South Asia

Gopichand Padalkar, a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, mocked the foundations of the Christian faith at a rally and promised money for attacks against believers. He also linked the suicide of a woman in Jalna to alleged “forced conversions”. For weeks, despite protests and complaints, the judiciary refused to open a case file.

The state-owned China Metallurgical Group Corporation has announced the start of work at the Mes Aynak mine, one of the largest copper deposits in the world. But the area is still mined, infrastructure is lacking, and security risks remain high. The Kabul regime is seeking legitimacy by focusing on Chinese investment, and Beijing is proceeding, but with caution.

A peace jirga, composed of village leaders and Taliban representatives, has initiated a dialogue between Islamabad and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, which, however, is demanding control of the tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan without leaving the country. The ceasefire agreement reached so far is limited and lacks official guarantees, but above all, the local population's distrust of the government remains high.

5 August 2024 marked the end of 15 years of authoritarian rule by the Awami League. But one year after what is now called “Liberation Day”, promises of justice and inclusion remain largely unfulfilled. Tonight, Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus will read the July Declaration before Parliament.

The government admits that 20,000 students have dropped out of school, while another 80,000 do not attend classes regularly. Inequality is increasing in a system marked by economic crisis and a lack of subsidies. Teachers and unions complain: “No one is trying to get these kids back to school.”

More than 600 young men and women from dioceses across India are currently taking part in the large gathering with Leo XIV at Tor Vergata. Many had something to say to AsiaNews. “I came with doubts, but I leave with deep gratitude,” said one. “I felt like I was part of a huge global Catholic family,” said another. “The songs and dances of our culture have found friends here,” said a third. For Father Chetan Machado, these youths show that “the Church is alive and vibrant in India.”

The groom, from a Christian family, and the bride, a Muslim, had just been married in a civil ceremony. They were abducted, beaten, and shot to death. For the groom’s father, “Love should not be a death sentence.” According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 405 such murders were reported in the country in 2024.

The US president's decision to impose such a high tariff is causing economic and diplomatic upheaval in New Delhi. The measure includes sanctions over India's relations with Russia and its membership in the BRICS group. While the opposition calls it a “catastrophic failure of foreign policy”, the Modi government says it wants to negotiate a "fair deal" again in August. But US aggressiveness is pushing New Delhi to consider a tactical rapprochement with Beijing, while Washington is boosting ties with Islamabad, fuelling tensions in an already fragile regional context.

Leo XIV has appointed Fr D’Souza as the new director of the Vatican Observatory. A scholar of the origins of galaxies, he grew up in India fascinated by Matteo Ricci. He studied physics in Mumbai before specialising in Germany and the United States. Speaking to AsiaNews, he said: "We don't look to the sky to investigate God, but to the complexity and beauty of the universe,” which offers us “new reasons to praise God through a better understanding of his work.”

Galamuduna Kanishta School, a rural establishment with just 21 students and a one teacher, has achieved extraordinary results in the latest national exam. Janaka Dhanuddhara, who is both principal and teacher, walks several kilometres to reach the school, which has no Internet and few transportation options. A wave of solidarity has brought help, while parents are calling for more support to ensure a future for their children.

Pragya Singh Thakur, leader of the extreme right-wing nationalist party, and six other defendants have been acquitted of a 2008 attack that killed seven people in Malegaon ‘due to lack of evidence’. Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, two nuns remain in prison after being accused of forced conversions despite no evidence to support the charge. The case is sparking political protests and new accusations of repression against religious minorities.

Since the beginning of July, all refugees who fled the Taliban regime in 2021 have been receiving text messages ordering them to leave Tajikistan within 15 days. Those living in the country legally and many former collaborators of the pro-Western government in Kabul are also targeted. There are reports of men, women and children being loaded onto small buses. This crackdown comes on top of others already in place against Afghan exiles in Pakistan and Iran.