As victims are counted and efforts are underway to save hydroelectric plant workers in Nepal, questions are mounting about the sustainability of the development model adopted in recent years in the shadow of the Himalayas. For its part, the Nepali government is demanding “climate compensation”.
The Catholic charity is the fourth recipient of the Human Dignity Award by Nanzan University, a Catholic institution. Caritas President Card Kikuchi, archbishop of Tokyo and a former student, collected the prize. In his address, the prelate mentioned Caritas’s missionary origins, and its transformation into a confederation of 162 national chapters, involved in ongoing emergencies, like Gaza, Ukraine and Myanmar. He noted that the organisation does “not act for the poor – we act with them". It is never a "stranger", but always "part of the community".
New data from the International Labour Organisation and UNICEF indicate a drop of 22 million child workers in four years. However, 138 million children remain trapped in this scourge, particularly in agriculture and the informal economy. Expert Insaf Nizam, who spoke to AsiaNews, highlighted the role of economic growth, warning of the dangers of inequality and family responsibilities.
The ceremony took place today in Fujian province. Leo XIV, in his first choice regarding the Church in China, formally appointed Lin Yuntuan alongside Ordinary Bishop Cai Bingrui (the last Chinese bishop appointed by Francis in January). The Holy See is satisfied with this “important step" that confirms the “journey of communion" at the basis of the agreement with Beijing. There is hope that things will turn out better than in Mindong.
South Korea’s new president and the Chinese leader spoke on the phone for about 30 minutes. China insists on the importance of “multilateralism” against the backdrop of Trump’s tariffs. South Korea calls on Xi to play a “constructive role” in the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
A senior pastor with Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, the 70-year-old was elected at the recent world conference in Helsinki by representatives from 90 countries. His selection shows the growing role of Asian communities in this part of global Christianity.
The well-known pro-democracy activist has been charged again under the infamous national security law for "conspiracy to collude with foreign forces”. This is an attempt by Hong Kong authorities to keep him in prison. He risks a life sentence, human rights groups warn.
While the phone call between Trump and Xi Jinping is attracting the world's attention amid the Sino-US trade war, Beijing is moving forward with a project for large free trade zone on its southernmost island. To attract foreign investment, it is also launching a pilot project for direct access to the global Internet for authorised users and under state control.
The visa restrictions announced by the White House particularly affect Chinese students, who now number 277,000 in the United States. However, their numbers had already been declining in recent years, with the growth of alternatives in Asian universities, particularly in Japan, South Korea and Singapore. While Chinese universities are climbing the rankings in technological disciplines, they suffer from limitations on freedom of thought in the humanities.
The left-leaning candidate won more than 50 per cent of the vote in the wake of Yoon Suk-yeol’s removal. Exit polls reflect generational and gender divisions, but also a renewed civic commitment by South Koreans. The Democratic Party of Korea calls for national unity to turn the page after the declaration of martial law.
On the eve of the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre, Hong Kong authorities have sealed off Victoria Park again, once the venue for a memorial vigil for the victims until 2019. Meanwhile, the CHRD released a list of 32 people detained for refusing to be silent about those events, including six in mainland China who were direct participants in the events of 1989.
After the removal of conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol, the country will go to the polls tomorrow to pick a new president. If elected, the frontrunner Lee Jae-myung will lead a divided country, seeking a balance between social justice and growing polarisation. For Prof David C. Kang of the University of Southern California, this is a test of democratic stability, but South Korean society is not in decline.
A report by the Lowy Institute highlights that China is expected to receive this year some US$ 22 billion in interest on debt from countries that the UN classifies as most fragile. This figure is far higher than new loans China currently grants per year. For 54 countries, China holds more shares of bilateral debt than all the countries of the Paris Club put together. The numbers are significant also considering the appeal Pope Francis made for debt cancellation on the occasion of the Jubilee.
Subscribe to the newsletter to receive verified news, analysis and insights from Asian countries every week.
Subscribeto the newsletter
