Once a hidden and clandestine practice, poppy cultivation has become a means of subsistence. The heart of production lies in the Zagros Mountains in the west. The estimated value of opium is up to 72 times higher than that of wheat. In Tehran, the price of bread has risen by 100 per cent. As poverty increases, so does the exploitation of child labour.
Across the Indian state, thousands of people took part in the celebrations, diving into wells, ponds and watercourses in a symbolic ritual that recalls the biblical episode in which St John the Baptist leapt for joy in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. A festival deeply cherished by the Catholic community, it coincides with the start of the monsoon season.
In an extensive interview with TASS, Metropolitan Sergij of Singapore described the mission of his exarchate – which today stretches from Korea to Indonesia, across countries with Buddhist or Muslim majorities – as “difficult and stimulating”. “Dialogue on faith? Here it does not begin with dogma, but with the beauty and silence of an Orthodox church”
As much as FIFA and social media may celebrate Japanese fans who pick up trash after World Cup matches, the act is divisive in Japan. The slogan "Japan Pride" has also been criticised, while some Japanese women who say they do not see the same behaviour from men at home.
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue brought together Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh and Christian religious leaders from Europe, at the Angelicum for a conference on dialogue and collaboration. For Cardinal Koovakad, fraternity among religions is not a utopia. The more they meet, “while respecting one another’s traditions and beliefs,” the more they “contribute together for the good of all in society”.
The remains of more than 400 people have been exhumed at Chemmani, more than in Sathosa (Mannar). A delegation led by the Minister of Justice visited the site, reiterating that everything about the findings will be made public. Experts and activists are concerned about the lack of forensic analysis and information available to the public.
