Palestinian activist released after more than 100 days in US detention
A PALESTINIAN activist has been freed after being held for 104 days at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centre in Louisiana. The former Columbia University student, Mahmoud Khalil, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests (News, 21 March), returned to New York on Saturday. He attended a rally outside Columbia University with his wife, Dr Noor Abdalla, and his son, who was born while he was in prison. A federal judge ruled that Mr Khalil is not a flight risk or threat to his community while his immigration proceedings continue. The White House is expected to appeal the decision.
Episcopal Migration Ministries ends partnership with US government
THE Episcopal Migration Ministries has ended its partnership with the US government following the decision, in May, not to resettle a group of Afrikaner refugees (News, 13 May). On his first day in office, President Trump made an executive order to suspend US refugee programmes, but has granted an exception to white South Africans. An initial group of 59 people moved to the US under the policy, which, the President said, was intended to protect the group from racial discrimination, an allegation rejected by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mission agency launches ‘Not Giving Up Day’
THE Church Mission Society (CMS) has launched a “Not Giving Up Day” (NGUD), scheduled for 2 July. The mission agency said that, in today’s unprecedented times, with war, the climate crisis and political unrest, NGUD “offers a chance to pause, reset and recommit to living in hope”. CMS will also host an online event on the day “where people will be invited to bring and share the things that are most concerning them, pray together and receive encouragement and inspiration to persist in hope”.
Togolese nun encourages open discussion about abuse
SISTER Mary Makamatine Lembo, a nun from Togo, called for more open discussion about abuse at the International Safeguarding Conference (ISC) on Thursday of last week. The conference, which was held at the Pontifical Gregorian University, in Rome, focused on the theme “women of faith, women of strength”. Sister Lembo, who has written a doctoral thesis on abuse after research with victims from five African countries, said that being able to discuss the subject openly represented progress. She said that she wanted to improve the training of seminarians and nuns, “because if you know the circumstances of abuse, you can change them”.
Anglican Church of Melanesia celebrates 50 years of independence
THE Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACoM) celebrated 50 years of independence from the Anglican Church of New Zealand, Aotearoa, and Polynesia, on Sunday. Festivities began on 14 June with a parade from the Church’s provincial headquarters to St Barnabas Cathedral, and a service of thanksgiving. To mark the occasion, Anglican schools across the Solomon Islands took part in games, and the ACoM launched the new John Coleridge Patteson University. There will be an election of the new Bishop for the diocese of Ysabel. Church leaders from the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Zealand, and overseas mission partners were invited to take part in the celebrations.
Spanish Supreme Court orders heirs to return cathedral statues
THE heirs of the former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco have been ordered by the country’s Supreme Court to return two religious statues to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Art News reports. The statues, which date back to the 12th century and depict Isaac and Abraham, were originally placed at the entrance of the cathedral. In 1948, under Franco’s administration, they were removed and acquired by the city. At the request of Franco’s wife, the sculptures were then relocated to their summer residence, Meirás Palace, in the early 1950s. The ruling ends a years-long legal dispute over ownership.