Paolo Fossati

The Lan Do field "Red Orchid" is located in Block 06.1, 85 km inside an area claimed by China and Vietnam. Hanoi: "Operations are authorized and carried out in areas under Vietnamese sovereignty and jurisdiction". Experts fear for Sino-Russian relations.

Four police officers and six civilians were injured. The authorities have not yet revealed the number of victims of the suicide attack. Eyewitnesses report that one of the two kamikaze motorcyclists was a man, along with a woman and a child sitting on the passenger seat. Yesterday morning, a series of coordinated attacks on three Christian churches in the cities had caused 14 deaths (including the six attackers) wounding 41 people.

The meeting should take place within the year, most likely in Rome. During his apostolic visit, the Holy Father brought financial aid. The Catholic Church in Myanmar is already involved in development and aid projects in Rakhine State.

It is unclear whether the agreement to allow 300,000 Filipinos is limited to domestic workers or includes other jobs. At present, some 200,0000 Filipinos work in China’s underground economy. It is unclear whether they’d benefit from an amnesty. Two years ago, the first Filipino domestic workers appeared in a number of Chinese cities. Rights groups are concerned about their rights.

Malaysians elected 222 lawmakers and 505 members of state assemblies. The winning coalition can count on 121 MPs. Prime Minister Najib’s block won only 79 seats, a sharp drop from 133 in 2013. Financial scandals and inflation were decisive in his defeat. Previously, Mahathir served as PM from 1981 to 2003.

All 222 parliamentarians and 505 officials of the various state assemblies are elected. Both the ruling coalition, the Barisan Nasional (BN), and the opposition coalition, the Pakatan Harapan (Ph), are confident of obtaining the 112 parliamentary seats to form a majority. The Islamists of the Islamic Part-Malaysia (Pas) are aiming to tip the scales.

The prelates are on their ad limina visit with Pope Francis, remembering the pontiff’s historic journey to their country. For Mgr Raymond Sumlut Gam, bishop of Banmaw, the pope’s "messages of love, peace, forgiveness and reconciliation have marked the path of the country". Meanwhile, fighting continues Kachin where the Church mediates between rebels and government forces. The situation of displaced persons, trapped in the jungle, is worrisome.

On 25 April, Pope Francis created the new diocese of Chiang Rai, which has more than 16,000 members, mostly from poor ethnic minorities that are socially and geographically marginalised. Economics and a shortage of priests are some of the challenges that await the new diocese.

"I want to get to know the Churches of Korea and Mongolia as much as possible, so that I can love and serve them". "I have always admired the enthusiasm of missionaries. I hope to become like them and carry on the evangelizing work, talking about Jesus and welcoming new Christians into the Church ".

"Our area is large and hard-to-get-to,” says the clergyman. “For many Catholics it is hard to reach the city from where they live. So, after Easter, I visit each of the 20 villages of the mission to celebrate the solemnity”.

"The faithful crave the Word of God and feel the need to find a link between faith and their lives". "We have to prepare students for the new evangelization among the many cultures and religions of our continent". The formation of lay people "fundamental to mission". Every year there are 3 thousand new baptisms.

"The West has become rationalist, materialistic and individualistic. Religion, however, cannot be explained, it is something that comes from the heart, it is an encounter. Faith and reason do not contradict each other, but faith is greater than reason". In Singapore, many entrepreneurs become philanthropists.