The Vatican reached a breakthrough in negotiations with China by acquiescing to Beijing’s demands to recognize eight bishops appointed by the country’s communist government. Chinese and Vatican officials announced Saturday that they had signed a “provisional agreement” to the effect that the Vatican would recognize eight bishops appointed by China’s communist government without papal approval and that all of China’s bishops would now be considered in full communion with the church. The Vatican issued a statement concerning the agreement, saying it was meant to foster conditions of greater collaboration between Beijing and the Vatican, but Chinese Catholics are divided over […]

Amid concern about a crisis with Russia over Syria’s downing of Russian spy plane that Moscow blamed on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will leave Tuesday for New York where he will meet US President Donald Trump and address the UN General Assembly. The crisis with Russia is expected to be one of the issues Netanyahu will discuss with Trump. When the US president met Russian President Vladimir Putin in July, Syria – and Israel’s concerns about Iranian military entrenchment there – was a significant part of the conversation. This will be the fifth time since Trump took office in January 2017 […]