On the second day of his three-day visit, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-to-lead-huge-mass-for-bangladesh-catholics-25549">Pope Francis finally met Rohingya </a>refugees&nbsp;in Dhaka as he appealed for "a spirit of openness, acceptance and cooperation"&nbsp;

During the day, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-arrives-in-bangladesh-appeals-for-decisive-action-for-refugees-from-rakhine-state-25546">Pope Francis held an open-air mass</a>&nbsp;in a park in central Dhaka with around 100,000 Bangladeshi Catholics in attendance.

Francis is the first Pope to visit Bangladesh in 31 years, quite expectedly the crowd thronged to watch the Holy See with chants of "viva il papa" ("long live the Pope").

The Pope had arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday after spending three days in Myanmar to find ways and means to help solve the Rohingya crisis which has spiralled out of control in recent months.

Soon after arriving in Bangladesh the Pope met Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid.

In his speech, he praised Bangladesh's "spirit of generosity and solidarity" in helping "a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state".&nbsp;

The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, sidestepped using the term again in Bangladesh calling them "refugees".

He appealed to the international community to take decisive action to address the "grave crisis".&nbsp;

 
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During the day, Pope Francis held an open-air mass?in a park in central Dhaka

On the second day of his three-day visit, Pope Francis finally met Rohingya refugees in Dhaka as he appealed for "a spirit of openness, acceptance and cooperation" During the day, Pope Francis held an open-air mass in a park in central Dhaka with around 100,000 Bangladeshi Catholics in attendance. Francis is the first Pope to visit Bangladesh in 31 years, quite expectedly the crowd thronged to watch the Holy See with chants of "viva il papa" ("long live the Pope"). The Pope had arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday after spending three days in Myanmar to find ways and means to help solve the Rohingya crisis which has spiralled out of control in recent months. Soon after arriving in Bangladesh the Pope met Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. In his speech, he praised Bangladesh's "spirit of generosity and solidarity" in helping "a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state". The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, sidestepped using the term again in Bangladesh calling them "refugees". He appealed to the international community to take decisive action to address the "grave crisis".

Watch: Pope Francis meets Rohingya refugees in Dhaka

Pope&nbsp;Francis ordered his&nbsp;popemobile to stop on Thursday (January 18) after a mounted Chilean policewoman was thrown off her frightened horse, which had reared up as the pontiff passed by.

Francis stepped from his vehicle and waited several minutes on the pavement, at times talking to the woman, until an ambulance arrived to take her away.

She was not seriously injured, officials said.

Francis stepped from his vehicle and waited several minutes on the pavement, at times talking to the woman, until an ambulance arrived to take her away

Pope Francis ordered his popemobile to stop on Thursday (January 18) after a mounted Chilean policewoman was thrown off her frightened horse, which had reared up as the pontiff passed by. Francis stepped from his vehicle and waited several minutes on the pavement, at times talking to the woman, until an ambulance arrived to take her away. She was not seriously injured, officials said.

Watch: Pope stops popemobile to comfort fallen horseback policewoman

Pope Francis, in his annual &quot;state of the world&quot; address called on Monday for all nations to support dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to work for a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons.&nbsp;

In the speech, Francis also repeated his call for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians and respect for the &quot;status quo&quot; of Jerusalem following US.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump`s decision to recognize the city as Israel`s capital.&nbsp;

&quot;It is of paramount importance to support every effort at the dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current disputes, increasing mutual trust and ensuring a peaceful future for the Korean people and the entire world,&quot; Francis said.&nbsp;

The pope addressed envoys from more than 180 countries a day before North Korea and South Korea are due to hold talks expected to address North Korea&#39;s participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which some diplomats see as a possible opening for discussions on other topics such as humanitarian issues and divided families.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asserted that he had a nuclear button at the ready, Trump tweeted that the US button was bigger and more powerful.&nbsp;

