by Vladimir Rozanskij | RUSSIA

At the Donskoy Seminary in the Rostov region, a master’s programme on the charitable dimension of the Church has been launched at the Synod’s behest. This marks a new direction in Russian Orthodox theological studies, with a programme that seeks to develop an ‘innovative’ approach, employing both scientific and spiritual methodologies.


From India to Australia, Tibetan expatriates in 27 countries elected the 45-member assembly with 93 candidates running. Just over 91,000 voters cast their ballot. The five-year parliament, based in Dharamsala, serves as the representative body for the approximately 150,000 Tibetans living in exile. Young voters call for greater attention to the community's future.

| 27/04/2026
| TIBET – CHINA
by Santosh Digal

A place of pilgrimage for people from all over Asia, the shrine stands on the spot where, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to a farmer from Pangasinan in 1610. Archbishop Villegas: “This celebration reminds us of Mary’s presence alongside the Filipino people: she guides us in times of darkness, strengthens us in our weaknesses and leads us ever closer to her Son.”

| 27/04/2026
| PHILIPPINES
by Nirmala Carvalho

An amendment amending the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) has been introduced in the Lower House. Among other things, the bill proposes the establishment of an “authority” tasked with “seizing, managing and disposing of” the assets of the affected organisations. For Fr Thelakkatt, it is “cloaked in rhetoric” about “national security” but is a tool to fuel the “nationalist ideology” of Hindutva.

| 27/04/2026
| INDIA

Today’s headlines: Two Americans among the victims of a Philippine army operation against the NPA in Negros. Hanoi revokes unpopular measure against Honda on the eve of the Japanese Prime Minister’s visit. Taiwan imposes sentences of up to 10 years for industrial espionage at TSMC. In Russia, a staunch Putin loyalist implicated in the deportation of Ukrainian children has been appointed as the new Human Rights Ombudsman.

| 27/04/2026
| ASIA TODAY
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Archaeological excavations in the Zeravshan Valley, which began in the 1930s, continue to this day, yielding new discoveries about the rich world of this ancient people, who made a significant contribution to world culture.

| 27/04/2026
| TAJIKISTAN

During the Regina Caeli, Leo XIV spoke about the 1986 nuclear disaster, which “left a lasting mark on the conscience of humanity,” and serves “as a warning regarding the inherent risks of using increasingly powerful technologies.” In his comment on the Gospel, he noted that "thieves" are those who pillage “the earth’s resources” and wage " blood-thirsty wars”.

| 26/04/2026
| VATICAN
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| 17/04/2026
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| 16/04/2026
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by Dario Salvi
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| 14/04/2026
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| 13/04/2026
| VIETNAM - VATICAN
 
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| 09/04/2026
| MYANMAR
 
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| 08/04/2026
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| 07/04/2026
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by Alessandra De Poli
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| 06/04/2026
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”