Today is International Day of the Girl Child. Male-to-female ratio is 1,000 to 918 in India. Associations target education as the way to make girls and women independent and able to support their families. Love, charity and development projects can turn lives around.
Today is World Day against the Death Penalty. China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia rank first in terms of executions. Compared to 2016, the number of executions dropped by 4 per cent. Worldwide, 142 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.
Percival Holt is the only young Indian invited to the bishops' meeting. He speaks of a new model of youth, born of the digital revolution and the imitation of Western models. A "generational transition" that upsets patterns and poses new challenges. "Faith in action" next to prayer.
The Christian woman has been in jail since 2009 on blasphemy charges. Supreme Court justices want to prevent unrest. Journalists have been warned against commenting the case. “After her release, Western countries must offer her asylum immediately,” British Pakistani Christian Association leader says.
The air defence missile system comes with a US$ 5.4 billion price tag. Russia’s technology was successfully tested in Syria’s war. Big power strategic and geopolitical relations are at stake.
The Christian mother has been in Multan prison for nine years. According to her husband, “she is ready and willing to die for Christ. She will never convert to Islam." Groups of fanatics who do not want the abolition of the blasphemy law are holding the country at a standstill.
Qasim Ibrahim, founder of the Jumhooree Party, landed yesterday in the capital's airport. Former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was released on bail last week.
The elections will take place between April and May. Pastors are accused (without evidence) of extorting forced conversions. The priests are depicted as descendants of the British colonizers. The media used to spread "fake news". Missionaries who work to emancipate Dalit and tribal become uncomfortable people because they subvert the social order of the caste system.
What differentiates young people in Pakistan is education and poverty for the poor don’t go to school. For Christians, discrimination in the workplace and marginalisation because of their faith are added factors. For one young Pakistani, Daniel Bashir, bishops should help “solve our problems” through faith.
The opening Mass of the Synod was held in St Peter’s Square. Young Indians want young people to become more involved because they are responsible for the Church. The number of vocations is down, but young people helped out recent flood victims in Kerala.
American James Allison of the University of Texas is the other prize recipient. The two researchers discovered that inhibiting certain proteins can suppress the progress of cancer. Honjo’s research has been guided by the six Cs: curiosity, courage, challenge, confidence, concentration and continuation.
Persecution Relief, an ecumenical group, has organised a prayer campaign set to end on 7 October. Some 1,200 violent episodes have been recorded in the past two years. Christians are threatened with expulsion if they do not convert to Hinduism.
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