China drops “peaceful reunification” reference to Taiwan; raises defence spending by 7.2 per cent
Beijing, China Reuters China will boost its defence spending by 7.2 per cent this year, fuelling a military budget that has more than doubled under Xi Jinping’s decade-plus in office as Beijing hardens its stance on Taiwan, according to official reports on Tuesday. The increase mirrors the rate presented in last year’s budget and comes in above […]
Catholic news site Church Militant agrees to pay $US500,000 in defamation case and is expected to close
United States AP A far-right, unofficial Catholic media website has agreed to pay $US500,000 to a New Hampshire priest who sued for defamation over a 2019 article that it now disavows. The website also is planning to shut down soon, the priest’s attorney says. The apology by Church Militant came after the organisation agreed last […]
As Gaza’s hunger crisis worsens, emaciated children seen at hospitals
Rafah, Gaza Strip Reuters Two Palestinian toddlers with sunken eyes and emaciated faces, one in a yellow cardigan and the other in a stripy top, were lying side by side on a bed in a Gaza clinic, their thin, bony legs protruding from diapers that looked too big for them. This was the scene on […]
UN rights chief says China committing violations in Xinjiang, Tibet
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Monday called on China to implement recommendations to amend laws that violate fundamental rights, including in the Xinjiang and Tibet regions. Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of […]
Vietnamese capital Hanoi tops list of most polluted cities
Hanoi, Vietnam Reuters The streets of Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi were enveloped in thick smog on Monday which dramatically reduced visibility due to air pollution caused by high levels of particulates from vehicle emissions and construction-linked fine dust. Levels of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 in the air in Hanoi were at 187 micrograms […]
In meeting with Israel’s Gantz, US VP Harris presses on Rafah and Gaza aid
Washington DC, US Reuters US Vice President Kamala Harris urged Israel to craft a “credible” humanitarian plan before conducting major military activities in Rafah during a meeting with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz, the White House said on Monday. Harris also pressed Israel to take more measures to get aid into Gaza, reiterating a […]
Don’t tell me what to do
Have you been in a work situation where the young whipper-snapper comes in, and they just can’t be told? Image posed by model. PICTURE: artursfoto/iStockphoto They have their ideas, and your years of experience basically means nothing? You can sum up their attitude with one phrase – “You can’t tell me what to do!” Doesn’t […]
EU leads call for probe into Navalny’s death at UN human rights body
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters A group of more than 40 countries on Monday reiterated calls for Russia to allow an independent international investigation into the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison. The call was made by European Union Ambassador Lotte Knudsen at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on behalf of all […]
Nuns in a time of nones: The winding path to today’s religious vocations
From 2020 to 2022, more than 900 women and men entered religious life. They all took their own, sometimes circuitous routes to get there. PAUL O’DONNELL, of Religion News Service, reports…
Trump wins Colorado ballot disqualification case at US Supreme Court
Washington DC, US Reuters The US Supreme Court handed Donald Trump a major victory on Monday, barring states from disqualifying candidates for federal office under a constitutional provision involving insurrection and reversing Colorado’s exclusion of him from its ballot. The justices unanimously overturned a 19th December decision by Colorado’s top court to kick the former […]