New People Media Centre

23/09/2025

Three West African States Withdraw from ICC, Denounce It as “Neo-Colonialist

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have announced their immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), dismissing it as an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression.”

In a joint statement, the military-led governments accused the ICC of bias against Africa, noting that nearly all of its cases have targeted African nations. The leaders said they will instead build “indigenous mechanisms for peace and justice.”

The move comes as all three Sahel countries deepen ties with Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin is under an ICC arrest warrant. Their armies have also faced accusations of abuses against civilians amid ongoing jihadist violence.

Official withdrawal from the ICC takes effect one year after notifying the UN. The three states had earlier quit ECOWAS together, rejecting pressure to restore democratic rule.

23/09/2025

17/09/2025

𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐨 𝐗𝐈𝐕 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐳𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐢𝐝 𝐔.𝐍. 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭

At his General Audience, Pope Leo XIV expressed his “deepest sympathy” for the people of Gaza, urging an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a diplomatic solution.

Quoting “Thou shalt not kill,” the Holy Father stressed: “Every person always has an inviolable dignity, to be respected and protected.”

His remarks come a day after a U.N. commission of inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing mass killings, widespread destruction, and life-threatening conditions. Israel has rejected the report as “distorted and false.”

As the war enters its second year, with tens of thousands killed and most of Gaza displaced, Pope Leo called on the world to pray that “a dawn of peace and justice may soon rise.”

17/09/2025

𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐞-𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 “𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞”

Farmers in Zambia’s Copperbelt have filed an unprecedented $80 billion lawsuit against two Chinese-linked mining companies after the collapse of a dam in February released millions of litres of toxic waste into rivers.

The spillage killed fish, destroyed crops, and left water undrinkable for an estimated 300,000 households. Villagers say they are now battling health issues and food insecurity.

The farmers accuse Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining of “engineering failures and mismanagement.” They are demanding emergency funds and full compensation.

The firms have not commented, though one previously admitted a spillage occurred but claimed it was “brought under control.”

The case is now called one of Zambia’s biggest environmental lawsuits in history.

17/09/2025

🇨🇩 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭

Members of the Episcopal Conference of the Democratic Republic of Congo (CENCO), have denounced fresh attacks in the eastern provinces that left over 100 people dead in recent weeks. In their September 12 statement, the bishops warned against the “growing trivialization of human life” and stressed that “human life is sacred and must be respected.”

They cited the September 8 massacre in Ntoyo village, Lubero Territory, where at least 102 people were killed, along with earlier attacks in Ituri and North Kivu targeting parishes and seminaries.

CENCO urged the government to intensify efforts to protect civilians and appealed to armed groups to abandon violence and embrace dialogue.

16/09/2025

🇳🇬 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐔𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐥

The President of the Nigerian Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, has urged constitutional reform to safeguard Nigeria’s Electoral Commission from political manipulation and restore citizens’ trust in democracy.

Speaking at a meeting with lay people from the Ecclesiastical Province of Calabar, Archbishop Ugorji decried “unfair practices, fraud, and electoral errors” during the 2023 elections, warning that obstructing peaceful reforms risks paving the way for violent change.

He lamented that insecurity continues to haunt many communities, where citizens are kidnapped, displaced, and forced into makeshift camps without food or water. Insecurity, he noted, fuels poverty, unemployment, and despair among youth.

Archbishop Ugorji appealed to both authorities and lay faithful: authorities to provide political education and citizens to take responsibility in driving Nigeria’s transformation.

“Fundamental reforms are necessary to preserve social stability,” he emphasized.

16/09/2025

𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭-𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐎𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐔𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭

The World Health Organization (WHO) has, for the first time, recommended the use of weight-loss drugs to treat obesity in adults. Draft guidelines advise that GLP-1 medications, developed by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, be prescribed for people with a BMI of 30 or above, alongside counselling on lifestyle and behaviour change - Reuters reports.

WHO experts say the move marks a critical step toward a global standard of care, recognising obesity as a chronic disease requiring long-term treatment. Separate guidelines for children and adolescents are being developed.

However, the WHO cautioned that the high cost of these therapies limits access in low- and middle-income countries. While not yet on the WHO’s essential medicines list for obesity, the drugs are approved for patients with type 2 diabetes and related conditions.

16/09/2025

🇨🇩 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨-𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐢 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝟐𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐥 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐨’𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡

The Catholic Diocese of Butembo-Beni, DRC, has announced a week-long commemoration in honour of the late Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko, marking 25 years since his passing.

The program, titled “Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko Week 2025”, will run from September 28 to October 5, featuring spiritual, academic, and symbolic events across the Diocese.

Highlights include:

Commemorative Masses in parishes and shrines.

A memorial flame lighting in Tsakatsaka.

A solemn Mass on October 4 at the Mons. Emmanuel Kataliko School Complex in Kasongomi.

A guided visit to Matanda General Hospital.

A colloquium on Archbishop Kataliko’s life and legacy at the Catholic University of Graben (UCG).

Concerts, exhibitions, and cultural activities.

Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku has invited all parishes, shrines, clergy, and faithful to “take full ownership of this ecclesial event.”

Born in 1932 in Lukole, Lubero Territory, Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko, remembered as a symbol of resistance, was ordained a priest in Rome in 1958 and consecrated Bishop in 1966. He served as Bishop of Butembo-Beni for 31 years before being appointed Archbishop of Bukavu in 1997. He was widely respected for his defence of justice, non-violent resistance during exile, and commitment to development through education, housing, and infrastructure.

16/09/2025

𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐨 𝐗𝐈𝐕: 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

Over 9,000 pilgrims gathered at St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday evening for the Jubilee of Consolation, a Holy Year event dedicated to people who have endured loss, pain, or suffering.

The vigil included moving testimonies of forgiveness - Diane Foley, the mother of slain journalist James Foley, spoke of finding grace to forgive one of her son’s killers: “God gave me the grace to see him as a fellow sinner in need of mercy, like me.”

Lucia Di Mauro Montanino, who lost her husband in Naples, shared how she forgave a young man involved in his murder: “The only possible thing was a long embrace. There I felt within me the desire and the possibility to transform pain into something new.”

In his homily, Pope Leo XIV emphasized God’s nearness in suffering: “In times of darkness, even when all outward appearances suggest otherwise, God does not abandon us. Rather, it is precisely in these moments that we are invited more than ever to place our hope in the closeness of the Savior who never forsakes us.”

He urged Christians to let forgiveness overcome hatred: “Pain must not give rise to violence. Forgiveness offers us a foretaste of the Kingdom of God on earth.”

The Pope concluded by affirming that the departed remain in God’s care: “Our loved ones who have been separated from us by sister death are not lost and do not fade into the void. Their lives belong to the Lord, the Good Shepherd, who embraces them and holds them close.”

-Vatican News