First vaccine
Edward Jenner was the 18th century scientist who invented the first real vaccine – for smallpox. A student in Indonesia is being injected with a vaccine. PICTURE: Ed Us/Unsplash It really was a remarkably big deal. Smallpox killed 10 to 20 per cent of the population at the time. Many people have stated that because of his […]
Demining work: How isolating the Afghan Taliban could mean more young landmine victims
CHARLOTTE GREENFIELD and MOHAMMAD YUNUS YAWAR, of Reuters, report on how the mission to clear Afghanistan of landmines has become more difficult as a result of the Taliban’s isolation…
Faith leaders attend White House celebration of gun control law
United States RNS Faith leaders from a wide range of traditions, including those whose houses of worship have been attacked, were at the White House on Monday as members of Congress and other gun control advocates gathered for a White House celebration of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law on 25th June. Pastor […]
Essay: Three reasons for hope that South Sudan can find peace after 11 years of strife
In an article first published on The Conversation, Dr J GENG AKECH, adjunct assistant professor at the University of Juba, outlines why he’s hopeful Sudan will consign its instability and conflict to the past…
Haiti gang violence leaves more than 50 dead, mayor says
Port-au-Prince, HaitiReuters Gun battles between rival gangs have killed more than 50 people since Friday near Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, a local mayor said on Monday, amid a continuing escalation of violence gripping the Caribbean nation. Shootouts between gangs in the impoverished suburb of Cite Soleil have also left more than 100 people wounded, according to […]
Postcards: Floods haunt Belgian town as rebuild seeks to stop repeat disaster
JOANNA GILL, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how flood-hit homes in the town of Limbourg remain empty as authorities consider how to ‘build back better’ to avoid future risks…
EU Parliament urges Vatican to defend human rights in Hong Kong
Vatican City RNS While the Vatican hopes to renew a secretive and controversial deal with China regarding bishops’ appointments, the European Parliament urged the Catholic institution to stand in defence of religious freedom in Hong Kong. The European Parliament called on the Holy See to “strengthen its diplomatic efforts and its leverage on the Chinese […]