South Asia

In August, the UN Food and Agriculture Agency reported a 9.8 per cent price hike over July despite an overall drop in food prices. Rice is vulnerable to extreme climate events, like those that devastated Pakistan and China last year, but the recent increase was also driven by India's export ban. Southeast Asian countries, which are the hardest hit, are looking for other solutions.

The faithful arrived at the shrine by different means from all over the country to offer gifts and prayers. The event, which lasted three days from 8 to 10 September, was attended by hundreds of people. According to Fr. Khalid Rashid Asi, the shrine is the best place to "open one's heart to Mary".

Today's headlines: at least 10 dead in clashes between rival factions in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon; Runoff between Solih and Muizzu scheduled for Sept. 30 to decide next president of the Maldives; Sexist behavior toward women in the workplace persists in South Korea; Kuala Lumpur wants to halt rare earth exports; Delhi ready to reintroduce firecracker ban for Diwali to try to curb air pollution in the capital.

Malankara metropolitan is received at the Vatican. Based in Kerala, his Christian community traces its origins to Saint Thomas and is linked to the Syriac Orthodox Church. The pontiff expressed hope that ecumenism would bring more shared pastoral life, especially where Christians are a minority.

Despite the outrage over events in Jaranwala, Pakistan’s blasphemy legislation continues to be abused. A Christian couple is arrested on suspicion that their children might have desecrated the Qur’an. Amidst high tensions, Shaukat and Kiran Masih are jailed. Meanwhile, in Tandlianwala, another city in Faisalabad district, Christians have been forced to flee their homes at night under threat from Islamist extremists.

After Channel 4's exposé calling former President Rajapaksa into question, the successor commissioned a committee headed by a former Supreme Court judge to review all information. But Card. Ranjith for an international inquiry into the massacres. Skepticism from victims' committees, "It will only serve to cover up the truth again."

Today's headlines: Afghan Taliban against Islamabad for closing Torkham crossing; Manila wants a tariff cut on imported rice to curb price escalation. India's Silicon Valley paralyzed by vehicle strikes; Japanese premier announces government reshuffle and "drastic" economic measures; In Israel, artists and film and TV personalities revolt over industry cooperation agreement between Tel Aviv and Moscow; The "Tiger Valley" park in Tajikistan will enter among UNESCO heritage sites.

Alongside the one of heads of state and government also in India in Pune, the "summit" of representatives of religious communities was held these days. Msgr. Felix Machado's appeal, "What good are good economic prospects without dialogue and solidarity?" From the Bishops' Conference the invitation to Indian Catholics to pray that the New Delhi meeting will remind everyone that "we are one human family."

First visit by a Russian foreign minister to Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina calls for a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine "the consequences of which weigh on developing countries." Nuclear fuel for the Rosatom-built plant will arrive in October. But due to delays in work on the local power grid infrastructure, it is unlikely to start operating in July 2024 as planned.

Today's headlines: 2 dead in typhoon in Hong Kong, controversy over no text alert; In Mindanao, two Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) factions agree to work together for the Bangsamoro; New clashes in Ein al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp; Appeal by Armenian Prime Minister Pašinyan against troops massed by Azerbaijan at the border.

Just as the world focuses on the G20 summit New Delhi tomorrow, Maldivians vote in a crucial presidential election. Traditionally pro-India, the country’s diplomatic relations began to shift in 2013 with China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the election of President Abdulla Yameen who ruled in an authoritarian fashion. The current president, Ibrahim Solih, is confident of winning in the first round, but experts believe a run-off cannot be ruled out.

The island's 30 prisons can accommodate just over 13 thousand inmates, but as of today there are around 30 thousand. About half of these are in prison on remand, more than 20 thousand for drug trafficking. Among the proposals is the release of those who are under arrest for minor offenses.