03/22/2010TURKEY Turkey’s Kurds celebrate Norouz under the watchful eye of police No incidents are reported, but 29 people are stopped for openly praising the PKK, the Kurdish Party fighting for Kurdish autonomy. Since 1984, 45,000 have died in the conflict.
Ankara (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Tens of thousands of Kurds gathered yesterday to celebrate Norouz, the Persian New Year, and ask the government to keep its promise to grant their community greater freedom. Thousands of police...
03/22/2010ISLAM Islamic prayer on the street and the rule of law by Samir Khalil Samir, SJ A group of men stop to pray in the Milan Gallery. Municipal police called but say they can not stop them. But all public demonstrations must be authorized and the law must be above everything.
03/22/2010THAILAND The testimony of lay Thai in formation of catechumens by Weena Kowitwanij 3 April in Bangkok more than 100 people will make the profession of faith and embrace Catholicism. In a familiar model that is increasingly individualistic, the Catholic communities become a place of sharing and support.
03/21/2010VATICAN Pope: learn to be uncompromising with sin and indulgent with people Commenting on the Gospel story of adulteress at the Angelus, Benedict XVI underlined how the words of Jesus are full of disarming force of truth, which brings down the wall of hypocrisy and opens minds to a greater justice, that is love.
03/20/2010BANGLADESH Dhaka, towards Easter by reflecting on "sacrifice, service and spiritual growth" by William Gomes In the church of the Holy Cross, a parish in the capital, over 120 children have prayed and meditated on the themes of "sacrifice, service and growth in spiritual life." A seminar in the Lenten season to "welcome and celebrate the risen Christ." Local priests: the children learn the value of the free gift of self.
03/20/2010VATICAN Pope: those who abused children will answer before God In a Letter to the Catholics of Ireland, Benedict XVI returns to openly confront the issue of paedophile priests. Who must also go before the courts. "Shame and remorse" for what happened. Critical of the bishops who failed to safeguard, instead suppressed and concealed. He reminds victims that even Jesus suffered unjustly. Inspection of diocese and seminars and a national mission for "all bishops, priests and religious"
03/20/2010PHILIPPINES Through the Gospel Catholic volunteers help prisoners to hope for a new life by Santosh Digal The program is run by Caritas and the Philippines Association of lay Dominicans. Since 1976, over 10 thousand prisoners have been reintegrated into society through training and psychological and spiritual help inside and outside prison.
03/20/2010IRAN - US Obama renews offer of dialogue with Tehran, but emphasizes its "isolation" In a video message on the occasion of Nowruz, the U.S. president stresses that the policy of a "helping hand" is always valid, even if Iran has chosen “isolation". He hopes for more cultural and educational exchanges between young Iranians and Americans, and free internet access.
03/20/2010TIBET - CHINA Tibetans non-violent protests go on. Monks and students Arrested by Nirmala Carvalho In Qinghai pro-Dalai Lama leaflets are distributed, the police occupy the nearby monastery and arrest three monks at random. Secondary school students in Gansu praise the Dalai Lama, the police arrest at least 20 young people.
03/19/2010KYRGYZSTAN OSCE tells Kyrgyzstan to stop censoring online news The OSCE sends an official letter to the Kyrgyz foreign minister. In March, censorship gets worse. Online media are blocked, print newspapers are seized, and reporters are threatened and arrested. Meanwhile, the opposition tries to organise protest actions.
03/19/2010PHILIPPINES President Arroyo: Interfaith dialogue only solution for peace in Mindanao Arroyo delivered her speech during the two days on interreligious dialogue organized by the Non-Aligned Movement. The meeting was also favourably commented on by the Catholic Church, the true promoters of peace in the Muslim majority region battered by four decades of war.
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