South Asia

Francis met the president of the Diyanet, Turkey's highest religious authority. He highlights the importance of interreligious dialogue to promote mutual respect and friendship, noting that "entire communities, especially - though not exclusively - Christians and Yazidis, have suffered and continue to suffer barbaric violence simply because of their ethnic and religious identity." In light of this, he expressed his "appreciation for everything that the Turkish people" is "doing to help the hundreds of thousands of people who are fleeing" Syria and Iraq.

Heads of state and government meeting in Kathmandu for the annual South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit lay out a roadmap for mutual help against fanaticism and sectarian violence. Beijing's bid to join the group is turned down.

The Church calls on President Mahinda Rajapaksa not to use the papal visit in his campaign. On 8 January, polls will be held five days before the papal visit. Many fear fraud and violence.

"This word 'corruption' says a lot to us today: not only economic corruption, but corruption with many different sins; the corruption of that pagan spirit, that worldly spirit. The worst [form of ] corruption is the spirit of worldliness!" " When we think of the end of time, with all of our sins, with our history, let us think of the banquet which will be freely offered us and let us lift up our heads. Do not give way to depression: Hope!"

For the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the two teenagers found hanging in their village "committed suicide." The federal agency also said it found no conclusive evidence that the two teenagers were gang raped. All five defendants, including two policemen, have been released. For civil society groups, the case is a "cover up".

Examine "everything in the light of the Word of God and listen to the needs of the Church and the contemporary world, using all means that the wisdom of the Church offers to advance on the path of your personal and community holiness". The "not insignificant" number of people who “abandon” religious life says something about selection and formation of candidates". "Prayer is not a waste of time, worship of God is not wasting time, praise of God not to waste time. "

Francis’ "proposals" for a ministry in a world in which the Church is no longer the only representative of culture, dialogue with multiculturalism is necessary as is the need to discover in the religiosity of our peoples, "the authentic religious substrata, which in many cases is Christian and Catholic".

The 28-year-old woman lost the baby after the trauma. Christian and Muslims activists demand laws and protection for women. In Pakistan, "there is a widespread tolerance” of gender violence.

"It is not an annihilation of the universe and all that surrounds us, rather it brings everything to its fullness of being, truth and beauty.." "From next Friday to Sunday I will travel to Turkey. I ask you all to join with me in prayer so that this visit of Peter to his brother Andrew bear fruits of peace, sincere dialogue between religions and concord for the Turkish nation."

Two years have passed since a fire demolished a large garment factory, killing more than a hundred and leaving at least 200 injured. From the start, the Bangladeshi chapter of the Catholic charity helped survivors through care and rehabilitation. Hence, 104 people were able to get back on their feet through, among other things, courses in sewing and animal husbandry.

The country's highest court calls for an end to the scourge of selective abortion and female foeticide, product of a patriarchal mind-set. Judges want stronger policies to stop the declining female birth rate. In some states, the sex ratio can be as low as 800-900 baby girls per 1,000 baby boys.

Led by Maoists, a group of 22 Nepali political parties protest Narendra Modi's decision to speak to the faithful at Nepal's Ramjanaki temple because people "fought for years to have a secular federal republic" against those who "interfere with our new Republican Constitution."