Sharon Reich-Garson

The pact between the EU and South America's Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, will substantially boost ties in a region that saw commerce with China soar in recent decades, while U.S.

influence plummeted.

Lucinda Elliott has more.

But not everyone's pleased.

Farmers across the EU have been protesting for months, hoping to squash the deal, and have continued, even after it was agreed to, dumping tractor loads of potatoes in Paris and Brussels and protesting in Ireland and Greece.

We're turning to China now, where an app with a name you won't forget, Are You Dead?, is taking off.

It's designed as a safety check for those on their own, and its viral success points to a bigger shift, the rise of one-person households.

Farah Master is in Hong Kong and explains how it works.

But Farah says the app's name, Are You Dead?, has sparked some controversy.

That new name for international release is Dumumu.

In a packed nightclub in Beirut, Lebanon, the man behind the decks isn't your typical DJ.

By night, the crowds dance and sway to the DJ priest's spinning, and by day, Father Guilherme Peixoto is better known for leading mass.

His mix of faith and techno drew 2,000 people to the club and a fair amount of criticism.

Some Christian groups have accused him of distorting religious imagery and even tried to shut down his show.

But on the dance floor, many Lebanese club goers see connection, community, and a message they say fits the moment.

That unity is what Peixoto says guides him, whether he's behind the altar or the turntables.

His sets have been blessed by two popes, and he calls his music a way of bringing his values outside the church.

And while outside the club, Lebanon continues to navigate political tension and conflict, inside, Peshoto says the beat offers something simple, respect, tolerance, and maybe even hope for peace.

For more on any of the stories from today, check out Reuters.com or the Reuters app.

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