Asian

Hebei, Chinese police ban children from Christmas in Baoding

Christmas vigil prohibited for children. Traffic blocks and shop closures. Ban on display of objects that recall Christmas in university dormitories. These are some of the measures deployed by the local authorities of Baoding, a northern city in the Chinese province of Hebei not far from the capital Beijing. As a diocese with a long […]

Fewer S.Koreans marry while number of newlyweds, childless couples hits new low

The number of newlywed couples in South Korea has fallen by more than 6%, to just over one million in 2022. The proportion for couples with no children has reached an all-time high, this according to Statistics Korea. A declining birth rate also touches North Korea, so much so that its leader, Kim Jong-un, in […]

Rights activists honour Sri Lankan Catholic journalist

Religious leaders and rights activists in Sri Lanka have honoured prominent Catholic journalist and human rights defender Fredy Gamage who recently received Timor-Leste’s top civilian award for his remarkable contributions to its struggle for independence from Indonesia. Gamage was hailed as a fear-less human rights defender in Timor-Leste and in his home country during a reception at the […]

Human Rights Day: Pakistani minorities warn of a national emergency

A prominent rights group in Pakistan has expressed “considerable alarm” over the state of religious freedom in the country. The problem is especially acute for Christian and Hindu girls and young women. Given this ever-present emergency, some prominent figures and advocacy groups made an appeal yesterday, 10 December, Human Rights Day. Celebrated around the world, […]

Japan’s unwavering commitment to a drug-free society

In the realm of drug policies, the dichotomy between the recent liberalization of drugs in America and Europe and the strict, unforgiving stance in Japan unveils a stark contrast of ethical views. While the West grapples with rising homelessness primarily fuelled by drug addiction, Japan’s stringent approach has yielded distinct outcomes, so much so that […]

‘Never Again’ must a genocide happen

This week-end we mark two very significant anniversaries which are interlinked and inter-dependent and matter to the entire world. Saturday is the 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention. On Sunday is the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Within the Asia region alone, at least two genocides are being committed right now. Both began […]

Malaysia Christian body snubs state program over Xmas song

A major inter-church group in Malaysia’s Christian-ma-jority Sarawak state has reje-cted an invitation to participate in a state-sponsored Christmas program after the organizers declined to replace a popular but commercial song for the celebration. The Association of Churches in Sarawak (ACS) president Donald Jute said the group will not be involved in “A Christmas Carol, […]

The trust-deficit in China’s authoritarian regime

A recent surge in pneumonia cases in China highlights a significant trust deficit that exists between the Chinese population and the government. On Nov 13, a notable surge in respiratory illnesses, particularly affecting children, was reported by China’s National Health Commission. The release of its report brought back echoes of the pandemic, sparking concerns among […]

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Pope: Red Cross’ humanitarian work shows that fraternity is possible

New Vatican document lists ‘grave violations’ of human dignity