Dario Salvi

Talks between Iran and the E3 countries on sanctions resumed yesterday in Geneva. Iran’s foreign minister says his government is open to "indirect talks" with the US if the latter abandons the military option. Domestic tensions are growing between camps divided over the nuclear programme and talks. According to HRANA, executions increased by 54 per cent between July and August in 2025 over the same period last year.

Today's news: In Aceh two men jailed for homosexual relations were whipped 76 times. “Peace be with you all" is the theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV for 2026 World Peace Day. Israeli drones kill six Syrian soldiers on the outskirts of Damascus. At least 30 people died in Jammu after a landslide hit a route used by Hindu pilgrims.

Cardinal Pizzaballa and Greek Orthodox Theophilus III reject the prospect of "evacuation" in the face of the Israeli military operation already underway. “There can be no future based on imprisonment, the displacement of Palestinians, or revenge,” they say. The Sisters of Mother Teresa, who arrived in 1973 after the killing of the local parish priest, serve a community devastated by hunger and war. In Tel Aviv, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum is marking a “National Day of Struggle”.

Today's news: An investigation into abuse at a wildlife park linked to the Ambani family has been opened. Tear gas and water cannons were used in Jakarta against protesters demanding cuts to lawmakers’ high salaries and benefits. Despite his recent election defeat, support for Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba is rising. Interim Syrian President al-Sharaa is set to address the UN General Assembly.

This is done for the first time since 1971, when the country gained independence through war. The agreement, which will last for five years and follows a meeting of senior Pakistani government ministers visiting Bangladesh, reflects a new balance of power following Sheikh Hasina's flight a year ago. In addition to visas, the two countries sign cooperation agreements in education, media, and trade.

Today's news: Six are dead and 86 wounded in Israeli attacks in Sana'a. Despite a majority in favour of reopening Taiwan’s last nuclear power plant, referendum fails because the turnout fell short of the legal threshold. Vietnam plans to evacuate over half a million people ahead of Typhoon Kajiki. Jailed former Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe is in stable conditions after he was hospitalised in intensive care.

Fr Romanelli says that "the entire Gaza Strip is dangerous," but Gaza City is "even more so." There are “constant bombardments”, but the parish has not yet received an "evacuation order." The Custody of the Holy Land and the Latin Patriarchate are with Pope Leo fasting and praying for peace. According to Israeli military sources, 83 percent of the deaths in the Palestinian enclave are civilians.

Eighty representatives of the Modern Orthodox movement, led by Rabbi Yosef Blau, have launched an appeal calling for "moral clarity" and "responsibility" based on the values of Jewish tradition. While condemning Hamas, they call for a "response" to the tragedy in Gaza and criticise the "disturbing proposals" of Smotrich and Ben Gvir. For the rabbis, they must “speak out when our government’s actions contradict the Torah’s moral imperatives”. The Latin Patriarchate warns of evacuation orders in neighbourhoods near Gaza Catholic parish.

More than 12 million people, or 14 per cent of the population, live in extreme poverty. The number of children at risk of removal from their families due to financial difficulties is up. The birth rate is dropping, raising concerns about the country's future demographic balance. One in four citizens is expected to be over 65 by 2080.

The vote is set to start on 28 December, and subsequent rounds in January. Currently, 55 parties have registered, nine ready to run countrywide. Humanitarian NGOs and the international community are highly critical of the vote, but China wants stability. Meanwhile, the humanitarian emergency is growing, particularly in Rakhine State, where the WFP warns that resources are in dire shortage.

The complaint was made in a statement by Protecting Holy Land Christians. The “reasoning” behind the decision is said to be linked to “the Arnona issue”. The Patriarchate “is currently unable to pay the salaries of clergy, teachers and staff”. In his homily on the Assumption, Cardinal Pizzaballa affirms that the blood of every ‘innocent’ in Gaza and around the world ‘is not forgotten.’

The depreciation of the local currency is making the costs of traditional universities in the West, from the United States to Europe, increasingly unsustainable. Hence the choice of alternative destinations such as Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea. After Covid-19, the number of young people abroad is growing again. Tokyo has set a target of increasing the number to 500,000 by 2033.