Dario Salvi

The bishops meeting with Patriarch Sako is being held in Baghdad from August 21 to 27. The opening address is a new cry of alarm about the future of the community. Islamic heritage makes Christians 'second-class citizens'. An appeal to the political class for a new executive capable of responding to the country's challenges. A call for an examination of conscience on the exercise of authority even in the Church: "The concept of leadership in the East does not help to spread the culture of asking for forgiveness".

Oil smuggling in the north-east, between Kurds and the Syrian Democratic Forces, has triggered a health and environmental emergency. Medical sources report severe damage in the elderly, children and the chronically ill. The traffickers only interest of the is to "get more money" from the sale, to the detriment of the local population.

Today's headlines: at least four victims in the collapse of a Shia shrine in Kerbala; heavy rains and floods claim dozens of lives in India and Afghanistan; Tokyo is ready to deploy a thousand missiles as a deterrent to Beijing and Pyongyang; Singapore has cancelled a rule criminalising homosexuality; allegations over responsibility for Daria Dugina's death.

After more than 30 years of operation, Colegio De San Lorenzo in Quezon City closes. More than 85 percent of the 865 private schools that suspended classes were run or founded by Catholics. The shutdown affected 58,327 students and 4,488 teachers. In the 2020-21 academic year, more than 250,000 students moved from private to public institutions.

Yesterday the army attacked the Anglican compound "without warning" and in an "unjustified" manner. The military's target was the offices of al-Haq, an organization that fights for the rights of Palestinians, especially political prisoners. The larger operation also involved five other ngos in the West Bank.

Today's headlines: Thousands of members of Unification Church protest in Seoul against "discrimination" in the Japanese media after the murder of former Premier Abe; Floods submerge Pakistan's Balochistan province, the death toll rises to 205; In China, the practice of sending critical voices to psychiatric clinics continues; Over 20 thousand Russian Jews have moved to Israel since the beginning of Moscow's war against Kiev.

Salma al-Shehab was arrested in January 2021, upon returning to the country, for sharing pro-democracy posts. The young woman is charged with disturbing public order and spreading "false rumors." The number of people executed spikes in 2022, in the first six months already 120. Activists fear surpassing the 186 executions-a record number-occurred in 2019.

Today's headlines: Four Vietnamese activists, one a Christian, appeal sentence; Pyongyang sends 450 officials to political prisoner camps for spreading Covid; Putin bestows the title "heroic mother" on women who bear-or adopt-many children.

A delegation of Koranic students visiting the Turkish capital in the coming days. Ankara has deported at least 40,000 refugees in the past seven months. For Kabul, there are unresolved issues regarding statistics, deportation procedures and assistance provided to Afghans.

Today's headlines: a group of (Syrian) migrants rescued on a small island along the Turkey-Greece border; drought and power shortages in the Yangtze delta, as water at its lowest since 1961; in Pakistan, an anti-polio vaccination team attacked, two escort agents killed; Egyptian soccer player Salah donates 150 thousand euros to rebuild the burned Giza church; in Russia, a Protestant community targeted by police.

Convicted of "unlawful assembly" after already having to quit his teaching job. He had become famous during the 2019 protests for personally falling victim to the violent crackdown. Friends and former students pay tribute to him in the courtroom.

Today's headlines: a Burmese court sentences Aung San Suu Kyi to six more years in prison; climate change puts Tibet's plateau reserves at risk; joint military exercises between Seoul and Tokyo (with the U.S.); a year after the rise of the Taliban, millions of Afghans risk starvation; Vietnam to lauch new tourist itinerary for Russians from late September, in Vietnam; "Islamic Games" underway in Turkey.