Ignatius Ding Zuyao, a priest born in 1986, was consecrated this morning in Jiangsu province under the terms of the agreement with the Holy See. This diocese saw Bishop Shen Bin moved (by the Communist Party) to Shanghai. Ding becomes the youngest bishop in the world, confirming a clear trend in episcopal appointments in China.
Addressing an event hosted by the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Milan as part of Missionary Month, Bishop Paolo Martinelli spoke about the situation of the religious sisters who remained in Sana'a and Hodeidah, despite the ongoing war and dire conditions. Their work is "essential" and "appreciated by the local population." Meanwhile, fresh fighting broke out between Houthis and pro-Saudi forces.
The Commission for Indigenous Peoples of the Bishops’ Conference calls for the energy transition not to be carried out at the expense of respect for ancestral lands. “The growing demand for critical minerals does not justify forced displacement.” Local communities must be involved in investment decisions.
Today’s headlines: Nepal’s government unveils a €3.28 plan to address flood damage; Delhi plans to deport a Bollywood actor with US citizenship for taking part in protests; A massive fire in Mongolia is causing concern amongst authorities in neighbouring Chinese provinces; Armenia opens a controversial gold mine.
Cardinal Tagle read the homily prepared by Leo XIV this morning for the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia. Charity in the home is the "first school of human affection”. Addressing the Chaldean patriarch, he said that communion is “not a mere formality, but a living reality.” The pontiff spent a quiet night at Gemelli Hospital following the removal of a lung tumour yesterday.
Fires burning for weeks have worsened air pollution in Malaysia and Singapore. While Malaysia has called for greater regional coordination, ASEAN agreements remain contingent on the willingness of individual states to cooperate.
The Indian delegation, led by Father Joseph Thermadom, a deaf Catholic priest, shares its hopes. For him, we “must not let our Deaf brothers and sisters leave the Catholic Church because they did not understand.” The South Korean capital is home to the only church in Asia designed specifically for the deaf, a model to be emulated.
A group of migrant workers were promised well-paid construction jobs but were instead handed over to the Russian military. After only 21 days of training, they were sent to the battlefield. Seventeen reportedly died on their first day of deployment. One returned home severely injured after crawling kilometres to safety. Two suspected traffickers have been arrested.
Tragedy in the Dir Colony neighbourhood: the victims include 27 children and a teacher. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of school buildings in Pakistan and possible negligence.
A new regulation on school uniforms introduced last month, which bans ‘elements that contradict the principle of secular education’, is sparking fierce protests in Azerbaijan. Underlying this is the sensitive issue, common to the whole of Central Asia, of striking a balance between religious freedom and the fight against fundamentalism.
The International Monetary Fund projects a 10.7 per cent rise in the island's GDP for 2026, the highest rate in the world. While demand for hardware and data centre investments are bolstering various Asian economies, uncertainties regarding youth employment and the risk of less-prepared country falling behind remain.
The goal by 2030 is to integrate the sector into the international market, making it more modern and scientific. Plans include facilities with hundreds of beds and support for medical tourism. Known as southern herbal medicine, it traditionally stands in contrast to the Chinese variety.
The High Court has quashed proceedings against four Christians from Amravati accused of attempting to ‘illegally convert’ a Hindu couple. The judges ruled that inviting others to join one’s own faith does not offend the religious feelings of others. This is an important ruling in a state where an anti-conversion law has been in force since August.
From the historic church in Goa to the cathedral in Xi’an, there are many places across Asia that commemorate the message of the saint from Assisi, on the 800th anniversary of his death. Among the most recent is the chapel built in the image of the Porziuncola near the heavily fortified border between the two Koreas.
Retail sales are not growing as much as Beijing would like. Employees currently work an average of 48.2 hours a week, but without a significant increase in income. So, during the recent public holidays, a call not to use days off for shopping went viral on Weibo before being censored.
In today’s session of the Vatican meeting marking the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, the Indian cardinal and FABC president described the transformations the continent is facing amid economic instability and religious polarisation. For the prelate, “we ask not what families are missing, but what God is already doing in their midst.”
Starting today, every Monday, AsiaNews will feature voices, stories, and in-depth reports to explore, step by step, the South Korea that will welcome young people for World Youth Day (WYD) next August. The perspective will be one of “memory and hope” focused on the mission, an approach suggested today by Pope Leo XIV to South Korean priests and religious sisters living in Rome.
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