South Asia

The Prime Minister is accused of insulting the judiciary for not reopening an investigation file for corruption against President Zardari. He risks imprisonment and removal from public office if convicted. But the real danger is the clash between the powers of the state, executive, judicial and military.

The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India celebrates last Mass of the diocese’s Jubilee Year. Along with Card Gracias, the service was celebrated by Mgr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, archbishop of Mangalore, Mgr Salvatore Pennacchio, apostolic nuncio in India, Mgr Savio Hon Tai-Fai, secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of peoples. For Card Gracias, family and prayer are important to “make society a better place”.

The authorities had laid charges against the Anglican clergyman after an Islamic court accused him proselytising and forced conversions. For Sajan George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), the life of the Anglican pastor “is still in danger”. Three of the seven converts Rev Khanna had baptised have gone back to Islam after the Sharia court issued threats against them.

Fr. Mukhtar Alam has published a volume of stories of his mother. Stories that give "light" to those who are in the "dark" and teach the common good. At presentation, near the cathedral of Faisalabad, intellectuals, writers and leaders of the Church of Pakistan Muslim.

Three attacks since 2011 at St. Joseph's PU College, Anekal. The religious are accused of not having displayed the national flag on Republic Day, but the president has always denied this. Silence of police and authorities. Sajan George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC): "Their aim is to terrorize the Christian community."

About 23 per cent of the island’s population is abroad. A seminar organised by Caritas Sri Lanka-Sedec looks at the positive (high earnings) and negative (weaker family ties) aspects of working in other countries. In 2010, migrant workers contributed LKR 279.4 billion (US$ 2.41 billion) to the national economy.

The state’s High Court makes the ruling following a petition by the Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat. Fr Prakash, director of a Jesuit human rights centre, welcomes the decision. More than a thousand people were killed in the 2002 riots; 523 places were destroyed, including three churches.

At the International event organized by the Cultural Project of the Italian Bishops Conference, Card. Joseph Zen emphasizes the vitality of the Church in China and Hong Kong. For Card. Bagnasco, in the West there is a "strange reticence" to speaking of Jesus The Pope: many believers face suffering and persecution for Jesus today.

The situation is confused. A member of the Nasheed party: "We do not know what he is accused of." The Mayor of Addu speaks of "the total collapse of law and order." No problem so far for tourists, but travel agents speak of "panic" among those planning holidays in the archipelago.

Kandhamal Authority will pay the man 50 thousand rupees (about 760 euros). During the anti-Christian violence in 2008, Hindu ultranationalists burned the house of Ashor Kumar Ray, 45. A lawyer for the Archdiocese’ Commission for Justice, Peace and Development assisted the man in bringing his trial to the State High Court.

New Delhi is spending tens of billions of dollars to lease a nuclear sub from Russia, buy 126 fighter planes from France and build its first aircraft carrier. As the world’s top arms importer, India wants to contain China along their shared border and in the Indian Ocean. However, Indian External Affairs minister expresses full support to China over Tibet.

Obama instead of Jesus, surrounded by Sarkozy, Manmohan Singh (the Indian Prime Minister), Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as the Apostles. Criticism from the Church and civil society. The spokesman of the Syro-Malabar Church: "An offensive parody of a major symbol of Christianity". In 2011, pictures of Mother Teresa and Jesus which have appeared at the initiative of the Communist-Marxist Party.