Dario Salvi

The controversy that broke out between France and part of the Muslim world has not had any serious local impact. A collaborative esprit de corps prevails in the city, with Muslims trying to get Christians to come back. For Fr Paul, people are helping each through dialogue and exchange. In Karamles, a cultural centre helps “to preserve our identity".

The reform is part of the "Vision 2030" plan to improve the labour market and develop the nation. It will apply from March 2021 to all employees in the private sector. It will be possible to change companies without the owner's permission. But some sectors, such as domestic workers, remain excluded.

Since Mosul’s liberation, Sawaed al-Museliya (Muslim) volunteer are helping people in need and wiping away the traces of the Islamic State. At present, they are clearing the Syriac Catholic Church of St Thomas. They urge families that fled to "Come back, Mosul is not complete without you.”

In a closed-door hearing, the judges heard witnesses and accused, then postponed the proceedings to January 27. Father Sefer (Aho) Bileçen said he did not know the people he helped and to whom he gave food. The charge based on the "confession" of a (alleged) former PKK affiliate.

After more than a year, the radical monk U Wirathu has reappeared in public. Speaking to a crowd, he attacked the National League for Democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi. Some fear he might influence the upcoming elections. Expert told AsiaNews that his reappearance is likely an attempt by members of the former military regime to destabilise the vote.

The function was held yesterday afternoon in front of the Cave of the Patriarchs. An initiative to "thank" the outgoing president and support him so that he "can win". The leaders of the Palestinian Authority are seeking contacts with the democratic challenger. A Biden victory would give new impetus to relations between Washington and Ramallah.

Caritas Turkey president Bishop Paolo Bizetti stresses that the Christian charity “took immediate action” to help “people in need”. Working with Turkish authorities is an example of solidarity embodied by the encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’. For the prelate, without solidarity, “tragedies become impossible to manage". Izmir’s cathedral and the Church of St Polycarp suffered damage.

The WWF's 2020 Living Planet Report shows a critical situation for the region. 1.2% of forests are lost each year. Among the causes, the conversion of entire forests into plantations used for the extensive production of palm oil. China is the global epicentre of wildlife trafficking.

Voters in the small Caucasian nation must choose their parliament at a time of economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. For observers, the country’s future hangs between Europe and Russia. Exiled former President Saakashvili is trying to make a comeback. Opposition groups are seeking unity but opinion polls favour the ruling party.

In April, King Salman cancelled capital punishment for minors, but Saudi prosecutors continue to demand it. For Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia uses "spin doctors" to claim progress that has yet to materialise. In one case, one of the accused was nine at the time of the alleged crime.

Breathonix, a start-up linked to the national university, has developed a test similar to the breathalyser for alcohol. 90% reliability, but work is underway to make it even more accurate. The goal is a green light for use by the first quarter of 2021.

More than 70 million voters are called to vote in three phases with official results announced on 10 November. The ruling coalition promises free vaccines for all in case of victory. The opposition focuses on jobs in one of India’s poorest states, badly affected by lockdowns. Distrust is strong among voters.