The agreement aimed at resolving the serious dispute over the liturgy within the Syro-Malabar Church was implemented for the first time yesterday at the Cathedral Basilica of St Mary in Kochi, which had become the epicentre of the tensions.
In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIV singles out Pakistan's first female prime minister as a public figure who promoted the greatness of humanity. A Muslim, she was assassinated in 2007 in Rawalpindi. Pakistani Catholics expressed gratitude towards her for being a “bridge between our national identity and our faith”, and for the Income Support Programme she created, which is still “supporting millions of women”.
The Swedish government has singled out the Sri Lankan Catholic activist for his work on behalf of the victims of enforced disappearances during the civil war and previous periods of political violence in Sri Lanka. Founder of Families of the Disappeared, he has been seeking truth and justice for more than 30 years despite intimidation and threats.
Members of the small Muslim group are being denied the right to celebrate the Feast of Sacrifice in Pakistan. A multi-actor movement that includes extremist organisations and public bodies is behind it. A Jamaat Ahmadiya representative spoke to AsiaNews about the “discriminatory treatment” they receive, “and violations of our fundamental rights”.
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.
Whilst Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in China and Islamabad continues to offer itself as a mediator between the United States and Iran, Pakistan is facing growing internal instability. According to analysts, the suicide attack on a train in the capital of Balochistan confirms the strengthening of the armed insurgency and the government’s difficulties in ensuring security. Beijing has also called for the creation of a special force.
The Aruwakkalu area is located 25 km north of Puttalam, in the North-Western Province. It is an area considered a mainstay of Sri Lanka’s cement industry. The new plan allows valuable materials such as ilmenite, rutile and zircon to be separated from the soil layer. Experts say the deposit “is of geological and scientific importance”.
The charge by the Attorney General’s Department follows questioning of a new witness in France. The position of the former head of military intelligence has worsened. Starting in 2017, he allegedly financed Islamic and Tamil extremist groups to be used for suicide attacks and actions against Rajapaksa's adversaries, including the murder of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and the disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda.
The girl had just won first place in her class exam and was about to celebrate her achievement, but was instead raped and murdered. Police arrested 34-year-old neighbour Sohel Rana and his wife. The pain of her classmates and the calls for justice (or revenge) reverberate across a shocked nation. For advocate Singha, child abuse “reflects a deep social failure” in society.
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.
Asian members from Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka are part of the global humanitarian expedition. The son of Faisal Edhi, a leading figure in Pakistan’s humanitarian community, is among the people detained. As his fate remains unknown, his father has appealed to Pakistani authorities to obtain his release. For Asian activists, theirs is not just a "symbolic" participation.
The appeal made at the funerals of the three Baptist leaders killed in recent days during renewed clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Naga tribal groups: “I forgive those who killed my father in the name of the Lord and in the broader interest of peace.” The slain pastor had worked tirelessly for reconciliation between the two groups. Concern remains for six people still being held hostage.
Subscribe to the newsletter to receive verified news, analysis and insights from Asian countries every week.
Subscribeto the newsletter
