South Asia

More deaths follow tragedy of the mother who froze to death to warm her children. The rise of the Taliban coincides with a rise in the flow of migrants from Afghanistan to Turkey in a (vain) attempt to enter Europe is growing. The work of Caritas: meals, accommodation, language and vocational courses to promote integration. The story of Shayan, fleeing for freedom.

Today's headlines: India pays tribute to the "super-mom" tiger, the country's most famous feline; Bangkok ready to decriminalise marijuana; three Iranian officials in Saudi Arabia at the headquarters of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation;the Russian Orthodox Church issues new prayers, one against "computer addiction"; "Covid-free" Turkmenistan in preventive lockdown.

While India grapples with the Omicron variant, the Cardinal Gracias Memorial Hospital has installed equipment for new emergencies. Archbishop Machado urges federal minister “to tell the central government” that Christians “are an integral part of building the nation,” not its enemies.

A Catholic from Karachi has been bringing friends of all faiths to the Salvation Army Church for months to distribute food to day labourers brought to their knees by pandemic. One of the people helped: "This place is different from other centres, because everyone is served with respect and a smile".

Today's headlines: Beijing cuts interest rates, retail sales fall; first North Korean goods train since the start of the pandemic returns from a lightning trip to China with 'emergency materials'; Manila says Aung San Suu Kyi is 'indispensable' to restoring democracy in Myanmar; Naval'nyj collaborators blacklisted as terrorists.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be celebrated from 18 to 25 January, centred this year on the theme: “We saw the star in the East, and we came to worship him”. In Cana, “the first sign Jesus accomplished was not an extraordinary healing or something prodigious in the temple of Jerusalem, but an action that responded to a simple and concrete need of common people, a domestic gesture. Let us put it this way – a miracle done on tip toes”.

Card Malcolm Ranjith calls on the police to undertake a transparent inquiry; instead, they arrested the sacristan who found the device, refusing to view CCTV footage. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church held a national day of prayer today to mark a thousand days since the Easter Sunday attacks.

Arrested in 2018 following accusations by a former superior of the Missionaries of Jesus, the bishop of Jalandhar, who was put on leave of absence, always maintained his innocence. Only 39 witnesses out of 84 were called to testify in court.

The election campaign for the legislative assemblies in five Indian states has begun. All eyes are on Uttar Pradesh, which with its 200 million inhabitants is crucial for the national balance. Hindu nationalist monk Yogi Adityanath, head of the outgoing local government and Modi's would-be successor for BJP leadership, is fanning the flames of resentment against Muslims. But he has to reckon with party defections.

Every year on 16 January, the Catholic community in Sancoale holds services near the ruins of an old church to remember the great missionary from Goa who brought Catholicism to Sri Lanka. As state elections approach, Hindu extremists are trying to prevent celebrations on the pretext of protecting the archaeological site. Starting on 23 January, local priest will hold a weekly prayer every Sunday for peace and harmony.

Indebted and grappling with a severe financial crisis, Colombo tries to balance the interests of Beijing, Delhi and Washington. Affected by the pandemic, the island nation needs foreign currency to pay for its growing imports. China’s “debt trap” is an issue. Sri Lanka reaches oil deals with India.

Sponsored by PIME Sisters, the facility teaches in English, based on a programme increasingly sought after by middle class families in the capital. The facility will also financially support five other schools in remote villages offering free education to the poor.