The roots of puppet shows in Africa are as old as the myths and legends. Today, they are used very much in education but also as a way to condemn political power and corruption. According to a myth of the Ibibio people of south-east Nigeria, the puppet theatre was born in the land of the…
Read moreAlong the centuries, food and plants coming from America, and in particular from Mexico have given a great contribution to the Mediterranean diet. The first people to bring back information about the food and plants of the Americas were early explorers and conquistadors, some of whom showed a special interest in the vegetation of the…
Read moreUnlike the protests of the ‘Arab Spring’, moreover, the recent protests in Iran have a political connection. President Rohani publicly declared they had valid reason to protest and the right to do so. The revolts began in Mashhad, a spiritual centre noted for its sympathies with the conservatives – as well as the shrine of…
Read moreA Church that is attentive to the situation of the people. Pastoral decisions that may help a community to grow in a ministerial and missionary dimension. We talk about these matters with Mons. Odelir José Magri, the Comboni Bishop of Chapecó in southern Brazil. Four years have passed since Pope Francis appointed him bishop of…
Read moreFights between rival gangs for territorial control. People’s fear. An absent State. Daily life in Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio de Janeiro. One morning the inhabitants of Rocinha – the largest favela in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and one of the largest in Brazil -, were woken up by shots and screams.…
Read moreIran does have a domestic and clandestine opposition, the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK). The MEK combine Communist and Islamist ideas and they started challenging the Islamic Republic since its early days. They set off a bomb in the Iranian Parliament in 1981, killing at least 70 people. Iraq exploited their services to target the Regime in…
Read moreWhatever tensions exist between Israel, the USA and Iran, they will play out in Syria first. The strategy will focus on preventing Iran from deploying of missiles in Syria and Lebanon, aimed against Israel. In effect, Israel will consider any provocation, real or fabricated arising from Syria as being directed from Tehran. In turn, Tel…
Read moreEthiopia is passing through a period of turmoil due to ethnic tensions. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has just resigned. The new prime minster will be elected this month. The role of the Army. The country has a population of 105,350,000 people. 34.4% of them are Oromos, 27% are Amharas, 6.2% are Somalis, 6.1% are Tigrays;…
Read moreNobody appears to have any clear plans for Syria. Indeed, the ignorance extends to the entirety of the Middle East. But, it’s clear that the reason why U.S. troops remain in Syria is Iran. The Americans have tried to justify their considerable effort to shape events in the Region since the end of World War…
Read moreAfter the phenomenon of Moroccan foreign fighters joining the ranks of the Islamic State, now the jihadist threat comes mainly from the Sahel, where Al-Qā’ida in the Islamic Maghreb has consolidated its power and where it is exploiting the networks of Moroccan drug trafficking to self-finance. Morocco is considered one of the main exporters of…
Read moreA tiny group of Christians in a predominantly Moslem environment, determined to forge ties of friendship and dialogue in a society that still bears the wounds of thirty years of civil war. A Comboni Missionary community tells its story. Abéché town is on the doorstep of the desert in eastern Chad. Just l.1% are Christians,…
Read moreThe rapid development of technology improves lives and enables more efficient operations in the private and public sectors. The challenges that have emerged as a direct consequence, however, can also undermine progress and expose users to illicit activities online. Before 2000, Africa hosted only 4.5 million Internet users. Since then, telecommunications markets have been liberalised…
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When asked how a farmer’s daughter who became a Catholic nun ended up as one of Brazil’s most influential refugee advocates, Sister Rosita Milesi, 79,…
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Vusi was an honest man and a hard worker. He had cleared a large piece of moorland and turned it into a beautiful fertile field. He…
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On 24 November, the Solemnity of Christ the King, on the occasion of World Youth Day in the Particular Churches, in St. Peter's Basilica the traditional…
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