&quot;Nuclear weapons must be banned,&quot; Francis said, quoting a document issued by Pope John XXIII at the height of the Cold War and adding that there is &quot;no denying that the conflagration could be started by some chance and unforeseen circumstance&quot;.&nbsp;

Noting that the Holy See was among 122 states that last year agreed a United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons, he called for a &quot;serene and wide-ranging debate&quot; on disarmament.&nbsp;

The United States, Britain, France and others boycotted the talks that led to the treaty, instead pledging commitment to a decades-old Non-Proliferation Treaty.&nbsp;

At the individual greetings after the speech, Francis spent more time chatting with South Korea`s envoy, Jonghyun Jeong, than with most other diplomats.&nbsp;

Washington&#39;s new ambassador to the Vatican, Callista Gingrich, attended along with her husband, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich.&nbsp;

Addressing climate change, Francis called for a &quot;united effort&quot; to remain committed to the 2015 Paris accord on reducing carbon emissions. French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to breathe new life into the agreement after Trump announced that the United States would withdraw.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Francis, who has made the defence of migrants and refugees a major plank of his pontificate, warned against &quot;stirring up primal fears&quot; of newcomers.&nbsp;

&quot;There is a need, then, to abandon the familiar rhetoric and start from the essential consideration that we are dealing, above all, with persons,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Migration has become a top political issue in countries including the United States, Italy and Germany.

At the individual greetings after the speech, Francis spent more time chatting with South Korea`s envoy, Jonghyun Jeong, than with most other diplomats.

Pope Francis, in his annual "state of the world" address called on Monday for all nations to support dialogue to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula and to work for a legally binding ban on nuclear weapons. In the speech, Francis also repeated his call for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians and respect for the "status quo" of Jerusalem following US. President Donald Trump`s decision to recognize the city as Israel`s capital. "It is of paramount importance to support every effort at the dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current disputes, increasing mutual trust and ensuring a peaceful future for the Korean people and the entire world," Francis said. The pope addressed envoys from more than 180 countries a day before North Korea and South Korea are due to hold talks expected to address North Korea's participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which some diplomats see as a possible opening for discussions on other topics such as humanitarian issues and divided families. Earlier this month, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, asserted that he had a nuclear button at the ready, Trump tweeted that the US button was bigger and more powerful. "Nuclear weapons must be banned," Francis said, quoting a document issued by Pope John XXIII at the height of the Cold War and adding that there is "no denying that the conflagration could be started by some chance and unforeseen circumstance". Noting that the Holy See was among 122 states that last year agreed a United Nations treaty to ban nuclear weapons, he called for a "serene and wide-ranging debate" on disarmament. The United States, Britain, France and others boycotted the talks that led to the treaty, instead pledging commitment to a decades-old Non-Proliferation Treaty. At the individual greetings after the speech, Francis spent more time chatting with South Korea`s envoy, Jonghyun Jeong, than with most other diplomats. Washington's new ambassador to the Vatican, Callista Gingrich, attended along with her husband, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. Addressing climate change, Francis called for a "united effort" to remain committed to the 2015 Paris accord on reducing carbon emissions. French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to breathe new life into the agreement after Trump announced that the United States would withdraw. Francis, who has made the defence of migrants and refugees a major plank of his pontificate, warned against "stirring up primal fears" of newcomers. "There is a need, then, to abandon the familiar rhetoric and start from the essential consideration that we are dealing, above all, with persons," he said. Migration has become a top political issue in countries including the United States, Italy and Germany.

In 'State of World' speech, Pope urges dialogue in Korea, nuclear ban

Pope Francis in his year-end message said that 2017 had been marred by war, lies and injustice, and he urged people to take responsibility for their actions.

At his last public event of the year, an evening vespers service in St. Peter&#39;s Basilica, the pontiff said that humanity had &quot;wasted and wounded&quot; the year &quot;in many ways with works of death, with lies and injustices&quot;.

While war was the most obvious sign of &quot;unrepentant and absurd pride&quot;, many other transgressions had caused &quot;human, social and environmental degradation&quot;.

