South Asia

Pakistan lacks the infrastructure needed to dispose of its ever-increasing waste, which includes an estimated 270,000 tonnes of textile waste produced each year. Poverty and inflation are pushing millions of Pakistanis to rely on second-hand clothing. In 2021, the EU exported about 1.4 million tonnes of used textiles or unwanted clothing worldwide.

Leo XIV authorised the promulgation of the decree recognising the Australian missionary as venerable, the first step toward beatification. In 1920, she obtained a special papal dispensation to overcome a canonical rule that prevented nuns from practising medicine. She also founded the Catholic Health Association of India in 1947, which now serves 21 million patients annually in its facilities.

India wants China to open a flight corridor over Xinjiang, even though the area is highly militarised. Tensions with India have led Pakistan to close its airspace to Indian aircraft, causing Air India losses estimated at over US$ 450 million a year. Meanwhile, closures of land crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan are paralysing regional trade, leading Ariana Afghan Airlines to lower fares to Indian markets.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck the area around the capital of Bangladesh this morning. The victims were hit by falling debris from buildings as they walked along the street. Panic and injuries were also reported in textile factories and university buildings. Bishops' Conference: no damage to churches. Experts warn: ‘The country is in a seismic zone, building safety codes must be enforced’.

Banned since 2017, the Minister of Environment himself admits that state agencies have not taken sufficient measures to curb their widespread use. Environmentalists: burning them for disposal produces toxic gases. But behind the failure to abandon them are, above all, the absence of intervention at production sites and the lack of affordable alternatives.

Fr Susai Jesu, a missionary with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, was called by Leo XIV to lead the Archdiocese of Keewatin-Le Pas. Since 2007, he has lived his ministry among First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, participating in the journey of reconciliation that culminated in the meeting with Pope Francis at Lac Ste. Anne in 2022. “God chooses the weak to make them strong in faith and love,” said the new prelate in his first comment after he learnt of his appointment.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Thimphu marks a new chapter in Indo-Chinese strategic competition. New Delhi has announced a 40 billion rupee credit line and inaugurated the Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric power station, intended to strengthen energy interdependence between the two countries. India's moves come as China intensifies border negotiations with Bhutan, in a process that could redefine highly sensitive areas such as the Doklam, Pasamlung and Jakarlung plateaus.

The diplomatic mission will be operational by the first quarter of next year, to consolidate the growth reported at the start of the 2025 with the Lunar New Year. The People's Republic is currently Sri Lanka’s fifth-largest source country for visitors. The government has set an ambitious target of three million arrivals this year to boost this sector of the economy.

A court in Dhaka convicted the former prime minister of "crimes against humanity" for her role in the crackdown of student protests in July 2024. As a result, the capital was placed under lockdown, while clashes and protests erupted across the city. From her Indian exile, Hasina slammed the verdict as “politically motivated”, while her son Sajeeb Wazed threatened to boycott the upcoming February elections unless the ban on the Awami League is lifted.

In communion with Churches around the world, the event was promoted by the Norbertine-run centre that offers dignity and new opportunities through self-help groups to women living in disadvantaged areas. For its director, Father Moses, “Empowerment is not a gift; it is the fundamental right to agency, and our role is simply to clear the path.”

The Nowgam barracks in Srinagar has been devastated. According to the authorities, it was an accident. But the incident comes amid an already tense climate following the attacks on the Red Fort in Delhi and Islamabad. And recent operations against militant cells in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance won a landslide victory in the Bihar elections, largely outperforming the opposition Mahagathbandhan bloc. The Modi government’s cash transfer programmes for women and youth played a decisive role. Voter turnout among women exceeded that of men for the first time.