Home to stay

"Because of the pandemic, it is difficult to travel from Germany to Iraq. So everyone wants to follow the pope's visit on television or YouTube," says Raad Washan Sarah Sharafana, a priest in Berlin. He belongs to the Chaldeans, the Iraqi branch of Catholicism. For weeks now, when he celebrates Mass in the Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd, the 51-year-old has also been praying for a safe and successful journey for the pope. Never before has the head of the Catholic Church visited Iraq. And seldom has one of the pontiff's 32 visits abroad raised as many expectations as the upcoming four-day tour. Everyone wants to follow the pope's visit on television, says Raad Washan Sarah Sharafana In Berlin, Alen Albezo is one of the congregation of roughly 50 people who attend mass every Sunday, even during the pandemic. The parish is made up of much younger people than the average Catholic parish in Germany. Albezo is 21 and stays around after Mass talking to people from his own … [Read more...] about Iraqi Christians in Germany have high hopes for Pope Francis’ visit to their old home

SINGAPORE: Demand for new private homes in August fell by some 27 per cent from July, with the sharpest decline seen in the mass market segment. According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), 1,421 units of new homes were sold in August. Including executive condominiums (EC), a total of 1,539 units changed hands in August - the lowest sales figure so far this year. The fall in August followed a strong rebound in July. Showflats were not as busy in August, as some home buyers stayed away during the Hungry Ghost festival. It's traditionally a lull period for property sales, with developers launching fewer projects. Developers placed 1,118 units of new homes for sale in August. 835 units of mass market homes were sold in August, down 45 per cent from July. Director of Chris International, Chris Koh, said: "There has always been a demand for suburban projects; a lot depends on whether there are new launches for buyers to choose from. Historically, the second and … [Read more...] about Sales of new private homes down 27% in August

Kris Aquino (right) and son Josh admiring the sunset by the beach. Image: Facebook/@krisaquino Kris Aquino bid goodbye to the town of Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, which served as her temporary home during the community quarantine. “We got all our clearances & permits, now we’re ready for the 1st part of our journey HOME! Just in time for kuya’s birthday tomorrow,” she announced on Instagram yesterday, June 3, posting a picture of her and sons Josh and Bimby on the shore in front of a boat. She commended the hospitality she received in her beachfront accommodations: “It’s been almost 3 months but everyone at Sunset [at Aninuan Beach Resort] & the Puerto Galera LGU really made us feel welcome.” Aquino and her kids were isolated in Puerto Galera while the Metro Manila enhanced community quarantine was in place from March 15 until May 15 to curb the spread of the coronavirus. They were vacationing in Boracay prior to the lockdown. Restrictions have slowly loosened, … [Read more...] about Kris Aquino goes home after quarantining for nearly 3 months in Puerto Galera

Lawmakers are demanding to know why the Capitol Police is now requesting that the approximately 5,000 National Guard troops remain in the nation’s capital for another two months. Local and federal law enforcement authorities requested National Guard assistance in the wake of the January 6 Capitol building breach and asked them to remain through the January 20 inauguration. Their numbers reached as high as over 26,000 in January. Their mission is slated to end March 12, but on Thursday, lawmakers revealed there was a request by Capitol Police for the National Guard to remain another 60 days. Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said in a statement he is “outraged” they are being asked to stay without clear and specific information about why. “I’m outraged that U.S. Capitol Police have requested to keep the nearly 5,000 National Guardsmen at the Capitol Complex for another two months without presenting clear and specific information. I haven’t been … [Read more...] about Top Armed Services GOP ‘Outraged’ National Guard Troops Asked to Stay in D.C. Without ‘Credible Theat’

BOSTON (CBS) – Two people were hurt when a car slammed into the front of a house in Boston and the homeowner said it’s the sixth time that’s happened. Pauline Glynn said she and a friend were watching TV in her home on Poplar Street late Thursday night when she heard a “terrible noise.” A car hit her neighbor’s car and then crashed into her front door, just two feet from her head. READ MORE: 12-Year-Old Creates Self-Care Workshop For Students Struggling During Pandemic “I heard the crash and the whole front exploded, it just took off the whole front of the house, glass went flying everywhere,” Glynn told reporters Friday morning. “The whole house is open and the car is in there spinning the wheels.” Glynn and her friend were not hurt. She said they were both “very lucky.” The fire department said the two people in the car were taken to the hospital, but there is no word yet on their conditions. It’s not known what caused the crash. “Everything got thrown all over the … [Read more...] about ‘The Whole Front Exploded,’ 2 Hurt As Car Crashes Into Boston Home

