The aftermath of the explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon 
ACN sending €250,000 in food aid to Lebanon
International Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has announced an emergency €250,000 food aid package for victims of the massive August 4 explosion in Beirut.
The ACN grant will focus on poor families most affected by the explosion, which devastated the port area of the Lebanese capital and adjacent areas, including the mostly Christian neighbourhoods of Mar Maroun and Achrafieh.
Fr Samer Nassif, a Lebanese priest, told Aid to the Church in Need that the Christian area of Beirut is “completely devastated”, with at least 10 churches destroyed.
ACN estimates some 300,000 people have been left homeless. Additionally, many offices, schools, hospitals, and shops were completely destroyed in the explosion.
Nicaraguan cardinal says Mass at firebombed cathedral
Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes Solorzano of Managua said Mass at the entrance of the Blood of Christ chapel in his cathedral, which was firebombed on July 31.
“The Church has always suffered and will continue to suffer, but our assurance is that the Lord is with us,” Cardinal Brenes said during the Mass.
He called the July 31 firebombing “an act of terrorism”.
The Archbishop of Managua said there is “an atmosphere of sadness and pain…because what we feel from this nightmare is: when are we going to wake up?” He urged clinging to “the cross, because if we are clinging to his cross, who can separate us from the love of God?”
Cardinal Brenes said that looking at the image of Christ crucified, “we see our Blood of Christ charred, but still standing”.
Pakistan’s minorities denied housing in Muslim areas
Hard-liners in Pakistan are forcing Christians out of Muslim neighbourhoods and refusing to give them lodgings, according to a high-profile minority groups’ politician championing human rights.
Speaking following the death of Christian man Nadeem Joseph – who was repeatedly shot by a neighbour for refusing to leave his house in a Muslim neighbourhood – Pakistani politician Joel Amir Sahotra told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that there is a worrying trend of non-Muslims facing fierce opposition if they try to move to Muslim areas:
“Discrimination against religious minorities, unfortunately, is very common in Pakistan – there is no respect or acceptance for them.”
He added: “People are not even willing to rent their properties to non-Muslims. They even advertise it openly that non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the properties – it’s like the Stone Age.”
Pandemic has not stopped migration
From January 1 to August 5, the Italian internal affairs ministry reported that 14,838 migrants and asylum seekers had arrived in Italy. During the same period in 2019, when Matteo Salvini, then-minister of internal affairs, closed ports to rescue vessels and enacted strong policies to keep migrants away, only 4,021 migrants had arrived.
At the height of Italy’s strict COVID-19 lockdown in spring, migrants continued to arrive.
The government said 241 migrants came in March and 671 arrived in April.
The numbers went up in May and June, but jumped to 7,068 arrivals in July, indicating that many had been waiting in North Africa for a chance to migrate.
