Blitz Bureau
Pope’s warning
Pope Leo said on March 29 that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have “hands full of blood”.
He addressed tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Palm Sunday, the celebration that opens the holy week leading up to Easter for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Without specifically naming any world leaders, the pope lamented that Christians in the Middle East “are suffering the consequences of an atrocious conflict” and may not be able to celebrate Easter.
World Cup of Dispossession
Protesters transformed a major Mexico City highway into a makeshift football pitch on March 27, playing impromptu matches to denounce World Cup preparation which they said is overshadowing the capital’s pressing needs.
The protest was intended to denounce what organizers termed the “World Cup of Dispossession” and to draw attention to shortages of housing, water, transport and electricity.
The event took place just hours before Mexico was due to play Portugal in a World Cup warm-up match, and saw authorities deploy over 4,000 emergency services personnel to ensure safety.
Digital platforms not for kids
Indonesia on March 28 began implementing a new government regulation approved earlier this month that bans children younger than 16 from access to digital platforms that could expose them to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction.
With the move, Indonesia became the first country in Southeast Asia to ban children from having accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. Indonesia has said that the implementation of the restrictions would be carried out gradually. It follows measures that Australia took last year.