Dario Salvi

After Israeli jets and drones struck Hamas officials who were in Qatar yesterday to discuss the truce and the release of hostages, the outcome of the attack, which left at least six dead, remains uncertain. For Bishop Berardi, the operation was a surprise, but Qatari leaders are sending signals that things are normal. Through letters and money, the children of the vicariate are expressing their solidarity with their peers in Gaza.

A medieval pipe instrument, which accompanied liturgies during the Crusader era, was discovered in Bethlehem and restored as part of the RESOUND project led by Spanish musicologist David Catalunya. The presentation was held this morning at the Convent of Holy Saviour, headquarters of the Custody of the Holy Land. New studies on the bells are now underway.

During the night, a drone attacked one of the boats off the coast of Tunisia. Suspicions point to Israel. A dozen Asian countries have joined the international initiative of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a symbol of “resilience” as its name suggests in Arabic. Filipino activist: it is important to show “our solidarity”.

At least seven people are in serious condition. Hamas and Islamic Jihad deny involvement in an attack that has not yet been claimed. The movement that controls Gaza commends the attackers, while the Palestinian Authority condemns them. Ben Gvir calls for the death penalty “for terrorists”. Speaking to AsiaNews, Rabbi Milgrom lamented this “terrible attack,” saying that “ we must remain united” with the aim of "achieving peace”.

Vicar General Naaman's golden cross, keys, phone, and other personal belongings were taken. Two men claiming to be members of a security service attacked and injured him. Activists speak out against the country's new leaders, who are incapable of protecting minorities. In Idlib, the Church of Saint Anna reopens after 14 years.

CHP provincial chairman Özgür Çelik and his team have been removed from office, replaced by interim officials, led by Gürsel Tekin, a longtime party member who has been less critical of the government. The party’s national leader Özgür Özel expelled Tekin from the party, pledging the same fate for anyone who accepts to be court-appointed.

Gazprom's CEO announced a “legally binding agreement" with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). The pipeline, which Russia has been pushing for years, could supply up to 50 billion cubic metres of gas per year to China over 30 years. For Russia, it would be vital to offset lost markets in Europe. Chinese media have been silent on the details that have blocked the agreement so far.

In a reflection for AsiaNews, Archbishop Mathieu criticises the ‘colonial hegemony’ that distorts the reality of an ‘intrinsically multipolar’ region. ‘Peace cannot be built on the ideology of a so-called free interventionist world that dehumanises parts of populations that are not aligned with them.’ Tension rises over nuclear issue: “E3” countries want to reactivate snapback mechanism, Tehran threatens to withdraw from Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Today's news: Kim Keon Hee, wife of former South Korean President Yoon, has been charged with several offences, including corruption. Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi is reportedly killed in Israeli raids in Yemen. The Afghan Taliban accuse Islamabad of a drone attack that reportedly killed three children in the provinces of Nangarhar and Khost. Chinese blogger Zhang Zhan, who reported on COVID-19, remains in prison without trial a year after her second arrest.

Dubai’s statistical agency released the data today. In 1975, the population stood at 175,000. The emirate is increasingly a popular among the super-rich from Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a boom from the United Kingdom. The emirate’s 2040 development plan focuses on liveability, a city where everything can be found in “20 minutes”.

China continues to violate the rights and abuse Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the western region. Victims' families are silenced and threatened. Those waiting for the return of a relative from detention centres tell their stories. For Brooks, Amnesty’s China Director, “lives have been destroyed, families separated, and communities dismantled by the Chinese authorities’ continuing cruelty.”

Today's news: Kim and Putin will join Xi Jinping at the ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan. After 156 hearings, the trial of Jimmy Lai has ended, with the verdict to be delivered “in good time” according to the judges. Saudi Arabia and China strengthen trade and investment co-operation. Pakistan accuses India of weaponising water. South Korea bans mobile phones in schools. The Turkey is building bunkers in the country's 81 provinces.