(CNS file photo)

Murder of young Suleman Masih shocks Christian community in Pakistan

According to information provided to the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) by the Pakistani priest, Fr Lazar Aslam OFM, Suleman Masih was a very hardworking and entrepreneurial young man. He began his journey collecting waste materials and with a lot of efforts eventually acquired agricultural machinery to work on wheat and rice fields. Over the past year, he achieved considerable success, managing 25 acres of land and owning a vehicle.

Lebanon elects Catholic General Joseph Aoun as president amid political turmoil

The election did not occur in isolation. Foreign mediators, including France’s Jean-Yves Le Drian, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, and Saudi Arabia’s Yazid bin Farhan, played a pivotal role in breaking the deadlock. Their involvement reflects Lebanon’s status as a geopolitical chessboard, where rival powers wield significant influence over domestic factions.

Recognition of the State of Palestine Is Insufficient

Throughout 2024, several countries, such as Ireland, Spain and Norway, formally recognized the State of Palestine. Today, 149 countries do so, in addition to States such as Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Great Britain, which have expressed their willingness to do so. Since 2012, when the UN General Assembly recognized the Palestinian Authority as a non-member Observer State, the PNA has signed almost 200 Treaties and has adhered to numerous unilateral bodies. However, international recognition does not solve the problems on the ground