Russia denies reports of Ukrainian breakthroughs along front lines
Reuters Russia’s defence ministry on Thursday denied reports that Ukrainian forces had broken through in various places along the front lines and said the military situation was under control. Moscow reacted after Russian military bloggers, writing on the Telegram messaging app, reported what they said were Ukrainian advances north and south of the eastern Ukrainian […]
Pope urges countries to manage migrant waves, expand legal channels; recognises 21 Copts beheaded by Islamic State as martyrs
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis appealed to countries on Thursday to manage waves of migrants as best they can and to expand channels for their safe and regular movement, as the United States grapples with a surge of new arrivals at its southern border. Pope Francis and Pope Tawadros II, the 118th Pope of the […]
Haiti conflict puts over 100,000 kids at risk of starving to death, UN says
Port-au-Prince, Haiti Reuters More than 115,600 children in Haiti are expected to suffer severe wasting from malnutrition this year, the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF said on Thursday, as an escalation of armed violence worsens food insecurity and a cholera outbreak. That number is more than 30 per cent higher than the 87,500 children UNICEF […]
Campaigns against Indigenous referendum gather strength in Australia
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Two Australian Indigenous leaders opposed to a proposal to constitutionally recognise the Aboriginal and Torres Island people joined forces on Thursday in an effort to strengthen their campaign ahead of a referendum later this year. A group led by Warren Mundine, a former Labor Party national president who is Indigenous, and a group […]
Number of internally displaced people hits record due to war, climate change
Geneva, Switzerland Reuters The number of internally displaced people reached a record 71.1 million worldwide last year due to conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and climate calamities like the monsoon floods in Pakistan, according to data published on Thursday. The Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre said that figure represented a 20 per cent […]
Significant Sights: New Orleans Museum Of Art a hub for Christian art
CLEMENTE LISI, of Religion Unplugged, visits one of the US’ best museums for seeing Christian art…
Border crossings top 10,000 daily as migrants seek US entry before Title 42 ends
San Diego/Washington DC Reuters Thousands of migrants are crossing into the United States this week before a new regulation takes effect that could bar most who cross illegally from seeking asylum, while others gathered on the Mexico side amid confusion about US policy. The US rolled out a regulation on Wednesday that presumes most migrants are […]
Kremlin calls Polish decision to rename Kaliningrad “hostile act”
Reuters The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Poland’s decision to rename the Russian city of Kaliningrad in its official documents was a “hostile act”, as ties continue to fray over the Ukraine war. Kaliningrad, which sits in an exclave that is sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland on the Baltic coast, was known by the German […]
Myanmar makes no progress on peace; ASEAN needs unity – Indonesia
Abuan Bajo, Indonesia Reuters Myanmar’s ruling military has made no meaningful progress on implementing a peace plan agreed with ASEAN two years ago and the bloc must show unity in deciding how to address the escalating crisis, Indonesia’s president said on Thursday. Joko Widodo, who is chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this […]
Building homes: Why Habitat for Humanity’s “theology of the hammer” offers hope in polarised times
For nearly five decades, Habitat for Humanity has inspired people from different backgrounds — who often can’t agree on anything — to work together for their neighbours’ benefit. BOB SMIETANA, of Religion News Service, reports…