Ukraine under full-scale attack; West unites to sanction Russia
Kyiv/Mariupol, UkraineReuters Ukrainian forces battled Russian invaders on three sides on Thursday after Moscow mounted an assault by land, sea and air in the biggest attack on a European state since World War II, prompting tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. After Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war in a pre-dawn televised […]
“Just give us our money”: Taliban push to unlock Afghan billions abroad
Frankfurt, GermanyReuters Afghanistan’s Taliban government is pressing for the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves as the drought-stricken nation faces a cash crunch, mass starvation and a new migration crisis. Afghanistan parked billions of dollars in assets overseas with the US Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe, but that money […]
43 countries criticise China at UN for repression of Uighurs
United NationsAP More than 40 mainly Western countries criticised China at a UN meeting on Thursday for the reported torture and repression of Uighurs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, keeping a spotlight on the region where foreign governments and researchers say an estimated one million people or more have been confined in […]
World should send pledged aid to Afghans to avert economic, refugee crisis – UNHCR
Islamabad, PakistanReuters The world should urgently provide promised aid to Afghanistan, the UN refugee agency said on the weekend, warning that a lack of resources is hampering efforts to avert an economic crisis that could push fresh flows of refugees to its neighbours and beyond. “The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan remains really dire,” Babar Baloch, […]
Cash airlifts planned to bypass Taliban and help Afghans – sources
Brussels, Belgium/Frankfurt, Germany/Washington DC, US Reuters As desperate Afghans resort to selling their belongings to buy food, international officials are preparing to fly in cash for the needy while avoiding financing the Taliban government, according to people familiar with the confidential plans. Planning for the cash airlifts is going ahead against the background of a […]
Last US forces leave Afghanistan after almost 20 years
Updated: 8.45am (AEST)Washington DC, USReuters The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan on Monday, ending 20 years of war that culminated in the militant Taliban’s return to power. Washington and its NATO allies were forced into a hasty exit. Following a chaotic evacuation, they leave behind thousands of Afghans who helped […]
US on alert for further Kabul attacks in race to complete evacuations
Reuters US forces helping evacuate Afghans desperate to flee Taliban rule were on alert for more attacks on Friday after an Islamic State suicide bombing outside Kabul airport killed at least 92 people, including 13 US service members. The White House said the next few days of an ongoing US evacuation operation that the Pentagon […]
Cardinal calls for political leaders to “act according to conscience” on Afghanistan; Pope Francis sends financial aid to Haiti, Bangladesh and Vietnam
Vatican CityRNS From Haiti to Afghanistan, the Catholic Church sought to address global crises this week through financial and humanitarian aid, as well as heartfelt appeals for political leaders “to act according to conscience”. Since the Taliban rose to power in mid-August and sent Afghanistan spiraling into chaos, thousands of Afghan citizens have attempted to […]
Quick facts: Evacuations from Afghanistan by country
Reuters Western nations are scrambling to get diplomats, civilians and eligible Afghans out of Kabul as the Taliban make first efforts to set up a government after their lightning sweep into the capital. About 5,000 diplomats, security staff, aid workers and Afghans have been evacuated in the last 24 hours, a Western official told Reuters […]
Essay: Five reasons global persecution should matter to Christians in Australia
As Open Doors releases its annual World Watch List of countries where Christian persecution is greatest, MURRAY NOBLE, a leading researcher at Open Doors Australia, outlines why Christians in the West – and in Australia in particular – should care about the persecuted church…