Los Angeles wildfires devour thousands of homes, death toll rises to 10
Updated: 6:10pm (AEDT) Los Angeles, US Reuters Two massive wildfires menacing Los Angeles from the east and west devoured nearly 10,000 homes and other structures, burning into a third night on Thursday even as the fierce winds eased and gave firefighters a welcome but temporary respite. The Palisades fire between Santa Monica and Malibu on […]
Last year – 2024 – was the first year above 1.5 degrees of global warming, scientists say
Brussels, Belgium Reuters The world just experienced the first full year in which global temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, scientists said on Friday. The milestone was confirmed by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which said climate change is pushing the planet’s temperature to levels never before experienced by modern […]
Snapshot: Cable car, Mürren, Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
See LEILA AZEVEDO’s image…
As Panama remembers bloody past, a message for Trump: the canal is ours
Panama City, Panama Reuters Hundreds of Panamanians marched on Thursday to mark the anniversary of a deadly uprising against US control of the Panama Canal in 1964, with some protesters burning an effigy of President-elect Donald Trump who has threatened to retake the vital global waterway. More than 20 Panamanians, many of them students, died […]
South Korea’s Yoon to accept court decision even if it ends presidency, lawyer says
Seoul, South Korea Reuters South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will accept the decision of the Constitutional Court that is trying parliament’s impeachment case against him, even if it decides to remove the suspended leader from office, his lawyer said on Thursday. “So if the decision is ‘removal’, it cannot but be accepted,” Yoon’s lawyer […]
Chad investigates foiled attempt to storm presidential compound
N’Djamena, Chad Reuters A foiled attack on Chad’s presidential compound overnight was carried out by a group of two dozen armed “ill-intentioned individuals” who were neutralised by security forces, the public prosecutor said on Thursday, though details of the incident remained unclear. Bursts of gunfire rang out near the president’s office in the capital N’Djamena […]
Four dead in shelling incidents in Ukraine, officials say
Reuters Four people were killed on Thursday in instances of shelling in Ukraine, one blamed on Russia’s military, the other on Ukrainian forces, regional officials said. In Donetsk region, the focal point of Russia’s slow advance westward along the front line, regional Governor Vadym Filaskhin said on Telegram that two people were killed when Russian […]
Lebanon’s army chief elected President, showing weakened Hezbollah
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Lebanon’s parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who has US support and showing the weakened sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel. In a speech to the chamber, Aoun, 60, vowed to work to ensure […]
Austria’s far-right led coalition talks set to begin, thousands protest
Vienna, Austria Reuters Talks to form a coalition government led by Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) will begin on Friday, the party said on Thursday, as thousands protested in Vienna against the prospect of the country’s first FPO-led government. The eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO won September’s parliamentary election with around 29 per cent of the vote […]
California’s wildfires: Congregations vow to help neighbours even as their buildings are lost to fires
A synagogue, a mosque, a Catholic parish and at least seven Protestant churches are among the buildings destroyed by the wildfires raging in California. BOB SMIETANA, of Religion News Service, reports…