If you have heard of Madagascar, you likely know the cartoon version better than the reality. King Julian is quite the character, bringing the uniqueness of the lemur to life. Last week I had the good fortune of meeting a lemur in the flesh in Madagascar and they have as much personality as Julian. Unique…
Ireland must not join the cascade of former colonial powers trampling on people’s wishes, writes Michael Sanfey Western Sahara – previously known as Spanish Sahara – had been under Spanish colonial control since the late 19th century until Spain decided to pull out in 1975 leading to a tussle for control between Morocco, Mauritania and…
By László Molnárfi A group of more than 50 people have registered to take part in a five-day hunger strike demanding justice for Gaza, organisers say. At the launch, held in Béguinage Church in the heart of Brussels on Monday, speakers highlighted the European Union’s “hypocrisy” on the Israel-Palestine war, the necessity of…
According to aid workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, sexual violence against women and girls is on the rise. “The systematic use of rape as a weapon of war is not only a violation of human rights, but also a targeted strategy to destabilise communities,” said the country director of the aid organisation…
The General Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation will meet in Augsburg in 2030. The occasion is the 500th anniversary of the Augsburg Confession, as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria announced in Munich on Friday. This was decided by the Council of the World Federation in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa. The Confessio Augustana is…
An Italian boy dies of leukaemia at the age of 15. Now Carlo Acutis is canonised because he was particularly pious and socially committed. In addition to enthusiasm, the honour also triggers criticism. The boy in the red polo shirt smiles somewhat shyly into the camera, carrying a rucksack over his shoulders. Carlo Acutis, who…
Paolo Affatato The best time to visit Genazzano, a picturesque medieval town in Lazio, about 45 km south of Rome, is early July — when the streets themselves bloom beneath your feet. The town is famous for its Infiorata, a traditional flower festival held on the first Sunday of July to mark the feast of…
As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire, Pope Leo XIV Wednesday afternoon had a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Pope’s phone conversation with Putin, confirmed by a Vatican spokesman late Wednesday night, came the same day that United States President Donald Trump had…
It is common knowledge that Pope Leo XIV knows his home country, the USA, and his missionary country, Peru. But he is also familiar with the evil consequences of communism in Eastern Europe. This is reported by the former Archbishop of Prague. Leo XIV, the first pope from the USA, is apparently a convinced anti-communist…
A parish priest in the Gaza Strip talks about his pastoral work among the war In the background happy cries are heard of children dancing to the sound of very rhythmic music. Then suddenly sounds of gunfire and shouts “is our daily surrealism,” Fr Gabriel Romanelli, the Catholic parish priest of the Gaza Strip,…