Dario Salvi

Today's headlines: Cambodian Church celebrates ordination of first Phnong priest; monsoon death toll rises to 77 in Pakistan, more rain on the way; Chinese Christian activist Cheng Yuan in solitary confinement and tortured in prison; opposition Chp party overtakes Erdogan's Akp in polls ahead of 2023 elections.

A survey conducted by Arab Barometer between late 2021 and early 2022 in nine Arab countries and the Palestinian Territories shows that a majority of respondents believe that democracy does not guarantee stability and development. More and more people are frustrated by their living conditions. Lebanon is the worse-off country.

AsiaNews source: "Difficult" to establish the "matrix" of the attack, but it represents a sign of "intolerance"; important to catch those responsible. The cemetery vandalised on the feast of Saint Peter and Paul, Assyrian tombs over a thousand years old damaged. Bones of the dead and sacred objects thrown outside, the local community express grief and despair.

Today's headlines: Pope says China-Vatican agreement on bishops not ideal, but hopes it will be renewed; Japan develops an app for smartphones that automatically deletes images of underage nudity; Vietnamese police have arrested the famous blogger and activist Nguyen Lan Thang; a "discount war" on oil looms between Tehran and Moscow; in Sri Lanka, cooking with wood returns.

Card. Zenari on experiencing in Syria what John Paul II called "the imagination of charity": The Church and Christians are multiplying their solidarity initiatives, but the emigration that risks emptying the community is weighing heavily. Sharing pain and suffering with a wounded nation; children the main victims of the conflict.

Today's headlines: Turkey's annual inflation rate exceeds 78%; Chinese researchers develop device to test 'loyalty' to the CCP; Marcos intends to increase rice and corn production and reduce dependence on imports; Patriarch Kirill attacks the West's 'incomprehensible' hostility towards Moscow; snow returns to Azerbaijan, zero temperature at sea level.

The prelate took over the vicariate, concelebrating his first Mass in St Joseph's Cathedral in Abu Dhabi. He thanked his predecessor, Bishop Hinder, for his “great work”. He also stressed the role Catholic parishes and schools play and noted that the document signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam el-Tayeb should not be forgotten.

For the past two years, the global pandemic had limited the number of pilgrims and blocked entry. For the first time, women will be able to participate without the presence of a male 'guardian'. In the past, the major pilgrimage has been the scene of incidents, attacks and used by Riyadh as a political weapon.

Today's headlines: Israel wants to take part in the US study of the bullet that killed the Christian journalist; in India, the death toll in a landslide in Manipur State rises to 37; the Iraqi premier inaugurates a 750 megawatts power plant; Tibetan monk Jigme Gyatso, who was arrested several times by Beijing, dies; Russian raid against illegal Chinese workers.

Scores of YouTubers, influencers, artists and prominent figures from the Arab world and beyond have visited the country and praised its features. For experts, the pope’s apostolic journey also had a great impact. To boost the industry, the government has taken steps to ease entry, lifting visa requirements for travellers from 36 nations.

On June 28, Pope Francis accepted Msgr. Abou Khazen's resignation upon reaching the age for retirement. He has firsthand experience of the conflict, rampant poverty and emigration that afflict the nation. In reflections shared with AsiaNews he recounts the "darkness of death," which is countered by "commitment to our neighbor" even among Christians and Muslims. The call to continue the witness of faith and connection to the land.

EU mediation allowed the two delegations to communicate with each other in the capital of Qatar. For the EU, negotiations will continue until the JCPOA, a key agreement, is revived. US blacklisting Iran’s Revolutionary Guards is a major stumbling block.