It was a shocking and painful “no” vote by the United States to veto a draft declaration at the United Nations (UN) Security Council recognizing Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the U.S. veto and said it was “unfair, unethical, and unjustified.” Twelve members of the Security Council approved the recommendation to the 193-member UN General Assembly for its approval that “the State of Palestine be admitted to membership” of the UN. Only the conservative British and neutral Switzerland abstained.  The United States is more and ..read more

Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state were subjected to “ethnic cleansing” by security forces working with vigilante groups in 2023, says a report released by the United States on Monday. About 1 million Rohingya refugees have lived in Bangladesh since 2017, when an operation by Myanmar’s military drove them across the border. Hundreds of thousands more, though, remain in Myanmar, and have been designated as “stateless” by the United Nations. In its annual human rights country reports, which detail the rights situation in each of the world’s countries and were released Mo ..read more

Pope Francis urged global responsibility for ‘our common home’ and emphasized the critical connection between environmental stewardship and global peace. In his Earth Day post on the X social media platform, the pontiff expressed concerns over environmental degradation and ongoing global conflicts, suggesting that despite the wealth generated by his generation, little has been done to protect the planet or maintain peace. “Our generation has bequeathed many riches, but we have failed to protect the planet and we are not safeguarding peace,” he wrote, calling on people to become “artisans and ..read more

Catholic bishops have condemned a recent attack by a radical Hindu group on a Catholic school in southern India. On April 16 a mob of activists assaulted a priest and vandalized the Mother Teresa English Medium School in Telangana state after school administrators reprimanded students for wearing Hindu religious clothing instead of the school uniform. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) released a statement on April 16 following the violent attack. “The assault, carried out by a mob of antisocial elements, is a reprehensible act of violence against an educational instit ..read more

Investigators in southern Vietnam charged the 92-year-old leader of a Buddhist community with incest on Friday after gathering evidence – including blood samples – from members of the church, state media reported. Le Tung Van of the Peng Lei House Buddhist Church in Long An province has previously been at the center of allegations of incest, fraud, and abusing freedoms. In 2022, he was sentenced to five years in prison for “abusing democratic freedoms.”  The provincial Security Investigation Agency said it launched the new case after receiving reports of Van’s alleged incestuou ..read more

Pope Francis urged seminarians to embody Christ’s love as they prepare for priesthood during a meeting in Seville, Spain on the eve of Good Shepherd Sunday. During his address, the pontiff emphasized the importance of seminarians surrendering themselves to God and their communities, especially to those most in need.  “With your hearts in God, with open hands, and a big smile, share the joy of the Gospel with all those you encounter,” he advised.  He highlighted four key areas of focus for their formation: spiritual life, studies, community life, and apostolic activity, noting that a ..read more

In the rugged terrains of northern Vietnam, Hà Giang province has transformed from an underdeveloped area into a bustling tourist destination, now at the heart of escalating conflicts between Indigenous livelihoods and ambitious hydropower projects. As Hà Giang attracts millions of visitors annually, the Indigenous communities along the Nho Quế River face profound changes. The introduction of a hydropower dam has reshaped the landscape and livelihoods, submerging fertile lands and disrupting traditional fishing practices. With tourism burgeoning as a key economic sector, set to significantly ..read more

Caritas Philippines has reached out to Pope Francis for a Jubilee blessing for political prisoners on Negros Island and urged the Philippine government to improve justice and clemency efforts. The social action arm of the Catholic Church issued the appeal in line with the 2025 Jubilee Year, themed ‘Pilgrims of Hope,’ with a focus on supporting marginalized groups. “We cannot turn a blind eye to this grave concern,” said Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, vice president of Caritas Philippines.  The prelate emphasized the need for action amid rising tensions and reported human rights violations agai ..read more

The hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs subjected by China to detention, forced labor and cultural erasure underscores the urgency for global action, panelists said at a two-day interfaith conference on disrupting Uyghur genocide organized by The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity that wrapped up Thursday. Survivors, experts, religious leaders, and activists participated in panels to discuss the situation of the Uyghurs and called on governments to promote pro-Uyghur policies and to pressure businesses that profit from Uyghur forced labor, said a notice about the conference on th ..read more

The Indonesian government has denied reports suggesting that Jakarta is planning to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. “As of now, Jakarta has not made any moves to establish diplomatic relations with Israel,” said Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, spokesperson for the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, adding that the reports were “unconfirmed.” Iqbal described the reports as groundless, particularly as the international community’s attention is focused on the atrocities in Gaza. “It is not true that we are seeking diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for (Organization for Economic Co-operatio ..read more