Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Tired of seeing their holy texts used to justify the subjugation of women, a group of feminist theologians from across the Protestant-Catholic divide have joined forces to draft “A Women’s Bible”. As the #MeToo movement continues to expose sexual abuse across cultures and industries, some …
Read More »Google accused of manipulation to track users
Oslo, Norway | AFP | Seven European consumer groups filed complaints against Google with national regulators Tuesday, accusing the internet giant of covertly tracking users’ movements in violation of an EU regulation on data protection. The complaints cited a study by the Norwegian Consumer Council that concluded the Internet giant …
Read More »Macron acknowledges protests, but won’t ‘change course’
Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron sought to take the heat out of mass anti-government protests over taxes on Tuesday, saying he had heard the anger but would not change course. The 40-year-old centrist acknowledged that many struggling households felt penalised by an increase in fuel taxes …
Read More »Chinese hospital denies approving gene-edited babies experiment
Beijing, China | AFP | The Chinese hospital linked to a controversial experiment purporting to have created the world’s first genetically-edited babies denied its involvement Tuesday. Shenzhen Harmonicare Women and Children’s Hospital said in a statement that it suspected the signature on a document approving the experiment, specifically its adherence …
Read More »Putin warns against ‘reckless’ moves after Ukraine declares martial law
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine against any “reckless acts” on Tuesday after Kiev declared martial law in response to Moscow’s seizure of three of its navy vessels. The Ukrainian parliament late on Monday voted in favour of President Petro Poroshenko’s request for the introduction …
Read More »Huge cheers as Mars InSight spacecraft lands on Red Planet
Pasadena, United States | AFP | Cheers and applause erupted at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Monday as a $993 million unmanned lander, called InSight, touched down on the Red Planet and managed to send back its first picture. The high-drama landing of the waist-high spacecraft capped a nearly seven …
Read More »Saudi energy giant Aramco signs deals worth $27.5 bln
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | Saudi energy giant Aramco has signed 31 agreements and memoranda of understandings worth $27.5 billion with local and international suppliers, CEO Amin Nasser said Monday. “We signed $27.5 billion (24 billion euros) in a total of 31 commercial collaborations,” Nasser said in a statement …
Read More »China scientist claims world’s first gene-edited babies
Hong Kong, China | AFP | A scientist in China claims to have created the world’s first genetically-edited babies, a move that would be a ground-breaking medical first but which has generated a barrage of criticism. Chinese university professor He Jiankui posted a video on YouTube saying that the twin …
Read More »At least 22 Afghan police killed in Taliban ambush: official
Herat, Afghanistan | AFP | At least 22 police officers were killed in a Taliban ambush in western Afghanistan, a health official said Monday, in another blow to Afghan forces already suffering record casualties. The attack on the police convoy in Farah province follows a wave of violence across Afghanistan …
Read More »Macron to address nation after violent Paris protests
Paris, France | AFP | French President Emmanuel Macron is to address his nation on Tuesday following persistent and sometimes violent protests over fuel taxes that are morphing into a movement against his business- and environment-friendly policies. Paris saw clashes between police and demonstrators Saturday on the Champs-Elysees where barricades …
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