News

• 30 September 2004
  AFRICA - World Food Programme warns: 2 million people in 3 southern African countries face food emergency early next year Rome (Fides Service) - The World Food Programme has appealed for 78 million US dollars to guarantee emergency food aid to about 2 million people in Lesotho, Malawi and Swaziland, three small nations in southern Africa. A ...
• 30 September 2004
  AMERICA/MEXICO - Prayers, festivities, sharing, testimony: 16 October Eucharist Day for Youth in Americas Square in Guadalajara Mexico City (Fides Service) - As the date of the 48th International Eucharistic Congress approaches (10-17 October) last minute touches are being given to initiatives and preparations. According to the organising committ ...
• 30 September 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - Not only bombs and violence. Local Catholic priest tells another story Baghdad (Fides Service)- Father Nizar, who returned to Iraq a month ago, describes the local situation : “Life is difficult but we keep hoping that the future will be better. The first problem is lack of security, the ...
• 30 September 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Info: victims of blasphemy law Lahore (Fides Service) - There is a long gallery of victims who have suffered in recent years after being falsely accused of blasphemy. The law is often abused to punish an adversary or enemy, for political or economic r ...
• 30 September 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - The Church in Pakistan calls on president Musharraf, today received in audience by the Pope, to abolish the blasphemy law, which is unjust and discriminates against minorities. Bishops’ Justice and Peace Commission denounces situation in ample document sent to Fides Lahore (Fides Service) - For some time now the Catholic Church in Pakistan has been asking the government to abolish the Blasphemy Law which is ‘unfair, evil and abused to discriminate against non Muslim minorities and ...
• 30 September 2004
  ASIA - Dengue warning: in Malaysia more 8.000 infections and 38 deaths this year; in Singapore 5,248 cases, 48% more than same period last year Rome (Fides Service) - Since January this year 8,273 people in Malaysia were infected by Dengue and 38 of the died. More than 360 people were infected by the haemorrhagic variant, which can be lethal. Although the numb ...
• 30 September 2004
  AFRICA/LIBERIA - UNHCR starts repatriation of 340,000 Liberians. The largest repatriation programme as yet Rome (Fides Service)- A three-year programme to help the return to Liberia of about 340,000 refugees, who fled the country because of 14 years of civil war, starts on Friday 1 October. This is the largest such programme ...
• 29 September 2004
  INDIA - Bishop Vincent Barwa appointed Auxiliary of Ranchi Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has, 29 September 2004, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi, India, Bishop Vincent Barwa, until now Bishop of Purea. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 29/9/2004; Rig ...
• 29 September 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - These barbarians will not stop the birth of a new Iraq. Testimony from northern Iraq: “All the hostages must be released and the humanitarian organisations must come back to help Iraq and its people rise again” Baghdad (Fides Service)- “The good news that the hostages Simona Pari and Simona Torretta are free comes to join other positive facts in Iraq which are however overshadowed by facts of violence” Father Nizar Semaan, ...
• 29 September 2004
  VATICAN - “The Communications Media at the service of Understanding between Peoples”: Pope John Paul II has chosen the theme of the Church’s 2005 World Communications Day Vatican City (Fides Service) - Presenting the theme chosen by Pope John Paul II for World Communications Day 2005 “The Communications Media at the service of Understanding between Peoples” Archbishop John P. Foley, P ...
• 29 September 2004
  EUROPE/FRANCE - “Round the world prayer” touches all latitudes on World Mission Day Lyons (Fides Service) - Once again this year on the occasion of World Mission Day, the Pontifical Mission Societies in France have invited PMS offices all over the world to join in a “round the world prayer” to live ...
• 29 September 2004
  EUROPE/ENGLAND - Presidents of Europe’s Bishops’ Conferences discuss role of Christianity and the Church in present-day Europe, urgent ethical questions and World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne Leeds - (Fides Service) - The Presidents of the 34 Episcopal Conferences that make up the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) are to meet in Leeds, England, at the invitation of Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Co ...
• 29 September 2004
  EUROPE/ITALY - Freshly committed to being “witnesses of hope” Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate conclude 34th General Chapter Rome (Fides Service) - The Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate closed their 34° General Chapter yesterday freshly committed to being “witnesses of hope” witnesses of Christ evangelising the poor in keeping with ...
• 29 September 2004
  VATICAN - The Pope’s teaching at the general audience: “Beauty must be combined with goodness and holiness of life so that the face of God wonderful and just, will shine resplendently in the world.” Vatican City (Fides Service) - This morning Pope John Paul II returned to Rome from his Summer residence in Castel Gandolfo and the first event on his schedule was the general audience for visitors gathered in St Peter� ...
• 29 September 2004
  AFRICA/NIGERIA - Niger Delta twixt oil and Ijaw claims Lagos (Fides Service)- The leader of a Nigerian rebel group which threaten to sabotage oil production in Niger Delta is in Abuja, capital of Nigeria, for talks with the government. Mujahid Dokubo Asari, leader “Nige ...