South Asia

After fleeing Afghanistan, Farid (not his real name) arrived in Switzerland in late 2023, where he obtained asylum after a long process. Today he studies and works as an electrician and in his free time climbs mountains with other refugees thanks to the Peaks4All organisation. Meanwhile, in Mazar-e-Sharif, his mother and three sisters live under the Taliban who came back to power five years ago.

In Lahore, Christian artist Alyas Rahmat has been using community performances to speak out about women's rights, early marriage, minorities, and peace for 25 years. But in Sindh and Quetta, he has also faced threats and pressures.

In addition to Russia, Armenia’s prime minister is looking to China and India to boost the country’s development. New Delhi plays an important role in military-industrial and security matters. China is looking for Armenian raw materials. In the background, ties with the European Union (along with the United States) remain the primary political objective.

Arun Pannalal, 75, president of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, is accused of offending Hindu religious sentiments. Human rights groups slam the political use of laws against religious incitement. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the Christian minority in the state.

Milinda Edirisinghe, founder of the Gemological Report of Ceylon (GRC) in Colombo, is behind it. The instrument reduces the time it takes to study and evaluate a gemstone. The precious metals sector is among the most lucrative in the country. Complete digital documentation offers buyers greater guarantees.

The first riot broke out last night in the Welikada Prison, a maximum-security facility on the outskirts of Colombo, resulting in three reported deaths and a dozen people hospitalised. Threats have been directed at members of the Prisoners' Rights Protection Committee. The Minister of Public Security announces new measures.

For the first time, a Dalit candidate wins top place in entrance examination to the country's most prestigious medical schools. Meanwhile, the government promises to reform the controversial admissions system following student protests. In the background, the debate rages on over reserved quotas and meritocracy in India.

In Bandarban, students and residents are calling for urgent healthcare reforms, as a countrywide measles outbreak persists. Protests reflect the pain of losing loved ones. Caritas is committed to addressing healthcare gaps.

The Archbishop of Nagpur highlighted this point to AsiaNews after Indian President Murmu signed the bill. The state government is now awaiting notification of the date when it will enter into force. Under the new legislation, offences are cognisable and non-bailable. Thus, the very essence of freedom and independence envisioned by India’s founding fathers is at risk.

Two separate rallies were held in the capital and the north calling for an international probe into the country's largest mass grave. Priests, nuns, and lay people are demanding the truth about the atrocities committed during the war that pitted the government against the Tamil Tigers. As of 21 July, 454 human remains, including children and infants, have been recovered.

The second round of elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir confirmed the lead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N; however, the election was boycotted by the opposition amid charges of fraud, along with protests by the local population. The decisive vote in the Poonch Division is scheduled for next Monday.

The church in Nazat is targeted. The radical group's leader issued a seven-day ultimatum to the parish priest to leave. Christian groups reported the incident to the police, to no avail. The bishop of Baruipur, who praises the missionaries' work, expressed his firm condemnation to AsiaNews.