“Following the recitation of Sunday’s Regina Caeli, Pope Leo XIV recalled that today May 3rd marks World Press Freedom Day, the annual day promoted by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The Pope remarked that unfortunately, freedom of the press is often violated, sometimes blatantly and sometimes in subtle ways. He said: ‘Let us remember the many journalists and reporters who have fallen victim to wars and violence.'” (05/03/26)
“A Texas judge on Friday temporarily paused the state’s ban on smokable hemp products, such as flower and joints, after three industry groups and multiple companies based in the state sued over it. The state in March expanded its limit on THC in hemp products from 0.3% levels of Delta-9 THC to cover any form of THC beyond the state’s previous limit of 0.3% total THC in dry weight of the intoxicating group of chemicals. … The groups that [sued] the state contend that the health department overstepped their constitutional authority and that the new rules have done irreparable harm to the Texas hemp industry, CBS Austin reported.” (05/02/26)
“Police in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) have charged a man with murder and two counts of sexual assault following the death of a five-year-old girl. The body of the girl, who is identified only as Kumanjayi Little Baby for cultural reasons, was discovered on Thursday following severals days of a major police search. Jefferson Lewis, 47, was charged with her murder on Saturday night and has been scheduled to appear in a Darwin court on Tuesday. Five people have been arrested over violent riots in Alice Springs sparked by the child’s death. Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole announced the charges against Lewis on Sunday morning.” (05/02/26)
“Sudan’s paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least five people in a drone attack that hit a civilian vehicle on the outskirts of Khartoum, a local Sudanese rights group said. The attack on Saturday morning hit a vehicle that was traveling from the White Nile province to Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Emergency Lawyers, a rights group tracking violence against civilians, said in a statement.” (05/02/26)
“A southern California woman is facing an additional charge of involuntary manslaughter after an 81-year-old man died from his injuries after being struck by the woman’s teen son while he was riding an e-motorcycle, prosecutors said on Friday. On 16 April, Tommi Jo Mejer’s 14-year-old son was riding a Surron e-motorcycle and doing wheelies when he hit Ed Ashman, according to prosecutors. … ‘This mother essentially handed her 14-year-old son a deadly weapon, and despite multiple warnings of the dangers, continued to let him illegally ride an e-motorcycle until he finally killed someone,’ the Orange county district attorney, Todd Spitzer, said in a statement.” (05/02/26)
“Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te has arrived in Eswatini, days after his government said a trip had been cancelled due to China pressuring African countries to stop him flying over their territories. His visit to Eswatini – Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Africa — followed ‘days of careful arrangements by the diplomatic and national security teams,’ he said, without giving further details on how he reached the country. China described the visit as a ‘stowaway-style escape farce.’ China [pretends Taiwan is] part of its territory with no right to state-to-state relations. Images showed Lai being welcomed by Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini as he walked past a guard of honour. Taiwan’s delegation also included Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and National Security Council Adviser Alex Huang, according to its presidential office.” (05/02/26)
“An Iranian businessman has died as a result of being beaten while under arrest, human rights group the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation reported. The report states that Hesam Alaeedin went to the security authorities to follow up on the status of his detained brother. The rights group added that Alaeddin’s brother had been accused of using Starlink equipment to access the internet, and that he too had been subjected to violence by security agents. … Iranian authorities cut off access to the internet 64 days ago, coinciding with the United States and Israeli military attack. … Iranian officials have warned that owners and users of Starlink equipment face legal action.” (05/02/26)
“Police in eastern Austria say a 39-year-old suspect has been arrested after rat poison turned up in some HiPP baby food jars on supermarket shelves in central Europe. HiPP, which recalled some of its baby food jars in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic after the case came to light last month, said in a statement Saturday it was ‘greatly relieved’ by the arrest, and would provide a further updates as verified details come in. The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, under the direction of prosecutors, said a probe was launched after poison turned up in a baby food jar purchased at a supermarket in the city of Eisenstadt on April 18.” (05/03/26)
“Two members of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s party in the north-western Sinaloa state said they would temporarily step down from their posts after the United States charged them and eight other politicians and security officers with drug trafficking. The bombshell indictment against the 10 has shaken Mexico’s political establishment. In a short video announcement at midnight on Friday, Gov Rubén Rocha Moya, the highest-ranking official named in the indictment, denied accusations that he protected the Sinaloa cartel and helped it smuggle vast quantities of drugs into the US in exchange for political support and millions of dollars in bribes. … Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil, the mayor of the Sinaloa state capital of Culiacán named in the indictment, also said he would take leave and denied the charges.” (05/03/26)
“The United States has issued a warning to shipping firms that they risk sanctions if they make payments to Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. The alert, released by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), emphasised that US persons and entities are prohibited from engaging in transactions with Iranian government bodies. It also warned non-US entities that they could face sanctions repercussions if they settle payments to Iran.” (05/03/26)
