Most of the abandoned building that the current administration had repurposed for national interest ventures are closed and in disrepair. Many heritage buildings have become havens for criminals and drug addicts, while furniture and other assets have been stolen. Former lawmakers and scholars are calling for urgent action before the deterioration becomes irreversible.

After representing the ruling classes for half a century, at 87 he has been accused of wanting to overthrow the Aliyev regime. His arrest is symbolic of Azerbaijan's new position on the international stage, which is bringing to fruition the military campaign to reconquer Karabakh and redefine relations with other countries in the Caucasus and the Middle East.

Signed by President Mohamed Muizzu, the law has shaken the Maldives, raising fears of censorship. Journalists and the country’s opposition call it a direct attack on press freedom, while the government sees it as needed reform and transparency. The legislation comes at a delicate time for the Maldives’s young democracy, already plagued by political tensions.

In a lengthy report, Sixth Tone explores how emigration from China to Papua New Guinea has changed. The Oceanic country is a major destination for infrastructure projects, mining, and construction. While some immigrants are trying to integrate with the local community, others keep their distance fearful of robberies and holdups.

At the general audience, during his Jubilee catechesis, Leo XIV offered his thoughts about the Gospel of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. “The gesture of breaking bread reopens the eyes of the heart,” he said. At the end, he invited the faithful to renew their “active cooperation in the Church's mission." He also remembered Saint John Paul II on his liturgical feast day, saying that “47 years ago, in this square, he urged the world to open itself to Christ.”

Appeal launched to AsiaNews by Bishop Bernardus Bofitwos Baru and addressed to President Prabowo and the commander of the armed forces. Last week, more than 15 people died in an army attack on the village of Soanggama, which is in the hands of separatists. A conflict fuelled ‘by investors' interests and the exploitation of natural resources’. The warning to priests: do not be afraid to denounce the ‘armed wolves’.