&quot;We must take responsibility for everything before God, our brothers and our creation,&quot; he said.

While the pope did not mention any specific events from 2017, he had made his voice heard on many of the world&#39;s biggest issues over the course of the year.

In April, Francis condemned the &quot;unacceptable massacre&quot; of innocent civilians in a chemical weapons attack in Syria. Just a month ago, he visited Myanmar, where more than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have been forced from their homes and into neighbouring Bangladesh, speaking with authorities in an attempt to mitigate the crisis.

The pope also sought to encourage peace in Colombia during a trip in September and lobbied U.S. President Donald Trump to address climate change issues in May. Amid heightening tensions between North Korea and the West, Francis expressed concern about nuclear arsenals.

At the end of the service, Francis walked across St. Peter&#39;s Square, stopping to shake hands and pose for pictures, as he paid a brief visit to the life-size nativity set up outside.

On January 1, the leader of the world&#39;s 1.2 billion Catholics will say a Mass to mark the Church&#39;s World Day of Peace.

At his last public event of the year, an evening vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica, the pontiff said that humanity had "wasted and wounded" the year "in many ways with works of death, with lies and injustices".

Pope Francis in his year-end message said that 2017 had been marred by war, lies and injustice, and he urged people to take responsibility for their actions. At his last public event of the year, an evening vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica, the pontiff said that humanity had "wasted and wounded" the year "in many ways with works of death, with lies and injustices". While war was the most obvious sign of "unrepentant and absurd pride", many other transgressions had caused "human, social and environmental degradation". "We must take responsibility for everything before God, our brothers and our creation," he said. While the pope did not mention any specific events from 2017, he had made his voice heard on many of the world's biggest issues over the course of the year. In April, Francis condemned the "unacceptable massacre" of innocent civilians in a chemical weapons attack in Syria. Just a month ago, he visited Myanmar, where more than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have been forced from their homes and into neighbouring Bangladesh, speaking with authorities in an attempt to mitigate the crisis. The pope also sought to encourage peace in Colombia during a trip in September and lobbied U.S. President Donald Trump to address climate change issues in May. Amid heightening tensions between North Korea and the West, Francis expressed concern about nuclear arsenals. At the end of the service, Francis walked across St. Peter's Square, stopping to shake hands and pose for pictures, as he paid a brief visit to the life-size nativity set up outside. On January 1, the leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics will say a Mass to mark the Church's World Day of Peace.

Pope, in year-end message, says 2017 was marred by war and lies

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-to-inaugurate-metros-magenta-line-today-with-yogi-adityanath-delhi-cm-kejriwal-not-invited-27625" target="_blank">PM&nbsp;Modi to inaugurate Metro&#39;s Magenta Line today with Yogi Adityanath, Delhi CM Kejriwal not invited</a>

The new 12.64-km route -- from Delhi&#39;s Kalkaji Mandir to Noida&#39;s Botanical Garden -- is expected to cut travel time from south Delhi to Noida by as much as 40 minutes.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kulbhushan-jadhav-to-meet-his-wife-mother-later-today-27627">Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet wife, mother today</a>

Jadhav faces alleged charges of espionage, terrorist and sabotage activities.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rk-nagar-win-for-dinakaran-aiadmk-alleges-tacit-understanding-with-dmk-27622">RK Nagar win for Dinakaran: AIADMK alleges &#39;tacit understanding&#39; with DMK</a>

TTV Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by over 40,000 votes.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-pleads-for-migrants-at-christmas-mass-27619">Pope pleads for migrants &#39;driven from their land&#39; by leaders willing to shed &#39;innocent blood&#39;</a>

Francis was speaking at his Christmas eve mass at Saint Peter&#39;s Basilica in the Vatican.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/president-morales-decides-to-move-guatemalas-embassy-to-jerusalem-27617">Guatemala to move embassy to Jerusalem</a>

Jimmy Morales, president of Guatemala, has become the first leader to back US President Donald Trump&#39;s change of stance on Jerusalem.

