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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Yangon (Agenzia Fides) – “The country is divided. The situation in Yangon, where I currently live, is quite calm. In the big cities in the central part of the country, people’s lives continue, and even our liturgies and pastoral activities can proceed in churches. Of course, there is always a curfew, we live with a series of restrictions due to the ongoing conflict in the country, but we try to live our faith always, with our hearts turned towards the mission and those who suffer. This is what Father Stephen Chit Thein, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Myanmar, shared with the Fides, providing an overall picture of the situation in the troubled Southeast Asian country.The situation, however – he continues – is very different in the peripheral areas of the country, in the border regions: there is still ongoing fighting, and there is great suffering and displacement. We must remember that, in addition to the conflict, the pain and hardship caused by the earthquake have also been added.”Father Stephen Chit Thein adds: “What strikes me the most is to see so many people suffering, who have been living in extreme precarious conditions for the past four years, yet they continue to live and practice a deep faith: the faithful continue to trust in God and hope, they do not sink into despair, but keep the light of hope alive.” “We are living in a time of great trial, which involves the entire Burmese people, and our hope, as the special theme of this Jubilee Year reminds us, is grounded and rooted in Christ, who never disappoints and never abandons us. This conviction is deeply present in the suffering population of Myanmar,” he notes.While the humanitarian situation has worsened over the past four years, Father Stephen Chit Thein notes: “We continue to hope also thanks to the words and appeals that come from the Holy See, which shows us deep closeness. We remember and thank Pope Francis, who visited and mentioned Myanmar many times and always kept us in his heart. Pope Leo XIV also reminded the international community of Myanmar’s suffering and launched an appeal for peace. We hope that he will continue to speak about us and speak about peace, so that the international community does not forget us.”Meanwhile, at the diplomatic level, a new initiative is underway within the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), of which Myanmar is a member. Malaysia, which currently holds the rotating presidency of ASEAN, has requested an extension of the ceasefire following the earthquake in Myanmar, while also intensifying calls for the implementation of the “Five-Point Peace Plan” that ASEAN proposed in the past. The military junta in power had declared a ceasefire in the ongoing civil war after a violent earthquake in late March, which killed about 3,800 people and left tens of thousands homeless. The agreement, which was previously extended, is set to expire at the end of May, although UN observers state that the junta’s airstrikes have never stopped.In an ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting on May 25, Malaysian President Mohamad Hasan “officially proposed” the extension and expansion of the ceasefire beyond the currently affected areas, to facilitate the long and difficult path to recovery and alleviate the suffering of the people of Myanmar”. Hasan stated that in June, he will visit the Burmese capital Naypyidaw as a member of ASEAN, “to assess humanitarian needs and the distribution of aid to the people affected by the earthquake.”ASEAN political leaders are meeting in a summit in Kuala Lumpur today, May 26. So far, ASEAN has not been able to implement the Five-Point Peace Plan agreed upon in April 2021. Due to the lack of implementation of that plan, representatives of the Burmese military junta have been banned from participating in ASEAN summits. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 26/5/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – Catholic priest, Father Solomon Atongo, was seriously injured after being shot on the evening of May 24. Father Atongo was traveling with two others when armed assailants attacked their vehicle along the Makurdi-Naka road in Benue State, southeastern Nigeria. After shooting the priest and believing him dead, the bandits took the other people away to an unknown location. The news of Father Atongo’s injury was made public through a statement signed by the Chancellor of the Diocese of Makurdi, Fr. Shima Ukpanya: “I write on behalf of the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Most Revd Wilfred Chikpa Anabge, to inform and request for your prayers for the quick recovery of one of our priests, Revd Fr Solomon Atongo, who was attacked and shot this evening around Tyolaha, Makurdi-Naka Road, Gwer West Local Government by suspected terrorist herdsmen.”A reference to the gangs of Fulani herdsmen who have been responsible for violent robberies, murders and kidnappings in various areas of Nigeria.In the past two years, the Makurdi-Naka road has been the scene of attacks and violence by criminal gangs, so much so that it has been nicknamed the “shortest route to hell.” The road, in a complete state of degradation, has become a sort of refuge for armed bandits who have transformed the extensive stretch of forest along this stretch into camps and hideouts. Their victims include wealthy people, political leaders and public officials, as well as ordinary citizens, who are often kidnapped for ransom. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/5/2025)
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Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

