Whilst Pakistan is in the spotlight for its mediation in the Gulf, the crackdown on civil society continues unabated. A group of activists were detained for several hours; they were due to hold a press conference on an initiative scheduled for 10 May for which they have not yet received permits. Human Rights Commission: “This is not an isolated incident, but a recurring pattern.”
At the general audience, continuing his commentary on “Lumen Gentium”, Leo XIV focused on the eschatological dimension of the Church, which “lives in service to the coming of the Kingdom of God”, interpreting the “dynamics of history” from the perspective of the Gospel. Earthly history is marked “by injustices and suffering”, but believers are “neither deluded nor despairing”. Ecclesiastical institutions “called to a continual conversion”.
Three Indian workers were wounded in the Iranian attack on the Fujairah oil terminal in the United Arab Emirates, the only one that bypasses Hormuz, a development that threatens to reignite the regional conflict, amidst competing alliances and interests. Against this backdrop, Abu Dhabi decided to leave the cartel of oil-exporting countries and consolidate its alliance with Israel. These steps, for Iran, will lead to the “collapse” of the Gulf.
The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party won 108 of 234 seats, falling short of an absolute majority, while the BJP won only one seat, remaining weak in southern India. The success of Vijay, a Tamil Christian, appears to be linked to growing discontent with the duopoly of local parties and his strong capacity for popular mobilisation, but building alliances will be a challenge.
A new report by Human Rights Watch denounces the systems used by the People's Republic to promote Han Chinese identity starting in kindergarten. Tibetan is no longer used in teaching, while parents are forced to send videos to schools to prove Chinese is spoken at home. Among the effects are alienation from elders and a growing perception that the local identity is inferior.
The Metro Infanta Foundation has awarded the 2026 prize to the Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato. The first cardinal from Mindanao, he is known for promoting dialogue between Christians, Muslims and the Lumad. A leader who embodies the vision of a humble Church, attentive to human rights and close to marginalised communities, following in the footsteps of Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, who was born exactly a hundred years ago.
