South East Asia

More than a thousand people gather in Ho Chi Minh City’s cathedral on the seventh anniversary of the prelate’s death, which is also the second anniversary of the beginning of his beatification process. An exemplary bishop, he spent 13 years in prison without trial.

A Catholic school in Mindanao offers Christian, Muslim and Lumad kids a chance to study religion comprehensively and to share in each other’s customs and traditions to cleanse their mind of hatred and ignorance caused by 40 years of war.

Police in Jakarta is maintaining a high level of alert following the announcement that al-Qaeda’s chief in South-East Asia is dead. His father-in-law Bahrudin Latif and the man who recruited the suicide bomber who blew up the Marriott Hotel in August are among the possible successors of the Malaysian-born Islamic extremist.

Wave of persecution against Protestants in particular, accused of being a "threat" to the government because they adhere to foreign faiths. Children denied school and families denied water, believers treated like pariahs and chased from the village. Among the causes, the economic support of authoritarian states.

The local executive fails to sign the rule based on Islamic law, until they “set the criteria for its application”. The parliament of the autonomous province passed a law which provides for stoning for adulterers and harsh corporal punishment for conduct contrary to Shariah. Concern and criticism of the central government and members of civil society, threats from the ulema.

In her visit to Turkey, Filipino President Arroyo urges Islamic countries to contribute to the peace process in Mindanao. In the meantime, the Bishop-Ulama Forum is working on the annual “Week of Peace”, and views the mobilisation of the population as the best path to end the conflict.

Overnight a special security unit attacked a hideout used by Islamic extremists. Two terrorists involved in the attack hotels in Jakarta killed, weapons and bombs seized. The police will not confirm or deny the death of the Malaysian terrorist top of the list of wanted persons.

Another case of conflict over church land in a village in the diocese of Hue. Local Vietnamese prefer police intervention to dialogue to resolve the problem.

This is confirmed by the head of the Indonesian police. Noordin Mohammad Top, the most wanted terrorist, was killed last night in a raid by security forces in Central Java. He was the mind of several attacks in the country.

This year more than 200,000 Filipinos working abroad have lost their job. A Catholic mechanical engineer tells his story of joblessness, urging others to live the adversity caused by the economic downturn with faith and hope.

Dili has rich oil and mining opportunities to offer. China can help the small nation’s urban and economic development and provide food aid as part of a strategy to strengthen ties between the two nations.

Autopsies show that the seasonal flu virus is different and causes "deep" lung infections. United States and China are planning mass vaccinations.