Myanmar’s military junta has committed crimes against humanity amid ongoing conflicts in the country following the coup last year, said a new report by the United Nations. The UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar said in its annual report August 9 that sexual and gender-based crimes, including rape and other forms of sexual violence, and…
The European Court of Human Rights has dismissed the case of an Iranian convert to Christianity, who is appealing his deportation from Germany back to Iran, on the grounds of religious freedom. Campaigners fear that the court’s decision means that the 44 year-old, will likely face prison or death, on account of his religious conversion.…
Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ Pope says The passing of time in one’s life is meant to be lived as a God-given grace and not a meaningless pursuit to preserve one’s youthfulness, Pope Francis said. Men and women are “apprentices of life” who amid trials and tribulations “learn to appreciate God’s gift, honouring the…
A Nicaraguan human rights organisation released a video August 4 showing police in riot gear outside the diocesan offices of one the country’s bishops, preventing him from leaving to celebrate Mass at the cathedral. Because the incident took place on a Thursday and Catholics were likely expecting him to show up for exposition and adoration…
The Australian Parliament is considering legislation that would allow the country’s two territories to pass their own laws, paving the way for legalising euthanasia. On August 2, the House of Representatives passed the Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022, which removes the risk of the federal government overriding the territories’ laws. The bill must still be…
Catholic bishops in Ethiopia warned that insecurity is shutting down churches and forcing more priests and nuns to flee, as consequences of the war in the northern province of Tigray are felt across the entire country. The bishops reiterated that the insecurity also had made it difficult for the Church to effectively carry out its…
Ortega regime in Nicaragua shuts Catholic radio stations Nicaraguan police broke into Divine Mercy parish the night of August 1 in the town of Sébaco in the Diocese of Matagalpa to shut down one of the five Catholic radio stations closed that day by the Daniel Ortega regime. On Facebook, the parish broadcast live the…
The number of legal abortions taking place in Poland decreased by 90% in 2021, following a court ruling that banned abortion in the case of a foetal medical diagnosis such as Down syndrome. According to a report by the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, data from the Ministry of Health shows that the number of legal abortions…
Opus Dei in Argentina has responded to a BBC news story about a complaint made to the Vatican by 43 women who claim to have been exploited by the Catholic apostolate. In a communiqué, Opus Dei told ACI Prensa that it considers it necessary “to set up a listening and study commission that will allow…
Pope Francis appoints personal health assistant The Vatican announced August 4 that Pope Francis has appointed a “personal health care assistant”. Pope Francis has selected Massimiliano Strappetti, a Vatican nurse whom the Pope has credited with saving his life, to provide additional assistance as the 85-year-old Pope faces mobility problems. “A nurse, a man with a…