| VATICAN

Francis among those taking part in the Jubilee of the Sick, in a wheelchair and with oxygen: ‘I wish everyone a good Sunday! Thank you so much’. During the Angelus another appeal: ‘Let there be silence among the weapons, let dialogue resume’. He prayed for peace in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and other places of conflict, where ‘civilian victims, including many children’ are present. He thanked healthcare workers and invited the faithful to trust in God, who ‘does not abandon’ even in sickness.

by Stefano Caprio

Ilja, Kirill's spiritual father, had been awarded the highest monastic title, that of ‘archimandrite with the skhima’, a super-cape with symbols that attest to the highest vows of spiritual life and the strictest ascetic rules. A miracle worker and prophet of ‘patriotic Orthodoxy’, his personality greatly influenced those of the Patriarch of Moscow and President Putin.

| 05/04/2025
| RUSSIAN WORLD
by Mathias Hariyadi

Archbishop emeritus of Kupang passed away at the age of 78. President Prabowo - who knew him well because he came from the same region - also wanted to personally pay his respects to his remains. Fr Mangkey tells AsiaNews: ‘Called to be part of the Commission for Truth and Friendship, he made a decisive contribution to healing the wounds of the conflict with Dili’.

| 05/04/2025
| INDONESIA

In the past month, protests calling for the restoration of the monarchy have broken out in the Himalayan country in which pictures of an Indian BJP leader have appeared. New Delhi has repeatedly expressed support for the king and for Nepal to return to being a Hindu state. But many believe the protests express dissatisfaction with traditional parties, which are not keeping their promises of prosperity.

| 04/04/2025
| INDIAN MANDALA

China has announced its countermove against US-made goods and new restrictions on the export of rare earths. Meanwhile, 50 years after the end of the Vietnam War, Hanoi deems 46 per cent tariffs imposed by the White House as  “unfair”, but it is open to mediation and does not plan to retaliate. In the meantime, however, Tô Lâm could go to Moscow in May for the Victory Parade.

| 04/04/2025
| CHINA – VIETNAM – UNITED STATES
by Daniele Frison

In his new book, the Spanish writer recounts his trip to Ulaanbaatar with Pope Francis in 2023. As a convinced atheist, he discovered the "radicality" of men and women religious who help people without proselytising. For him, they embody the pontiff’s “missionary and poor Church”, he said yesterday at a meeting with the press in Rome. The novel narrates the meetings with Fr Ernesto Viscardi and Sr Ana Waturu.

| 04/04/2025
| MONGOLIA

Even conservatives accept the Constitutional Court’s unanimous ruling, removing the sitting president over his attempt to impose martial law on 3 December. This marks the start of an uncertain election campaign with opposition leader Lee Jae-miung as the big favourite.

| 04/04/2025
| SOUTH KOREA
Editor's choices
 
The NGO, supported by the PIME Foundation, is bringing aid to the areas most affected by the earthquake of 28 March, aggravated by four years of civil war. In Mandalay and on Inle Lake thousands of houses have been destroyed, as the aid workers report. The ...
| 04/04/2025
| MYANMAR
 
by Steve Suwannarat
The highest US tariff announced last night is 49 per cent, which will affect imports from Cambodia. The Southeast Asian country fears serious consequences for growth and jobs. According to several observers, the real goal of the Trump administration ...
| 03/04/2025
| CAMBODIA - UNITED STATES
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
The authorities have announced “Detailed Rules” coming into effect on 1 May. Non-Chinese are asked to "respect independence and self-government" and obey the Party's instructions. Foreigners and Chinese are not allowed to take part in ...
| 02/04/2025
| CHINA
 
by Gianni Criveller
AsiaNews director spoke today in Rome at the conference “The Spirit knows where he takes us” organised by the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute. The “triple dialogue” refers to the path of interiority, the commitment ...
| 01/04/2025
| VATICAN - ASIA
 
Some rural areas have been as badly affected as cities. Almost 100 people have reportedly died and 3,000 homes destroyed in a well-known tourist destination. Residents were already hard at work recovering from the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi in September ...
| 01/04/2025
| MYANMAR
 
Pope Francis has approved his canonisation, together with that of Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan, killed in the Armenian genocide. A lay catechist, To Rot was killed in 1945 for defending marriage against the Japanese who, in order to ingratiate themselves ...
| 31/03/2025
| VATICAN – OCEANIA
 
by Daniele Frison
The former Minister of Justice was unjustly detained for 2,454 days for her opposition to the former president's drug war methods. The families of the victims had hoped for a mandate from the International Criminal Court. Today Duterte supporters ...
| 28/03/2025
| PHILIPPINES
 
by Dario Salvi
Khalil Sayegh, originally from Gaza and co-founder of Agora Initiative, talks about a population tired of war and the domination of the extremist movement. Today the protests are more evident because Hamas is weakened and cannot ‘repress them with ...
| 28/03/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”