The Vatican has issued an appeal against investments in activities that harm the environment and people, especially Indigenous peoples. The initiative, supported by 45 organisations, calls on religious institutions to review their use of financial instruments in light of the notion of “integral ecology" proposed by the encyclical Laudato Si'. For Cardinal Fabio Baggio, this is “An act of coherence with our faith, with the defence of human dignity.”
The Turkish government is ready to invest up to US$ 100 billion to build eight new reactors over the next 10 years. Projects are being considered with several global partners, from Russia and China to Canada and South Korea. The country has been barely touched by the war so far, but the upcoming July NATO summit could provide an opportunity to rethink its place in the Alliance. Meanwhile, the conflict has had consequences for travel and tourism.
The re-election of the incumbent prime minister marks an unprecedented development in Thai politics ruled over the past two decades by fragile governments and military intervention. Bhumjaithai won a majority and formed a broad coalition, at the expense of progressive movements and the demands of the younger generations. Tensions with Cambodia and the risk of economic stagnation remain in the background.
Under the spotlight today because one Iranian missile hit Tel Aviv, cluster bombs continue to be used in contemporary conflicts by many countries that are not signatories to the Convention banning them. In 2024, at least 314 civilians were killed or wounded, nearly half of them children. The greatest danger remains unexploded submunitions, which cause victims for decades. In September of this year, Laos, still the most heavily bombed country in the world, will host the third Review Conference.
The decade-long restoration of Notre Dame has been completed. The installation coincides with the feast of St. Joseph. For Bishop Zalewski, they are “a sign of faith placed in the heart of the city.” Last year, over 200 churches, ecclesiastical buildings, and other structures related to pastoral work were constructed nationwide.
A statement from all the bishops of the state where the Archdiocese of Mumbai is located, which has become the thirteenth to adopt the regulations sought by Hindu nationalists against “forced conversions.” The complaint: “Direct and unjustified interference in the legitimate religious practices of the Catholic Church, particularly in its program for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.”