by Dario Salvi | GATEWAY TO THE EAST

Attieh Fard, a politician and lawyer who has been in the United Kingdom for years, spoke to AsiaNews about the signing of an agreement that leaves international tensions and critical issues in the country unresolved. Iran’s hardliners could block signing, while the regime could use the moment to strengthen stability and its grip on power. The call for a "free" Iran may still lead to fresh street protests.


The new sustainability rules are causing difficulties for many local exporters. The European Union is the largest market for the textile industry. From September, companies will have to comply with requirements across the entire supply chain: firms are being called upon to invest in certifications, carbon footprint monitoring and packaging reviews.

| 16/06/2026
| SRI LAKA - EU
by Fady Noun

In the last few hours, a few displaced people have started to go home, but the situation in the south remains critical. The Jewish state has no intention to relinquish the territories it has occupied. Furthermore, the plan leaves the issue of Hezbollah's disarmament open and unresolved. Uncertainty and unresolved issues surround the future of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.

 

| 15/06/2026
| LEBANON – ISRAEL – IRAN

Leo XIV met in the Vatican with a group of faithful from the Eastern-rite Catholic community, which is set to mark the centenary of its return to full communion with Rome in 2032. The pontiff urged them to preserve their unique identity even in the diaspora where many live today.

| 15/06/2026
| INDIA – VATICAN

In his message for the Tenth World Day of the Poor, the pontiff calls for “rediscovering the faces of so many brothers and sisters”. Sadly, “The loss of a sense of the transcendent [. . .] places one above the other”, while “a desecrating logic of abuse [. . .] marginalizes and humiliates.” In his message for Grandparents' Day, the pope tells the elderly: “do not be afraid of fragility.”

| 15/06/2026
| VATICAN

The pontiff received the South Korean president in audience this morning. Yesterday, in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Lee spoke at the Mass for Peace promoted by the Korean community. For the South Korean leader, despite the difficulties, “the ember of hope” for an agreement with Pyongyang “is still alive.” Cardinal You laments that “The Korean Peninsula still bears the wounds of division,” but adds: “We can never give up on peace”.

| 15/06/2026
| SOUTH KOREA – VATICAN
by Shafique Khokhar

Last week, the authorities evicted security staff and residents from Forman Christian College University. They were given “24 hours” to remove all property and historical artefacts. The administration is seeking a legal solution to retain control of the building. Christian activist: “The government has hurt the community’s feelings”.

| 15/06/2026
| PAKISTAN
Editor's choices
 
by Andrea Ferrario
Once classified by the Communist Party as “spiritual pollution”, this genre now generates billions of yuan in revenue and has become part of the state's cultural promotion strategy, within a clear geopolitical vision. "The Wandering Earth" ...
| 11/06/2026
| RED LANTERNS
 
by fr. Gabriel Romanelli *
On the Feast of Corpus Christi, the small community of the Holy Family performed the Eucharistic blessing towards the four cardinal points from the church square. The parish priest said: “From here we also blessed the towns that no longer exist: ...
| 09/06/2026
| GAZA
 
by Gregory
Stored gelignite reportedly caused a massive explosion that killed at least 55 people in a village in Shan State. The catastrophe has put the spotlight on the TNLA, a controversial militia that struck a deal with China. Meanwhile, according to the United ...
| 02/06/2026
| MYANMAR
 
by Chow Hang-tung *
In a message written from prison, the lawyer on trial alongside Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho for the 4 June vigils in Victoria Park speaks of the importance of resilience in remembering the 1989 massacre in Beijing, whilst the Hong Kong authorities cover ...
| 01/06/2026
| HONG KONG - CHINA
 
by Shafique Khokhar
In his encyclical, Pope Leo XIV singles out Pakistan's first female prime minister as a public figure who promoted the greatness of humanity. A Muslim, she was assassinated in 2007 in Rawalpindi. Pakistani Catholics expressed gratitude towards her ...
| 28/05/2026
| PAKISTAN – VATICAN
 
by Alessandra De Poli
In May 1956, the hospital near the factory reported an “unknown illness” that was later found to be caused by mercury discharges from the Chisso Corporation. Decades later, the wound remains open in this Japanese city. PIME missionary Fr. ...
| 27/05/2026
| JAPAN
 
by A priest in China
A priest living in the People's Republic of China writes a letter on the "administrative regulations" that prevent people under 18 from participating in religious activities. China’s constitution protects religious freedom, with no reference ...
| 26/05/2026
| CHINA
 
by Giorgio Bernardelli
Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical letter, presented today at the Vatican, represents a comprehensive reflection on the "new paradigm" that technological transformations are bringing to today's world. For the pontiff, it is not enough to dictate ...
| 25/05/2026
| VATICAN
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”