Middle East

| TURKEY

The incident in the district of Ortahisar, near a gazebo set up by the Republican People's Party. The opposition relaunches the campaign for the economic boycott of pro-government companies and organisations. Ankara responds with new arrests, targeting personalities from the entertainment world. Young people are at the forefront of the protest, for the freedoms and the (economic) future of the nation.

by Dario Salvi

Khalil Sayegh, originally from Gaza and co-founder of Agora Initiative, talks about a population tired of war and the domination of the extremist movement. Today the protests are more evident because Hamas is weakened and cannot ‘repress them with brutality’. The humanitarian situation is a ‘disaster’ and a large part of the population is at risk of famine due to the block on aid.

| 28/03/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE

Already three petitions have been filed with the High Court against the controversial law pushed by Israel’s radical right and a prime minister under investigation. The opposition pledges to scarp the law as one of its first acts after the next election. Appeals are made to Israeli President Herzog not to sign the bill. Palestinians take to the streets in Gaza against Hamas.

| 27/03/2025
| ISRAEL – PALESTINE
by Daniele Frison

Dialogue and mutual exchange are the Holy See’s “weapons”, the apostolic nuncio to Jordan told AsiaNews. The Jordanian government is committed to “paths of reconciliation”. Aid is flowing constantly from Jordan to Gaza. Syrian refugees are cautious but eager to return home. Some 50,000 have already made the trip. The new Latin church on the Jordan River shows the “vitality of the Christian community”.

| 26/03/2025
| JORDAN

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
by Fady Noun

At least seven deaths in a border area. The fragility of a frontier that has long been a free zone for trafficking and illicit trade. Fears of an escalation with the Jewish state and US manoeuvres for ‘normalisation’. In the spirit of the Abu Dhabi declaration, Christians and Muslims celebrate the feast of the Annunciation today.

 

| 25/03/2025
| GATEWAY TO THE EAST

Stories filter out of Istanbul reeling from the mayor’s arrest. While the city’s main sites are cordoned off by police, supporters of Erdoğan’s main rival continue to protest in more peripheral streets and alleys. Still Turkish public opinion is split, but most Istanbulites stand with Imamoğlu who was voted by almost 15 million people in the opposition CHP presidential primary.

| 24/03/2025
| TURKEY
Editor's choices
 
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| MYANMAR
 
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| CAMBODIA - UNITED STATES
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
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| CHINA
 
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| 31/03/2025
| VATICAN – OCEANIA
 
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| 28/03/2025
| PHILIPPINES
 
by Dario Salvi
Khalil Sayegh, originally from Gaza and co-founder of Agora Initiative, talks about a population tired of war and the domination of the extremist movement. Today the protests are more evident because Hamas is weakened and cannot ‘repress them with ...
| 28/03/2025
| ISRAEL - PALESTINE
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”