photo Chiara Dommarco

by Chiara DommarcoPrague (Agenzia Fides) – On Friday, May 23, the Czech Republic hosted the 17th edition of the “Night of Churches” (Noc kostelů), centered this year on the theme of hope, in line with the ongoing Jubilee Year. A total of 1,868 churches remained open and accessible free of charge from the afternoon until late at night across the country, including several Protestant places of worship.The event attracted tens of thousands of visitors, who also had the opportunity to meet with men and women religious, as well as lay volunteers who took care of the various scheduled activities in the program, amidst a constant flow of attendees.Various cultural initiatives were proposed during the event, including concerts, exhibitions and food and wine stands.“The goal of each of us is happiness. We need the kind of happiness that comes from love that fills us, so that we can say: I am loved, therefore I am. And I will always be in the Love that never deceives and from which nothing and no one can separate me”. These words were part of a message shared by Metropolitan Archbishop of Prague, Jan Graubner, addressed to the visitors—including thousands of tourists in the capital.Czech Minister of Culture Martin Baxa also praised the initiative, highlighting how it offers “a unique and personal experience.”In the late afternoon, the Italian Embassy in Prague offered a free guided tour of the Chapel of the Italians (Vlašská Kaple), located in the renowned Klementinum complex. The chapel has been recently restored and is only opened to the public a few times a year.In the Bohemian and Moravian lands, the Night of Churches holds special significance. While interconfessional conflicts—such as the Hussite Wars and the Bohemian phase of the Thirty Years’ War—have left a painful legacy, the longstanding positive contributions of Christian communities in these lands were later undermined by religious persecution under Nazi occupation and during the Communist regime.Furthermore, according to a 2017 survey, the Czech Republic has the highest percentage of agnostics among former Soviet-bloc countries. (Pew Research Center).The 2021 national census reports that only 7% of the population declared themselves as Catholic. Initiatives like this, therefore, promote knowledge of the artistic heritage of the country and of the Christian communities that have contributed to its development, all within a peaceful and constructive atmosphere.This year, the initiative’s public and ecumenical dimension was especially evident in the participation of the Chapel of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament. Inaugurated in 2016, the chapel stands as a symbol of reconciliation among the country’s various Christian denominations.In its dual function of national reconciliation and affirmation of the positive value of Christian confessions for Czech society as a whole, the Chapel hosted performances of several modern Christian-inspired songs during the evening.The “Night of Churches” initiative began in 1995 in Frankfurt, and then spread to other German cities, Austria since 2005 and, more recently, to parts of South Tyrol, the Czech Republic, in Slovakia and Estonia. (Agenzia Fides, 26/5/2025)
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Source: European Parliament

The domestic support systems in agriculture are governed by the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), which entered into force in 1995 and was negotiated during the Uruguay Round (1986-1994). The long-term goal of the AoA is to establish a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system and to initiate a reform process through the negotiations of commitments on support and protection, and through the establishment of strengthened and more operationally effective rules and discipline. Agriculture is therefore special because the sector has its own agreement, whose provisions prevail.

Source: European Parliament

The European System of Financial Supervision is a system of EU agencies that aims to ensure consistent and coherent micro- and macro-prudential financial supervision in the EU. It includes the national supervisors, the three European supervisory authorities (EBA, ESMA and EIOPA) and the European Systemic Risk Board. There is a separate fact sheet (‘Financial Services Policy’) on the material rules that apply to the financial sector. After the ESFS had been created, the European Central Bank, as part of the Single Supervisory Mechanism, was appointed to directly supervise the largest banks within the Banking Union (2.6.5). For the material rules that apply to the financial sector, see the fact sheet on the EU financial services policy (2.6.13).

Source: European Parliament

In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, primary responsibility for vocational education and training policies lies with the Member States, with the European Union having only a supporting role. However, some challenges are common to all Member States – green and digital transitions, skills shortages and mismatches in the labour market – and thus call for joint responses, with countries working together and learning from each other.

Source: European Investment Bank

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has awarded the contract for design services for its West Campus Programme to a leading multi-national consortium, after a competitive tender process initiated in 2024.

The selected consortium comprises Assar Universum Architects (Luxembourg), Assar BE Architects (Belgium), Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (Denmark), Paul Wurth Geprolux (Luxembourg), Tractebel Engineering (Belgium), Topotek 1 (Germany), and Papaya Urbanistes et Architectes Paysagistes (Luxembourg). Collectively, these firms bring extensive expertise in large-scale building design and renovation, with a particular focus on projects in Luxembourg.

Under the signed Framework Agreement, the consortium will provide design services for an initial period of eight years, with the possibility of extension for up to three additional years. The agreement is valued at up to EUR 33 million.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in the EIB West Campus Programme, which aims to renovate and extend the West Building (WKI) while preserving its historic façade. The consortium will be initially responsible for developing the preliminary design, for submission to the EIB’s governing bodies in early 2026.

Commitment to Sustainability and Inclusion

Aligned with the EIB’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, the West Campus Programme is designed to create a modern, comfortable, and inclusive work environment for staff and visitors. The project will prioritise climate action, energy efficiency, and circularity, in line with the EIB’s role as the EU Climate Bank. It will also reflect the principles of the New European Bauhaus, integrating sustainability, social inclusion, and aesthetics to deliver a beautiful and future-ready campus.