‘The story of Cardinal Kung is that of a faithful shepherd—a saintly figure who refused to renounce God and His Church, despite the consequences of a life sentence imposed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Three months before his arrest in 1955, then-Bishop Kung stood by his clergy and the faithful in China, rejecting numerous offers of safe passage out of the country.’

The first Termez Dialogue brought together leaders, experts, and stakeholders from Central and South Asia to discuss regional connectivity, peace, and development. Held in the historic city of Termez, the forum emphasized shared heritage and the urgent need for cooperation on trade, infrastructure, and stability across the region.

Karol Nawrocki has narrowly won Poland’s presidential election with 50.89 per cent of the vote, backed by the opposition PiS party. His victory may reshape Polish domestic politics and reinvigorate regional alliances like the Visegrád Group.

‘When countries collectively decide to form a permanent institutional body where divisible sovereignty is the norm, like the EU, it attenuates the ability of those states to make decisions regarding the governance of their own economies and other associated policies. In essence, Hungary must realize that so long as it is a member state of the EU, it delegates certain decision-making to it.’

‘Conservatives don’t believe that we’re morally superior to our grandparents. Conservatives cherish all that’s made us: our families, our faith, our nations and the best that’s been thought and said. Conservatives count the cost of change, as well as its benefits, and want change to reflect what’s best in us, so we can come closer to being our best selves as individuals and as peoples.’

‘It is important to understand the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate’s place in the intricate interplay of local and international as well as sacred and profane interests that often seems to govern every important decision in the Holy Land. Pious pronouncements…from Europe and elsewhere abroad almost invariably collapse under the weight of the sheer complexity of local realities…’

‘[Elvira Valentini] had always been interested in the flora of the Balkans…She thought that in Fiume, after teaching, she would explore the countryside and continue her scientific work. But that was not to be. A few months later, war broke out, and her family called Elvira home, asking her to stay there. The shot fired in Sarajevo thus marked not only the beginning of the First World War, but also the end of an ambitious Hungarian woman’s scientific career.’