Foreign News
UN Condemns Hospital Attack in Ukraine
UN humanitarians on Monday condemned Russian attacks on Sumy city in the northeast of Ukraine over the weekend that damaged a hospital.
Matthias Schmale, the top UN aid official in Ukraine, said that the Russian military strikes killed and injured several people. He insisted that health centres must not be targeted.
Local officials reported that nine had been killed in the twin drone strikes on the northeastern city close to the Russian border, with 12 injured and more than 120 evacuated for their own safety.
Schmale’s comments came amid continuing violence on Monday, including a reported wave of drone attacks on Kyiv and protective air defence manoeuvres launched in response, according to the Ukraine military.
Outside the capital, media indicated explosions as Russia launched drone and guided bombs attack on Zaporizhzhia that damaged railways and buildings, while in Russia, Ukrainian armed forces reportedly shelled the Belgorod region.
Meanwhile, authorities in Algeria were on Monday urged by top independent human rights experts to reverse a prison sentence handed down to a poet for supporting widespread protests against the Government.
Djamila Bentouis received a two-year prison sentence and 100,000 Algerian dinars fine (worth around $750) for participating in the Hirak social protest movement via her songs and poetry recitals.
Initial charges levelled against Bentouis accused her of belonging to a terrorist entity.
The Hirak demonstrations began in February 2019 – initially against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika – but evolved into demands for political reforms and other freedoms.
The independent experts who include Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, said that the criminal charges against Ms. Bentouis appeared “directly linked” to her wish to exercise her right to freedom of expression.
The experts – who are not UN staff and receive no salary for their work – also expressed their hope that Algeria “will abide by its international obligations to guarantee the right to freedom of expression” when the appeals court considers the case on Wednesday. (NAN)
China on Friday congratulated the newly elected Pope Leo XIV and expressed hope for a “steady” improvement in relations with the Vatican.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lin Jian stated this while speaking with reporters in the Chinese capital.
According to Lin, he hopes that under the new Pope’s leadership, the Vatican will continue dialogue with China in a constructive spirit, deepen communication on international issues of mutual concern.
He also expressed hope that they would continue to work together to steadily advance China-Vatican relations, while contributing to global peace, stability, development, and prosperity.
The Vatican on Tuesday announced that American Cardinal Robert Prevost had been elected as the new Pope, taking the name Leo XIV.
He is the first American-born pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church.
In 2024, Beijing had extended a provisional agreement with the Holy See by four years regarding the appointment of bishops.
The agreement which allows both sides to have a role in selecting bishops for China’s Catholic community, which numbers around 12 million in the world’s second most populous countr. (AA/NAN)
The Vatican on Friday announced that Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration will take place on May 18 with a mass in St. Peter’s Square, following his election to succeed Pope Francis.
The ceremony is to take place at 10a.m (0800 GMT) May 18 at the Vatican.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first U.
S. pontiff on Thursday after white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel following four rounds of voting in the papal conclave.The new pope is set to keep Francis’ top employees in the Vatican in place for the time being, the Holy See said.
The first of his weekly general audiences is planned for May 21. (dpa/NAN)
The election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, has ignited pride and celebration at St. Rita of Cascia High School, where the new pope once served as a teacher.
The 69-year-old Augustinian cardinal’s historic rise as the first American pope was met with elation across his former school community.
Students and faculty remembered him not just as a religious leader but as a humble and compassionate mentor.
Leo was born in Chicago and graduated with a degree in mathematics from the University of Villanova in Pennsylvania in 1977.
He also studied religion at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.
In 1982, he received a doctorate in church law from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome before being sent to serve in a Catholic mission in Peru.
In 2023, he became prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a key Catholic administrative body, based in Rome
He succeeds Pope Francis who died on April 21. The late pontiff made Prevost a cardinal in September 2023.(AA/NAN)(www.nanne
The election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, has ignited pride and celebration at St. Rita of Cascia High School, where the new pope once served as a teacher.
The 69-year-old Augustinian cardinal’s historic rise as the first American pope was met with elation across his former school community.
Students and faculty remembered him not just as a religious leader but as a humble and compassionate mentor.
Leo was born in Chicago and graduated with a degree in mathematics from the University of Villanova in Pennsylvania in 1977.
He also studied religion at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.
In 1982, he received a doctorate in church law from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome before being sent to serve in a Catholic mission in Peru.
In 2023, he became prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a key Catholic administrative body, based in Rome
He succeeds Pope Francis who died on April 21. The late pontiff made Prevost a cardinal in September 2023.(AA/NAN)
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