South Asia

| INDIAN MANDALA

In West Bengal, the new BJP government wants to hand over school meals to ISKCON, an organisation that plans to eliminate eggs from school meals and impose a vegetarian diet. But data show a different India with most Indians eating meat or fish. Meanwhile, malnutrition and childhood anaemia remain widespread, even in Kolkata.

by Sumon Corraya

In line with the Church’s commitment to social justice. Eroded land is “not merely a resource”: it is linked to identity and survival. The “indissoluble” link between territorial rights and biodiversity was emphasised, as were the issues surrounding “eco-parks”. A call for concrete measures.

| 23/06/2026
| BANGLADESH

A report by Center for the Study of Organised Hate, a US-based think tank, documents how YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and Meta are profiting from hundreds of songs that incite violence against religious minorities in India, violating their own guidelines.

| 19/06/2026
| INDIAN MANDALA
by Shafique Khokhar

Husband and wife, caretakers of a gurdwara, were ambushed and shot dead. Investigators have not ruled out a religiously motivated murder. Concern amongst the Sikh and Hindu minority communities. Fr Shakeel Gulzar: an attack on peace, religious harmony and humanity.

| 19/06/2026
| PAKISTAN

After eight years, the trial against the Sisters has ended. In 2018, far-fetched child trafficking charges were laid against them, sparking worldwide media coverage. The High Court's verdict declared them not guilty. For Bishop Mascarenhas, “after years of suffering, prayer and perseverance, truth has prevailed.”

| 18/06/2026
| INDIA
by Nirmala Carvalho

Controversy and outrage mount across the country over the latest femicide committed within the family. Fuelling the controversy is the fact that it occurred under the eyes of police officers who were supposed to protect the victim. Activists blame the killing on a mix of patriarchy, caste, and failure to enforce the law in Uttar Pradesh.

| 16/06/2026
| INDIA
by Arundathie Abeysinghe

The new sustainability rules are causing difficulties for many local exporters. The European Union is the largest market for the textile industry. From September, companies will have to comply with requirements across the entire supply chain: firms are being called upon to invest in certifications, carbon footprint monitoring and packaging reviews.

| 16/06/2026
| SRI LAKA - EU
Editor's choices
 
After eight years, the trial against the Sisters has ended. In 2018, far-fetched child trafficking charges were laid against them, sparking worldwide media coverage. The High Court's verdict declared them not guilty. For Bishop Mascarenhas, “after ...
| 18/06/2026
| INDIA
 
by Alessandra De Poli
In online scam centres across South-East Asia, thousands of young people are reduced to digital slaves in one of the forms of violation of human dignity also highlighted in the encyclical ‘Magnifica Humanitas’. On the border between Thailand ...
| 17/06/2026
| SOUTH EAST ASIA
 
by Arundathie Abeysinghe
The new sustainability rules are causing difficulties for many local exporters. The European Union is the largest market for the textile industry. From September, companies will have to comply with requirements across the entire supply chain: firms are ...
| 16/06/2026
| SRI LAKA - EU
 
by Andrea Ferrario
Once classified by the Communist Party as “spiritual pollution”, this genre now generates billions of yuan in revenue and has become part of the state's cultural promotion strategy, within a clear geopolitical vision. "The Wandering Earth" ...
| 11/06/2026
| RED LANTERNS
 
by fr. Gabriel Romanelli *
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, the small community of the Holy Family performed the Eucharistic blessing towards the four cardinal points from the church square. The parish priest said: “From here we also blessed the towns that no longer exist: ...
| 09/06/2026
| GAZA
 
by Gregory
Stored gelignite reportedly caused a massive explosion that killed at least 55 people in a village in Shan State. The catastrophe has put the spotlight on the TNLA, a controversial militia that struck a deal with China. Meanwhile, according to the United ...
| 02/06/2026
| MYANMAR
 
by Chow Hang-tung *
In a message written from prison, the lawyer on trial alongside Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho for the 4 June vigils in Victoria Park speaks of the importance of resilience in remembering the 1989 massacre in Beijing, whilst the Hong Kong authorities cover ...
| 01/06/2026
| HONG KONG - CHINA
 
by Shafique Khokhar
In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIV singles out Pakistan's first female prime minister as a public figure who promoted the greatness of humanity. A Muslim, she was assassinated in 2007 in Rawalpindi. Pakistani Catholics expressed gratitude towards her ...
| 28/05/2026
| PAKISTAN – VATICAN
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”