Vietnam appoints top policeman as country’s new President
Hanoi, Vietnam Reuters Vietnam’s parliament elected police minister To Lam as the state president on Wednesday, in a move analysts see as a “stepping stone” for Lam to bid later for the position of chief of the ruling Communist Party, the country’s top job. Lam’s election followed the appointment on Monday by Vietnam’s National Assembly […]
Taiwan watches Vatican-China ties, says China violated deal on bishops
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Taiwan is paying close attention to interactions between the Vatican and China, the island’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday, adding that China had “repeatedly violated” a 2018 agreement on the appointment of bishops. The Vatican, which only has formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, would like to establish a permanent office in China, […]
New Caledonia protesters, police spar ahead of Macron visit
Reuters Protesters and a thousand French police reinforcements were playing a “game of cat and mouse” in New Caledonia, an independence group said on Wednesday, ahead of the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron after the worst riots in 40 years. Macron is due to land in the French overseas territory in the Pacific on […]
UK fast-tracks payments for blood scandal victims before full compensation
London, UK Reuters Britain said on Tuesday some victims of a contaminated blood scandal would receive interim payments of £210,000 each before a scheme to pay “comprehensive compensation” is up and running, ideally by the end of the year. More than 30,000 people contracted hepatitis and HIV from infected blood and blood products in the […]
StrangeSights: Remote Indian family gets its own polling station; Japan community blocks Mt Fuji view; and, misbehaviour contained, Dublin-NYC portal reopens…
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Thousands protest against contentious Taiwan parliament reforms
Taipei, Taiwan Reuters Thousands of people thronged the streets around Taiwan’s parliament on Tuesday, protesting against measures to give lawmakers more oversight over the government, pushed by opposition parties over the ruling party’s objections. The protests outside parliament, and a raucous session inside, demonstrated the febrile political atmosphere facing new President Lai Ching-te a day […]
A US Christian group allows Sunday morning access to a New Jersey beach it closed to honour God
Ocean Grove, New Jersey, US AP A Christian religious group that has closed its beaches on Sunday mornings for generations to honour God is relenting temporarily, allowing beachgoers onto the sand while it fights a court case with New Jersey over whose rules are paramount. The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, a Methodist group that […]
Gunmen kill 40 in north-central Nigeria attack
Maiduguri, Nigeria Reuters At least 40 people were killed and many others wounded in an attack by gunmen on Zurak village in Nigeria’s north-central Plateau state, where clashes between herders and farmers are rife, the police and residents said on Tuesday. Plateau police spokesperson Alfred Alabo said armed men, often referred to locally as bandits, […]
Europe sets benchmark for rest of the world with landmark AI laws
Brussels, Belgium Reuters Europe’s landmark rules on artificial intelligence will enter into force next month after EU countries endorsed on Tuesday a political deal reached in December, setting a potential global benchmark for a technology used in business and everyday life. The European Union’s AI Act is more comprehensive than the United States’ light-touch voluntary […]
Burn it down?
Author Michael Meade said something like, “If a young person is not initiated into the warmth of their culture, they will burn their culture down just to experience warmth.” PICTURE: Guido Jansen/Unsplash This goes a long way to explain the current youth crime wave we are experiencing – we have lots of unloved young people […]