| RED LANTERNS

At a global summit on the status of women, 30 years after the Beijing Conference, the Chinese president pledged funding to UN Women and new, pro-women worldwide cooperation. Yet, since 2022, the Politburo has been entirely male. Meanwhile, discrimination is rising again in the workplace in China after the abrupt shift from the one-child policy to a pro-natalist policy.


The pontiff addressed the FAO General Assembly, marking the 80th anniversary of the UN agency. "Slogans do not lift people out of poverty,” Leo said. Action is needed to overcome a policy that “replaces the person with profit.” Above all, “Those who suffer from hunger are not strangers. They are my brothers and sisters, and I must help them without delay.”

| 16/10/2025
| VATICAN
by A Voice from Shanghai

A local Catholic offers their thoughts about yesterday's ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Wu Jianlin. The unresolved situation of Bishop Ma Daqin, who is still barred from exercising his ministry, is a source of sorrow that encourages “those members of the clergy who seek only to please the government”.

 

| 16/10/2025
| CHINA - VATICAN
by Vladimir Rozanskij

In the context of fierce opposition to Prime Minister Pašinyan's policies, Bishop Mkrtič, head of the eparchy of Aragatsotn, was also arrested, along with six diocesan priests. Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the first to openly oppose the head of government, has been in prison since June. Lawyers for the Armenian Apostolic Church: serious violation of the law.

| 16/10/2025
| ARMENIA
by Dario Salvi

According to the US-based Gaza-born scholar, Hamas is seeking to "restore complete monopoly" over the territory and in weapons. To this end, it is “killing and torturing other Palestinians” on the pretext that they collaborated with Israel. A mission is needed "to enforce law and order” to “protect Palestinians”. Among the people he talks to in Gaza, “there's a sense of fear that we are going back to October 6th”.

 

| 15/10/2025
| GAZA – UNITED STATES – ISRAEL
by Giorgio Bernardelli

As AsiaNews reported, the ceremony for the prelate chosen by Bishop Shen Bin during the Vatican's Sede Vacante took place this morning. Leo XIV approved the appointment in August in accordance with the Agreement. Although confined to the Sheshan Seminary since 2012, the other auxiliary bishop, Ma Daqin, sent a message of unity to the Church of Shanghai via social media, quoting the great ‘patriarch’ Xu Guangqi.

| 15/10/2025
| CHINA – VATICAN
by Mathias Hariyadi

Indonesian authorities have declared a state of emergency in Cikande after unprecedented levels of Cesium-137 were detected at the Modern Cikande Industrial Estate. Nine workers were exposed to the radioactive isotope, while scores have families have been evacuated. The government has deployed special decontamination units and launched an investigation into the possible causes, which may be linked to scrap metal imports from the Philippines.

| 15/10/2025
| INDONESIA
Editor's choices
 
by A Voice from Shanghai
A local Catholic offers their thoughts about yesterday's ordination of Auxiliary Bishop Wu Jianlin. The unresolved situation of Bishop Ma Daqin, who is still barred from exercising his ministry, is a source of sorrow that encourages “those ...
| 16/10/2025
| CHINA - VATICAN
 
by Mathias Hariyadi
Indonesian authorities have declared a state of emergency in Cikande after unprecedented levels of Cesium-137 were detected at the Modern Cikande Industrial Estate. Nine workers were exposed to the radioactive isotope, while scores have families have ...
| 15/10/2025
| INDONESIA
 
by Andrew Law
The diocese has sent official notice for Fr Wu Jianlin’s ordination ceremony, calling on all priests and nuns to be present without exception. Ordinary Bishop Shen Bin reportedly supported the choice, stressing that Wu is a member of the Party ...
| 10/10/2025
| CHINA – VATICAN
 
by Gershon Baskin
AsiaNews publishes the thoughts on the Gaza peace deal (in its first phase) by the political activist and mediator. A key player in the release of Israeli soldier Shalit, he has worked behind the scenes in recent months to achieve a ceasefire. Against ...
| 09/10/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE – EGYPT
 
Zaw Zaw, a powerful businessman who heads the Myanmar Football Federation, was appointed to chair FIFA's Social Responsibility Committee. Sanctioned in the past by the United States for his ties to the military, the oligarch has over the years built ...
| 09/10/2025
| MYANMAR
 
by Gianni Criveller
1 October marked the anniversary of the canonisation desired by John Paul II  which gave rise to the most conflictual moment in relations between Beijing and the Holy See. In the context of today's dialogue with the Beijing authorities, ...
| 05/10/2025
| ECCLESIA IN ASIA
 
The former interior minister, known for her tough stance on China and her nationalist policies, won the Liberal Democratic Party primaries and is set to lead the government as its leader. However, without a majority in parliament, she will have to seek ...
| 04/10/2025
| JAPAN
 
by Dario Salvi
For the Jewish leader, a leading figure in relations with Christians and Muslims, the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi is a "natural partner" to develop point 18 of the US plan to end the war in Gaza. “Such a clause already appears in the Abraham ...
| 01/10/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”