From Sri Lanka to Spain, this week’s selection of images submitted to Your View depict a wide range of religions. Buddhist Sri Lankans lit candles to mark Vesak Day to honor the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, whereas penitents in Spain marked Holy Week with a procession. View the Your View weekly showcase here.

S&P cut BNP Paribas’ long-term credit rating to AA-minus from AA as it revised France’s banking industry country risk assessment, or BICRA, to Group 2 from the lower-risk Group 1.”We see weaker economic prospects for Europe, including the peripheral countries to which some French banks are significantly exposed,” S&P said in a statement. “We expect lower earnings due to this more difficult environment and higher funding costs.”The ratings agency, which downgraded 10 Spanish banks two days ago, including giants Santander and BBVA, said it believes French banks will increase their capital ratios by 2013.”But until then we are placing more emphasis on their currently moderate capital positions in our ratings,” it said.Despite that, S&P affirmed the ratings of the other four largest French banks — BPCE, Credit Agricole , Credit Mutuel and Societe Generale — saying it expects extraordinary government support for them.The outlook on all five banks is stable, S&P said.

S&P cut BNP Paribas’ long-term credit rating to AA-minus from AA as it revised France’s banking industry country risk assessment, or BICRA, to Group 2 from the lower-risk Group 1.”We see weaker economic prospects for Europe, including the peripheral countries to which some French banks are significantly exposed,” S&P said in a statement. “We expect lower earnings due to this more difficult environment and higher funding costs.”The ratings agency, which downgraded 10 Spanish banks two days ago, including giants Santander and BBVA, said it believes French banks will increase their capital ratios by 2013.”But until then we are placing more emphasis on their currently moderate capital positions in our ratings,” it said.Despite that, S&P affirmed the ratings of the other four largest French banks — BPCE, Credit Agricole , Credit Mutuel and Societe Generale — saying it expects extraordinary government support for them.The outlook on all five banks is stable, S&P said.

Since receiving an IMF-EU bailout last year, Ireland has been praised for swiftly implementing austerity measures and recapitalising its banks, but property prices, which have fallen more than 50 percent in some areas, continue to slide.Ireland’s National Housing Development Survey said there were now 2,066 unfinished housing developments around the country, down from the 2,876 recorded last year.More than 7,000 dwellings on the estates that were vacant in 2010 are now occupied, but the survey did not say whether this was as a result of sales or rentals.Ireland’s junior minister for housing said only eight units in three separate estates had been cleared for demolition.”This is a last resort option. It’s on a case by case basis and ultimately they may have to be taken down for safety issues,” Willie Penrose told a news conference.”I believe one of the consequences though is that some of the residents in one particular area gained significantly because the land became an amenity.”