Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes effect, civilians head back to south Lebanon
Washington DC, US/Beirut, Lebanon/Jerusalem Reuters A ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah came into effect at 0200 GMT on Wednesday after US President Joe Biden said both sides accepted an agreement brokered by the United States and France. Bursts of gunfire could be heard across Beirut after the ceasefire took effect. It was not […]
Books: ‘Juice’ a “hauntingly prescient” novel of a future possibility
CHRISTOPHER GILBERT read’s the new dystopian novel from Australian author Tim Winton…
Trump tariffs would harm all involved, US trade partners say
Reuters Officials from Mexico, Canada and China and major industry groups warned that US President-elect Donald Trump’s threat of hefty tariffs on goods would harm the economies of all involved, cause inflation to spike and damage job markets. Trump’s pledge announced on Monday roiled currency, bond and equity markets on Tuesday, as the three countries […]
StrangeSights: World’s oldest man dies at 112; Biden pardons his last turkey; and, new records for paper rockets and ball control
DAVID ADAMS provides a round-up of some stories on the odder side of life…
Analysis – New mpox vaccines for Congo’s children held up by old problem
London, UK/Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Reuters Adults started getting vaccinations against mpox in Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital this week. But there were no shots available for children, the most vulnerable group, after a key dose donation was held back by an old legal hurdle. Japan pledged in September to donate three million doses […]
Vatican to consider classifying “spiritual abuse” as new Catholic crime
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis has asked the Vatican to study whether the Catholic Church should classify “spiritual abuse” as a new crime in order to address cases where priests use purported mystical experiences as a pretext for harming others. A statement from the Vatican’s doctrinal office announcing the move did not name any specific […]
Australia Senate committee backs bill to ban social media for children
Sydney, Australia Reuters An Australian Senate committee has backed a bill that would ban social media for children under 16 but said social media platforms should not force users to submit personal data such as passport and other digital identification to prove their age. Australia plans to trial an age-verification system that may include biometrics […]
Brazil police report: Bolsonaro directly involved in 2022 coup plot
Brasilia, Brazil Reuters Brazil’s federal police presented evidence to the Supreme Court that former President Jair Bolsonaro was directly involved in plotting a coup to overturn the outcome of the 2022 election he lost, according to an 884-page report unsealed on Tuesday. That final police report, the result of a nearly two-year investigation, lays out […]
UN says Taliban detained journalists over 250 times in Afghanistan since takeover
Reuters The United Nations’ mission to Afghanistan said on Tuesday the ruling Taliban had arbitrarily detained journalists 256 times since their takeover three years ago, and urged authorities there to protect the media. In a reply accompanying the report, the Taliban-led foreign ministry denied having arrested that number of journalists and added that those arrested […]
More than access: Signing church services for the deaf is a work of love – and a willingness to learn the Bible
“One missed sign or one missed concept can prevent others from working out their service salvation on that day,” said Bronte Stewart, who founded an ASL interpretation program at her church in 2014. REINA COULIBALY, in an article first published by Religion News Service, reports…