“A sad incident that claimed the life of one of the rescuers is being used to show off Thai greatness." The authorities have now imposed a gag order on the incident so that no one can ask questions or criticise the boys’ behaviour inside the cave. For many the story has become an “emotional drug”, which the country’s ruling military junta is using to move attention away from “hot topics”

The nuns run the Fatima Hospital in Ketapang, six rural clinics and several colleges scattered in the remote territory. They can reach the farthest villages only on motorbikes along long muddy roads, carrying basic items and equipment. The region’s child mortality is three times the national average, ten time in the case of infant mortality.

China’s Communist Party has come to recognise the role played by Protestant missionaries during the 1937 massacre. During the weeks of horrors perpetrated by the Japanese army, Christians saved thousands of people in security zones organised by Westerners. For Xi Jinping, “what missionaries sacrificed for the city was publicly recognized by Communist China.”

At least eight people have died and 56 injured in demonstrations over the past week. Residents are protesting high unemployment, water shortages and the lack of services. For Mgr Habib, the situation is bound to get worse if the government does not take action. Masses and liturgical activities are still being held.

The disappearance of a child who was sold has "nothing to do with the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity". The nuns are victims of "many myths [. . .] information distorted and false news” as well as “baseless innuendo". Sr Prema gives her version of events and defends her congregation. Only two weeks before, the authorities described the children’s home involved as an “excellent environment for the care of children”. Now they have been taken by social services.

Another scandal has hit China’s healthcare system. Anti-rabies vaccines produced by Changchun Changsheng Biotech were found to be substandard. The authorities had to recall the product from the market. “The incident is very severe in nature because it has dealt another blow to the public’s confidence in domestically produced vaccines,” said a specialist.