Survivors of mass kidnapping in Mexico recount ‘terrifying’ experience
Monterrey, Mexico Reuters Honduran migrant Noel Castillo heard a volley of shots just after 7:30pm in late December as he and his family traveled on a highway in northern Mexico. Through the window, he saw trucks swarm around the bus, trapping them from all sides. “We couldn’t believe what was happening; there was so much […]
Snapshot: Near Kegeti, Kyrgyzstan
See BOBBY RAHE’s image…
Queen Margrethe II, Denmark’s uniting figure, set to step down from throne
Copenhagen, DenmarkReuters During her 52-year reign Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II has become a uniting figure for Danes, inspiring broad support for the monarchy at a time when royals across Europe sometimes struggle to stay relevant in modern society. The Queen, 83, who became the longest-serving monarch in Europe after Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II died in […]
Quiet streets, fuel lines follow declaration of emergency in Papua New Guinea
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Soldiers and police patrolled the quiet streets of Port Moresby on Friday morning as people joined long lines for fuel a day after Papua New Guinea declared a state of emergency in response to a massive outbreak of rioting and violence. Prime Minister James Marape declared a 14-day state of emergency late on […]
Argentina’s Milei, in change of tone, invites Pope Francis to visit homeland
Reuters Argentine President Javier Milei has invited Pope Francis to visit his home country, appearing to extend an olive branch after attacking the Catholic leader in recent years and in a bid to shore up support for reforms the libertarian has proposed to Congress. Milei had called the Pope everything from an “imbecile” to the […]
Trump tangles with judge as New York civil fraud trial wraps up
New York, USReuters Donald Trump on Thursday accused the New York judge in his civil fraud trial of “having your own agenda” – and the judge told his lawyer to control his client – as a months-long case that could hobble the former US President’s business empire came to an end. During a contentious final […]
Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says a ceasefire would only benefit Russia
Vilnius, Lithuania Reuters Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that a ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine would not lead to political dialogue, and would only benefit Moscow. Speaking to reporters in the Estonian capital Tallinn during a wider tour of the Baltic region, Zelenskiy said any pause would risk allowing Russia to re-group […]
US, Britain carry out strikes against Houthis in Yemen, officials say
Updated: 1:40pm (AEDT)Washington DC, USReuters The United States and Britain launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a dramatic regional widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. As witnesses in Yemen confirmed explosions throughout the country to […]
Taiwan election: Bridge dilemma captures divide over China
SARAH WU, of Reuters, reports from the Taiwaese island of Kinmen ahead of this weekend’s election…
Africa’s Catholic hierarchy refuses same-sex blessings, says such unions are contrary to God’s will
Vatican CityAP In the greatest rebuke yet to Pope Francis, the Catholic bishops of Africa and Madagascar issued a unified statement Thursday refusing to follow his declaration allowing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples and asserting that such unions are “contrary to the will of God.” The statement, signed by Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo […]