South East Asia

The apostolic nuncio led the first Mass in the new church. The new cathedral was built on the site of the old one. The latter, whose demolition began in July 2017, could only accommodate 800 people. The new, three-level building can accommodate 1,208 people seated and another 706 on the balcony.

Peace talks between the government and the Northern Alliance took place in Muse. The four rebel groups have not yet signed the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). A four-month truce came into effect on 21 December in Kachin and Shan states. ““The ceasefire period was extended until June 30,” a military spokesperson said. The parties will meet again in the third week of May. Hundreds of thousands of people have become refugees.

​The wedding was celebrated yesterday in the Dusit Palace, "legally and according to tradition". The television stations reported the marriage a few hours after the ceremony and a royal decree. King Maha Vajiralongkorn already has seven children and three marriages behind him. On May 4, the series of complex ceremonies will begin for his coronation.

At the general audience Francis speaks of the penultimate invocation of the Our Father and emphasizes that when evil appears in the life of man, God "fights at his side, so that he may be freed from it". "People say why talk about the devil? An ancient thing, the devil does not exist. But Jesus was tempted by the devil and Jesus rejects every temptation and emerges victorious ".

Among the causes: the high cost of living and easy loans. The average income of the workforce is around € 419 per month. The average debt per family is 4,437 euros: + 15% compared to last year. The country's economic slowdown is weighing. Usury debt accounts for 41.8% of the money owed. The phenomenon often also affects Thai workers abroad.

The church was inaugurated in 1581, the first dedicated to the Portuguese saint in Asia. “May the shrine truly be [. . .] be the centre of constant missionary outreach,” says the Pope in a message for the occasion. Every year, some 75,000 to 100,000 pilgrims visit the site. The recognition is "first and foremost an honour, but at the same time a great responsibility,” says rector.

"A Christian life, which calls itself Christian, which leaves no place for the Spirit and does not allow itself to be carried forward by the Spirit, is a pagan life, disguised as a Christian. The Spirit is the protagonist of the Christian life "

The government has yet to find a new location. President Widodo’s decision is designed to encourage economic development outside of Java, in other regions of the country. Moving the capital may take up to ten years. According to some reports, the choice is likely to be a city in Kalimantan (Borneo).

The International Theological Commission issues a document highlighting how there is a substantial violation of religious freedom toady even in countries that call themselves liberal and democratic. "The alleged ideological neutrality of the liberal state" leans towards a "soft totalitarianism".

Fighting between the RCSS and the SSPP has stopped in Kyaukme and Thibaw townships. It broke out last September in the Namtu district. Since the end of 2018, the two groups have clashed more than 150 times, displacing thousands of persons. Shan State is the global centre for methamphetamine production.

The initiative to visit church and temples promoted by the NGO Global Unity Network. The president: "Compassion and closeness even when non-Muslims die". The delegation holds a meeting on dialogue with the parish priest of St. Joseph. For almost 20 years the group has offered itself as a tool to expose Muslims to other faiths.

Since the low point in the post-Cold War period (1998), spending worldwide has increased by 76 per cent. China alone accounts for 14 per cent of world military expenditures. Spending is up in Saudi Arabia, India, France, Pakistan, and Turkey. Tensions in Asia, as well as between China and the United States, are the greatest factor driving up military spending in the region.