South Asia

The word ‘Bhikkuni’ will appear on identity cards, allowing female religious figures in Sri Lanka to enjoy a range of civil rights. According to the Supreme Court, refusing to use the title in documents violated constitutional rights. This is the first time that the formal existence of the female community ordained in the Buddhist Sangha, which numbers thousands of women in Sri Lanka, has been recognised.

In Lahore, police charged Amir Masih under Article 295-C of the Penal Code without any investigation, relying solely on the First Information Report. The NGO Dignity First praises the upper house for approving a partial abolition of the death penalty, a first step towards reforming the judicial system.

At over 4,000 metres above sea level on the Yarlung Tsangpo, Tibet’s sacred river that becomes the Brahmaputra in India, the dam includes a system of five cascading plants that will produce enough energy to power the entire United Kingdom. Concerns have been raised about its location in an earthquake-prone area and the forced displacement of populations. The political implications will impact relations with Delhi and Dhaka on the crucial issue of water management.

Dozens of injured are being treated in various hospitals. The story of a boy who pulled a younger girl from the rubble and brought her to safety. The army praises the heroism of the pilot, who died in the tragedy, who reportedly tried to avoid populated areas. However, it was his first solo training flight. The secretary of the Episcopal Conference, Monsignor Kubi, expresses the condolences of the Catholic Church

The murder, which took place on the outskirts of Quetta, involved a couple that married for love, a union not accepted by the bride’s family. A local tribal council "allowed" the crime. The bride and groom were shot 19 and 38 times respectively. In 2024, at least 346 such cases were reported in the country. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (PPP) says no to reduced sentences. The Supreme Court Bar Association laments that women suffer the brunt of this form of violence.

The Bombay High Court has overturned the 2015 convictions of twelve men accused of carrying out the “7/11” attacks in 2006, in which 189 people were killed and over 800 injured. The judges ruled that the confessions had been obtained through torture. The charges were based on a flawed investigation and a presumption of guilt, denounced lawyer S. Muralidhar, highlighting the social stigma and devastation in the lives of the defendants, who had been imprisoned unnecessarily for years.

In the state that includes Mumbai, the state government is targeting people who allegedly hide their conversion to Christianity to avoid losing benefits reserved for disadvantaged groups. The state legislature is expected to vet a new anti-conversion law in the coming winter session. The Church is against forced conversions,” said Card Gracias. For Fr Devasagaya Raj, crypto-Christians is a meaningless term. The real problem is discriminatory laws in a multicultural country.

In the world's most polluted capital, the territorial government is set to begin experiments in artificially stimulating clouds to generate rain during periods of stagnant atmospheric conditions. According to a study, 30 million residents risk losing up to 12 years of their life due to poor air quality.

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has reassigned nine officials in an effort to consolidate his power against other Taliban factions, particularly the Haqqani Network. Internal tensions, however, are also accentuating ethnic and territorial divisions. Meanwhile, the internal humanitarian situation is worsening as a result of the forced repatriation of tens of thousands of refugees from Iran.

Without renewed agreements with the government, domestic production could drop from the current 25 per cent (the lowest in South Asia), the Sri Lanka Pharma Manufacturers Association warns. Despite investments and growing capacity since 2015, the sector remains fragile, hampered by red tape. Repurchasing is essential for the development of the local market, manufacturers told AsiaNews.

At least four people were killed during a demonstration by the youth student party that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Hasina. The incident comes amid growing sectarian violence that has claimed more than 140 lives in the past ten months. Religious minorities and human rights defenders complain about a climate of terror and call for quick elections to overcome the weaknesses of the current caretaker government.

The woman had given birth on the vehicle during a trip in the interior. This extreme act is one of 160 cases of newborns dangerously abandoned every year in the garbage or on streetlights in the large state that includes the metropolis of Mumbai. The Church remains committed to welcoming life.