In his speech at the inauguration of the new parliament, the president of Uzbekistan calls for ‘a healthy confrontation between opposing views’ and rules for the representation of minor parties, in a country where groups truly opposed to the government are excluded from electoral competitions. Women and young people are on the rise among local MPs.

Shanghai-based SpaceSail wants to reach remote areas of Brazil in the coming years thanks to an alternative to Starlink. The South American country currently relies on Elon Musk's company, but the latter has recently faced off the country’s Supreme Court.

The solemn event is repeated every ten years, attracting thousands of pilgrims who pray before the remains of the great evangeliser of Asia. "We are Messengers of the Good News" is the theme of this year’s exhibition, which will continue until 5 January. Accompanied by a human chain of a thousand young people, the urn with the relics travelled from the Basilica of Bom Jesus to the cathedral.

In the inaugural session of the new Parliament, the president of Sri Lanka announced an imminent new debt agreement with the International Monetary Fund. Tourism, trade, and new technologies are the leading sectors for a type of development that distributes benefits to all. He also stressed that “racist politics would not be allowed to re-emerge”.

Francis released a letter dedicated to the study of this subject in connection with the training of priests and pastoral workers. He warns against interested denialism that nowadays is used to “justify wars, persecutions”.

A priest has denounced the decay around the historic St Ignatius College, residence for professors and seminarians. The Indonesian Minister of the Environment demanded immediate action and threatened legal action against the local administration, which admitted to having difficulties.