Two days before the national elections, which also include a constitutional referendum, a climate of intense political uncertainty prevails in the country. With the exclusion of the Awami League, the electoral contest will see the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami, two parties deeply distrusted by Hindus and Christians, as the main protagonists. Once again, the country finds itself torn between hope for change and suspicion that the election’s outcome is already preordained.
The start of the holy season for Catholics and Muslims in 2026 falls at the same time on February 18. Filipino bishop calls for interreligious dialogue: “Walking together in faith.” An opportunity to “transform the heart and shape actions.” Looking at common “sacred tasks”: care for others, the environment, and peace.
The wife of the journalist who disappeared in 2010 has reported receiving further threats from a man who identified himself as a ‘retired army general’. She wrote to President Dissanayake, also recalling the continuous postponements of the trial against nine officers accused in the case.
In the city of Armavir, a thousand Armenians took to the streets wearing red armbands to support the bishops and priests imprisoned in the clash between Pashinyan and the Apostolic Church. Moscow views these initiatives with sympathy, concerned about the pro-Western initiatives of the current government in Yerevan that call into question Russia's role as traditional guardian.
Today's headlines: After Jimmy Lai's conviction, Britain opens its doors to the children of British passport holders from the former governorate; Beijing renews its support for “pro-reunification forces” in Taiwan; Pakistan agrees to play India in the Cricket World Cup; Arab nations condemn Israel's renewed “expansionist” policies in the West Bank; Kuala Lumpur accelerates palm oil production.
In his message for the World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, the pontiff drew attention to the victims of online scams forced to work in Southeast Asian compounds, where thousands of migrants have been lured with false job offers, held against their will, and forced to commit online fraud. In Cambodia, the billion-dollar business also involves political leaders, while the victims, even if they are freed, are often unable to return home.
