JAKARTA, Indonesia — When Pope Francis begins his Asia tour next week, one of his early stops will be at Indonesia's iconic Istiqlal mosque. The 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church will hold an interfaith meeting with representatives of the country's six officially recognized religions as the populous Southeast Asian nation faces growing challenges to its tolerant image. Francis, who has suffered a slew of health problems and has become increasingly reliant on a wheelchair, has a rigorous schedule during his four-nation visit. Читать дальше...
Paris — French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ruled out naming a left-wing government to end the country's political deadlock, saying it would be a threat to "institutional stability." While Macron said he would start new talks Tuesday to find a prime minister, left-wing parties reacted with fury to his announcement, calling for street protests and the impeachment of the president. Macron has held protracted talks on a new government since elections in July gave a left-wing alliance the... Читать дальше...
Manila, Philippines — China deployed “an excessive force” of 40 ships that blocked two Philippine vessels from delivering food and other supplies to Manila’s largest coast guard ship in a disputed shoal in the latest flare-up of their territorial disputes in the South China Sea, Philippine officials said Tuesday. China and the Philippines blamed each other for the confrontation on Monday in Sabina Shoal, an uninhabited atoll both countries claim that has become the latest flashpoint in the Spratlys... Читать дальше...
McALLEN, Texas — A federal judge in Texas on Monday paused a Biden administration policy that would give spouses of U.S. citizens legal status without having to first leave the country, dealing at least a temporary setback to one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years. The administrative stay issued by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker comes just days after 16 states, led by Republican attorneys general, challenged the program that could benefit an estimated 500,000 immigrants in the country... Читать дальше...
Health authorities in Sub-Saharan Africa say armed gangs and rebel groups are obstructing their access to towns and villages that are suspected of having mpox cases. We talk with Dr. Kizzmekia S Corbett-Helaire, assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard University. Trying to vaccinate for polio in Gaza. Asians Americans have been the fastest-growing group of eligible voters in the U.S. And pumpkin spice, it’s as American as apple pie.
NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga — Highlighting seas that are rising at an accelerating rate, especially in the far more vulnerable Pacific island nations, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued yet another climate SOS to the world. This time he said those initials stand for "save our seas." The United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization Monday issued reports on worsening sea level rise, turbocharged by a warming Earth and melting ice sheets and glaciers. They highlight how the Southwestern... Читать дальше...
WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used the third anniversary on Monday of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to try to pin the chaotic pullout on his Democratic rival for the White House, Kamala Harris. Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the 13 servicemembers killed during the U.S. exit, then later in Detroit blamed Harris, the vice president, and President Joe Biden for what he termed a "catastrophic" withdrawal. "Caused by Kamala Harris... Читать дальше...
GENEVA — The U.N. health agency on Monday launched a six-month plan to help stanch outbreaks of mpox transmission, including ramping up staffing in affected countries and boosting surveillance, prevention and response strategies. The World Health Organization said it expected the plan, running from September through February next year, would require $135 million in funding. The plan would also aim to improve fair access to vaccines, notably in African countries hardest hit by the outbreak. "The... Читать дальше...
denver — Jury selection began Monday in the long-delayed trial of a man charged with murdering 10 people at a Colorado supermarket in 2021, a case in which the suspect was ruled mentally unfit to face prosecution before pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. The outcome hinges on whether the defense can convince jurors that Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 25, was so mentally ill at the time of the mass shooting that he failed to comprehend the difference between right and wrong and thus should not be held legally responsible for the killings. Читать дальше...
Gaborone, Botswana — More than 30 African countries will be represented at a military law conference set to begin Tuesday in Lusaka, Zambia. Participants will discuss the role of legal advisers in the deployment of troops as conflicts threaten stability across Africa. The four-day African Military Law Forum will be co-hosted by the Zambian Defense Force, the U.S.-Africa Command (AFRICOM), U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the North Carolina National Guard. Participants, who will include military leaders and magistrates... Читать дальше...
Nairobi, Kenya — The Kenyan-led international security force deployed to Haiti has made "significant progress" in tackling gang violence, Kenyan police said, two months after they first arrived. It also said the force had helped Haitian police take back control of "critical infrastructure, including the airport, from gang control" and "opened critical roads that have enabled the return of thousands of Haitians earlier displaced." Haiti has long been plagued by violent gangs that now control... Читать дальше...
Abuja, Nigeria — The Nigerian Medical Students' Association praised the rescue of 20 medical students and seven others from kidnappers over the weekend, and the group is calling on authorities to prevent similar attacks. The students, from the Universities of Jos and Maiduguri, were abducted Aug. 15 when their motorcade was attacked as they traveled to a convention in southeastern Enugu State. Although they were happy their colleagues were rescued, members of the student medical association said more security was needed. Читать дальше...
islamabad — Taliban leaders in Afghanistan expressed outrage Monday at the U.N.-led objections to their new vice and virtue laws that silence women in public and require them to cover their faces. “Non-Muslims expressing concerns over these laws or rejecting them should first educate themselves about Islamic laws and respect Islamic values,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban government, which is not recognized by any country. “We find it insulting to our Islamic Sharia... Читать дальше...
GENEVA — Sea level rises in the Pacific Ocean are outstripping the global average, a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report showed Tuesday, imperiling low-lying island states. Globally, sea level advances are accelerating as higher temperatures driven by the continued burning of fossil fuels melt once-mighty ice sheets, while warmer oceans cause water molecules to expand. But even compared to the global average rate rise of 3.4 millimeters a year over the past three decades, the WMO... Читать дальше...
rome — Stars from Angelina Jolie to George Clooney will gather this week at the Venice Film Festival, bringing a high dose of Hollywood pizzazz back to the watery city's sandy Lido. With 21 films vying for the top Golden Lion prize, the 81st edition of the prestigious festival kicks off Wednesday, with Lady Gaga, Daniel Craig and Brad Pitt expected on the red carpet during the 10-day affair. The dazzle is welcome after the Hollywood strikes last year kept most studio films and their A-lister... Читать дальше...
NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga — As leaders of Pacific nations were welcomed to their annual meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, on Monday, they were greeted first by torrential rain and then by an earthquake. The magnitude 6.9 quake was deep enough not to cause damage, but the long shudder and ankle-deep water served as a reminder of the natural vulnerabilities of many of the member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum, who are locked in an existential struggle for economic and environmental survival. It also... Читать дальше...
madison, wisconsin — Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein will remain on the ballot in the crucial swing state of Wisconsin after the state Supreme Court decided on Monday not to hear a Democratic challenge seeking to oust her. Democrats are concerned that third-party candidates could draw votes away from Vice President Kamala Harris and help Republican Donald Trump win Wisconsin. The presence of independent and third-party candidates on the ballot could be a deciding factor in a state... Читать дальше...
