The UN peacekeeping force’s mandate is set to expire at the end of the year. Its potential withdrawal is raising concerns in Lebanon, where there are fears of increased vulnerability. Key issues include Hezbollah’s disarmament and the ongoing escalation. There is hope for a new European-led mission to prevent more confrontation with Israel.
Today's headlines: Beijing loosens Covid-19 restrictions in bars, gyms and restaurants, asymptomatic and mild cases will be quarantined at home; Petronas gets the go-ahead for unconventional oil exploration in the Emirates; in South Korea, more and more single people will be living in 40% of households by 2050; after lengthy negotiations with the Azeris, Yerevan reopens the only direct link between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Religious Zionists want to legalise even those small settlements that Israeli law itself deems illegal. Administrative authority in the West Bank’s Area C, which is under Israeli control but largely inhabited by Palestinians, is now in settlers’ hand. The first goal is to rebuild Homesh, one of the settlements Sharon evicted in 2005.
Filippo Grandi has concluded a visit to the country, making an "urgent appeal" to the international community. Refugees number almost two million, of which 'only' 830,000 are registered. First openings for an alternative solution to naturalisation of a 'complex and problematic' issue. The problem of security and an end to the war remains, with the threat of a Turkish military ground operation.
Today's headlines: Tehran to execute more than 500 prisoners in 2022; new explosion in northern Afghanistan, at least seven dead and six injured; Chinese hackers stole millions from the US; Tokyo wants to increase defence budget by 56% in 2023-27; Moscow studies an 'atomic shelter' plan for the capital.
Russian ships launch missiles at Ukrainian targets from the sea. According to an agreement, the Caspian should only be used for peaceful purposes. So far no objections from Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Their silence is a form of connivance with the massacre of the Ukrainians.
Iran’s attorney general announced its abolition yesterday, but no official confirmation has come from the government. State media have denied the information, claiming that the minister’s words were taken out of context. Protesters announce a three-day strike. For Iran’s Foreign Minister, “everything is moving forward well in the framework of democracy and freedom.”
Construction work on the centre continues, with 30% of the project completed in three months. The building will stand on 10,000 square metres and will have a hall dedicated to Francis for interfaith events. The church will be flanked by a mosque. Bells ring again in St Paul's parish in Mosul.
Today's headlines: State of maximum alert for thousands of Indonesians in East Java after the eruption of Mount Semeru; Tokyo and Beijing create a military 'red line' to avert incidents in the East China Sea; Israeli President Herzog on an official visit to Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates; Kim Jong-un has reportedly identified his successor in his (nine-year-old) daughter Ju Ae, the 'most beloved'.
Today's other news: North Korea publicly executes two minors for distributing South Korean films; Indonesia is set to approve a law that punishes extramarital sex with prison for both Indonesians and foreigners; China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Russia on the US "blacklist" for violations of religious freedom; the number of child brides is up in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power.
The number reached 70,000 in 2022, double last year’s. Some 54 per cent comes from Russia, up 400 per cent over 2021; Ukraine follows with 21 per cent; and 5 per cent from the United States. This wave of migration and the Law of Return continue to fuel the debate over the country’s Jewish identity.
The Mecc met for two days at the end of November in Lebanon focusing on the future of the new generations. The plan for a special conference on kidnappings marking a decade since the two bishops of Aleppo were abducted. The invitation to continue dialogue for a common date on Easter.
The two international 'pariahs' put up a common front against Western sanctions. Cooperation in the military field, with the Russians using Iranian drones in Ukraine. The centrepiece is energy cooperation. However, the Islamic Republic would like to replace Russia as gas supplier to Europe.
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