Princess Royal visits Ukrainian cathedral

THE Princess Royal visited Ukraine, on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, last week. In Kyiv, she met President Zelensky and discussed the UK’s support for Ukraine during the war with Russia. With the First Lady, Olena Zelenska, she commemorated the lives of children who had died during the conflict, at the Children’s Memorial. She also toured St Sofia’s Cathedral and met female police and representatives of the armed forces.

CSW calls for protection of civilians in North Darfur

CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY WORLDWIDE (CSW) has joined 100 humanitarian advocacy organisations in calling for the establishment of safe, voluntary, and dignified passage for civilians trapped in the city of El Fasher in the North Darfur state of Sudan. Last Friday, CSW reported that an estimated 260,000 people, including 130,000 children, had endured a 17-month siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). El Fasher was the “only city that is not under RSF control”, and subsequently the “main battleground” between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces. The founder-president of CSW, Mervyn Thomas, expressed grave concern about the continuing siege and its “dire humanitarian impact. We call for urgent action to ensure safe passage for civilians who would like to leave the city.”

Scaffolding collapse kills 36 in Ethiopia

THIRTY-SIX were killed when wooden scaffolding collapsed in St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Arerti, in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Some of the worshippers had climbed the scaffolding to view a painting on the ceiling. Two hundred were injured, some critically. The diocesan, Archbishop Megabi Hadis Nekatibeb. described it as “incredibly tragic and heart-breaking”.