In Assisi, the extraordinary exposition of the saint's remains for the 800th anniversary of his death. Thousands of pilgrims, including some from Asia, tell AsiaNews: “We pray for peace, there are too many wars in the world.” Young people from South Korea are also visiting, ahead of World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027. At the same time, a relic of St. Francis' ashes is travelling through the Philippines, offering the country a unique opportunity for veneration.
The military escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan comes as the International Monetary Fund is considering the third review of its aid programme to Islamabad. The closure of border crossings, rising inflation and the energy crisis exacerbated by the war in the Middle East risk undermining an already fragile economic recovery.
Ulema, parliamentarians, and civil society organizations have asked Indonesian President Prabowo Subiando to leave the international body promoted by Donald Trump for the management of the Gaza crisis. Criticism is also growing over the trade agreement on tariffs signed on February 19.
While former rapper and Kathmandu mayor Balendra “Balen” Shah seems destined to become the new prime minister, Apostolic Administrator Fr. Silas Krishna Bogati asks the future government to focus on fighting corruption, employment, and political stability, expressing hope that the protection of religious freedom for minorities will continue.
Today's headlines: Israeli bombing continues in Lebanon; The United States is pressuring Sri Lanka to avoid repatriating the crew rescued from the sunken ship, Due to rising fuel prices, the Philippines will switch to a four-day working week; Hundreds of Russian soldiers who returned from the front with disabilities have been included in the Paralympic teams.
Patriarch Kirill's condolences on the death of Iran's supreme leader Khamenei, killed in Israeli-American raids, also express a sense of superiority of Russian Orthodoxy in defending the true faith. This was also evident in the speech he gave to the assembly of clergy of the Moscow Metropolis, which met at the same time.
