Pope Francis denounces ‘gender theory’ as worst danger, ugly ideology and ideological colonisation of the West in developing world
But he has also denounced “gender theory” as the “worst danger” facing humanity today, an “ugly ideology” that threatens to cancel out God-given differences between man and woman. He has blasted in particular what he calls the “ideological colonisation” of the West in the developing world, where development aid is sometimes conditioned on adopting Western ideas about gender and reproductive health.
How loneliness sets in motion cravings for food, drugs and eagerness to seek them out
Some remedies for loneliness will come as no surprise. Increasing access to social activities, for example by housing people in communities with common areas, can help, Sommerlad says. Some researchers are also finding ways to tap into the neural mechanisms underlying loneliness directly, through exercise, for instance.
Loneliness: Why lack of social interaction is linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia
Loneliness is a slippery concept. It’s not the same as social isolation, which occurs when someone has few meaningful social relationships, although “they’re two sides of the same coin”, says old-age psychiatrist Andrew Sommerlad at University College London. Rather, loneliness is a person’s subjective experience of being unsatisfied with their social relationships.
Standard Chartered picks new investment banking regional heads, source says
Steve Cranwell will head CIB operations for the United States, Europe and the Americas, Kariuki Ngari for Kenya and Africa, while Rola Abu Manneh will oversee the United Arab Emirates as well as the wider Middle East region and Pakistan.
Malaria vaccine rollout in tropical belt shines light on value of renewable power
The vaccine “cold chain” sees vaccines being stored and distributed through several layers, beginning with a national-level storage centre and cascading down to local facilities. In remote areas, where an electricity grid network is either absent or unreliable, the need for reliable refrigeration has long caused headaches, but huge progress has been made in recent years in developing fridges that use solar panels as a power source. Thousands of such devices are now in position across sub-Saharan Africa, ready to serve as the workhorse of the malaria vaccine rollout.
Temporary relief for Trump after he posts $175m bond in civil fraud case to avert asset seizures
The bond prevents New York Attorney General Letitia James from going after Trump’s properties, including Trump Tower, his 370-acre resort and golf course in Westchester and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump has denied wrongdoing and said the case is a political witch-hunt by James, a Democrat who sued him in 2022.
Far-right politics hits Elon Musk hard as consumers give his car brand Tesla and X wide berth
Tesla’s consideration score fell 8 percentage points from January alone even as Caliber’s scores for Mercedes, BMW and Audi, which produce gas as well as EV models, inched up during that same period, reaching 44-47 per cent.
Pope overcomes health concerns to preside over Easter Mass and appeal for peace in Gaza, Ukraine
Francis appeared in good form, despite having celebrated the two-and-half-hour nighttime Easter Vigil just hours before. The pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling respiratory problems all winter and his full participation in Easter services was not entirely guaranteed, especially after he skipped the traditional Good Friday procession.
PEPFAR: Pioneer of embattled global HIV programme recalls the hope after years of despair
Opponents say the HIV/Aids funding could be indirectly supporting abortion abroad, although the Biden administration and PEPFAR’s defenders say there is no evidence that it does. After a handful of conservative lawmakers threatened for months to block the funding unless restrictions were attached, a compromise was struck in late March that extends the funding for a year.
European football grapples with irony of Black players dominating the game, but can’t be hired to coach
Racism has long permeated the world’s most popular sport, with players subjected to racist chants and taunts online. While soccer governing bodies such as Fifa and UEFA have taken steps to combat the abuse of players, the lack of diversity in the upper ranks at major clubs remains an unsolved problem.
