Leo XIV spoke about World Refugee Day at today’s Angelus, urging everyone to “welcome those who are victims of persecution”. On the day's Gospel, he said the faithful should “respond to hatred with love, to arrogance with meekness”. Yesterday, he visited Pavia where he venerated the relics of Saint Augustine, saying that reason is not confined to the “logic of profit or domination”.
Pope Leo XIV yesterday spoke about the great Italian patron saint of migrants, who dreamt of going on a mission to the East like Saint Francis Xavier. After her death, her fellow sisters fulfilled this dream in Zhejiang and Henan until its forced closure under Mao. Nevertheless, it still continues through the Scalabrinian family who chose her as their patron in Asia.
Aung San Suu Kyi, imprisoned since 2021, turned 81. According to the military, she has been under house arrest at an undisclosed location in Naypyitaw since late April, but no images have yet been released to prove this. Despite restrictions, she is being celebrated with prayers and flowers across the country and in the diaspora. Her son, Kim Aris, accuses the regime of “hostage diplomacy”.
The repatriation to Australia of women and children linked to the Islamic State puts the spotlight on a hitherto forgotten issue. Thousands held in the Al Hol and Al Roj camps, run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), are not only the last physical vestige of the caliphate but also the battleground between two difficult-to-reconcile needs: the protection of national security and obligations towards one’s citizens.
With the People's Republic of China missing from the tournament for 24 years, the "card master" has become a celebrity among fans. He is the only Chinese tasked with refereeing a World Cup match, but also an ambassador for giants like Lenovo and Hinsense. Tomorrow evening, he will referee the Ecuador-Curaçao match, with two Chinese assistants.
Today's news: Cambodia has launched a four-month visa-free trial for Chinese visitors. According to the World Bank, fuel subsidies in Indonesia benefit well-off families. A Nepali climber survived a week trapped alone on Mount Everest. Witkoff and Kushner will be in Switzerland for Iranian nuclear talks.