&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Delhi Metro's Magenta Line today

PM Modi to inaugurate Metro's Magenta Line today with Yogi Adityanath, Delhi CM Kejriwal not invited The new 12.64-km route -- from Delhi's Kalkaji Mandir to Noida's Botanical Garden -- is expected to cut travel time from south Delhi to Noida by as much as 40 minutes. Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet wife, mother today Jadhav faces alleged charges of espionage, terrorist and sabotage activities. RK Nagar win for Dinakaran: AIADMK alleges 'tacit understanding' with DMK TTV Dhinakaran, the nephew of jailed leader VK Sasikala, trounced his nearest rival E Madhusudhanan of the ruling AIADMK by over 40,000 votes. Pope pleads for migrants 'driven from their land' by leaders willing to shed 'innocent blood' Francis was speaking at his Christmas eve mass at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Guatemala to move embassy to Jerusalem Jimmy Morales, president of Guatemala, has become the first leader to back US President Donald Trump's change of stance on Jerusalem.

WION morning news brief, December 25, 2017

Pope Francis in his Christmas eve mass Sunday urged the world&#39;s 1.3 billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants who are &quot;driven from their land&quot; because of leaders willing to shed &quot;innocent blood&quot;.

&quot;So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary,&quot; the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers in Saint Peter&#39;s Basilica

&quot;We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones.&quot;

Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders &quot;who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood&quot;, said the 81-year-old, who will give his traditional &quot;Urbi et Orbi&quot; Christmas address on Monday.

The pontiff&#39;s plea for &quot;hope&quot; came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following Washington&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The announcement by US President Donald Trump on December 6 unleashed demonstrators and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus at a midnight mass.

Less tourists in Bethlehem

Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem on Sunday, but many tourists stayed away this year.

Hundreds of people gathered in the cold on Bethlehem&#39;s Manger square to watch the annual scout parade towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus.

But the square was noticeably quieter following the violence between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army in the past weeks.

Twelve Palestinians have been killed since Trump&#39;s declaration, including a 19-year-old who died of his wounds on Sunday nine days after he was shot during a Gaza protest.

In the square, Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur, near Bethlehem, said Trump&#39;s decision had made the run-up to Christmas &quot;miserable&quot;.

&quot;People are only going out to vent,&quot; she said.

Reinforced troops

Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two percent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Church of the Nativity Sunday afternoon.

He said last week that &quot;dozens&quot; of foreign visitors had cancelled their Christmas trips after Trump&#39;s announcement.

But Israel&#39;s tourism ministry said Christmas preparations have not been affected, and it expects a 20 percent increase in the number of Christian pilgrims this year compared with 2016.

An Israeli police spokesman said extra units would be deployed in Jerusalem and at the crossings to Bethlehem to ease the access for the &quot;thousands of tourists and visitors&quot;.

And the Israeli army officer in charge of the Bethlehem area said that while tensions had been high in the area following the Jerusalem announcement, he did not expect trouble on Christmas.

&quot;We&#39;ve reinforced our troops, and are ready for any scenario,&quot; Lieutenant Colonel Benny Meir told AFP.

Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community.

Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and interpreted Trump&#39;s statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump&#39;s decision meant that any peace plan proposed by the United States will be no longer acceptable.

Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told AFP on Sunday that Christmas this year is a &quot;mix of sadness and joy&quot; because of the US decision on Jerusalem, which he called &quot;the beating heart of Palestine&quot;.

Christmas in Mosul

In neighbouring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017.

Christmas decorations have meanwhile become more visible in Christian areas of Syria&#39;s capital Damascus this year.

In the central Syrian city of Homs, Christians will celebrate Christmas with great fanfare for the first time in years after the end of battles between regime and rebel forces, with processions, shows for children and even decorations among the ruins.

In Iraq too, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul.

