Israel

Today's news: over 243 million children in East and Southeast Asia at risk from heat waves:; Beijing denies top management access to two US companies for selling arms to Taiwan; The Taliban want to black out Facebook (and social media) by blocking the few sources of information; Islamabad negotiates the renewal of the rescue plan with the International Monetary Fund; Over 98,000 people evacuated in Kazakhstan due to flooding.

Today's news: Hong Kong denied access to a Reporters Without Borders representative, who was searched and then deported; At least 16% of the candidates in the first phase of the Lok Sabha vote have pending criminal cases; Taiwan earthquake death toll rises to 16, over 1100 injured; The Houthis claim an attack on four boats in the Gulf, also a 'US warship'.

Gong Saelao was one of the many migrant workers grabbed in the 7 October terrorist attack. Released in late November, for weeks he thought he “might not return home alive". Over time, his kidnappers became friendlier. The fate of the people still held in Gaza remains a mystery. US President Biden urges “a ceasefire [. . .] for the next six, eight weeks”.

Today's news: reports of workplace abuse have doubled in South Korea in five years; Baghdad will send 10 million liters of fuel to the Gaza Strip; Public apology from a company in Malaysia for a shoe logo that resembles the word "Allah"; The Taliban have built a wall around the Eidgah mosque in Kandahar for fear of ISIS attacks: Moscow has slowed issuing work permits to migrants from Central Asia.

The Custody, a Jewish group and Tag Meir activists offered gifts to Muslims leaving al-Aqsa every Thursday at the Damascus Gate. Fr. Pari: An initiative that has been carried out for some time, but this year takes on special value in the context of war. Years to rebuild relations and trust, but the role of Christians will be essential because they are the only ones who have 'forgiveness' as an intrinsic element 'of faith'.

Today's news: Three killed overnight in Gaza as Israeli police arrest dozens after al-Aqsa prayer; In Taiwan over 600 earthquake victims still waiting to be rescued; In India, consumer confidence is at its highest level since 2019; Hundreds of arrests in a joint police operation against child pornography in Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong.

A spontaneous movement started on 24 March when a crowd marched towards the long-closed Israeli embassy. In response to the demonstrations, the police made arrests and accused the demonstrators of "aggression". Fr. Rifa Badert: fears of internal violent drift, fundamental to resolve the Palestinian question.

Disputed properties in the area known as the 'Cows Garden', which has long been at the centre of a legal dispute, were targeted. The police, without presenting any warrants, supported the attackers in their attempt to evict them. The Patriarchate in a note asks "Christians around the world" to defend and support the battle of the Holy Land community.

The vicar of Aleppo expresses concerns after yesterday’s raid against the Iranian embassy in Damascus that killed General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. “Here too we have counted 35 dead in an attack that seems to have been coordinated with the rebels and terrorists who control Idlib,” said the prelate who thanks Pope Francis for citing Syria’s suffering in his Easter message. To survive, “people are constantly looking for a piece of bread,” said Maronite Archbishop Nassar.

Today's news: Pakistani court suspends sentence against former premier Imran Khan; Southeast Asians would rather side with China than the US; Pyongyang launches another missile towards the coast; King of Malaysia signals the end of 'honeymoon' for head of Anti-Corruption Commission; In Kazakhstan this year's floods were the most disastrous in three decades.

The Custos of the Holy Land speaks to AsiaNews: the Palestinian issue is a long unresolved problem that must be addressed "with realism". The UN vote on the truce has a "moral value", but we need the "courage" to recognise and legitimise ourselves. The Roman centurion "an example of mature faith". The Collection is a "special communion" and fundamental resource today, with a thought for all persecuted Christians in the world.

The conflict with Hamas and the question of hostages is one of the "sensitive issues", but not the only one. From Jerusalem - the day after Pope Francis' letter to the Christians of the Holy Land - the patriarchal vicar for Israel recalls the tensions surrounding military service for the ultra-Orthodox, violence in Arab society, and growing anti-Semitism abroad. Political isolation also adds "suffering upon suffering". "As Christians we avoid being drawn into hate speech".