Three and a half months after the referendum that opened the way for constitutional reform, the government of Anutin Charnvirakul has presented a proposal that risks pushing the process back to square one, making the path towards a more representative Constitution uncertain.
The Aruwakkalu area is located 25 km north of Puttalam, in the North-Western Province. It is an area considered a mainstay of Sri Lanka’s cement industry. The new plan allows valuable materials such as ilmenite, rutile and zircon to be separated from the soil layer. Experts say the deposit “is of geological and scientific importance”.
Today’s headlines: Ukraine strikes back with its drones following yesterday’s Russian raid on Kyiv. At least four people have died in the collapse of a building under construction on the outskirts of Manila. Delhi has a video opposing a new Google data centre removed from Instagram. A woman, Hong Kong’s first female astronaut, has been in orbit since yesterday as part of the Chinese Shenzhou-23 mission.
The Tajik president’s trip has confirmed just how strategic a region Central Asia is for China today, a strategic importance made all the more vital by the various geopolitical fault lines. Beijing is banking on the gas pipeline running through the region, but also on its significance for the security of its own borders. And in relations with local governments, its proximity – not just geographical – gives it an advantage over its Western rivals.
Today, Pentecost Sunday, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the Shrine of Sheshan, Shanghai, on the day the Church dedicates to China. He invited Chinese Catholics to pray as a sign of "communion with the universal Church”. He also mentioned the Christian communities in the Middle East. Commenting today’s Gospel, he said: “The Spirit opens the doors of the Church so that it can be welcoming and hospitable to all”.
Created 40 years ago, the association contributes to the development of the Diocese of Shanghai in the current context. The goals set out in its latest assembly include research on prominent Catholic figures and improving members’ skills to help vulnerable groups.
