The price of a coconut in Thailand, which was 20 baht before 2020, has now dropped to as low as 2 baht, putting small farmers out of business. According to local producers, a few companies with Chinese capital now control much of the supply chain, imposing extremely low prices and distorting the market.
After a series of violent incidents, including the burning of an activist's vehicle and the desecration of a Hindu symbol, places of worship are back at the centre of public debate in Malaysia. A PAS party member has called for restraint. The issue is linked to the land on which Hindu temples are located, whether private or state-owned, while the government is struggling to find solutions acceptable to all.
While Israel has begun a ground operation in southern Lebanon, Fathers Shinto and Binoy spoke to AsiaNews about their presence, along with the Missionaries of Charity, among the people most affected by the conflict. In the silence before the Blessed Sacrament, "the noise of the war fades away” for the peace that “only Christ can give.” A man in need is helped.
They arrived in Burma in 1865, maintaining a constant presence in the service of vulnerable people. Active in nine communities, they provide education, healthcare and support to women who are victims of violence, trafficking and poverty, in a country marked by political instability and war. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo: “A testimony of love that knows no bounds”.
The Patriarch of Jerusalem’s address at a webinar organised by the Oasis Foundation. “We have seen in these decades of conflict what violence has produced: only further fear, resentment and hatred. We know that Leo XIV’s appeals will fall on deaf ears, but we must continue to speak the truth. Information is a weapon in this conflict. Gaza has been forgotten, yet the situation remains dire. In the West Bank, there are almost daily attacks by settlers on Palestinians'.
Today’s headlines: Tokyo has begun distributing oil from its strategic reserves; In Myanmar, the military junta-controlled parliament has convened for the first time; In Thailand, the Bhumjaithai Party has consolidated its power with the appointment of the Speaker of the House; New armed clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
