China urges largest nuclear states to negotiate a ‘no-first-use’ treaty
Beijing, China Reuters States with the largest nuclear arsenals should negotiate a treaty on no-first-use of nuclear weapons against each other or make a political statement in this regard, the Chinese foreign ministry’s arms control department said. Director general of the department, Sun Xiaobo, called on nuclear states to fulfil their “special and priority responsibilities” […]
With lives shattered by war, Ukrainian teens build new dreams
Gdansk, Poland Reuters Two years ago, Ukrainian teenagers were busy with friendships, falling in love and trying out new things, just like their peers in other countries. But plans and dreams were quickly shattered by the Russian invasion that began on 24th February, 2022, forcing many young people to flee their homes, friends and schools […]
StrangeSights: A new era of ‘panda diplomacy’; ‘Bobi’ posthumously loses “oldest dog” title; and, the inaugural ‘Florida Man Games’…
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Sprawling queues for subsidised rice highlight plight of Indonesia’s poor
Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters In the afternoon sun, dozens of Indonesians, mostly women, gather in a snaking queue to buy bags of subsidised rice, their arms poking through a metal gate to grab tickets assuring them a spot to make a purchase. The temporary bazaar run by state food procurement agency Bulog in the city of […]
In the US, Calvin University President Wiebe Boer resigns after misconduct complaint
United States RNS The president of a prominent evangelical university has resigned after admitting he engaged in inappropriate communication with a member of the campus community. In a statement on Monday, the Calvin University Board of Trustees said it had received a report alleging President Wiebe Boer “engaged in unwelcome and inappropriate communication and attention […]
G20’s legitimacy depends on treatment of world’s poorest, UNDP chief says
Sao Paulo, Brazil Reuters The legitimacy of the Group of 20 economic powers depends on its impact on the world’s poorest people, not just controlling inflation, the head of the United Nations Development Programme said on Tuesday. Finance ministers from the G20 are meeting in Brazil this week with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva […]
One quarter of Gaza’s people one step away from famine, UN says
United Nations Reuters At least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip – one quarter of the population – are one step away from famine, a senior UN aid official told the Security Council on Tuesday, warning that widespread famine could be “almost inevitable” without action. “Very little will be possible while hostilities continue and while […]
Greeks strike to mark train crash anniversary, protest low wages
Athens, Greece Reuters Rail services will be halted and ships will remain docked at ports near the capital Athens on Wednesday, as workers walk off the job to mark the anniversary of the country’s deadliest train crash. A passenger train from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki collided head-on with a freight train on […]
“We have a problem”: Surging cocaine violence has Uruguay clamouring for DEA help
GABRIEL STARGARDTER and LUCINDA ELLIOTT, of Reuters, report…
Gaza residents fear possible truce would only pause, not stop, the war
Rafah, Egypt, Gaza Strip Reuters Homeless, hungry Palestinians fearing an Israeli assault on their last relatively safe haven in Gaza said they were desperate for a lasting ceasefire as the United States said a temporary truce could be agreed soon. A proposed deal from the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early […]