French Catholic Church calls for probe into late priest Abbe Pierre’s alleged sexual abuse
Paris, France Reuters France’s Catholic Church called on prosecutors on Friday to open a probe into sexual assault accusations against the late French priest Abbe Pierre, who was a lifelong campaigner for the poor and homeless, and potential cover-ups of such abuse. Henri-Antoine Groues, better known as Abbe Pierre, was a Roman Catholic priest who […]
US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban, leaving app’s fate to Trump
Washington DC, US Reuters The Supreme Court upheld on Friday a law banning TikTok in the United States on national security grounds if its Chinese parent company ByteDance does not sell it, putting the popular short-video app on track to go dark in just two days. The court’s 9-0 decision throws the social media platform […]
African Christian leaders see common cause with an incoming President Trump
Nairobi, Kenya RNS President-elect Donald Trump has never visited Africa and is known to have made disparaging remarks about the continent. But as Christian leaders look to his inauguration this Monday, they see areas of common cause. Since the November elections, many church leaders have followed Trump’s interactions, public statements and activities. When it comes […]
Biden declares Equal Rights Amendment US law, even though it is not
Washington DC, US Reuters US President Joe Biden called the Equal Rights Amendment “the law of the land”, on Friday, backing an effort to enshrine the change into the US Constitution even though it long ago failed to secure the approval of enough states to become an amendment. “Today, I affirmed the Equal Rights Amendment […]
Thirteen dead in clashes between police and gangs in Brazilian Amazon city
Brasilia, Brazil Reuters Thirteen people have died in gang violence in the past four days in Porto Velho, the capital of Rondonia state in the Brazilian Amazon, where gang members have clashed with police, raising concerns about the growing power of gangs in the region. Eight people were killed in attacks by criminal gangs and […]
Trump the saviour?: Anxious Ukrainians question President’s power to end war
DAN PELESCHUK and MAX HUNDER, of Reuters, report that many Ukrainians have little faith in the incoming US President’s power to swiftly end the war…
Severe cold forces Trump inauguration indoors, first time in 40 years
Washington DC, US Reuters President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will take place inside the US Capitol on Monday rather than outdoors because of severe cold, the first time in 40 years that US presidential inaugural ceremonies will be moved indoors. “There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or […]
Blessings for dogs? Bring them to Mexico City’s cathedral and St Anthony will do the rest
Mexico City AP Behaving at their best, a dozen dogs attended Mass at Mexico City’s cathedral Friday, waiting for their turn to de doused with holy water. The blessing of the animals is a long-time Catholic tradition celebrated on 17th January. On this day, Mexican Catholic congregations and priests welcome pups, cats and the occasional […]
Biden commutes more sentences, this time for 2,500 non-violent drug offenders
Reuters President Joe Biden, who leaves office next week, announced on Friday that he was commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offences, saying he has now issued more individual pardons and commutations than any predecessor. Those benefitting from Friday’s action “are serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they […]
South Sudan imposes curfew after Sudan killings trigger riots
Juba, South Sudan Reuters South Sudan’s police imposed a nationwide curfew from 6pm on Friday after a night of deadly rioting in the capital over the alleged killing of South Sudanese people by the army and allied groups in neighbouring Sudan. In a broadcast on state television, police chief Abraham Peter Manyuat said the curfew […]