Pope Francis, 87, takes climate message to South-East Asia on 12-day trip
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis leaves on Monday for a visit to four island nations across South-East Asia, an ambitious trip to urge global action on climate change that may test the strength of the 87-year-old head of the global Catholic Church. Over 12 days from 2nd to 13th September, Francis will travel nearly 33,000 […]
London unveils design of city’s first memorial to victims of transatlantic slavery
London, UK Reuters London is set to have its first memorial to victims of transatlantic slavery, with the mayor’s office announcing late last week the design of a long-awaited monument seen by advocates as a step towards confronting the past and its legacies. An artistic illustration shows Khaleb Brooks’ ‘The Wake], which is set to be […]
South Korea to ask Telegram, other social media firms to help tackle digital sex crimes
Seoul, South Korea Reuters South Korean authorities called on Telegram and other social media platforms on Wednesday to work together with them in deleting and blocking sexually explicit deepfake content, seeking to appease public and political outrage over the problem. The steps follow reports by several domestic media outlets that sexually explicit deepfake images and […]
Typhoon Shanshan makes landfall in Japan, killing three and snarling air traffic
Tokyo, Japan Reuters At least three people were killed in south-western Japan on Thursday as Typhoon Shanshan made landfall in Kagoshima prefecture, bringing heavy rain and very strong winds as well as snarling air traffic and knocking out power to over a quarter million households. Major automakers including Toyota and Nissan suspended operations in some […]
Canada wildfires last year released more carbon than several countries
Reuters Wildfires that swept Canada’s woodlands last year released more greenhouse gases than some of the largest emitting countries, a study found on Wednesday, calling into question national emissions budgets that rely on forests to be carbon stores. At 647 megatonnes, the carbon released in last year’s wildfires exceeded those of seven of the ten […]
FBI says gunman spent months seeking a target, then settled on Trump
Washington DC, US Reuters The gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump mounted a “sustained, detailed effort” to attack a major gathering of some sort before deciding to target the Republican presidential candidate at a Pennsylvania rally in July, FBI officials said on Wednesday. FBI officials said Thomas Crooks, 20, searched more than 60 times […]
UK’s Starmer calls for European cooperation to tackle far right
Berlin, Germany Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed concern at the growing threat from far-right groups in the United Kingdom and called on progressive political parties across Europe to work together to deal with the shared challenge. Britain was hit by anti-immigrant riots earlier this month after a deadly knife attack on a children’s […]
Space troubles: Astronauts’ plight piles pressure on Boeing’s struggling space unit
JOEY ROULETTE, of Reuters, reports on questions concerning the future of Boeing’s space business…
Harris-Walz campaign hires Rev Jen Butler, longtime activist, to lead faith outreach
United States RNS Vice President Kamala Harris has hired Rev Jen Butler, a Presbyterian minister and well-known liberal religious advocate, as the new head of faith outreach for the Harris-Walz campaign, charging the experienced activist with overseeing efforts to court a range of religious voters. Butler, whose official title is national faith engagement director, told […]
Essay: The Taliban’s harsh new ‘vice and virtue’ laws are a throwback to the oppression of the 1990s – especially for the women of Afghanistan
KAMBAIZ RAFI, of Durham University, looks at the context surrounding the recent announcement of new “vice and virtue” laws targeting women in Afghanistan…