A gripping photo at the Rio Grande

MEXICO: A photo of a migrant father and his 23-month-old daughter sunk face down on the muddy bank of the Rio Grande highlights the perils facing Central American migrants hoping for asylum in the United States—and is galvanizing congregations in the Rio Grande Valley.

JAPAN: President Donald Trump arrived in Osaka, Japan, for the G-20 summit fixated on trade wars, but offsite Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini intends to leverage fractured relations and European fears to push back against crippling sanctions. He is presenting Iran as a paragon of the international order (despite its flagrant nuclear ambitions) and Trump as an agent of chaos.

IRAN: The Islamic regime’s repression of Christians shocks the conscience.

BAHRAIN is making peace with Israel.

SYRIA: When Islamic State (ISIS) attacked Kobani four years ago, the militants killed thousands of Kurdish civilians and fighters. The fierce battle that followed was commemorated this week with a candlelit graveside vigil.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: More than 7,000 Congolese refugees have fled to Uganda this month to escape renewed fighting.

MALAYSIA: The government reopened the investigation into the kidnapping of Pastor Raymond Koh and Amri Che Mat. The Christian pastor was abducted in 2017, and Mat, a Shia Muslim, was taken the year before—both after being investigated for proselytizing.

NOTE: Globe Trot will be taking a break next week, returning July 8.

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