South Asia

The police are making thousands of indiscriminate arrests. The children are abandoned without care and are often fed by neighbours living in poverty. The Sri Lankan Bar Association is trying to lead an action to investigate how the police are investigating.

Today's news: Thai officials investigated for corruption, accused of sending migrants to Finland for payment; Clashes again Manipur, where the longest internet blockade of 2023 was recorded; North Korea is stepping up military cooperation with Russia, Seoul says; UN Security Council asks Houthis to stop attacks on ships in the Red Sea, China and Russia abstain.

The 67-year-old Bishop of Shamshabad was elected yesterday by the local Synod in Kochi and confirmed by Pope Francis. In his first words to the faithful, he said that “we should stand together and work together.” The Eastern rite community of six million members has been shaken in recent years by a major row over the liturgy centred in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly.

After Christian homes and churches were torched last summer on the pretext of blasphemy, street sweepers, who are mostly Christian, were not paid for two months before Christmas. “During the year, we lack proper equipment and tools for the job and because of this we often get sick,” street sweeper Khurram Masih told AsiaNews. Before Christian holy days, “we never get paid on time,” forcing them “to take out loans”.

Today's news: attacker who shot opposition leader in South Korea wanted to prevent him from becoming president; In Myanmar at least 34 people died in prison in 2023; Diplomatic dispute between the Maldives, India, and China continues; In Hong Kong a man wearing a T-shirt with pro-democracy slogans arrested.

The pontiff called the practice “deplorable" in his address to the Diplomatic Corps, demanding a total ban. In India, once the world surrogacy capital, the authorities have restricted its scope, but it is still allowed for close relatives. For Dr Pascoal Carvalho, a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, this still puts women at risk of “potential exploitation”.

The murdered journalist was a great opponent of the then Rajapaksa government. The children at the grave ask that the pain be directed towards completing their father's work on press freedom and rights in Sri Lanka, while Amnesty International has called on the government to end impunity for his murder.

Today's news: One of Hezbollah's leaders eliminated in southern Lebanon; Chinese President Xi Jinping said more efforts are needed in the fight against corruption; Former Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif is free to participate in the upcoming elections; Polling stations open for the Bhutan runoff.

The chairperson of the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, Priyank Kanoongo, reported the disappearance of 26 girls from a Carmelite-run hostel, but a police enquiry found that they were at home with their families for the Christmas holidays.

After the Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted the vote, the Election Commission announced a 40 per cent turnout, but many doubt the figure. The Awami League will be able to govern for five years without any real opposition in Parliament. Its challenge will be to stem the economic slowdown.

Today's news: in Bangladesh unsurprising victory for PM Hasina; Japan earthquake death toll rises to 161; Maldives government suspends three officials who insulted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media; Supreme Court in India intervenes on convictions of Gujarat riots in 2002; Citizenship process simplified in Russia.

Observers expect an uncontested victory for Sheikh Hasina, in power since 2009, after the opposition decided to boycott the poll. Religious minorities, particularly Hindus, have complained about threats, while Christians are throwing their support behind the ruling Awami League.