Tension remains high between Delhi and Islamabad after the attack in Kashmir that left 26 dead. Airspace closed, agreement on rivers revoked, Hindu nationalists press for armed retaliation. The vice-president of the Bishops' Conference: “May our efforts for peace continue.”
Between 2000 and 2020, the region recorded an urban population growth rate of around 2.3% per year - one of the highest globally. By 2050, more than half of the Pacific's population will live in urban areas.
For days, Catholics and non-Catholics alike have been paying tribute to Pope Francis. A ‘national day of mourning’ has been declared to coincide with the funeral. Cardinal Ranjith recalls the support given to the victims of the Easter massacre. For President Dissanayake, he was an example of ‘compassion, justice and interreligious harmony’ for all the people.
Today's news: Ahmad al-Sharaa reported to have told US congressman that Syria could join the Abraham Accords ‘under certain conditions’; Marcos supporters denounce ‘Chinese influence’ in the midterm election campaign; Myanmar arrests astrologer who causes panic by announcing new earthquake; Peppa Pig cartoons now available in Tibetan.
In a letter, women of different faiths and nationalities (including many from Asia) express “respect and gratitude” for the pontiff who recognised their "vital role”. In the meeting in the Vatican in January 2023, he urged them to rediscover the “feminine aspects" in every religion. His memory is a blessing and a call to continue to build a world in which everyone is listened to, valued, and empowered.
A source talked to AsiaNews about how Chinese Catholics are coping with Francis’s death. Remarks and pictures abound on local social media. “Amid the sorrow and mourning, the joy of announcing love prevailed,” as “a spontaneous explosion, not very cautious, but conscious that death and fear are not the last word.” An elderly lady and the Pope shared an “impossible dream”: she wanted to visit the Vatican, while he wanted to visit China.
