South African police in standoff with hundreds of illegal miners in disused shaft
Johannesburg, South Africa Reuters South African police were in a standoff on Thursday with hundreds of illegal miners believed to be underground in a disused shaft, a day after a cabinet minister said the government was trying to “smoke them out”. Police have been trying for weeks to empty the abandoned gold mine in the […]
Snapshot: Colourful neighbourhoods in Bogota, Colombia
See the RANDOM INSTITUTE’s image…
Thousands protest in Vilnius against government party whose leader is on trial for antisemitism
Vilnius, Lithuania Reuters More than 5,000 people protested next to the Lithuanian parliament on Thursday against election winners the Social Democrats entering into a parliamentary coalition with a party whose leader is on trial accused of antisemitic statements. The Social Democrats took control of 86 seats in the 141-member parliament after forming a coalition with […]
Senegal heads to the polls amid fiscal crisis, threat of unrest
Dakar, Senegal Reuters Senegal will vote in legislative elections on Sunday that will determine whether the new president and government can gain control over the national assembly and push through their agenda for reforms. The high stakes in the election are threatening to spark renewed unrest following a period of calm. The run-up to the […]
Notre Dame’s restoration surplus of nearly $US150 million will be used for future preservation
Paris, France AP More than five years after the devastating fire ravaged Notre Dame, igniting nearly $US1 billion in pledged donations within days, restoration chief Philippe Jost says €140 million (around $US148 million) still remains from the funds as the cathedral prepares to reopen next month. The surplus, sourced from both billionaire benefactors and countless […]
Haiti gangs push into one of few remaining capital strongholds
Port-au-Prince, Haiti Reuters Residents of Solino and Nazon, central neighbourhoods in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, fled their homes on Thursday as gangs spread to one of the few remaining areas of town not already under their control. A coalition of gangs known as Viv Ansanm has been cementing their hold over the country while the political […]
Russian attack on Ukraine’s Kupiansk steps up pressure on north-east front
Kyiv, Ukraine Reuters A small Russian assault group briefly broke through to the outskirts of Ukraine’s north-eastern city of Kupiansk for the first time since Moscow’s forces fled in September, 2022, officials said, in a sign of mounting pressure on the outpost. Moscow’s forces, including soldiers disguised as Ukrainian troops, attacked in four waves on […]
Brazil judge says suicide bomber wanted to blow up Supreme Court
Brasilia, Brazil Reuters Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes said on Thursday that the suicide bomber who tried to get into the top court on Wednesday had intended to blow up the building, casting it as part of a growing wave of attacks on democracy. The explosions outside the court and in a nearby […]
Back in office: What evangelicals say they want from a second Trump term
“Our people were elated, for the most part, over the election results,” said Robert Jeffress, a Southern Baptist pastor. JACK JENKINS, of Religion News Service, reports…
Bishops and bankers meet to help Catholics seeking to ethically invest
Vatican City RNS Religious communities are increasingly seeking to invest in companies that match their faith values and ethical concerns, but experts say the financial market lags in providing the appropriate options. A conference in London on Monday and Tuesday sought to bridge that gap by bringing together financial service industry experts with Anglican and […]