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Holy Week Tensions Rise as Israel Blocks Cardinal from Entering Sacred Jerusalem Site

  Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, holds a prayer service to mark Palm Sunday, following the cancellation of the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives, amid restrictions on gathering in large groups, in Jerusalem, March 29, 2026. Israeli police prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, prompting widespread criticism from Christian leaders and governments worldwide. Authorities cited security concerns linked to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, noting that all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City had been temporarily closed due to the threat of missile strikes. The Latin Patriarchate condemned the move as an unprecedented disruption of centuries‑old tradition, marking the first time church leaders were unable to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass at the historic site. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later stated that the ...

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Iranian Government Labels Female Student Who Stripped in Public as ‘Troubled’

 

In a recent incident at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University, a female student stripped to her underwear in what many perceived as a protest against Iran’s strict Islamic dress code. The government has since labeled the student as a “troubled individual” rather than a security threat.

The student, identified on social media as Ahoo Daryaei, undressed on Saturday, an act that quickly went viral. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that the student is receiving treatment and emphasized that the issue is being approached from a social perspective rather than a security one.

The incident has sparked significant attention on social media, with many viewing it as a continuation of the protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Amini’s death while in the custody of the morality police for allegedly violating hijab rules had previously ignited widespread demonstrations across the country.

Authorities have transferred Daryaei from a police station to a treatment center, though details of her treatment remain undisclosed. The government has not pressed any criminal charges against her, focusing instead on addressing her mental health needs.


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