A forum bringing together over a hundred civil society organisations has urged the government to impose stricter rules for assessing the environmental and social impact of Beijing’s investments in Cambodia. For the NGOs, the issues concern hydroelectric dams and the controversial Funan Techo canal, whilst Phnom Penh defends the projects as essential for growth.
Several comedians have been persecuted for jokes relating to military operations and mobilisation, as well as about the Orthodox Church and Putin. Irony and sarcasm were the only weapons for resisting the oppression of Soviet totalitarianism; today, even those are now banned.
The local Church celebrated with gratitude the significant anniversary of the religious profession of one of the Discalced Carmelite nuns from the monastery that has stood on Bukit Hill since 1938. Her testimony on the diocesan website: “We discover God’s hand in the work we do and in the sisters with whom we live”
Today, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, during the Angelus, Leo XIV recalled the ‘united invocation for peace’ from the recitation of the Rosary during the Marian month, which is now drawing to a close. He remembered the “peoples tormented by war”; the “gift of peace” was also implored yesterday from the Vatican Gardens. The commentary on the Gospel: “The Trinity makes us love everything and everyone”
From one of China’s leading artificial intelligence companies comes a story that echoes the challenges to the dignity of work raised by Leo XIV in *Magnifica Humanitas*. In this case, the ‘handover’ was voluntary, but there is a growing trend towards zhengliu, the digital ‘distillation’ of employees’ skills. And there are young workers in the tech sector who are trying to protect themselves with tools that ‘hide’ parts of their work.
In a pastoral letter, Archbishop John Rodrigues clarifies that the “Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ” is not in communion with the Pope and has nothing to do with the local Catholic Church. Promoted by a former married priest, it has called for a “mass protest” on 5 June against injustices towards Christians. But dividing the community by confusing people is not the way to combat discrimination.
