The prelate last week addressed the plenary session of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference (ACBC), highlighting his country’s multiple challenges, from earthquakes and healthcare to war and the economy. He bore witness to the devastation caused by the 2021 military coup while reiterating the strength of the local Catholic community. The US State Department acknowledges religious persecution.

The historic Orthodox church of Agios Nikolaos will become a public library. According to scholars, the building’s remarkable architecture offers a unique atmosphere for reading. Meanwhile, Bartholomew I has announced for September the reopening of the historic seminary with a grand ceremony, but its future use remains uncertain.

Capital Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the efforts that, during the years of the terrible Stalinist dictatorship, made it possible to build one of Central Asia’s most beautiful cities on a desert plateau. Today, its modern buildings project it into the future.

A bill before the Knesset has passed first reading, granting Israel control over antiquities in the Palestinian territories, where violence settler continues. For Prof Sabella, a climate of insecurity is pushing families to leave. Jewish schools are fuelling an anti-Christian ideology. From Gaza and Iran to Lebanon, the trauma caused by wars must be overcome.

The victims, members of the Thadou Baptist Association, were attacked in Kangpokpi district as they made their way home from a religious conference, sparking concern in a region ravaged by ethnic violence for the past three years. For the archbishop of Imphal, the parties to the conflict must not deepen the pain. He calls for life to be defended, as well as “forgiveness” and “peaceful coexistence,” urging the authorities to restore trust.

Trump’s long-awaited visit to Beijing, the first by a US president since 2017, offers an opportunity to refocus attention on the fate of Jimmy Lai and many other defenders of religious freedom and human rights imprisoned in China. This includes Zion Church clergymen, whose families, to keep their fate in the public eye, are posting on Chinese social media images of the Ichthys fish, a symbol used by early Christians during persecution.