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Earth News The Queen visited a racially segregated South Africa when she was 21 with her father King George VI. "I wouldn't say I don't like the Queen - no, no, no. But my everyday reality is [affected] by the impact of colonisation," said Sibulele Steerman, a university student, standing beside an open sewer in an impoverished township outside Cape Town. These days, many younger South Africans, in particular, are questioning the compromises that accompanied their country's transition to democracy in the early 1990s, and are demanding that Western nations do far more to acknowledge centuries of colonial exploitation. "My grandmother liked the Queen. But we're a different generation," said Ms Steerman, noting this week's calls, on social media here, for Britain to return what they say are the "stolen" South African diamonds that feature in the Crown Jewels. The Cullinan diamond, the largest ever found, was given to King Edward V

Earth News The Queen's eight grandchildren, including the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, are standing vigil around her coffin as she lies in state at Westminster Hall. At King Charles' request, Prince Harry is wearing military uniform, for the first time since 2020. Prince Harry has worn civilian clothes at public events since the Queen died. It is the first time in history that the grandchildren of a monarch have taken part in the ceremony. The King's sons William and Harry are joined by Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, the children of Princess Anne, as well as Prince Andrew's daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, who are Prince Edward's children. At 44, Peter Philips is the oldest of the Queen's grandchildren, while the youngest, James, Viscount Severn, is 14. Prince William is standing at the head of the Queen's coffin with his brother at the opposite end. The grandchildren's

Earth News UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations chief launched an initiative Monday to immediately explore possible arrangements for “a humanitarian cease-fire in Ukraine” in order to allow the delivery of desperately needed aid and pave the way for serious political negotiations to end the month-long war. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he used his “good offices” and asked Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, the head of the U.N.’s worldwide humanitarian operations, to explore the possibility of a cease-fire with Russia and Ukraine. He said Griffiths has already made some contacts. “I hope that he will be able to go to both Moscow and Kyiv as soon as that becomes possible,” Guterres said. “It’s very important to establish a serious dialogue with both parties in relation to the possibility of this humanitarian cease-fire.” The 193-member U.N. General Assembly, by an overwhelming majority of about 140 nations, has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Uk

Earth News New Zealand Mosque Shooting Anniversary Al Noor Mosque shooting survivor Temel Atacocugu kisses the ground as he completes his walk from Dunedin to Christchurch on the third anniversary of the shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, Tuesday, March 15, 2022. The lingering injuries from being shot nine times did not stop Atacocugu from completing a two-week walk and bike ride for peace on Tuesday, the third anniversary of a gunman's slaughter of 51 Muslim worshippers. (George Heard/New Zealand Herald via AP) WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The lingering injuries from being shot nine times did not stop Temel Atacocugu from completing a two-week walk and bike ride for peace on Tuesday, the third anniversary of a gunman's slaughter of 51 Muslim worshippers. Atacocugu set out to retrace the gunman's 360-kilometer (224-mile) drive from Dunedin to the two Christchurch mosques where he carried out his attack. “I wanted to fix this damage,” Atacocugu said. “Because three

As Russia stoked hopes of a diplomatic solution and claimed to be pulling back forces from the Ukrainian border, U.S. and NATO officials accused Moscow of building up troops instead. By Chibuike Leonard Iwuoha KYIV, Ukraine — Tensions over Ukraine abruptly ratcheted up on Wednesday as Western officials accused Russia of lying about whether it had really begun pulling back troops from the Ukrainian border. After days marked by flickers of hope that the conflict might be resolved peacefully, a senior American official, who refused to be quoted by name, told reporters that far from winding down its deployment, Moscow had added more than 7,000 combatants. Western allies expressed similar doubts about the Russian claims. The American official directly accused Russia of lying, saying there was fresh evidence it was mobilizing for war. British military officials said Wednesday they had spotted Russian armored vehicles, helicopters and a field hospital moving toward Ukraine’s border. “

Earth News. Authorities in Burkina Faso have declared a two-day period of mourning after suspected militants killed at least 41 members of a government-backed civilian militia in the country’s desert north this week. A column of civilian fighters from the homeland defence volunteers (VDP), a group the government funds and trains to contain Islamist insurgents, was ambushed on Thursday as it swept a remote area in the northern Loroum province, authorities said on Saturday. It was one of the heaviest single-day losses the civilian militia has experienced to date and occurred one month after an attack on a gendarmerie post killed 53 people – the worst strike on Burkinabe security forces in years. “In this painful circumstance and as a tribute to the valiant VDP and civilians who fell in defence of the homeland, the president of Burkina Faso decrees a national mourning period of 48 hours, starting Sunday,” government spokesperson Alkassoum Maiga said in a statement. Authorities have

Earth News Warm weather could make this the hottest December on record for many cities in the region, including Dallas and New Orleans. About 200 temperature records in the US may be broken over the next several days as warm air across Texas and the south-east is predicted to bring spring or even summer-like conditions, making Christmas Day likely to be the warmest in 50 to 100 years in some areas. The temperatures could make this the warmest December on record for many cities in the region including Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, St Louis, Kansas City and Chicago. In some areas, records have already been broken: Wichita Falls in Texas hit 91F (33C) Friday, and Grandfield, Oklahoma, reached 89F. Both beat their Fourth of July high – back at in the middle of summer. Nor were they alone. “Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, all stand to match or top the record high for 25 December this Saturday,” AccuWeather senior meteor