Latest news with #Caritas
Gizmodo
7 days ago
- General
- Gizmodo
Stop Shoving Coins Into the Giant's Causeway
From Parisian bridges to Rome's Trevi Fountain, tourists love leaving behind mementos—but in Northern Ireland, they're eroding a 60-million-year-old landmark. Almost 60 million years ago, a series of natural events—including volcanic eruptions, erosion, glacial movement, and sea level rise—created Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway: a coastal area made of over 40,000 hexagonal basalt stone pillars. Today it is a world-renowned tourist destination, and the hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors are leaving their mark—but not in a good way. In a recent statement, the conservation charity National Trust is appealing to visitors to stop wedging coins between the Giant's Causeway's basalt rock columns. The coins are corroding and physically damaging the World Heritage Site, and as such, accelerating natural erosion processes, according to a report by the British Geological Survey. From countless padlocks on Parisian bridges to coins tossed into Rome's Trevi Fountain each year, tourists seem obsessed with the idea of leaving something behind at iconic landmarks. But while the Catholic charity Caritas collected $1.52 million in 2022 from the Trevi fountain, the National Trust and its partners will have to spend over $40,000 to remove coins from the Giant's Causeway. 'We know some may want to leave a token of their visit, but the coins are causing damage and we are urging people to stop the practice and to leave no trace so this natural wonder remains special for future generations,' Cliff Henry, National Trust Nature Engagement Officer at the Giant's Causeway, said in the statement. 'The coins are rusting, and expanding to three times their original thickness, which puts huge pressure on the surrounding rock causing it to crumble. Unsightly streaks of copper, nickel and iron oxides are also staining the stones where the coins are corroding.' The report found coins from around the world lodged in difficult-to-reach places, suggesting visitors put themselves at risk in the process. It also highlights, however, that people don't seem to be aware that their actions are damaging to the site. 'There is demonstrable evidence that the practice of inserting coins into the joints and other fractures of the Giant's Causeway is having a detrimental impact on the constituent basalt rock, both physically and aesthetically,' reads the British Geological Survey report. 'The processes associated with the degradation of the coins are seemingly accelerating the break-up of the Causeway rock mass that occurs naturally through physical and chemical weathering.' According to legend, an Irish giant named Finn McCool (yes, that was his last name) built a causeway across the Irish Sea in order to fight with a Scottish giant, who subsequently destroyed it as he fled back to his homeland. Another myth, however, has it that the Irish giant actually built the causeway to reach a woman he'd fallen in love with. Either way, I doubt McCool would have appreciated his masterpiece falling to ruins in the hands of tourists.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fact Check: What we know about Pope Francis donating popemobile to children in Gaza before he died
Claim: Pope Francis donated a "popemobile," one of the vehicles he used for transportation, to a Catholic relief organization to convert the vehicle into a mobile health unit for children in Gaza. Rating: Shortly after Pope Francis' death in April 2025, rumors that he donated one of the "popemobiles" — the vehicle used to transport popes — to serve as a mobile medical aid clinic to children in Gaza. The claims spread on X (archived), Instagram (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Facebook (archived). The rumors are true, although the headlines on several stories said the late pope donated "his Popemobile," which some readers could interpret to mean there was only one such vehicle. It's unclear precisely how many "popemobiles" Pope Francis used, but Business Insider reported in 2019 that he rode in at least nine of them that year. In a news release on May 3, 2025, the Jerusalem and Swedish branches of Caritas — an international group of Catholic relief and development agencies — announced that the pope had donated the vehicle to the organization. We reached out to Caritas Jerusalem seeking further details, and a representative responded that the timeline for the vehicle to enter Gaza depends on when the organization applies for a permit to do so. The organization also said it cannot provide further evidence that Pope Francis requested the conversion of the vehicle. The official news outlet for the Vatican, Vatican News, also published an article (archived) on May 4 confirming Pope Francis' donation, publishing photos from Caritas of the vehicle's conversion process. Men work on turning the popemobile into a health clinic. (Caritas) The news release noted that a driver and doctors would staff the vehicle, which Caritas was in the process of fitting with "equipment for diagnosis, examination, and treatment — including rapid tests for infections, suture kits, syringes and needles, oxygen supply, vaccines, and a refrigerator for medicines." However, it was unclear when the popemobile would be able to hit the ground in Gaza, as Israel cut off all humanitarian aid to Gaza on March 2, 2025. The Caritas news release noted that the popemobile would be ready to give primary health care to children in Gaza "when the humanitarian corridor to Gaza reopens." Caritas PRESS RELEASE. Caritas, 3 May 2025, 'Israel Accused of Using Aid as a "weapon of War" against Gaza in World Court Hearing'. NBC News, 29 Apr. 2025, 'Pope Francis Donated a Popemobile to Serve as a Mobile Health Unit for Gaza Children'. AP News, 5 May 2025, The Popemobile of Peace: Pope Francis' Final Gift to Gaza - Vatican News. 4 May 2025, 'Who We Are'. Caritas, Accessed 6 May 2025.
