| BELARUS

A medal in memory of ‘For honour and dignity’ for the young activist found dead in January in Ukraine, where she had gone to confront the Russian invasion. Her image with her bleeding face during the 2020 protests in Minsk is a symbol of Lukashenko's violent repression.

by Steve Suwannarat

To reach an upper-medium level of development this decade, greater investments in energy are needed. For supporters, nuclear plants would guarantee stable and "clean" energy, and improve the environment at a critical juncture for traditional renewables. Moscow and Beijing would partner in infrastructure development.

| 26/03/2025
| CAMBODIA
by Mathias Hariyadi

Rosalia Rerek Sogen, 30, from the diocese of Larantuka, was shot in an attack by a group of militiamen along with other colleagues and health workers. The rebels consider them to be ‘undercover soldiers’ in the Yahukimo region, where tension with the army has skyrocketed. Dozens of people have been evacuated to Jayapura for fear of possible similar actions.

| 26/03/2025
| INDONESIA

The sector drives the Bangladeshi economy with 85% of total exports and a related industry worth 47 billion dollars. However, many workers are demanding payment of numerous months of arrears and bonuses linked to the festival celebrating the end of Ramadan. The empty promises of company management, with the police repressing the demonstrations.

| 26/03/2025
| BANGLADESH

Today's news: 18 dead in the forest fires that have been afflicting South Korea for days; On social networks, videos of the protest against Hamas by hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza; Controversy in Papua New Guinea over a temporary Facebook blackout for ‘security measures’; A film by an Anglo-Indian director blocked by censors in Delhi for ‘negative representation of the police’.

| 26/03/2025
| ASIA TODAY
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Debit cards and various kinds of talony, the ‘coupons’ for the lean years as in Gorbachev's perestroika, are becoming increasingly widespread and widespread in today's Russia. But with a thousand roubles charged per month, it's not much to cope with the economic crisis. And there are those who are once again calling for the prices of basic necessities to be regulated from above in the typically Soviet way.

| 26/03/2025
| RUSSIA

The Patriarch of Jerusalem visited the Gulf country, which is part of the Apostolic Vicariate of North Arabia. Accompanied by Bishop Berardi, the cardinal met with local communities and leading figures of the kingdom. The cardinal led the Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia and took part in a conference at the King Hamad Global Center for Peaceful Coexistence.

| 25/03/2025
| BAHRAIN – HOLY LAND
Editor's choices
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
The Israeli academic and scholar of “intractable conflicts” talked to AsiaNews about the way the Gaza war is going and its consequences for Israeli society. Talking about peace today is considered a threat. Seventeen-year-olds “don't ...
| 18/03/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST
 
by Giorgio Licini *
The parliament of Papua New Guinea has approved an amendment that identifies the nation as an ‘independent Christian state’. Fr Giorgio Licini (Caritas Papua New Guinea): it risks being an empty statement, without resolving the ...
| 18/03/2025
| PAPUA NEW GUINEA
 
by A Voice from Shanghai
A Catholic voice from Shanghai reminds AsiaNews of the case of the auxiliary bishop who resigned from the Patriotic Association when he was ordained and has been living in seclusion ever since. It was hoped that the tormented appointment of Mgr Shen ...
| 18/03/2025
| CHINA
 
by Vladimir Rozanskij
The agreement between Kyrgyz and Tajiks-sealed by the embrace between Žaparov and Rakhmon-affects as much as 1,000 kilometers of border and and comes after discussions and clashes dating back to the twentieth century, when both states were under Moscow's ...
| 17/03/2025
| CENTRAL ASIA
 
by Melani Manel Perera
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the island nation is among 63 countries with the lowest level. No attacks have been reported in the last five years. In South Asia, Pakistan ranks ...
| 14/03/2025
| SRI LANKA
 
Called "space oil” because it makes people feel as if they were in space, the substance is taken through electronic cigarettes. Its basic ingredient is an anaesthetic, etomidate. It is increasingly popular among youth in Hong Kong, but also mainland ...
| 13/03/2025
| RED LANTERNS
 
by Stefano Vecchia
The former president was flown overnight to be arraigned before the International Criminal Court for “crimes against humanity”. His lawyers, family members and supporters tried to stop his departure. The trial risks further widening the gap ...
| 12/03/2025
| PHILIPPINES
 
by Fr. Bajat Barakash *
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights speaks of over 500 victims in the last two days. The testimony of the Franciscan parish priest of Aleppo: ‘Despite the countless voices calling for a government that represents all components of Syrian ...
| 08/03/2025
| SYRIA
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”