Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

COMMENTARY: Pope Leo is becoming climate champion we need
While the leader of 340 million Americans furiously works to derail climate action, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics is embracing it. In May, when Pope Leo XIV succeeded the late Pope Francis, I suggested he could be the kind of climate...
Pope Leo becomes climate champion we need
While the leader of 340 million Americans furiously works to derail climate action, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics is embracing it. In May, when Pope Leo XIV succeeded the late Pope Francis, I suggested he could be the kind of climate...

‘Wild boar will come and steal them!’ The bucolic charms of hiking the Tuscan hills (and hiding footwear from local wildlife)
Boot-strapped pilgrims will find great meaning in the Via Francigena, an ancient route that takes in terrific scenery San Gimignano is a towering achievement of medieval architecture Today at 06:30 On September 22, 1533, Michelangelo travelled to...
Remembering Jewish Trailblazer Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer performing in Copenhagen, 1967. Photo: Wiki Commons. I grew up in an English cultural environment where the stiff and uptight British society was being challenged by irreverence. I can think of a whole generation of British satirists,...

Faith and science align on Africa climate resilience at Vatican-led summit
MAST: A new framework for action A key highlight of the summit was the endorsement of the Mitigation, Adaptation and Societal Transformation (MAST) framework – a three-pillar strategy designed to move Africa beyond reactive responses and into a...

Mark Gongloff: Pope Leo is becoming the climate champion we need
Mark Gongloff: Pope Leo is becoming the climate champion we need By Mark Gongloff, Bloomberg Opinion News Service While the leader of 340 million Americans furiously works to derail climate action, the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics is embracing...
Sustainability and climate change: Key discussions at the G20 Interfaith Forum
Issues of sustainability and the roles that interfaith organisations can play in fighting and assisting to mitigate the impact of climate change took centre stage at the G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) on Wednesday morning. The IF20 forum convenes...

'It costs us more to visit York Minster than the Vatican'
Seb CheerBBC News, Yorkshire ShareSave Alin Hickey and Kay Rogers visited York from Australia and opted to tour different attractions because of the Minster's entry fee York Minster is one of the leading landmarks of the city - a symbol of both...

Hundreds of Catholic sisters walk Atlanta streets to pray for social, environmental justice
Hundreds of Catholic sisters walk Atlanta streets to pray for social, environmental justice (RNS) — Early Thursday morning (Aug. 14), Catholic sisters processed through downtown Atlanta in a 'Pilgrimage of Hope,' praying for migrants, racial...

Vatican Official Proposes Creation of “missionary welcome centres” in the West for Incoming African Priests
Formation for Priests from Africa must move beyond academic preparation, and must include training in sensitivity, cultural dialogue, pastoral flexibility, and a deep commitment to listening, the Archbishop said, and added, “Only then can the...

Zelenskyy brings Europe’s top leaders with him to meet Trump at White House on ending Russia’s war
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine’s future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting Monday at the White House as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brings an extraordinary group of European leaders to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against...

Zelenskyy arrives at White House to meet with Trump on ending Russia’s war
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived at the White House for talks with President Donald Trump and key European leaders as the U.S. leader presses for a quick end to the brutal Russia-Ukraine war. Monday’s hastily...
Apocalyptic fascists ignore climate change conversion
Inspired by both Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV’s call to live an integral ecology with justice, we call for a profound ecological conversion. Thus begins a joint message from the regional bishops’ conferences and councils from Asia,...

Opinion | Government Support For Religion Doesn’t Necessarily Make People More Religious
The IRS will offer religious congregations more freedom to endorse political candidates without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status, the agency said in a July 2025 court filing. President Donald Trump has previously vowed to abolish the Johnson...

Vatican astronomer praises NZ's dark sky sanctuaries
The director of the Vatican's astronomical observatory has talked up the value of "dark-sky" sanctuaries, ahead of a trip to visit to a sanctuary near Lake Tekapo. The Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, which ranges across the lower...

The Controversial Agreement Between the Vatican and Azerbaijan
Is this an agreement or bone of contention? The text signed in Baku by Cardinal George Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, comes in a tense geopolitical context. It arrives less than two years after the Azerbaijani...

Vatican ties with Azerbaijan under fire amid accusations of cultural genocide
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As President Donald Trump hosts peace talks this week with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, two former Soviet states that have been in conflict for decades, Armenian activists continue to raise the alarm about the...

Pope Leo invites local homeless people to lunch at summer villa
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...
Vatican Extends Condolences to Ghana After Helicopter Tragedy
Pope Leo XIV has expressed profound sorrow following Wednesday’s military helicopter crash in Ghana that claimed eight lives. In a telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pontiff addressed Bishop Matthew K....

EBU, World Rowing extend media rights deal
Audiences across Europe can look forward to continued access to world-class Rowing coverage, as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and World Rowing, the international governing body of the sport of Rowing, have announced the renewal of their...