Cuba struggles to restore power to millions as night falls
Havana, Cuba Reuters Cuba’s capital Havana plunged into darkness for a second night on Saturday as efforts to restore power proceeded in fits and starts, with setbacks slowing progress and leaving several million still without electricity across the island. Cuba’s grid collapsed on Friday evening after a transmission line at a substation in Havana shorted, […]
Druze religious elders from Syria make historic visit to Israel
Julis, Israel Reuters A delegation of Druze religious elders from Syria crossed into Israel on Friday for the first such visit in more than 50 years, underscoring Israel’s backing for the community amid growing tensions with the new government in Damascus. Around 100 Druze sheikhs from villages on the slope of Mount Hermon in Syria, […]
Explainer – Here’s what you need to know about St Patrick’s Day in the US
New York, US AP If it’s March, and it’s green, it must be St Patrick’s Day. The day honouring the patron saint of Ireland is a global celebration of Irish heritage. And nowhere is that more so than in the United States, where parades take place in cities around the country and all kinds of […]
Landmines imperil camel herders in Yemen
Arib, Yemen Reuters A landmine warning sign in Yemen’s Marib province reminds camel herders that their next step could be their last. After being displaced or confined to smaller areas because of war, the Bedouins hope to reclaim their traditional nomadic way of life. But finding safe land to graze is perilous. A drone view […]
“An opportunity to share the Gospel”: But at the US border, a migrant evangelisation ministry on pause
“The word ‘migrants’ will be forgotten soon,” said the pastor of Iglesia Bautista West Brownsville, describing the recent shuttering of migrant services along the border. ALEJA HERTZLER-MCCAIN, of Religion News Service, reports…
Trump launches large-scale strikes on Yemen’s Houthis, at least 24 killed
Updated: 1:20pm (AEDT) Washington DC, US/Aden, Yemen Reuters US President Donald Trump launched large-scale military strikes against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday over the group’s attacks against Red Sea shipping, killing at least 24 people at the start of a campaign expected to last many days. Trump also warned Iran, the Houthis’ main backer, that […]
Pope Francis, showing plans to stay on, starts new Catholic reform process
Vatican City Reuters Pope Francis approved a new three-year process to consider reforms for the global Catholic Church, the Vatican said on Saturday, in a sign the 88-year-old pontiff plans to continue on as Pope despite his ongoing battle with double pneumonia. Francis has extended the work of the Synod of Bishops, a signature initiative […]
Protesters flood Belgrade in one of biggest anti-government rallies
Belgrade, Serbia Reuters More than 100,000 protesters descended on Serbia’s capital Belgrade on Saturday in one of the largest rallies in decades, with students and workers facing riot police and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic. Serbia has seen months of anti-government rallies after 15 deaths from a railway station roof collapse triggered accusations of widespread […]
Zelenskiy says troops not surrounded in Kursk, Russia says it retakes two villages
Reuters Ukrainian troops are still fending off Russian and North Korean forces in Russia’s Kursk region but face a potential new attack on Ukraine’s northeast Sumy region, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday. Military analysts say Russia is close to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their months-old foothold in the western Russian region, seized in a […]
Israeli air strike kills nine in Gaza, medics say, during ceasefire disputes
Cairo, Egypt Reuters At least nine Palestinians including three local journalists were killed and others wounded on Saturday in an Israeli air strike on Gaza’s northern Beit Lahiya town, the local health ministry said, as Hamas leaders held ceasefire talks with mediators in Cairo. Several were critically injured as the strike hit a car, with […]