South Asia

| INDIA

The ruling party is expected to win a total of 48 seats out of 70. The AAP, in power until now, stops at 22, while Congress gets none. Turnout is expected to be 60.4% of those entitled to vote, out of a total of about 15.5 million voters. For the prime minister, another success in local elections, after the successes of recent months in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.


While TikTok was banned in the United States and then reinstated, in India, Shein's fast fashion application has returned to digital stores after a five-year ban on condition that it sells garments made in India, India's minister of Commerce and Industry announced. However, neither India nor US companies have been able to create viable alternatives to Chinese apps.

 

| 05/02/2025
| INDIA – CHINA

The boat that set sail from the Libyan coast for Italy on 25 January carried 56 people. At least 10 of the dead came from Rajoir Upazila where residents recognised the photos of their lifeless bodies. The victims left home because of poverty and unemployment, taking out loans worth thousands of dollars to pay traffickers. The authorities pledge to arrest the intermediaries.

 

| 04/02/2025
| BANGLADESH – LIBYA
by Nirmala Carvalho

Archbishop Girelli's visit among the communities that were victims in 2008 of the most serious violence against Christians in India's recent history. "Happy and moved to find myself here praying before the memorial of the martyrs. Witnesses of peace, harmony, faith and love'. A letter to Pope Francis to include Fr Bernard Digal among the martyrs of the 21st century.

| 03/02/2025
| INDIA

The two main parties are using the same tactic of handing out subsidies to attract the poorest voters. In recent years, support for Prime Minister Modi's party has grown, but several uncertainties remain. Voting takes place on 5 February with results on 8 February.

| 31/01/2025
| INDIAN MANDALA
by Melani Manel Perera

A report  by the University of Vavuniya in collaboration with The Gate Institute shows “significant gaps”, especially among the elderly, economically disadvantaged groups and women in areas affected by the country’s civil long war (1983-2009). The district of Mannar appears to have the highest connectivity rate. The potential of young people was emphasised.

| 31/01/2025
| SRI LANKA
by Shafique Khokhar

Farhan Javed, 28, lives in a small village with his widowed mother. Family members: ‘Fair investigation taking into account his mental state’. Ashknaz Khokhar, activist: ‘Authorities must treat the case with attention to human rights’. Joseph Janssen, defender of minorities: ‘Extremist groups act without consequences’.

| 30/01/2025
| PAKISTAN
Editor's choices
 
by Dario Salvi
The archaeological site north of Nablus linked to the memory of John the Baptist targeted by settlers (and the Israeli army) attacks. The death of a 14-year-old boy hit by a soldier's bullets. Scholar Carla Benelli to AsiaNews: ‘Heritage ...
| 04/02/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
by Alessandra De Poli
Myanmar’s military regime has extended the state of emergency again, but its control over the country is faltering as ethnic militias and resistance forces now control 95 cities. Meanwhile, the UN is reporting war crimes, highlighting the imminent ...
| 01/02/2025
| MYANMAR
 
The explosion of "cheap" alternative to ChatGPT is the result of China’s bet on internal competition among large companies and startups to develop the most advanced AI systems. A stinging defeat in a Go tournament is having a greater impact than ...
| 30/01/2025
| RED LANTERNS
 
In Fujian, the auxiliary bishop who quit in 2020 over joining government-controlled bodies, celebrated the anniversary of his priestly ordination under residential segregation. Videos sent to AsiaNews by local sources show him meeting the faithful and ...
| 28/01/2025
| CHINA
 
by Alessandra De Poli
An Irish missionary in South Korea for almost fifty years, he explains to AsiaNews how current divisions within South Korean society have developed. For Fr Donal O'Keeffe, the situation is progressing "slowly", and is not a total stalemate. The country ...
| 27/01/2025
| SOUTH KOREA
 
by Stephen George
AsiaNews in conversation with Patras Paul, a Muslim cleric who suddenly - more than twenty years ago - reading the Gospel found in it the answers he could no longer find in the Koran. He tells of the persecution he suffered for this choice and of ...
| 26/01/2025
| ECCLESIA IN ASIA
 
The people involved worked with the United States in Afghanistan and had already received approval for resettlement. The programme, which grants a Special Immigrant Visa, was established in 2009 and covers the family members of selected people. The day ...
| 21/01/2025
| AFGHANISTAN
 
Israel celebrates the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari as part of the fragile truce. However, the fate of the foreign workers still being held hostage in the Strip remains a mystery. These include six Thai nationals ...
| 20/01/2025
| ISRAELE - PALESTINE - ASIA
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”