Essay: King Charles in Kenya – despite past tensions, the visit is a sign of a strong relationship with Britain
Historian POPPY CULLEN looks, in an article first published on The Conversation, says the British monarch’s first visit to a Commonwealth nation will celebrate the relationship between Kenya and the UK – but also acknowledge more painful aspects of their shared history…
More Canadians see monarchy as “outdated” but political risks block change
Ottawa, Canada Reuters A growing number of Canadians do not want a foreign monarch to represent them despite deep historical ties to Britain and affection for the Queen, but risks that come with constitutional reform mean there is little political will for change. Britain colonised Canada beginning in the late 1500s, and the country formally remained part […]
Commonwealth ends summit with call for action on climate change, trade
Kigali, RwandaReuters The newly-expanded Commonwealth made broad commitments on Saturday to address climate change and boost trade, concluding a summit aimed at shoring up the relevance of a group that evolved from the British empire. The club, whose 56 members range from India to the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, covers some 2.5 billion […]
Prince Charles expresses sorrow over slavery in Commonwealth speech
Kigali, Rwanda Reuters Britain’s Prince Charles expressed deep sorrow over slavery in a speech to Commonwealth leaders in Rwanda on Friday and acknowledged that the roots of the organisation lay in a painful period of history. The Commonwealth, a club of 54 countries that evolved from the British Empire, encompasses about a third of humanity […]
Commonwealth leaders meet in Rwanda amid criticism of host’s rights record
Kigali, Rwanda Reuters Commonwealth leaders meet in Kigali on Friday to discuss cooperation on topics from trade to health to climate, against a backdrop of criticism of the host Rwanda’s human rights record and of a British policy to deport asylum seekers there. The Commonwealth, a club of 54 countries most of which are former […]
Know It All: Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee
DAVID ADAMS looks at some facts and figures in relation to this year’s royal celebration…
Tuvalu, sinking in the Pacific, fears becoming a superpower “pawn”
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Tuvalu fears that climate change, an existential threat to the Pacific nation, is being forgotten and it worries that fellow island nations could become “pawns” in a global competition between China and the United States, its foreign minister said. Simon Kofe told Reuters the superpower competition was a concern, distracting attention from climate […]
“Groundbreaking” Lesotho study reveals high cost of domestic violence
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation Countries could save billions of dollars a year by tackling the “disgusting pandemic” of domestic violence, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said as economists estimated the scourge cost the tiny African kingdom of Lesotho 5.5 per cent of GDP. Patricia Scotland said domestic violence burdened health, police and judicial services, led to absenteeism […]
Commonwealth launches training for bystanders to spot domestic abuse
Londom, UKThomson Reuters Foundation From nurses to taxi drivers, people across the Commonwealth will be offered training on how to spot signs of domestic abuse under a plan launched on Friday, aimed at creating a network of skilled bystanders to intervene and support victims. The project aims to reach and train people in positions to […]
Actions speak louder than words, anti-slavery advocates tell Commonwealth
Thomson Reuters Foundation Commonwealth nations must not only denounce modern slavery but take the lead on global efforts to eradicate the trade by 2030 by strengthening laws, working with businesses and protecting women and girls from being enslaved, activists said on Tuesday. Leaders of the 53 country Commonwealth, mostly former British colonies representing 2.4 billion […]