As the mid-term elections of 12th May approach, a group including former judges and bishops has appealed to the Supreme Court - “the last bastion of democracy” - for intervention against the division of public offices among clans. The ban is in the 1987 Constitution, but Congress has never legislated. The petitioners: ‘An anti-dynasty law must be passed’. The Marcos and Duterte families are the tip of the iceberg of a system.
Bishop Valan Arasu reports the incident to AsiaNews. The faithful, a group of 50 tribal people, a priest and two nuns were visiting some parishes in the diocese. The extremists attacked them twice and tried to denounce the priest for ‘forced conversion’. The intervention of the agents to protect the pilgrims.
Tensions are growing between the president of the Caucasian republic and Moscow. The main reason for the disagreement is said to be information from the FSB services about the frequent negotiations not agreed with the Kremlin between Kadyrov, who has been ill for some time, and the monarchies of the Golgo to determine the future of his assets and the security of his family members.
Travel remains difficult with people still gripped by fear after Friday’s devastating quake in the country’s central regions. In addition to the aftershocks, people face ongoing military operations. “It's like shooting a wounded person,” said Sister Valentina Pozzi, the mother superior of the institute founded by Fr Carlo Salerio, which today has 380 local members. “It is a miracle that there were no victims among the sisters we were able to contact,” she told AsiaNews.
In Varanasi, the celebrations for the end of Ramadan are blocked due to closures related to a Hindu holiday. Meat, fish and poultry shops have had to close; only a few vegetarian markets are available. Protests also break out in Meerut over the ban on street praying.
Pope Francis has approved his canonisation, together with that of Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan, killed in the Armenian genocide. A lay catechist, To Rot was killed in 1945 for defending marriage against the Japanese who, in order to ingratiate themselves with local tribes, promoted polygamy.
