World

WASHINGTON — A celebratory crowd of thousands bundled up on a chilly Tuesday afternoon to watch President Joe Biden sign gay marriage legislation into law, a joyful ceremony that was tempered by the backdrop of an ongoing conservative backlash over gender issues. “This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms,” Biden said on the …

Elon Musk’s Twitter has dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of around 100 independent civil, human rights and other organizations that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm and other problems on the platform. The council had been scheduled to meet with Twitter representatives Monday night. But Twitter informed the group …

Several schools across the United Kingdom have been forced to shut down for a second consecutive day following a snow and ice chaos. Thousands of classrooms were reportedly closed Monday as an Arctic freeze engulfed Britain, according to a report by Daily Mail. Pupils were set to work remotely owing to the closure. Hundreds of schools remained shut on Tuesday, with others …

WASHINGTON — Young voters who have been critical to Democratic successes in recent elections showed signs in November’s midterms that their enthusiasm may be waning, a potential warning sign for a party that will need their strong backing heading into the 2024 presidential race. Voters under 30 went 53% for Democratic House candidates compared with only 41% for Republican candidates nationwide, according …

The “unmitigated tragedy” of a mass shooting at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub prompted “irresponsible” press coverage that wrongly scapegoated religious communities for their stands on sexual morality and identity, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver has said. “This type of irresponsible commentary is increasingly common,” he said, summarizing the assumption as “You don’t accept what I believe, therefore you …

The UK is “sleepwalking” into a food supply crisis and the government must step in to help farmers, the National Farmers Union (NFU) has warned. Yields of tomatoes and other crops will likely slump to record lows this year, it said, with potential supply problems ahead as already seen with eggs. IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Soaring fuel, fertiliser and feed …

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House gave final approval Thursday to legislation protecting same-sex marriages, a monumental step in a decadeslong battle for nationwide recognition of those unions that reflects a stark turnaround in societal attitudes. President Joe Biden is expected to promptly sign the measure, which requires all states to recognize same-sex marriages. It is a relief for hundreds of …

Former Guatemala President Otto Perez and his vice president, Roxana Baldetti, have been sentenced to 16 years in prison each for corruption. According to Reuters, a Guatemalan court on Wednesday sentenced the duo in a graft case years after corruption revelations forced the two out of office early and into prison. Messrs Perez and Baldetti were found guilty of illicit association and …

Israel’s ties to the Jewish American community, one of its closest and most important allies, are about to be put to the test, with Israel’s emerging far-right government on a collision course with Jews in the United States. Major Jewish American organizations, traditionally a bedrock of support for Israel, have expressed alarm over the far-right character of the presumptive government …

Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki of Edo State has stated his goal to ensure that all artefacts that are physically returned to Benin are properly looked after, to create opportunities, as well as an inspiration for the people of Edo state and Nigeria. The Governor made this remark during the signing ceremony of the return of 72 Bronze artefacts by Horniman …