India

A viral video allegedly shows Samuel Garvyn De Braganza dumping rubbish in a public area, sparking a wave of online abuse and prompting police to open an investigation. At the young man’s funeral, Father Ramiro Luis said that this tragedy teaches us that, “Every post, every comment, every act of kindness or cruelty contributes to the kind of world that we create”.

The incident took place in the Worli district of the city. In a letter, the Christian organisation Watchdog Foundation has called for an investigation to identify those responsible. ‘Christian symbols repeatedly targeted’. The religious freedom enshrined in the Indian Constitution has been highlighted.

Authorities say content likely originated from a China-based platform and sought to inflame tensions against the city-state’s Indian community, a key pillar of Singapore’s multicultural society.

Myanmar’s newly elected president strikes deals on rare earths and infrastructure. But while the two governments negotiated in New Delhi, their armed forces exchanged artillery fire on the border, where weapons and fighters can easily cross. In Manipur, three Kuki civilians were killed this morning in yet another ambush, while more and more players are taking part in the violence.

With a fertility rate of 1.5 children per woman, the southern state has introduced new incentives for a third and fourth child. Experts warn that childcare and women's employment need improvement. Although a declining birthrate affects all of India, the southern states fear losing political influence as well.

After decades, the Catholic community in Vallakkunnu can now bury its own in a two-storey mausoleum with nearly 400 burial cells. For Bishop Kannookadan of Irinjalakuda, such an innovative and eco-friendly solution avoids communal tensions and conveys a message of faith.

In a pastoral letter, Archbishop John Rodrigues clarifies that the “Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ” is not in communion with the Pope and has nothing to do with the local Catholic Church. Promoted by a former married priest, it has called for a “mass protest” on 5 June against injustices towards Christians. But dividing the community by confusing people is not the way to combat discrimination.

An unprecedented mobilisation among the Malayali community in support of Abdul Rahim raised the huge sum requested as "diyah" (blood money) from the family of the disabled boy he cared for, who died in an accident. Despite the 15 million riyals paid, the Saudi court still required him to serve his prison sentence to the end. He arrived in India on Eid.

Following decades of rivalry between the political leaderships of the towns of Leh and Kargil, the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 had fostered a historic alliance calling for greater constitutional safeguards and the protection of tribal lands. Now, the establishment of new administrative units in the Himalayan region has reignited accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of seeking to divide the population along ethnic and religious lines and to facilitate direct control from Delhi.

On 24 May, movements affiliated with the RSS organised a demonstration in New Delhi to call for the ‘delisting’ of Article 342 of the Constitution. The aim is to pass a law that would exempt those who have converted to Hinduism. The protest by Christians and pro-rights groups.

The first semi-high-speed train, designed entirely locally, has been unveiled as a symbol of the Modi government’s “Make in India” strategy. But along the railway corridor between Gujarat and Maharashtra, protests by farmers and tribal communities continue, with claims of forced land acquisition and inadequate compensation.

A recent shooting at a casino has put the spotlight on reports of incivility, looting, and clashes with locals over trivial motives. The problem is linked to cross-border tourism in towns and cities bordering India, which draw thousands of people to visit casinos, hotels, and liquor stores, often returning home before they can be prosecuted.