South Asia

Today's headlines : University research reveals a quarter of young people in Hong Kong today suffer from mental disorders; A new global plan for vaccines to developing countries will be discussed at the G7 in Hiroshima; Papua New Guinea foreign minister resigns over controversy over expenses of trip to London for King Charles' coronation; First Russian Orthodox prayer book in Malagasy language.

Drug addiction rates in the northern state are alarming, with more than 15 per cent of the population victim of some form of substance abuse. After alcohol and tobacco, heroin is the drug of choice due to geographic proximity to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Underemployment and subhuman working conditions push many into addiction. Few people trust the police, seen as in cahoots with traffickers.

While the country is in an uproar over the former prime minister’s legal problems, another girl is kidnapped from her home in Faisalabad and raped for seven days by men known in the community. Local Muslim notables are pressing for the family to drop their complaint. For NGO Voice Pakistan, “The protection of underage Christian girls has become the main problem of religious minorities.”

On the World Day dedicated to those who carry out this profession, the testimony of Juliana S. Palma, a Catholic, serving in the burns unit of a large public hospital in the capital. In Bangladesh, the problem of the shortage of nurses, who are a quarter of those the country needs, remains serious.

The two governments are negotiating the move to expand economic cooperation especially in the energy sector. It would be a way to stem the foreign exchange problems created by the economic crisis. Several banks in Sri Lanka have already opened special accounts to allow them to trade directly with the Indian currency.

Child protection agencies target another Christian welfare institution, the St Francis Orphanage in Sagar. Founded more than 150 years ago, it serves orphaned and special needs kids. During the raid, its church was desecrated, documents destroyed and mobile phones and computers seized. For the past three years, orphanage administrators have been trying to renew their licence to operate. Court orders upholding the status quo have been ignored.

Today's headlines: Kazakh President Tokaev will also be present at the 9 May parade in Moscow; Voting for the Assembly in the southern Indian state of Karnataka began today; Among the new Papal Swiss Guards there is also a man of Filipino origin; The Asean summit calls for an end to hostilities in Myanmar.

Anti-government protests have broken out in some cities. Back in March, police tried to arrest the former cricket star but had to desist due to supporters’ resistance. For more than a year, Pakistan has been grappling with political instability.

Sri Lanka’s poverty doubled as a result of its ongoing economic crisis. In its latest country update, the international financial body calls for structural reforms; in the meantime, the cost of basic items continues to rise.

India’s military has restored order in the wake of clashes that left more than 50 people dead, deeply scaring the local population. “What began as an inter-ethnic clash hastily developed an inter-religious dimension in the polarized atmosphere that the majoritarian Hindutva regime at the national level has created. Several Kuki churches were destroyed or damaged,” said the archbishop emeritus of Guwahati speaking to AsiaNews. In border states, “Confidence-building measures should be adopted. No community must be made to feel hoodwinked or bypassed.”

Mussarat Bibi, 46, a school employee, was accused of intentionally burning pages of the Qurʾān, despite being illiterate. A Muslim gardener was also accused in connection with the case. Last week, a Muslim religious leader was lynched by a mob. For human rights activists, all these cases show how the law is being abused.

A group of 27 members visited several villages built in Maungdaw district, but to return to Myanmar they demanded security guarantees and citizenship. The pilot project, supported by Beijing, plans to involve at least 1,100 refugees. Previous attempts have failed due to fears of a resurgence of violence.