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Brazil’s Lula defends Pope Leo in message to Catholics after Trump’s criticism

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV should be defended from “powerful people” who have recently criticized him. The leftist leader’s comments come amid a tense exchange of attacks between the pontiff and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Earlier Wednesday, during his trip to Cameroon, the first U.S.-born pope insisted that “the message the world needs to hear today” is one of peace and dialogue. In recent days, Trump has doubled down on his criticism of Leo’s comments against the war in Iran.

The 80-year-old Lula, who is running for reelection in October, spoke in a video message sent to a gathering of Brazil’s national conference of bishops.

“My deepest solidarity to Pope Leo XIV. Throughout mankind’s history, advocates for peace and for the oppressed have been attacked by powerful people who think they are deities to be adored,” Lula said. “It’s better to have a heart full of love than the power of weapons and money.”

The spat between Leo and the U.S. president erupted after the pope said God doesn’t bless those who drop bombs. The pontiff also called Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable.” The U.S. president then argued Leo is weak on crime and a captive to the left, and claimed the pontiff owed his position to him.

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Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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