South Asia

Celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the archdiocese ended with a solemn Eucharistic celebration led by the apostolic nuncio. Archbishop Travas highlighted three challenges: following Jesus, the Synodal journey, and serving the poor and the vulnerable. He also called for greater responsibility for the laity (especially women) in the life of the Church.

After six bodies were found over the weekend, protesters stormed the homes of local BJP lawmakers. The Union government is sending thousands of special forces, while the Union Home Affairs minister tries to resolve the situation peacefully. For the archbishop emeritus of Imphal, the government is “only watching".

The Himalayan country, which has abandoned fossil fuels thanks to surplus renewable energy in the monsoon season, has started exporting to Dhaka via the Indian power grid. The tripartite agreement provides for supplies from June to November, for five years. This is a turning point for connectivity between South Asian countries.

Having come to power after the ousting of the historic premier Hasina and the student protests, the interim executive does not seem to meet expectations. The issue of the fight against corruption is unresolved and there is a risk of a growing Islamic drift. Economic challenges, in particular the issue of inflation, continue to weigh on the citizens.

The National People's Power alliance won 159 seats out of 225. The Marxist-inspired leader, chosen in September's presidential election after decades of family dynasties in power, promised to seek ‘alternative means’ to support the nation's finances. The International Monetary Fund had demanded austerity measures in exchange for a bailout loan.

In India's current local election round, votes are also being cast in the state of which Ranchi is the capital. Prime Minister Modi's Hindu nationalists aim to win back the government by promising ‘equal rights’. But local ethnic groups fear that their identity and traditions will be erased.

Last week, the new Bishop's House was inaugurated and blessed in the presence of Card Joseph Coutts and Archbishop Germano Penemote, apostolic nuncio to Pakistan, as well as other bishops of Pakistan. The venue will serve as a point of reference for the Church’s pastoral and social activities led by Archbishop Arshad.

The story of 14-year-old Mahinur, who thanks to the Catholic organisation's Sddb programme was able to embark on a path to schooling. Coming from a poor family, she faced marginalisation and indifference for a long time; now she dreams of becoming a teacher. Like her, 6,378 people in eight districts receive support.

With the tycoon’s return, hundreds of thousands of Asians risk deportation from the United States, along with Latin Americans. The Philippine government is getting ready to assist 370,000 Philippine migrants. Indians are one of the largest groups of asylum seekers, along with the Chinese. Due to a legislative void, many South Koreans adopted as infants until the 1980s are at risk.

Matuil Haq Khalis, head of Afghanistan’s environmental protection agency, called on the international community for support; for the past three years, the Taliban regime has been excluded from international fora. The intensity of floods, combined with periods of prolonged drought, is displacing more people internally, while agriculture is yielding less and less. Projects by UN agencies cover only one province in three.

India’s Home Affair Minister Amit Shah announced the policy presenting his party’s election manifesto for the 20 November state election. Currently, 10 out of 36 Indian states and territories have such a draconian law on the books, which is used to intimidate Christians. “No government can come into my soul,” says the archbishop of Bombay. “Freedom of religion and conversion is a human right,” he adds.

The phenomenon, already recorded elsewhere, happened for the first time in the port city where the Mahaweli River flows. The affected species is odonus niger, found decomposing in shallow bays. Dr Sujeewa Athukoorala: ‘Oxygen deficiency and gill obstruction’. Scientists: algae proliferation favoured by ‘sunlight, warm water, carbon dioxide and fertilisers’.