02/27/2015SYRIA Despite their uncertain fate, Mgr Audo denies rumours that 15 Christians have been killed The Chaldean Archbishop of Aleppo, who contacted the vicar in Al-Hasakah, denies reports that the Islamic State group executed hostages. The Apostolic Nuncio to Damascus renews his call for caution "because it is difficult to have accurate information." The fate and number of kidnapped Christians by jihadists remain uncertain. Aleppo (AsiaNews) - "Reports that Islamic State militias killed at
least 15 Assyrian Christian Syrians are not true," said Mgr Antoine Audo,
Chaldean Archbishop of Aleppo. His denial comes...
02/27/2015NEPAL Nepal's Supreme Court rules against civil war amnesty The court struck down the amnesty provisions of a law favourable to those who committed serious human rights abuses during the civil war. The government promises to respect the court's decision. Between 1996 and 2006, more than 17,000 people were killed, 1,300 disappeared. Thousands more were displaced.
02/27/2015TAJIKISTAN - CENTRAL ASIA World Bank investment in Tajikistan to lead the country out of isolation The international organisation is helping to develop trade between Central Asian countries. The transformative project includes road links between Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Tajikistan's Transport Ministry plans to improve road management. The World Bank has granted so far US$ 978 million.
02/27/2015INDIA No more attacks on Mother Teresa, "beloved by India and the world". by Anthony Charangat* In an editorial Fr. Charangat, Director of Communications and Media for the Archdiocese of Mumbai, criticizes statements made by the head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Accusing the founder of the Missionaries of Charity of helping the poor to get them to convert is "an arrogant, incorrect, misleading, malicious act and done in bad faith". "The Catholic Church does not recognize conversions made by force or deception".
02/27/2015PHILIPPINES - VATICAN For Filipino bishops' president, "pope awakes from indifference, a national evil" Speaking to AsiaNews, Mgr Socrates Villegas, archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan and president of the Filipino bishops' conference, underscores "the enormous importance of Francis' message for this Lent. Ours is a Catholic country, but selfishness is conquering more and more." The pope's great mass in Manila was "ray of sunshine that illuminates the future. Among those present, 50 per cent were under 20. They are our best hope."
02/27/2015ISRAEL Arson attack against Greek Orthodox seminary in Jerusalem Jewish extremists are the main suspects. Disparaging phrases about Jesus were found on the building's walls, some identical to graffiti found on a mosque set on fire a few days ago. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin expresses his sadness at the incident, whilst Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat called it "deplorable".
02/27/2015CAMBODIA - VIETNAM Montagnard Christians continue to flee to Cambodia, but are running out of food and supplies Eight more people, seven men and a woman aged 20 to 40 have been hiding in the forest for the past five days. The nearby border village is facing shortages. "We don't have enough food," a local said. Meanwhile, Cambodian authorities continue to repatriate refugees in violation of international treaties.
02/27/2015CHINA - LATIN AMERICA China, a record 2014 for loans to Latin America Beijing has lent $ 22 billion a year to the South American continent and is poised to break the of 2010 record, when the figure touched 37 billion. Analysts warn: "China may tacitly require that Chinese companies have a hand in some projects". "Diplomacy of the yuan" continues to spread from Southeast Asia to Africa.
02/27/2015EGYPT - LIBYA - ISLAM The Lent of the 21 Egyptian Copts martyred in Libya by Bernardo Cervellera The Islamic State claim to fight for God, but in reality that suffer from megalomania because they feel themselves to be God. The 21 timid martyrs who whispered the name of Jesus with their last breath testified to the very end how the center of their lives, was not their own well-being but Jesus himself. This year, in his Lenten Message Pope Francis asked us to combat the "globalization of indifference": " As long as I am relatively healthy and comfortable, I don’t think about those less well off. Today, this selfish attitude of indifference has taken on global proportions, to the extent that we can speak of a globalization of indifference”.
02/27/2015MYANMAR - ASIA WHO sounds alarm over spread of Bird flu after massive cull in Myanmar Concerns over the rapid spread and genetic swapping of the virus, termed "unprecedented”. Taiwan, Myanmar and Vietnam, as well as Egypt, the United States and Hungary under observation. In the center of Myanmar in 1500 poultry and over 20 thousand quail specimens culled. Many poultry farms risk collapse.
02/27/2015HONG KONG Hong Kong, employer who tortured Indonesia maid jailed for six years The case of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih rocked the former British colony. The immigrant, without friends or relatives, lived as a domestic worker in the home of Law Wan-tung: the woman abused her in every possible way and then tried to smuggle her home. The judge: "A regrettable story ". The victim: "Not completely satisfied"
02/26/2015SYRIA IS holding more than 250 Christians, for vicar to Aleppo, pope's prayers are a source of courage Pope Francis is closely monitoring the situation in Syria and praying for the Christian minority. For Mgr Georges Abou Khazen, the pope's closeness is a source "of great consolation and help." The road to peace "is long, but the only one possible." At least 5,000 Christians fled from the Islamists. The UN Security Council condemns the abductions.
02/26/2015BANGLADESH Prostitution and forced labour: trafficking in human beings in Bangladesh by Sumon Corraya The Asian country is a source and a transit point for victims. The cases involving women and children are the most documented, but men are victims are well. Boys under ten are more likely to be entangled in this traffic; girls tend to be aged 11 to 16. Some of victims go to the Gulf countries. In Bangladesh, the local Caritas helps the victims.
02/26/2015CHINA China, first ever Holocaust commemoration for the Shanghai Ghetto This was announced by the World Jewish Congress. During the Japanese occupation, approximately 23 thousand Jews were closed into the area to pay homage to Hitler, Tokyo’s ally. Liberated on September 3, 1945, "it is a part of the extermination that is never remembered."
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