Leo XIV held his first general audience of 2026 in the Nervi Hall, in the presence of 7,000 people. He began the reflections on the Council documents to “continue to seek ways and means to implement its insights," and “achieve ecclesial reform more fully”. The pope is also set to preside over his first extraordinary consistory this afternoon, with all the cardinals summoned to Rome.
Following the capture of the Venezuelan president, strategic tensions between the United States and China, which has invested heavily in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years, have returned to the forefront. Competition between the two powers could now fall on the Panama Canal. In the recent past, the Central American country has sought to keep a balance among rival interests. Washington could target other Chinese infrastructure projects and investments in raw materials.
Informed by Damascus and Arab and international media outlets, Lebanese authorities are doubling their surveillance efforts. However, “gaps” in the border between the two countries are hindering the mission. According to the UN, since Assad's fall, 69,000 Syrians, mainly Alawites, have fled to Lebanon, although the data are partial and difficult to verify.
PickMe, one of the leading ride-hailing companies, complains: ‘The police are turning a blind eye to the intimidation suffered by our drivers.’ The new services are breaking the monopoly of local groups that imposed exorbitant fares on tourists.But the failure to enforce basic rules, such as the requirement for a taximeter on every three-wheeled vehicle, also weighs heavily.
Although Rosstat has decided to keep the data secret until 2025, many independent demographers believe that the decline in the Russian population is accelerating. The only areas bucking the trend are the Muslim-majority regions of the North Caucasus. Where religious practice is already much more intense than among the faithful of the Orthodox Churches.
Today's headlines: South Korean President Lee has asked Xi Jinping to mediate with Pyongyang; Clashes in Delhi over the demolition of illegal buildings near a mosque: Vietnamese electric car manufacturer VinFast has doubled its domestic sales in 2025; In Turkmenistan, the grave of a blogger who disappeared after criticising the regime has been found.
