News in Development

Bishop Arnold challenges COP26 on climate change

Bishop Arnold challenges COP26 on climate change

by: Ruth Gledhill - The Tablet in Development,

Climate change is a global challenge which transcends national interests, the Bishop of Salford John Arnold has said. He called on national and international political leaders to adopt policies that reflect progress on climate change at the local level. He was speaking to delegates at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

Pope Francis steps up his campaign for immigrants

Pope Francis steps up his campaign for immigrants

by: Robert Mickens, Rome - La Croix International in Development,

"Xenophobia and aporophobia today are part of a populist mentality that leaves no sovereignty to the people. Xenophobia destroys the unity of a people, even that of the people of God." No one who has been following the activities of Pope Francis these past six or so years will be surprised by this condemnation of distain for foreigners and the poor.

Pope commends nuns for ‘standing on front line’ against human trafficking.

Pope commends nuns for ‘standing on front line’ against human trafficking.

by: Inés San Martín - CruxNow in Development,

Speaking to a network of religious sisters that helps human trafficking victims, Pope Francis on Thursday told them to work closely with the local church, because this is necessary for their project to be successful. “I want to reiterate that the journey of consecrated life, both female and male, is the path of ecclesial insertion,” Francis said.

The ‘unseen people’ of Tamil Nadu

The ‘unseen people’ of Tamil Nadu

by: Robancy A. Helen, Trichy - UCAN in Development,

Santhi Polur was beaten up for bathing regularly, cleaning her children and doing her hair. The attack didn’t come from her enemies — it came from people of her own lower caste because they believed she was offending their lifestyle.

Bishop creates Laudato Si' oasis in Manchester

Bishop creates Laudato Si' oasis in Manchester

by: Simon Caldwell - CNS in Development,

An English bishop is creating a green oasis in the grounds of his residence in the hope of inspiring visitors to heed the call of Pope Francis to "care for our common home". Bishop John Arnold of Salford has opened the Laudato Si Centre at Wardley Hall, Manchester, to offer a practical lead on the teachings of Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical on care for the environment. 

Preparations for Catholic university in Vietnam

Preparations for Catholic university in Vietnam

by: Ucanews.com reporter, Ho Chi Minh City in Development,

Preparations under way for Catholic university in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City archbishop cited on 22 December, 2015, improvement of relationship between Vatican and communist government. The doors of Vietnam's first Catholic university under communist rule could open as soon as May.

Bill Gates: Rallying Cry for Clean Energy. Will it be Enough?

Bill Gates: Rallying Cry for Clean Energy. Will it be Enough?

by: Daniel Roth - Executive Editor at LinkedIn in Development,

 Bill Gates this year focused in his annual letter, which launched Monday night, he tackles just one subject: clean, accessible energy.  It was a curious decision for the famously intellectually-expansive Gates. Focusing on energy makes all of his other life-improving efforts easier to enact. Get the more than 1 billion people who live without energy hooked to the grid and suddenly, “you can run hospitals, light up schools and use tractors to grow more food.”

Indigenous turn to ecotourism to protect ancestral forests

Indigenous turn to ecotourism to protect ancestral forests

by: ucanews.com reporters in Development,

After two months of living with local families Dewanto, student at the University of Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, has come to appreciate the unique site.“We came here to feel how to live in the middle of ancestral forests and to get to know the local people that have protected the forests for years,” said the 23-year-old. The villagers have banked on eco-tourism, hoping that by attracting students, locals and foreigners alike, they can convince the world of the importance of protecting their land.

Time running out to save Mekong from destructive dams

Time running out to save Mekong from destructive dams

by: Niwat Roykaew for Bangkok Post-UCAnews in Development,

River's abundant food production and diverse ecology should not be traded for a meager amount of electricity. For nearly two decades, the onslaught of the Mekong's development by capitalists has spread its destructive wings with dozens of dams being planned on the lower and upper Mekong River mainstream. 

If St Vincent de Paul were alive Today

If St Vincent de Paul were alive Today

by: Tom Worcester - The Huffington Post in Development,

Vincent de Paul worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those scorned and exploited by the rich and powerful. Together with Louise de Marillac, he founded the Daughters of Charity, a congregation of sisters that was not to be cloistered but present in the world among the most needy persons.

The countryside’s children are being betrayed

The countryside’s children are being betrayed

by: The Independent - Terence Blacker in Development,

While the government's drive to improve education has transformedschools in London's inner-city, young people in rural areas are largely missed out. This betrayal of children who happen to have been born far away from cities is easy to explain. There is little concern or investment  from central government.

London’s Financial Leaders Challenged, Inspired at Acton Seminar

London’s Financial Leaders Challenged, Inspired at Acton Seminar

by: Michael Severance - Acton Institute in Development,

Last April 16, Acton’s Rome office co-sponsored a seminar in London on “The Morality of Work, Commerce and Finance: Lessons from Catholic Social Teaching” with St. Mary Moorfields, the only Roman Catholic parish in the Square Mile and located in the very heart of London’s investment banking district.

Papua's missing millions in grant aid

Papua's missing millions in grant aid

by: Ryan Dagur - Jakarta in Development,

Despite massive cash injections, healthcare and public services remain dire. Development of health and other facilities is lacking in Indonesia's West Papua. In Tambrauw, West Papua, alone as many as 95 people have died in the past six months due to a lack of medical facilities, according to Nusantra Traditional Community Alliance (AMAN), an NGO.

Catholic education is getting more and more innovative in the Philippines.

Catholic education is getting more and more innovative in the Philippines.

by: UCA News in Development,

The 1,345 member-schools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) will soon need not spend to build and maintain an information technology infrastructure to facilitate their internal communication systems. This is after CEAP entered into a formal agreement with Google to provide free access of Google Apps for Education to all member-schools.

Report on demonstration for land for Sumanahalli

Report on demonstration for land for Sumanahalli

by: Fr George Kannanthanam, cmf in Development,

More than 500 people gathered together to demonstrate against the Government’s decision to take back most of the land that has been given to the Sumanahalli Society for the care of the leprosy patients at the Town Hall in Bangalore. (This is the mail from George Kannamthanam, CMF, the director of the Sumanahalli Society.)

Earth In Crisis As Wildlife Numbers Plummet

Earth In Crisis As Wildlife Numbers Plummet

by: Sky News in Development,

Earth is a planet in crisis with wildlife populations declining by more than 30% in the past four decades, conservationists claim. A new report examined how more than 9,000 populations of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and fish are faring.

It comes in the face of record over-consumption of natural resources with serious implications for human health, wealth and well-being.

“Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth.” Family Farming – our alternative for the future

“Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth.” Family Farming – our alternative for the future

by: Family Farming World Conference in Development,

 In our world today, 3 billion people live in the rural areas. Most of them belong to families who are engaged in family farming or family agriculture, where both the husband and/or the wife together with the other household members are involved directly in the production processes and in the other many different activities in the farm, and where agriculture/livestock/aquaculture/forestry is the family’s main source of livelihood.