Franco Pisano

"The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020,” reads the petition, “hands to government a sledgehammer, a blunt instrument that may easily be wielded to batter down the constitutional guardrails protecting the freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances, and ultimately, terrorize the sovereign people into silence and servility.”

The Pontifical Academy for Life calls for solidarity vis-à-vis pandemic. The virus “is the result, more than the cause, of financial greed, the self-indulgence of life styles defined by consumption indulgence and excess.” What is more, “It is clear that the pandemic is worsening the inequalities that already are associated with processes of globalization, making more people vulnerable and marginalized without health care, employment, and social safety nets.”

The Congregation for the Clergy releases the Instruction. In it, it acknowledges that “pastoral activity needs to go beyond merely the territorial limits of the Parish, to make ecclesial communion more clearly transparent by means of the synergy between ministers and diverse charisms, structuring itself as a ‘pastoral care for all’, at the service of the Diocese and of its mission.”

The intent of the devil "is to hinder the work of salvation, to ensure that the Kingdom of God is hindered by unjust workers, sowers of scandals". "This is always the devil or our temptation: when we fall into the temptation to gossip and to destroy others".

The manual is not based on new legislation, but summarises the issues involved. It calls for action into any situation brought to the attention of the authorities from any source, even anonymous. The reputation of victims and accused must be protected. Transferring the accused from one place to another, as was often done in the past, must be avoided.

Mountains of methamphetamine crystals were seized this year in Thailand after Myanmar eased its crackdown and pandemic restrictions.

Religions for Peace issued an appeal signed by Myanmar’s religious leaders. For them, “To build a nation we need not be afraid of difference, but rather learn to negotiate, compromise, dialogue and rejoice in who we are.”

The former European Central Bank president graduated from the Massimiliano Massimo Institute and La Sapienza University (in economics) in Rome. He has a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The prelate notes that “In these tragic times of COVID lockdown there cannot be a lockdown of the fire of hunger” which “forced those poor to seek the crumbs of jade that fall from mega companies' bulldozers.” For him, “This mine tragedy is a grim reminder of the need for sharing God given natural treasures.” Indeed, “The treasures of Myanmar belong to the people of Myanmar.” Sadly, “This is not the first time of this merciless tragedy and if the relevant stakeholders do not respond with compassion and justice, this will not be the last time of this inhuman tragedy.”

Celebrating mass on the seventh anniversary of his visit to Lampedusa, Francis again decries "globalization of indifference". “War, of course, is bad, we know it, but we can't imagine the hell people live there, in those detention camps. And these people only came with hope to cross the sea."

At a press conference titled “Preparing the future, building peace in the time of COVID-19,” Card Turkson said: “As the world takes emergency measures to address a global pandemic and a global economic recession, both underpinned by a global climate emergency, we must also consider the implications for peace of these interconnected crises.”

National security law “threatens to undermine freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press and academic freedom. Freedom of religion and belief is also under threat. According to many reports, freedom of religion and belief in mainland China has suffered the most violent attacks since the Cultural Revolution."