Asia

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  15 February 2018
  ASIA/ISRAEL - The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem say no to the taxation of ecclesiastical properties Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - The intention declared by the municipality of Jerusalem to impose municipal taxes on Church properties "contradicts the historical position between Churches and civil authorities over the cent ...
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  14 February 2018
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Indonesian Catholics between Lent and Lunar New Year Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The Archdiocese of Pontianak (in Indonesian Borneo) has given dispensation from abstinence from meat and fasting on 16 Feb 2018 in view of the Lunar New Year to Chinese Catholics. The Archdioces ...
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  14 February 2018
  ASIA/LEBANON - Christian and Muslim leaders discuss the bill against early marriages Kaslik (Agenzia Fides) - The different religious communities are called to confront themselves and to promote a reflection to review their own customs and community rules if they want to concretely contribute to overcomi ...
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  13 February 2018
  ASIA/TURKEY - A decree provides for the complete restitution of 30 ecclesiastical assets to the Syriac Orthodox Church Mardin (Agenzia Fides) - A decree has ordered the full restitution of ecclesiastical assets scattered in the Mardin region to the Syriac Orthodox Church and that in 2017 had been placed under the control of Turkish publi ...
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  13 February 2018
  ASIA/INDIA - New health system: big announcement, but not very feasible New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - The recent announcement of the federal government on the new health system for 2018 - the largest health insurance project ever proposed in the world - could be "just a big announcement, but n ...
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  13 February 2018
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Education and a renewed mentality, key factors for the development of Christians Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - "Education is the only way to emancipate the Christian community in Pakistan. A change of mentality is urgent; too many young people do nothing but replace their parents who work as street or sew ...
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  12 February 2018
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Free medical assistance and home visits for patients in Okara and Sahiwal Okara (Agenzia Fides) - On Sunday 11 February the 26th World Day of the Sick was celebrated all over the world. In Pakistan the event was particularly felt in the two districts of Okara and Sahiwal, diocese of Islamabad, ...
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  12 February 2018
  ASIA/LEBANON - Desecrators of a statue of Mary "condemned" to memorize verses from the Quran’s Al-Omran surah on the Mother of Jesus Akkar (Agenzia Fides) - A Lebanese judge ordered two Muslim young men who insulted Christianity to memorize verses from the Quran’s Al-Omran surah which glorifies Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. The sentence, ordered by ...
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  12 February 2018
  ASIA/INDIA - The Bishops on the future of India: "No to religious nationalism, it is urgent to defend life" Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic faith came to India thanks to great saints and apostles such as St. Thomas and St. Francis Xavier, and "India is what it is today, thanks to Christianity". Today the nation is cal ...
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  12 February 2018
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Christians remember Asma Jahangir, voice for human rights and religious freedom Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - Pakistan is mourning: Asma Jilani Jahangir, a well-known Muslim lawyer and Pakistani activist, committed to the protection of human rights, died yesterday, 11 February in Lahore following a cardi ...
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  12 February 2018
  ASIA/INDONESIA - Attack on a church: is extremism threatening Christians? Yogyakarta (Agenzia Fides) - Fear and consternation in the Indonesian Catholic community after the attack suffered yesterday, 11 February, during Sunday Mass in the church of San Lidwina, in the district of Selman, near ...
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  9 February 2018
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Archbishop Arshad: "My dream for Pakistan: peace and harmony" Islamabad (Agenzia Fides) - "My dream for the Church and for all of Pakistan is that people can live in peace, harmony and hope. Peace and hope are the words of my episcopal motto: these are two essential and necessary v ...
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  9 February 2018
  ASIA/INDIA - Indian Bishops are on the Dalits side Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) - The Indian Bishops, gathered in Bangalore for the assembly of the Indian Bishops' Conference (which brings together the Pastors of the Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara rites) have reaffi ...
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  30 January 2018
  ASIA/EAST TIMOR - Early elections to end political impasse: the people appreciate Dili (Agenzia Fides) - Early elections in East Timor is the solution announced by the President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres, to end the political impasse in the country. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, in fact, was ...
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  30 January 2018
  ASIA/INDIA - Civil society: "The government must stop hate crimes against minorities" New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - "Deep concern for the continuous episodes of senseless violence in the country, especially those that target minorities", and also "for the weak response of law enforcement agencies and instit ...