News Briefs

Aid to the Church in Need reports 75 percent of global religious persecution is being carried out against Christians. • With the world’s attention fixed elsewhere, local church officials in Africa warn: “Côte d’Ivoire is sliding into civil war.” • The Catholic Coalition on Climate Change has trained a new group of Catholic climate ambassadors ready to give presentations about the church’s teaching on climate change to schools, parishes and dioceses. • Ireland’s bishops pledged an additional 10 million euros ($14.2 million) to provide support services for victims of clerical abuse and announced plans for spiritual support to people whose faith has been damaged, acknowledging that “the inadequate response” by some church leaders “has left a deep wound that may never be fully healed.” • Pakistani Christians allege that Qamar David, a Catholic businessman imprisoned for life for blasphemy, was tortured and murdered and did not die of a heart attack on March 15 as stated in a medical report. • The Vatican has welcomed the European Court of Human Rights’ decision on March 18 to overturn a ruling that would have banned the display of crucifixes in Italian public schools.