South East Asia

Today's news: at UN Security Council new vote on Gaza truce, with over 20,000 dead; Beijing prepares to test first "made in China" ocean drilling ship; Hanoi indicts dozens of people for bribery in 12 billion euro scam; Pakistan uses artificial rain for the first time to combat smog in Lahore; In Kuwait, the funeral of Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah was held yesterday.

In parishes across the country but also in the diaspora of migrants in every corner of the world, the tradition of Simbang Gabi, the dawn celebrations on the days of the Christmas novena, is renewed. Bishops' Conference president Msgr. David: "They help us to truly welcome Christ into our lives."

Today's news: To protect women from abuse, Afghan Taliban locks them in prison; Over19,000 Palestinian casualties in Gaza, Israeli army mistakenly kills three hostages while Tehran executes "a Mossad agent"; Record number of bullying cases in Seoul schools; Tokyo sanctions Russian entities for war in Ukraine; Iranian woman to serve 13 years in prison for social posts regarding the killing of her son in protests over Mahsa Amini.

Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng wrote to the pontiff inviting him to visit the country. The announcement was made by the government's Committee for Religious Affairs during the president’s pre-Christmas visit to the Archdiocese of Huế, where the shrine of La Vang is located. Vietnamese Catholics have been waiting for this for a long time.

The request formulated by a delegation of international experts who visited places of detention, including rehabilitation centres for drug addicts. The current legislation, which dates back to 2009, was judged inadequate.

Bishop Celso Ba Shwe left the city after witnessing the total devastation of the Cathedral of Christ the King. The desecration of places of worship by soldiers has also alarmed Buddhists, sources told AsiaNews. Meanwhile, China is trying to broker peace talks between the junta and resistance militias, with little success so far.

According to data from the meteorological service, the intensification of the atmospheric phenomenon could affect 65 provinces out of 82 and last throughout the first half of 2024. Agricultural production but also water supply will be at risk. Marcos orders measures to mitigate the impact of the rainfall shortage.

At COP28, a compromise agreement was reached that calls for "transitioning away from fossil fuels". Meanwhile, ASEAN and Japan will hold a summit in Tokyo later this week to discuss ways to speed up the environmental transition in Southeast Asia.

A month after Operation 1111 began, ethnic militias reportedly overwhelm junta forces, and are now close to complete control of the state capital, Loikaw, and Moebye, a strategically important township. Meanwhile, the civilian death toll continues to rise: At least 82 have been killed since the start of the offensive.

The Chinese president began a two-day visit to Vietnam aiming for greater cooperation but will not be able to ignore territorial disputes caused by Beijing's unilateral changes to maps in the South China Sea. Hanoi wants to get the maximum economic benefits from its "bamboo diplomacy".

The ongoing wave of migration to Indonesia is the strongest since 2017, when the harshest persecution in Myanmar began. Discontent is mounting among the population, especially in Aceh province. President Joko Widodo: 'Tough action against human traffickers, temporary assistance only for refugees'.

The Diocese of Kalookan has allocated cemetery space for the burial of people killed in the former president’s controversial campaign that left 27,000 dead. Some families cannot afford cemetery fees. This place should be a reminder that such a tragedy “should never be allowed to happen ever again,” said Fr Villanueva. “A shrine is not only for heroes,” Bishop David noted.