UN: Iraq Christians were victims of Islamic State war crimes
United NationsAP Evidence collected in Iraq strengthens preliminary findings that Islamic State extremists committed crimes against humanity and war crimes against the Christian community after it seized about a third of the country in 2014, a UN investigative team said in a report circulated Thursday. The report to the UN Security Council said crimes included […]
Pope: migrant deaths “unacceptable and almost always avoidable”
Rome, Italy Reuters Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean are “unacceptable and almost always avoidable,” Pope Francis said on Friday, renewing a call for policymakers across the region to address the issue in a manner “beneficial to all.” The 85-year-old pontiff, son of Italian immigrants to Argentina, often speaks up for the rights of migrants, and […]
Ukraine to prepare law banning churches ‘affiliated’ with Russia
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters The Ukrainian Government will draw up a law banning churches affiliated with Russia under moves described by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as necessary to prevent Moscow being able to “weaken Ukraine from within.” In a move condemned in Moscow, Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council told the government to draft the law following […]
Biden not intending to speak to Putin until conditions for talks exist
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters US President Joe Biden is not intending to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin right now, the White House said on Friday, a day after Biden said he was willing to talk if Putin were looking for a way to end the war. Speaking after a meeting on Thursday at the White […]
On the Screen: ‘I Heard The Bells’ rings out a story of hope at Christmas
DAVID ADAMS watches the story behind US poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s carol…
Colombia faces very large challenge to stop “endemic violence” – Amnesty
Bogota, Colombia Reuters Colombia’s government faces big challenges in stemming endemic violence, advocacy group Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard said, while calling for an end to impunity for sexual violence meted out by security forces during protests in 2021. Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the first leftist to lead the country, took control in August. […]
Snapshot: Ganvie, Benin
See IWARIA Inc’s image…
Myanmar democracy leader says 2,000 dead fighting junta, urges military aid
Bangkok, Thailand Reuters At least 2,000 pro-democracy fighters have been killed in Myanmar battling a military junta that seized power last year, the head of a parallel civilian government said in an interview aired on Thursday, urging allies to provide military aid. Duwa Lashi La, acting president of the National Unity Government, comprised of remnants […]
Giving to larger churches in the US dropped last year, even as charitable donations rose – report
United States RNS An annual report on giving to US evangelical Christian non-profits, including churches and other ministries, found that giving to the United States’ largest churches fell by more than 6.6 per cent in 2021, despite a rise of four per cent last year in charitable giving nationwide. New donors and large donations were especially hard […]
Nature needs $US384 billion annually by 2025, UN says
New York, US Reuters Investments into protecting and better managing the world’s ecosystems need to reach $US384 billion a year by 2025, more than double their current levels, to guard against the threats of climate change and loss of natural resources, the UN’s environment watchdog said on Thursday. The calculation will inform a biodiversity summit […]