South East Asia

Andrew “Cosi” Costello, a popular Australian radio and television presenter, founded “Cows for Cambodia”, a project that lends pregnant cows to the most vulnerable rural families. The initiative, launched following a trip to a country still marked by poverty and the legacy of the Khmer Rouge, aims to foster economic independence.

On the feast of Pentecost, in Yangon Cardinal Bo announced new services, bringing the number of languages ​​spoken by the Catholic station to 12 in a country marked by an extraordinary diversity of peoples and cultures, but also by the sad reality of conflict dividing communities. Broadcasting in the Akha language will also be very important for Akha communities living in China, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

A local study confirms the pervasive use of artificial intelligence, even among the youngest children. Researchers call on the government and families to pay more attention to the new technologies. In his encyclical, the pope urges education to also teach “when and for what purpose it ought not to be used it,” so as not to extinguish “the desire to ask questions”.

After more than eight years in prison and house arrest, one of the main opponents of the Cambodian government has received a royal pardon signed by former Prime Minister Hun Sen. Still, Sokha is still banned from political activity while the crackdown on dissidents, independent media, and the opposition continues. Analysts believe the government is trying primarily to improve its international image.

Three and a half months after the referendum that opened the way for constitutional reform, the government of Anutin Charnvirakul has presented a proposal that risks pushing the process back to square one, making the path towards a more representative Constitution uncertain.

Archbishop Petrus Canisius Mandagi weighs in on the criticisms of the Catholic Church contained in the documentary denouncing national strategic projects launched by the Indonesian government in South Papua. “The accusations against me and the archdiocese are entirely baseless,” the prelate says. For years, the Church has struggled “to uphold the dignity of Papuans” with “schools, healthcare, agricultural programmes, livestock farms, credit unions” in some of the remotest areas.

The measure levies penalties in social media starting 1 July, aimed at organisations, household businesses, and individuals. Fines are imposed for content that, among other things, deemed to cause panic, obstruct state agencies, and reveal state secrets. The latest crackdown on press freedom comes in the wake of similar action taken in late 2025, following Tô Lâm rise to power.

In his message for Hari Raya Aidiladha, the Festival of Sacrifice celebrated on 27 May, Sharafuddin Idris Shah issued an appeal against hatreds and divisions in response to tensions in his state, Malaysia's most populous territory. The sultan urges his compatriots to close ranks and avoid divisions that could weaken the community.

In a pastoral statement on peace, signed by Archbishop Garcera, the bishops’ conference calls for “mutual respect” and “dialogue” between cultures and religions, amid conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. The prelates encourage Catholic communities to hope and show solidarity towards vulnerable people. The statement mentions overseas Philippine workers and the environmental damage caused by war, stressing that “every human life is sacred.”

President Prabowo wants to centralise all exports of coal, palm oil and other strategic raw materials through Danantara Indonesia. The measure, justified as an application of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution, aims to halt capital flight and price manipulation, according to the former general, but has already sparked serious concerns among business leaders and financial markets.

The 75th anniversary of Caritas Internationalis and the 20th anniversary of the solidarity foundation promoted by the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference were marked on the island of Flores with a Mass and a gathering presided over by Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi. In the spirit of the encyclical “Laudato Si’”, the gathering brought together local farmers involved in the Harvest Programme, which aims to build independent and sustainable communities.

The private sector’s main body has accused 10 public agencies of extortionist practices against businesses and ordinary Thais. The growing importance of foreign investment in the country's southern tourist resort areas may have played a role, but the corruption system has long been considered structural and involves bureaucracy, law enforcement, and politics.