Lower consumer demand forces small restaurants as well as ambitious bakery brands to throw in the towel. Business closures jump 232 per cent over a year as post zero-COVID reopening saw rising prices and income crunch for many households.
At his Wednesday audience, Francis repeated that "War is always a defeat." Through the intercession of John Paul II 10 years after his canonisation, the pontiff called for "the gift of peace" in Ukraine and Myanmar too. In the catechesis on the life of grace according to the Spirit, he stressed that the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are an "antidote to self-sufficiency".
Three cases are still pending in court following the tragedy in which over 1,000 textile workers died. At the beginning of the year, the Supreme Court intervened, ordering the judicial process to be closed by July. The victims say they were left to their own devices, while only Sohel Rana, the owner of the building, is in prison.
A quick visit to the island for the Iranian leader on his return from Pakistan. The focus of the day was the signing of five memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and the inauguration of a hydroelectric power plant. Analysts underline the Islamic Republic's attempt to strengthen relations with South Asia at a time of tensions in the Middle East, with heavy repercussions on international trade.
Today's news: Appeal hearing for Cardinal Zen and other pro-democracy activists in the appeal against convictions set for January; A North Korean delegation is in Iran; The Taliban's Afghanistan continues to export coal to Pakistan; In Russia, floods also devastated old uranium mines.
In Kaliningrad, the local governor talks about the necessary 'Russian interpretation of Kantianism', amidst gastromic festivals and bots answering questions from the audience by referring to the philosopher's writings. While Russia's leading neo-Kantian philosopher Viktor Vakštein is demoted to 'foreign agent' and forced to emigrate to Israel.