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Daily Record
Chaos for travellers as major Spanish airport 'fumigated' after infestation
Complaints reportedly forced the airport's management to hire a pest control company to deal with affected areas. Madrid's International Airport has reportedly been fumigated after hordes of biting insects infested the terminals. Staff at the busy airport claim they have been bitten by the insects in recent weeks. Several employees at Barajas Airport, one of Spain's most important transport hubs, are believed to have photographic evidence of their bites, forcing airport management to take action following a number of complaints from worried staff. A pest control company was quickly called in and several areas in the airport have been fumigated. According to reports, fumigators sanitised baggage claim belts as well as corridors and furniture in the hope of banishing the infestation. They hope the swift action will get the problem under control ahead of holiday season. Airport management have also recently declared war on homeless people that are sleeping at the airport for shelter overnight. Many are believed to be sheltering in check-in and baggage areas. According to Caritas charity, 421 homeless people are sleeping inside Terminal 4, reports the Express. Caritas is the Catholic Church's official organisation in Spain for charity and social relief, instituted by the Spanish Episcopal Conference. The number seeking refuge at the airport has increased following the end of municipal-funded campaigns during the winter to provide greater help and relief to those sleeping rough. Aid workers have accused AENA—the management company responsible for running Madrid's airport—of introducing measures designed to deter the homeless from using the airport as an overnight shelter. Measures adopted include access restrictions, changes in air conditioning to make overnight stays more uncomfortable, and the removal of furniture such as benches in the most frequented areas of the terminal. Gaspar García, a coordinator of the NGO Bokatas, said the airport management has prevented their staff from entering the terminal to help the homeless. The charity distributes food and hygiene kits to areas frequented by the homeless and has been doing this humanitarian work for six years. AENA officials have met a number of times with representatives from the charity to ask them to stop their activities, arguing they are encouraging the homeless to decamp at the airport. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "They tell us we bring them by distributing food, but these people aren't here because we give them a sandwich," García said. He added that airport security personnel are demanding that people show their plane tickets to gain access to terminals. "They do this with those they already know are homeless; they don't ask anything from others," he said. "These decisions have only created more conflict. Previously, they were dispersed. Many dressed well and blended in with passengers; they sat down to sleep, got up and left without bothering anyone. "But now, having to lie on cardboard on the floor changes perceptions and makes them more likely to be singled out."
Chicago Tribune
10-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Robert Prevost known as the ‘saint of the north' in Peru for his closeness to poor
Robert Prevost may have made history Thursday by becoming the first pope from the United States. But in Peru, he is known as the saintly missionary who waded through mud after torrential rains flooded the region, bringing help to needy people, and as the bishop who spearheaded the life-saving purchase of oxygen production plants during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'He worked so hard to find help, that there was not only enough for one plant, but for two oxygen plants,' said Janinna Sesa, who met Prevost while she worked for the church's Caritas nonprofit in Peru. 'He has no problem fixing a broken-down truck until it runs,' she added. Pope Francis, history's first Latin American pope, clearly saw something in Prevost early on. He first sent him to Chiclayo in 2014, then brought him to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. On Thursday, Prevost ascended to become Pope Leo XIV — the first pontiff from the United States. Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against an American pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the U.S. in the secular sphere. The Chicago native is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as bishop. He evoked his broad missionary experience in his first public remarks as pope, speaking in Italian, then switching to Spanish — and saying not a word in English as he addressed the crowd in St. Peter's Square. 'Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, dialogues, that's always open to receive — like on this piazza with open arms — to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love,' he said. The new pope had prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have. Prevost was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the 13th century religious order founded by St. Augustine. After Francis sent him to Chiclayo, he acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to assume the bishops' office and presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In that job he would have kept in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in the part of the world that counts the most Catholics and presumably was crucial to his election Thursday. The Rev. Alexander Lam, an Augustinian friar from Peru who knows the new pope, said he was beloved in Peru for his closeness to his people, especially poor people. He said he was a champion of social justice issues and environmental stewardship. 