AU URGES DE-ESCALATION AS FIGHTING DISPLACES OVER 180,000 IN SOUTH SUDAN’S JONGLEI STATE. (PHOTO).

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 AU urges de-escalation as fighting displaces over 180,000 in South Sudan’s Jonglei state The Chairperson of the African Union Commission called for immediate de-escalation and strict adherence to South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement, as renewed fighting in Jonglei State displaced more than 180,000 people and raised fears of further civilian harm. In a statement, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said he was deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in parts of the country, particularly Jonglei, where escalating violence and inflammatory rhetoric have put civilians—including women and children—at heightened risk. South Sudanese authorities estimate the number of displaced in Jonglei at more than 180,000, the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said last week. He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate tensions immediately, and comply fully with the permanent ceasefire and power-sharing arrangements under the agreement, T...

BETHLEHEM GROTTO SET FOR FIRST RESTORATION IN 600 YEARS. (PHOTO).



Bethlehem grotto set for first restoration in 600 years

The cave in Bethlehem, traditionally recognized as the birthplace of Jesus, will undergo a major restoration for the first time in 600 years. The Grotto of the Nativity, located beneath the Church of the Nativity, will be refurbished in a joint effort by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, a Catholic order responsible for maintaining holy sites in the region. Church officials described the project as a shared Christian commitment to preserve the spiritual, historical, and cultural significance of the grotto for future generations.

The Grotto of the Nativity contains two primary sites: the exact location of Jesus’ birth, marked by a silver star, and the Chapel of the Manger, where he is said to have been laid after birth. Before the pandemic and regional conflicts, the site drew around three million visitors annually. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the renovation “a sign of great hope and rebirth for the whole Holy Land” during a visit to Rome in November 2025. An Italian company, Piacenti SpA of Prato, which previously restored the Basilica of the Nativity, will carry out the work, reinforcing the rock, marble floors, columns, decorative elements, and the star marking the birth site. Church leaders noted the project represents unity between Greek Orthodox Christians and Catholics, despite a long history of tensions stemming from the Great Schism of 1054. Both churches view the restoration as a symbol of shared faith, devotion, and continuity in the land of the Nativity.


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