South Asia

Apps offering money to farmers and vulnerable people in difficulty are rife across the island, concealing draconian terms. In March, parliament had approved ad hoc legislation intended to tackle the phenomenon, but the necessary implementing regulation has still not been published in the Official Gazette.

Nancy Sequeira calls for her son’s release. Randall is currently held in pre-trial detention for his involvement in protests against bauxite mining in Kantamal. A doctor who works with Adivasi communities, he is accused of inciting clashes that took place in April. The St. John’s Medical College in Bengaluru and Bishop Percival Fernandez have expressed their solidarity.

The Pakistani archdiocese brought together more than 2,000 children from 35 schools for a celebration at the cathedral, where they collected school supplies for less fortunate peers. Archbishop Travas told them that through their lives, they help others build “a genuine friendship with Jesus.”

Nazrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Sweety Akter were put to death in Saudi Arabia on 14 October. The controversial case has caused deep shock among activists and the general public, raising questions about the government’s actions. At the heart of the matter lie broader issues concerning the migrant economy and the protection of human rights.

After they fled persecution in Myanmar, dozens of Rohingya families have now been evicted under pressure from Indian authorities, amid a climate of mounting hostility towards the presence of these Muslim refugees. Lacking any legal status recognised by New Delhi, many now face the risk of repatriation, even as the civil war in Myanmar continues to rage.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue took part in a meeting in London organised jointly with leaders of the local Hindu community. Following in the footsteps of Cardinal Tauran, he visited the Neasden Temple in the north-west of the British capital. “Let us not give up when progress towards peace is slow.”

Minister Nanayakkara told parliament that 1,454 people are behind bars because they are unable to pay court-imposed fines of up to 100,000 rupees (around 268 euros). There are 60 prisons in the country, with overcrowding reaching 400 per cent of capacity.

Father Benedict Barla, principal of St Michael Middle School in the Diocese of Khunti, was found in his office lying in a pool of blood. He has been rushed to Ranchi. Security camera footage shows three masked men entering the school premises. “We will wait for the administration and police to investigate. We do not want rumours to spread and create divisions in society,” said the vicar general.

Waseem Abbas, an orphan who had begun working as an apprentice electrician only days earlier, was struck and killed by a car following reports of mistreatment and threats. Questions have been raised regarding the role of the institution where he lived. Meanwhile, in Gojra, activists have mobilised following the assault and arrest of a journalist.

The Japanese MMX mission is designed to bring samples from one of Mars’ moons back to Earth by 2031, the same year that materials collected on the moon by China’s Tianwen-3 mission are also expected to return. India and South Korea are investing in new technologies, infrastructure, and satellites. The commercial importance of space is growing.

Discontent with the institutions in India continues to grow following the arrests of leaders of the “cockroach” movement. According to Jesuit Father Sebasti L. Raj of the Indian Social Institute, the success of the mobilisation hinges on remaining independent of political parties and being open to different religious and cultural communities.

Another disturbing incident in the state of Chhattisgarh. A parish in an area inhabited by the Kodaku ethnic group has been forced to postpone the ordination ceremony because the authorities are demanding documents regarding the conversion of the deacon’s family, which took place in 1995. Meanwhile, signs have been put up outside churches restricting entry to Christians only.