Cuba turns lights back on in parts of Havana, elsewhere still dark after Ian
Havana, Cuba Reuters Cuba had begun to progressively restore power to the capital Havana by early on Thursday, according to Reuters witnesses and official reports, but vast swaths of the Caribbean island nation still remained in the dark following the passage of Hurricane Ian. Much of the island of 11 million people was entering its […]
New UK coins featuring image of King Charles III revealed; Queen’s death certificate released
London, UK Reuters The first British coins to feature the image of King Charles III have been unveiled by the Royal Mint, with the portrait of the new monarch facing the opposite direction to his late mother Queen Elizabeth II in keeping with tradition. The new image will appear on 50 pence coins, which will […]
Rare 1,000-year-old manuscript returned to Greece from US
Athens, GreeceAP A US museum has returned a valuable 1,000-year-old Christian manuscript to a monastery in northern Greece it was looted from by Bulgarian forces more than a century ago together with hundreds of other documents and artifacts. The 11th century Gospel was formally presented Thursday at the Eikosiphoinissa Monastery, in a ceremony attended by […]
A divided nation: How a Brazilian dune system has become a religious flashpoint in election lead-up
DAVID BILLER, of Associated Press, reports on the fight over the Abaete dune system in Salvador…
In Syria, mounting cholera cases pose threat across frontlines
Idlib/Hasaka, Syria Reuters A cholera outbreak that has claimed at least 29 lives in Syria is posing a danger across the frontlines of the country’s 11-year-long war, stirring fears in crowded camps for the displaced who lack running water or sewage systems. First linked to contaminated water near the Euphrates river, the outbreak has now spread across the […]
Essay: Remembering Brother Andrew, a fearless smuggler of Bibles
DAVID CURRY, president and CEO of Open Doors USA, reflects – in an article first published on Religion News Service – on the life and call of Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors, who died this week…
Updated: Death toll in Florida uncertain as Ian takes aim at Carolinas
Updated: 11:05am (AEST) Venice, Florida, US Reuters Emergency crews tried on Thursday to reach stranded Florida residents as a resurgent Hurricane Ian veered toward the Carolinas after cutting a path of destruction across Florida, leaving behind deadly floodwaters, downed power lines and widespread damage. Ian, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the US […]
Wow!: Bargain hunter scores 700-year-old medieval times document
DAVID SHARP, of Associated Press, reports on a remarkable find at an estate sale in the US state of Maine…
Vatican disciplined Nobel-winning bishop over alleged abuse of minors
Vatican City Reuters The Vatican on Thursday acknowledged that it had secretly disciplined East Timor bishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Carlos Ximenes Belo two years ago, responding to allegations that he sexually abused boys in East Timor decades before. The Vatican acknowledgement came in response to reporters’ questions following an article this week in […]
Following papal reforms, Vatican departments are ready to help local bishops
Vatican City RNS In another step aimed at flipping the Catholic Church’s traditional top-down hierarchy, the Vatican has invited bishops facing immigrant crises in their dioceses to call directly on the church department in Rome charged with dealing with immigration issues – a section Pope Francis heads up personally. The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human […]