International

COVID-19 tests Catholics’ faith in Latin America

The Coronavirus pandemic has challenged Catholicism in Latin America. The restrictions imposed for the virus have created problems among the faithful. The situation forced church authorities in the region to cancel various activities. Many of them with historical value.

This month, the Lord of Miracles procession, that goes through the streets of Lima, will not take place in Peru for the second time in history. The first cancellation was in 1882, during the war between Chile and Peru.

The same happened with the Black Christ of Portobelo pilgrimage in Panama, scheduled for October 21. In Venezuela, last month, the pilgrimage of the Virgin of the Valley on Margarita Island was canceled.

In August, the same happened with the Virgin of Copacabana celebration, the patron saint of Bolivians. Similarly, the procession to celebrate Saint Oscar Arnulfo Romero’s birthday in El Salvador. Mexico has not yet confirmed what will happen with the Virgin of Guadalupe celebration on December 12.

International

Lula invites Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay to BRICS Summit in Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has invited Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay to participate in the next BRICS summit, which will take place in Brazil this July.

“I am inviting all these countries here—Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico—to take part in BRICS in Brazil. Even if they are not official members, it is important for them to participate because this is a time for global discussion,” Lula stated.

Strengthening Multilateralism and Free Trade

While attending the presidential handover ceremony in Uruguay, Lula emphasized the importance of including these countries in the conversation, given that BRICS represents nearly half of the world’s population and global GDP.

“It is crucial that at this BRICS summit, we truly strengthen two fundamental pillars: multilateralism and free trade. Without trade freedom, there is no multilateralism, and there is no democracy,” he declared.

Lula also proposed drafting a serious document to present at the summit in Rio de Janeiro in July, reaffirming the commitment to respecting multilateralism and promoting free trade.

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International

Navy warship saves lithuanian adventurer caught in Pacific Storm

An Australian warship rescued a Lithuanian rower on Monday after he encountered a tropical cyclone while attempting to cross the Pacific Ocean from California.

Aurimas Mockus was brought aboard the Royal Australian Navy landing ship HMAS Choules, where he underwent a medical checkup, Vice Admiral Justin Jones said in a statement.

“Due to the highly unfavorable maritime conditions, Mr. Mockus’ vessel could not be recovered, except for two oars and some personal belongings,” stated the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which coordinated the rescue.

Three Days Adrift in the Coral Sea

The 44-year-old adventurer spent three days adrift in the Coral Sea, approximately 740 kilometers (460 miles) east of Mackay, a coastal city in Queensland. He had rowed non-stop from San Diego in a closed vessel, aiming to reach Brisbane.

Mockus began his 12,000-kilometer (7,500-mile) journey in October and was only days away from Brisbane when he encountered the storm, which is expected to make landfall in Australia soon.

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Brisbane is located 800 kilometers (500 miles) south of Mackay in a straight line.

Mockus activated an emergency beacon on Friday after rowing into stormy seas and 80 km/h (50 mph) winds generated by Tropical Cyclone Alfred, according to the rescue authority.

A rescue aircraft established radio contact with Mockus on Saturday, where he reported feeling “fatigued,” the authority said.

International

UK investigates TikTok over teen data use in content recommendations

The UK’s data protection office announced on Monday that it is investigating how TikTok uses teenagers’ personal information to generate content recommendations on the social media platform.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) expressed growing concerns about how social media platforms use data generated by children’s online activity to fuel their recommendation algorithms. This raises the potential risk of exposing young users to inappropriate or harmful content.

The regulator stated that it aims to assess the strength of TikTok’s safety procedures regarding the personal data of users aged 13 to 17.

“It’s about what they are collecting and how their systems work,” said Information Commissioner John Edwards. “I expect to find that there are many benign and positive uses of children’s data in their recommendation systems.”