal green lights Bukele’s re-election bid
San Salvador, El SalvadorReuters El Salvador’s electoral tribunal on Friday approved President Nayib Bukele’s candidacy in next year’s presidential election, where he will seek a second term that would keep him in office until 2029 if reelected. The decision comes a week after the 42-year-old President formally filed paperwork to run for re-election, despite concerns […]
Six killed as ‘unprecedented’ downpours swamp Italy’s Tuscany
Campi Bisenzio, Italy Reuters Six people died and two were missing after rivers burst their banks following torrential overnight rain in the central Italian region of Tuscany, local authorities said on Friday. There had been fears that the River Arno could flood the historic city of Florence after nearby towns were swamped by the southern […]
Catholic groups protest at White House to call for Gaza ceasefire
Washington DC, USRNS Catholic activists hosted a “pray-in” protest outside the White House on Thursday (2nd November), calling on President Joe Biden to advocate for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues its advance into the region in the wake of a Hamas attack. Huddled in a circle near the White House fence, […]
Thailand trying to rescue 162 nationals as tens of thousands flee Myanmar fighting
Bangkok, ThailandReuters Thailand is trying to bring home 162 of its nationals trapped in Myanmar, where tens of thousands of people have been displaced by a surge in clashes between junta troops and ethnic minority insurgents near the border with China, officials said. The effort to rescue Thais from chaos in neighbouring Myanmar comes after […]
“Nothing is lost in peace”: Pope Francis mobilising Vatican diplomats to quell a world war he says has begun
CLAIRE GIANGRAVÉ, of Religion News Service, reports on how Pope Francis and the Vatican are pursuing peace in the globe’s two major conflicts, working through official and unofficial channels…
Beijing bishop to make rare visit to Hong Kong amid broader tensions
Hong KongReuters The Bishop of Beijing will visit Hong Kong later this month, building on a landmark visit to the Chinese capital by his Hong Kong counterpart in April, the Hong Kong Catholic diocese announced on Friday. Diplomats say Bishop Joseph Li Shan’s visit will be closely watched, given tensions in the broader Chinese-Vatican relationship […]