Worldwide
Syria: time to rethink aid
08 Dec 2022
Contrary to the common perception (‘Syria’s situation has settled, so Syrians no longer need urgent humanitarian aid’) conditions especially in the rebel-held northwest have been worsening. The Assad regime and Russia continue to block access to…
Worldwide: Advent traditions
01 Dec 2022
China might not come to mind when considering Advent, but 5.1% of Chinese are Christians who light their homes with colourful paper lanterns and red paper pagodas placed in windows. 86% of Croatians are Roman Catholic,…
China: Covid policy tipping point
01 Dec 2022
On 27 November thousands protested in Shanghai against Covid restrictions, shouting slogans against the government. In Beijing, Tsinghua, and Nanjing, students were arrested. The unrest began when lockdown was blamed for ten deaths in a tower…
Uganda: Ebola quarantine extended
01 Dec 2022
Uganda has recorded 141 infections since the outbreak of Ebola was declared on 20 September. President Museveni has extended by 21 days a quarantine placed on Mubende and Kassanda districts, at the epicentre of the outbreak.…
Hawaii: world's largest active volcano erupts
01 Dec 2022
Mauna Loa volcano is the largest active volcano in the world. On 1 December the alert level code was upgraded to red, the highest classification. The lava flow is mostly contained within the summit, but residents…
Brazil: fatal landslide
01 Dec 2022
At least two people have died after heavy rain caused a mudslide which engulfed the BR-376 motorway in Parana state. The whereabouts of around thirty people are unknown. Several vehicles are thought to have been buried…