Nirmala Carvalho

The Tibetan parliament-in-exile will meet in March 2011 to determine if and when the spiritual leader resigns. Protests and arrests continue in Chinese-occupied Tibet. A young, leading figure in the 2008 Lhasa protest is reportedly sentenced to death.

The authorities have not yet responded to the request to ensure the safety of Christmas celebrations. 16 thousand homeless families and in 20 villages Christians can only return if they convert to Hinduism. Archbishop Cheenath concerns.

In his speech to the Haj, the Iranian religious leader gives guidance to help the Muslims of Kashmir. Indian activists and religious leaders: it does not help religious freedom but foment violence, Tehran wants to distract the nation from internal problems.

Anti-Christian attacks are up in India. George Sajan, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians, tells AsiaNews that the problem is not only a grim reality for Christians but also for secular India as a whole.

At a time when religious fanaticism and communalism are growing, the epic poem written by a Jesuit in the 17th century shows how bridges can be built between different cultures and ways of thinking. It offered Hindus and Christians an opportunity to meet.

Under Saddam Hussein, Christians in Iraq were around a million. Today, more than half have fled, living as refugees in other countries, in particular Syria and Jordan. Those who are left behind feel betrayed and abandoned by the government and the international community, with only one desire, to be able to live and worship in peace.

The Muslim scholar Asghar Ali Engineer accuses the blasphemy law of being un-Islamic and proposes an international campaign. He points his finger at the Pakistani government’s silence and that of many governments around the world. The All Indian Christian Council calls on New Delhi to submit the case to the UN Commission on Human Rights. Among the messages: "Silence is a second death sentence" for Asia Bibi.

Forced conversions, prohibition of buying goods in shops, the faithful have to live in half-ruined houses without roofs and dirt floors: in In Kandhamal violence against Christians is "normal". The authorities do not intervene. The report of a special fact-finding group.

The US president concludes his three-day visit to India today, setting the bases for a stable bilateral partnership between India and the United States. Indonesia is his next stop. Yesterday he visited a Catholic school, Holy Name of Jesus School in Colaba.

The organizations are asking the President of the United States to support their fight against the replacement of the Tibetan with Chinese in schools, and a collaboration with the Indian government in the defense of human rights in Tibet. Tomorrow’ Obama due in India on first state visit.

The congregation of the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master celebrates the figure of Christ, way, truth and life. More than 200 faithful, priests and lay people take part in the day. This year, the religious institute, founded by Don Giacomo Alberione in 1924, celebrates the golden jubilee of its "rule of life."

The Telugu Desam Party accuses Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress Party, of favouring an society based on microcredit. An aid worker told AsiaNews how this system destroys the families of poor tribals.