| RUSSIA

Graduations taking place in recent weeks in Russia have been marked not only by officials and members of Putin’s party, as has been the case for years, but also by “SVO veterans,” participants in the war in Ukraine. Authorities are increasingly recruiting young people from technical institutes to train them as drone operators.

by Shafique Khokhar

The competition was held last week in Negombo, Sri Lanka. The young athlete from Karachi won the 60kg Muay Boran category. “I won because of the prayers of my parents and my community,” he told AsiaNews. He was able to participate thanks to funds raised among his friends and family. Now he is appealing for a sponsor to support him on his future endeavours.

| 06/06/2026
| PAKISTAN
by Stefano Caprio

The Kremlin is trying to fill the void left by the decline of ideologies with the cult of the Great Victory. While "Putinism" and fascism share some features, with echoes from Hitler, stressing their similarities tends to obscure their distinctive features. Putinism rejects socialist ideas and scorns the pursuit of equality, while making the messianism of the Russian Orthodox Church a fundamental part of its politics.

| 06/06/2026
| RUSSIAN WORLD
by Santosh Digal

On 25 May, the Dicastery for Evangelisation issued an official decree granting international status to the shrine, the second in Catholic-majority Philippines. The formal declaration will be held on 23 September, the feast day of the saint from Pietralcina.

| 06/06/2026
| PHILIPPINES

Today's news: As the United States and Iran exchange fire, sirens blare in Kuwait and Bahrain. In his meeting with Myanmar’s Cardinal Bo, Pope Leo reiterates his appeal to "not forget" the Southeast Asian country. The former head of the Tibet Autonomous Region was sentenced to life in prison for corruption. Bhutan offers cash to families to counter demographic decline. After more than 10 months, four Indian sailors are still stranded on a container ship off the Turkish coast.

| 06/06/2026
| ASIA TODAY

Stories of children employed at checkpoints or in police work are emerging from various parts of the country. The regime fuels war propaganda by displaying weapons and equipment in schools. Some see this as a sign of the Islamic Republic's "economic collapse", while others view it as an attempt by the regime to pass on its ideology and propaganda to future generations.

| 05/06/2026
| IRAN

Myanmar’s newly elected president strikes deals on rare earths and infrastructure. But while the two governments negotiated in New Delhi, their armed forces exchanged artillery fire on the border, where weapons and fighters can easily cross. In Manipur, three Kuki civilians were killed this morning in yet another ambush, while more and more players are taking part in the violence.

| 05/06/2026
| INDIAN MANDALA
Editor's choices
 
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
 
by Alessandra De Poli
In May 1956, the hospital near the factory reported an “unknown illness” that was later found to be caused by mercury discharges from the Chisso Corporation. Decades later, the wound remains open in this Japanese city. PIME missionary Fr. ...
| 27/05/2026
| JAPAN
 
by A priest in China
A priest living in the People's Republic of China writes a letter on the "administrative regulations" that prevent people under 18 from participating in religious activities. China’s constitution protects religious freedom, with no reference ...
| 26/05/2026
| CHINA
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical letter, presented today at the Vatican, represents a comprehensive reflection on the "new paradigm" that technological transformations are bringing to today's world. For the pontiff, it is not enough to dictate ...
| 25/05/2026
| VATICAN
 
The unexpected success of "Dear You”, a film produced on a small budget and in a local dialect, is reviving interest in China about the important role played by letter writing, which for over a century migrants used to send money and news to their ...
| 22/05/2026
| CHINA
 
by Andrea Ferrario
Data on the performance in the first quarter of 2026 confirm the difficulties of China’s southern coastal province, which was the laboratory of the reforms initiated by Deng Xiaoping but is now suffering from the downsizing of Hong Kong and the ...
| 21/05/2026
| RED LANTERNS
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”