In Chhattisgarh, the wave of intolerance in villages against those who refuse to renounce their Christian faith shows no sign of abating. The police are accused of collusion. Meanwhile, there have been further acts of intimidation in West Bengal too: four separate incidents took place last Sunday in the densely populated eastern Indian state, including an attack on a church under construction in Subhashgram.
A new armed attack took place at a checkpoint in the Ziarat District resulting in the death of nine agents and 15 suspected attackers during response operations. The Balochistan Liberation Army is suspected. Local Christian groups offer their sympathy for the victims, speaking out against the climate of fear in which people live.
From Tajikistan to Kazakhstan, thousands of young people are currently studying at colleges and universities opened in recent years by Moscow, where teaching is conducted in Russian. The aim is to make a long-term investment in the new generation, who have no memory of the Soviet era and are increasingly exposed to Western and Chinese influences.
Some 16 new products tied to the performance of Samsung and SK Hynix shares are raising concerns. Launched at the end of May to capitalise on the demand for artificial intelligence, in just a few weeks they are dangerously amplifying price volatility on the local stock exchange, with risks for small investors.
The airport on the peninsula hit by the 2024 earthquake has been renamed “Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport” in an attempt to boost tourism. The new name will remain in place for three years. Meanwhile, more than 17,000 people still live in temporary housing, as the resident population continues to decline. Two thirds of the displaced believe reconstruction has made little or no progress.
During its meeting in Ozamis, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines met with the staff of the globally successful television series centred on the life of Jesus. The chapter on the Passion is due in early 2027. The potential for its pastoral use in the Church of Asia was highlighted. For Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, synodality means staying with those living on the margins.
