While the world’s attention is focused on the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, there is another vital “economic resource” that the war is seriously jeopardizing: the labor of nearly 40 million foreign workers, who make up the majority of the population in many local cities. A prolonged crisis, with a massive wave of returns, would also have serious consequences for the countries of origin in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and other Arab nations.
Following elections that saw a resounding defeat for traditional parties, Nepal is now reeling from the death of a 16-year-old girl who died as a result of rape. This horrific story brings women’s issues back into the spotlight in a country where women make up just 8% of the newly elected parliament and have little protection in the workplace.
Tajikistan, a country with close ties to Tehran due to shared ethnic origins, views the conflict in the Middle East with concern. Local experts believe it will not be resolved by bombs and missiles, but will drag on for a long time on the ground.
The Holy See has released the detailed schedule of the pope's visit to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea from 13 to 23 April. In Bab El Oued (Algiers), he will visit the community of the two Augustinian martyrs killed in 1994. In Cameroon, he will pray for peace in Bamenda, the epicentre of a forgotten war. In Bata, Equatorial Guinea, he will pray at the memorial for the victims of the weapons depot blasts that killed more than a hundred people in 2021.
The price of a coconut in Thailand, which was 20 baht before 2020, has now dropped to as low as 2 baht, putting small farmers out of business. According to local producers, a few companies with Chinese capital now control much of the supply chain, imposing extremely low prices and distorting the market.
After a series of violent incidents, including the burning of an activist's vehicle and the desecration of a Hindu symbol, places of worship are back at the centre of public debate in Malaysia. A PAS party member has called for restraint. The issue is linked to the land on which Hindu temples are located, whether private or state-owned, while the government is struggling to find solutions acceptable to all.
