Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed his Myanmar counterpart, Min Aung Hlaing, to whom he has reiterated China’s support. The visit coincides with the recent arrest of a leading scholar of China-Myanmar relations and the release by an ethnic militia of 200 POWs captured during fighting along the border.

The Apostolic Vicar of Puerto Princesa, Bishop Socrates Mesiona, has criticised the Manila government for issuing new deforestation permits to mining companies in what is one of the Philippines’ most biodiverse habitats. “This way of acting gives the impression that there are two kinds of laws in our country: one for the rich and powerful, and one for the poor.”

The new sustainability rules are causing difficulties for many local exporters. The European Union is the largest market for the textile industry. From September, companies will have to comply with requirements across the entire supply chain: firms are being called upon to invest in certifications, carbon footprint monitoring and packaging reviews.

Today’s headlines: Myanmar’s President Min Aung Hlaing visits Beijing; Dhaka protests over the treatment of a diplomat at New Delhi airport; A 6.7-magnitude earthquake has struck central Indonesia; Strait of Hormuz set for full reopening; Netanyahu: we will continue to occupy Lebanon.

In the last few hours, a few displaced people have started to go home, but the situation in the south remains critical. The Jewish state has no intention to relinquish the territories it has occupied. Furthermore, the plan leaves the issue of Hezbollah's disarmament open and unresolved. Uncertainty and unresolved issues surround the future of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.

Leo XIV met in the Vatican with a group of faithful from the Eastern-rite Catholic community, which is set to mark the centenary of its return to full communion with Rome in 2032. The pontiff urged them to preserve their unique identity even in the diaspora where many live today.