Leo XIV visited the Rome headquarters of the World Food Programme, calling for a return to the "essential” amid a complexity caused by an "unnecessary bureaucracy". He lamented that more is done to fuel conflicts than help starving people. He slammed the "quiet commodification of human life”, and urged “multilateral cooperation”.
Even though the legal age of marriage is 18, cultural traditions and poverty continue to encourage early marriages. In tribal areas it is one in two, with brides as young as 13. The war with Thailand has exacerbated the practice, but some government pilot projects and the experience of the Christian NGO Chab Dai show that education can change things.
At the heart of the dispute is a plan by a local company covering almost 4,500 hectares of the ancestral lands of the Bugkalot/Ilongot indigenous people. The Bishop of Bayombong, Monsignor Elmer Mangalinao, celebrated Mass at a barricade erected by local committees opposing the project. The bishop said: “Caring for the land means caring for the poor”.
Almost a year on from their previous visit in July 2025, the cardinal and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived in the Gaza Strip this morning to express the Christian community’s solidarity and concern for the entire population of Gaza. They were accompanied by a delegation from the Sovereign Order of Malta, which is working to provide humanitarian aid.
Following the entry into force of new EU regulations providing for facilities in third countries, Astana and Tashkent are being cited as possible locations. These proposals are linked to their proximity to Afghanistan and the availability of vast tracts of land. Brussels would offer visa facilitation in return. However, the two countries in question have denied the reports, partly due to domestic opposition.
Today’s headlines: in the US-Iran talks, an agreement has been reached on a roadmap for the negotiations and a coordination mechanism between the two countries regarding the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a ceasefire in Lebanon. Japan has increased entry visa fees for foreign nationals fivefold. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Rahman is visiting Malaysia to resume the flow of workers. Crimea has suspended fuel sales following Ukrainian attacks on refineries.
