South Asia

by Arundathie Abeysinghe | SRI LANKA

The Pettah market is in a state of neglect. Opened in 2014 with 70 shops, the tourist spot now has dilapidated stalls, sunken boats, a flood of garbage in Beira Lake, and marginalised people. "We are disappointed,” tourists told AsiaNews. Former retailers lament the authorities' negligence.


Nadeem Masih, 51, was taken to the police on 21 August 2025. He was targeted and repeatedly harassed in Model Town Park where he worked checking weights. He is now free. For his mother, this is an answer to her prayers. For his legal team, “These cases are extremely sensitive and have life-altering consequences.”

| 25/06/2026
| PAKISTAN
by Melani Manel Perera

The remains of more than 400 people have been exhumed at Chemmani, more than in Sathosa (Mannar). A delegation led by the Minister of Justice visited the site, reiterating that everything about the findings will be made public. Experts and activists are concerned about the lack of forensic analysis and information available to the public.

| 24/06/2026
| SRI LANKA
by Shafique Khokhar

Convicted for the death of a soldier during a protest in Gwadar in 2024, the leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee plans to appeal. Human rights groups lament the lack of transparency in the trial and fear new tensions in the province, where the local ethnic group has challenged Islamabad and foreign economic interests.

| 23/06/2026
| PAKISTAN
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
Editor's choices
 
The government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has approved a bill to address the declining membership of the Imperial Household, allowing the adoption of male descendants from ancient dynastic branches and letting princesses to retain their titles ...
| 30/06/2026
| JAPAN
 
by Sumon Corraya
Just as football fans in Bangladesh display the symbols of the World Cup teams, rows of white flags and processions of motorcyclists proclaiming the Islamic profession of faith are appearing on the streets. The organisers describe it as a “simple ...
| 29/06/2026
| BANGLADESH
 
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
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”