'Even the bishops of Peru called him the saint, the Saint of the North, and he had time for everyone,' Lam said in an interview with The Associated Press in Rome. 'He was the person who would find you along the way. He was this kind of bishop.' He said that when Francis travelled to Peru in 2018, Prevost camped out with his flock on the ground during the vigil before Francis' Mass. 'Roberto has that style, that closeness. Maybe they are not great institutional gestures, but are in human gestures.' Ever since arriving in Rome, Prevost has kept a low public profile, but he is well known to the men who count. Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals. The selection of a U.S.-born pope could have profound impact on the future of the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been sharply divided between conservatives and progressives. Francis, with Prevost's help at the help of the bishop vetting office, had embarked on a 12-year project to rein in the traditionalist tendencies in the United States. Prevost's election 'is a deep sign of commitment to social issues. I think it is going to be exciting to see a different kind of American Catholicism in Rome,'' said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan University in New York City. The bells of the cathedral in Peru's capital of Lima tolled after Prevost's election was announced. People outside the church expressed their desire for a papal visit at one point. 'For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,' said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who happened to be near the cathedral when the news was announced. 'We would like him to visit us here in Peru.' The Rev. Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for Prevost's old diocese in Chiclayo, remembers the cardinal rising each day and having breakfast with his fellow priests after saying his prayers. 'No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humor and joy,' Purisaca said in an email. Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1977. He attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1977, and he got a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982. In Rome, at the Augustinian headquarters just off St. Peter's Square, the mood was festive. The Rev. Franz Klein, treasurer general of the Augustinian order, said he was shocked by the news. 'For us, the Augustinian order, this is one of the biggest moments in history,' he said. 'I'm surprised and very happy.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fact Check: Pope Francis donated a popemobile to children of Palestine in a final act
Claim: Pope Francis donated a "popemobile," one of the vehicles the late pope used for transportation, to a Catholic relief organization to convert the vehicle into a mobile health unit for children in Gaza. Rating: In early May 2025, rumors spread that Pope Francis donated one of the "popemobiles" (used to transport him) to an aid organization and directed the group to convert it into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza. The claims spread on X (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Facebook (archived). The rumors are true, although the headlines on several stories said the late pope donated "his Popemobile," which some readers could interpret to mean there was only one such vehicle. It's unclear precisely how many "popemobiles" Pope Francis used, but Business Insider reported in 2019 that he rode in at least nine of them that year. In a news release on May 3, 2025, the Jerusalem and Swedish branches of Caritas — an international group of Catholic relief and development agencies — announced that the pope had donated the vehicle to the organization. We reached out to Caritas Jerusalem seeking further details, and a representative responded that the timeline for the vehicle to enter Gaza depends on when the organization applies for a permit to do so. The organization also said it cannot provide further evidence that Pope Francis requested the conversion of the vehicle. The official news outlet for the Vatican, Vatican News, also published an article (archived) on May 4 confirming Pope Francis' donation, publishing photos from Caritas of the vehicle's conversion process. Men work on turning the popemobile into a health clinic. (Caritas) The news release noted that a driver and doctors would staff the vehicle, which Caritas was in the process of fitting with "equipment for diagnosis, examination, and treatment — including rapid tests for infections, suture kits, syringes and needles, oxygen supply, vaccines, and a refrigerator for medicines." However, it was unclear when the popemobile would be able to hit the ground in Gaza, as Israel cut off all humanitarian aid to Gaza on March 2, 2025. The Caritas news release noted that the popemobile would be ready to give primary health care to children in Gaza "when the humanitarian corridor to Gaza reopens." Caritas PRESS RELEASE. Caritas, 3 May 2025, 'Israel Accused of Using Aid as a "weapon of War" against Gaza in World Court Hearing'. NBC News, 29 Apr. 2025, 'Pope Francis Donated a Popemobile to Serve as a Mobile Health Unit for Gaza Children'. AP News, 5 May 2025, The Popemobile of Peace: Pope Francis' Final Gift to Gaza - Vatican News. 4 May 2025, 'Who We Are'. Caritas, Accessed 6 May 2025.
