South Asia

With the bill, new fathers will have the opportunity to absent themselves from work for 15 days before or after childbirth. The request was made by the Ministry of Public Administration and is available to government employees and private companies related to ministries.

Since 2005, seven Adorer sisters from New Delhi helped 50 prostitutes find work and themselves. One nun says, our “apostolate among them is for us an important commitment. It carries many risks, but we love doing something that can give these young women some dignity and respect.”

Organized in Bangalore and Mumbai by the Disciples of the Divine Master to mark the end of the Year for Priests. Special intention and prayers for vocations to the priesthood.

Floods delay war heroes week, organized by the government to celebrate their defeat of the Tamil Tigers which claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians. According to Christian leaders, the people are still far from reconciliation and events like this contribute to widening the gap between Sinhalese and Tamil.

Joel D'Souza, 24, comes from a Catholic family. He thanks God for 'saving my life. " His mother: it is a "new Pentecost." Investigators are searching for the second part of the black box, which contains the flight information. The toll from the airline tragedy is of 158 dead and eight survivors.

Floodwaters recede slowly. Refugee camps remain overcrowded. Now, the risk for diseases and epidemics is high. People must be careful about the food they eat and about snakebites when they go home.

Nepali Hindus organise a conference in Mumbai a few days before the deadline for the signing of the new democratic constitution on 28 May. They are afraid the country could lose its identity that was once defined by religion. Christian and Muslim minorities are concerned about such plans, insisting that under the republic they exercise greater freedom of religion.

Celebrating Pentecost, Benedict XVI reaffirms the value of unity and universality of the Church: it speaks all languages, is part of all cultures, but can not be indentified with any particular state or culture. The universal Church precedes “particular churches". The fire of the Spirit burns but does not consume, it is different from the fire of war and bombs, of dictators who "leave behind scorched earth”. The Spirit calls for man to change: from the "logic of having of possessing" to that of giving. But man is often afraid of losing himself.

At the Regina Caeli, Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians around the world (including Chinese Christians) to celebrate World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. The memory of Fatima and all Marian shrines: "wherever Christians gather in prayer with Mary, the Lord gives us his Spirit." The councils - especially the Vatican - and the meeting of international movements with John Paul II (1998) a "special outpouring of the Spirit."

Large areas are under water. Floods force residents to flee, leaving all their possessions behind. Army and navy are mobilised; camps are set up. The Church is involved, providing shelter and assistance to the refugees. Many of the victims are angry with the government for doing little to prevent flooding.

Plane was carrying 163 passengers and 6 crew members. Eight people may have survived. Card Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, sends a message of condolences.

A Salesian nun sounds the alarm. “We must do everything to prevent human trafficking during the event.” Targeted by sex traders, children are the most vulnerable.