Asia

• 19 February 2015
  ASIA/ISRAEL - Political elections: the local Catholic Church urges voters not to desert the elections Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) – In view of now imminent political elections in Israel, scheduled for March 17, the Catholic Church in the Holy Land urges all eligible voters to cast their vote, addressing in particular � ...
• 19 February 2015
  ASIA/SYRIA – Syrian-Orthodox priest and laity arrested by Kurd military Hassakè (Agenzia Fides) – Members of the Kurd armed forces connected with Pyd (Kurdish Democratic Union Party, Syrian section of Pkk) since Monday 16 February have been holding, Syrian-Orthodox priest Abba Gabriel Dao ...
• 19 February 2015
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Missionary says: “someone wants to destabilise Mindanao” Zamboanga City (Agenzia Fides) – Learn from painful experience and errors, in order to build a future of reconciliation: this is how PIME missionary Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, founder of the Silsilah movement for dialo ...
• 19 February 2015
  ASIA/INDONESIA – Muslims re-launch “pluralism and respect for minorities” Yogyakarta (Agenzia Fides) – The importance of values such as pluralism, respect for minorities, tolerance, dialogue, unity among believers of different faiths: these were some of the key words heard during the Indones ...
• 18 February 2015
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Christian and Muslim religious leaders: “the peace process must not be abandoned” Manila (Agenzia Fides) – The Philippines government “must not abandon the peace process in Southern Philippines”, if it is to avoid more massacres such as those in Mamasapano: this is the call launched by Christian ...
• 18 February 2015
  ASIA/IRAQ - Chaldean Patriarch urges Muslims: Join us in our Lenten fast to obtain the gift of peace Baghdad (Agenzia Fides) – An invitation to “Muslim brothers and sisters” to join for a few days the annual Christian time of fasting to obtain “as soon as possible the gift of peace, stability and a dignified lif ...
• 18 February 2015
  ASIA/INDIA - Prime Minister promises protection for minorities, bishops call for “concrete action” New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) – Words to be followed by concrete action: with this remark the Catholic Bishops of India responded to a statement by India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who promised commitment on the pa ...
• 18 February 2015
  ASIA/IRAN - President Rohani: massacre of Copts: now, whoever funds these jihadists must be made to beg for pardon Teheran (Agenzia Fides) – The Islamic Republic of Iran “strongly condemns” the “inhuman and savage" murder of the 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya by jihadists affiliated with the so-called Islamic State ( ...
• 17 February 2015
  ASIA/INDONESIA – Hopes grow in religious minorities for greater security and more tolerance Jacarta (Agenzia Fides) – Hopes grow in religious minorities for greater security and more tolerance. With the presidency of moderate Joko Widodo, communities such as Ahmad and Christians, express good wishes, judging ...
• 17 February 2015
  ASIA/PAKISTAN – Women’s Day in Faisalabad: greater rights and dignity for working women Faisalabad (Agenzia Fides) – Guarantee healthcare and safety for working women; adopt a code of behaviour of “gender justice” to safeguard women from injustice and abuse; guarantee safe workplaces free of abuse, ha ...
• 16 February 2015
  ASIA/LAOS - Prayers for a dying woman: five Pastors charged with “abuse of medical profession” ASIA/LAOS – Prayers for a dying woman: five Pastors charged with “abuse of medical profession” Savannakhet (Agenzia Fides) – Five Christian pastors, leaders of five different communities, have been charged by th ...
• 16 February 2015
  ASIA/INDONESIA – New Archbishop of Samarinda appointed Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father, Pope Francis, on 16 February 2015, has appointed Archbishop of Samarinda (Indonesia) Mons Yustinus Harjosusanto, M.S.F., until now Bishop of Tanjung Selor. (SL) (Agenzi ...
• 16 February 2015
  ASIA/PAKISTAN – Expectation for appeal verdict for the murderer of governor Taseer ASIA/PAKISTAN – Expectation for appeal verdict for the murderer of governor Taseer Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) – The High Court of Islamabad, after its last hearing suspended judgement regarding the case of Mumtaz Q ...
• 16 February 2015
  ASIA/IRAQ - In Mosul jihadist “patrols” ban Saint Valentine Mosul (Agenzia Fides) – In the days leading up to February 14, St Valentine's Day, Service Utility Vehicles and pick-ups driven by IS jihadist activists patrolled the town’s busiest market and shopping areas using ...
• 14 February 2015
  ASIA/NEPAL - Uncertain future after Nepal fails to agree on constitution Kathmandu (Agenzia Fides) - The Constituent Assembly of Nepal failed to agree and approve a draft of the new constitution and the deadline was January 22: This step opens a future of uncertainty and instability and gener ...