Three issues dominated online discussions in China at the end of last year, as do discussions about the crises in Venezuela and Iran today, reflecting an awakening in Chinese public opinion and a renewed thirst for the truth, beyond government propaganda about phoney prosperity.
A tragic case of isolation and indifference in Uttar Pradesh becomes a national issue. Boy cares for 52-year-old mother and, after her death, accompanies her to a post-mortem facility. After his father died of HIV/AIDS, and his mother contracted tuberculosis, the community abandoned them. The boy, who dropped out of school to care for his mother, fears being killed by relatives over his land.
Bishop Broderick S. Pabillo ordained the new deacon yesterday in the cathedral. The latter is the oldest seminarian in the apostolic vicariate. After a first stint as a seminarian, he married and had three children. After his wife's death, he felt the call of the altar again and will soon be a priest.
Today's news: Thailand’s Transport Ministry halts construction for 15 days after two fatal accidents. In a show of goodwill, Syria recognises Kurdish as a "national language”. More than 5.2 million Afghans have returned home from Iran and Pakistan in 2025. The death toll from a landfill collapse in Cebu, Philippines, rises to 28.
The Israeli activist, a key figure in the peace process, talks to AsiaNews about the creation of a Palestinian committee to administer the Strip. Hamas and the Palestinian National Authority are ready to go along. The disastrous humanitarian situation is one of the many unresolved issues. Uncertainties surround the international peacekeeping force, while “different agendas and parties [are] pulling in different directions”. The situation in Iran is not a source of concern.
At Manikarnika Ghat, an important cremation site in the holy city, a structure linked to the Hindu Queen Ahilyabai Holkar has been demolished, part of the Kashi Vishwanath corridor project. Meanwhile, the environmental problems of the Ganges and the poverty of many residents remain unresolved. The project has left the Gyanvapi Mosque exposed, paving the way for fresh sectarian tensions.