As many as 104 Hondurans were deported on Saturday over violating the rules of staying in the country, the institute specified. The plane carrying the migrants back to their home country departed from the Mexican state of Veracruz. The move comes amid Washington's pressure on Mexico to reduce the flow of migrants trying to enter into the United States through its southwestern border with the country. US President Donald Trump has said that the United States will be forced to partially close its border with Mexico if the situation does not change. Around 300,000 migrants crossed into Mexico in the first three months of 2019, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The head of the Mexican National Institute of Migration, Tonatiuh Guillen Lopez, said on Tuesday that Mexico had sent around 15,000 migrants, mostly from Central America, back to their home countries over the past 30 days. READ MORE: Pentagon to Expand Role of Military at US-Mexico Border — Report The US … [Read more...] about Mexico Sends Over 100 Honduran Migrants Back Home – Migration Authority

Image: courtesy of Sean Paul Andrei Diaz May it be to entertain themselves, to bond with friends, to train or to quench their competitive spirits, humans have been fond of games for ages. Video games, meanwhile, are a relatively new breed – but it will be here to stay for as long as we do. Even before the pandemic, millions from all over the world have always liked – or even get addicted to – video games. Some are professionals, others are competitive, while many are just casual gamers. Gaming itself has surpassed film and music as the world’s biggest form of entertainment. Now, as we have been forced to stay inside our homes in the past few months, those who haven’t even picked up a controller before in their lives are trying out gaming – both to pass the time and to bond with friends. In the Philippines, where COVID-19 has affected and killed thousands, people are left with only a few options on how to spend their time inside their homes. Having been forced to live under … [Read more...] about There’s a virus among us: How gaming helps Filipinos bond (and stay sane) amid the pandemic

By: KDKA-TV News Staff BURGETTSTOWN, Pa. (KDKA) — A man is in custody after a Washington County neighborhood was brought to a standstill Friday morning when police and SWAT officers responded to a house. READ MORE: Thousands To Be Vaccinated At Western Pennsylvania's Largest Single-Day Clinic Police were called to the home along Harris Street in the Burgettstown area for a report of gunshots. Once on scene, officers were able to make contact over the phone with a man in mental distress. Emergency crews rushed to the scene, blocking the road with trucks. A SWAT team was also called in. READ MORE: Stimulus Check Update: Are Relief Payments Bad For The Economy? (Photo Credit: KDKA Photojournalist Scott Danka) When they went inside the home though, no one was there. Police then pinged the man’s cellphone and located him in Hanover Township. He was taken into custody and may undergo a mental evaluation. No one was injured during the incident. MORE NEWS: … [Read more...] about Law Enforcement Surround Home In Burgettstown, Man Eventually Taken Into Custody

Zigbee goes to Mars: What is smart home tech doing on NASA’s latest mission? Watch Now Have you been following the Perseverance rover that landed on Mars in February? It was fun to watch as the robot landed on the surface of Mars, ready to explore. And it's been even more mesmerizing to watch as videos -- with sound -- and pictures have made their way back to Earth. Part of the technology that makes the communication between the rover and NASA possible is Zigbee. My ZDNet Jason Squared co-host, Jason Cipriani, and I recently had the opportunity to interview Tobin Richardson, the CEO, and president of the Zigbee Alliance, about this project, as well as the future of the Zigbee wireless standard. Space Quantum sensors could soon be heading into space SpaceX launches off more Starlink satellites as part of its first ride-sharing space service European Space Agency launches recruitment drive for women, people with disabilities Moon dust is a … [Read more...] about Zigbee inside the Mars Perseverance Mission and your smart home

BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF Sian Kerr and Simon Rees look around their shared house after a fire swept through it on Thursday afternoon. The family of one of the firefighting fraternity’s own have been overwhelmed with support after losing their home in a fire. Stoke volunteer firefighter Simon Rees​ was at work in Appleby on Thursday afternoon when his flatmate called to say smoke was coming from the ceiling of their kitchen, then his pager went off. “I always said I hope that my pager never goes off and it’s my address on it, but it happened. “I’m just still coming to terms with it all, it’s hard.” READ MORE: Multiple fire crews called to house fire in Stoke Fire rips through home and heart of Nelson family Suspicious vegetation fire at Waimea College He jumped in the car and halfway home, saw the smoke change from black to white, which he knew meant the house was being doused with water. “I turned up, watching my mates trying to put it out, it is pretty … [Read more...] about Overwhelming support for firefighter and family after home gutted by blaze