Hymns filled a Mosul church on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city&#39;s recapture from the Islamic State group in July.

Muslims stood alongside Christian worshippers amid the candles and Christmas trees at St Paul&#39;s Church in Mosul.

Francis was speaking at his Christmas eve mass at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican

Pope Francis in his Christmas eve mass Sunday urged the world's 1.3 billion Catholics not to ignore the plight of migrants who are "driven from their land" because of leaders willing to shed "innocent blood". "So many other footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of Joseph and Mary," the Argentine pontiff, himself the grandson of Italian migrants, told worshippers in Saint Peter's Basilica "We see the tracks of millions of persons who do not choose to go away but, driven from their land, leave behind their dear ones." Many engulfed in the ongoing migration crisis were forced to flee from leaders "who, to impose their power and increase their wealth, see no problem in shedding innocent blood", said the 81-year-old, who will give his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Christmas address on Monday. The pontiff's plea for "hope" came as fresh tensions simmered in the West Bank following Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The announcement by US President Donald Trump on December 6 unleashed demonstrators and clashes, including in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus at a midnight mass. Less tourists in Bethlehem Palestinian scouts played drums and bagpipes at Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem on Sunday, but many tourists stayed away this year. Hundreds of people gathered in the cold on Bethlehem's Manger square to watch the annual scout parade towards the Church of the Nativity, built over the spot where tradition says Mary gave birth to Jesus. But the square was noticeably quieter following the violence between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army in the past weeks. Twelve Palestinians have been killed since Trump's declaration, including a 19-year-old who died of his wounds on Sunday nine days after he was shot during a Gaza protest. In the square, Nahil Banura, a Christian woman from Beit Sahur, near Bethlehem, said Trump's decision had made the run-up to Christmas "miserable". "People are only going out to vent," she said. Reinforced troops Perhaps as few as 50,000 Palestinian Christians make up just around two percent of the predominantly Muslim population of the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, visited the Church of the Nativity Sunday afternoon. He said last week that "dozens" of foreign visitors had cancelled their Christmas trips after Trump's announcement. But Israel's tourism ministry said Christmas preparations have not been affected, and it expects a 20 percent increase in the number of Christian pilgrims this year compared with 2016. An Israeli police spokesman said extra units would be deployed in Jerusalem and at the crossings to Bethlehem to ease the access for the "thousands of tourists and visitors". And the Israeli army officer in charge of the Bethlehem area said that while tensions had been high in the area following the Jerusalem announcement, he did not expect trouble on Christmas. "We've reinforced our troops, and are ready for any scenario," Lieutenant Colonel Benny Meir told AFP. Israel seized east Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, in moves never recognised by the international community. Palestinians view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and interpreted Trump's statement as rejecting their right to a capital in east Jerusalem, although the Americans deny this. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said Trump's decision meant that any peace plan proposed by the United States will be no longer acceptable. Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, told AFP on Sunday that Christmas this year is a "mix of sadness and joy" because of the US decision on Jerusalem, which he called "the beating heart of Palestine". Christmas in Mosul In neighbouring Egypt, Coptic Christians who celebrate Christmas on January 6 saw a church in Giza attacked by a mob following Muslim prayers on Friday, the latest in some 20 such incidents in 2017. Christmas decorations have meanwhile become more visible in Christian areas of Syria's capital Damascus this year. In the central Syrian city of Homs, Christians will celebrate Christmas with great fanfare for the first time in years after the end of battles between regime and rebel forces, with processions, shows for children and even decorations among the ruins. In Iraq too, this year marks a positive turning point for the Christian community in the northern city of Mosul. Hymns filled a Mosul church on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas for the first time in four years after the city's recapture from the Islamic State group in July. Muslims stood alongside Christian worshippers amid the candles and Christmas trees at St Paul's Church in Mosul.

Pope pleads for migrants 'driven from their land' by leaders willing to shed 'innocent blood'

Pope Francis celebrated his 81st birthday on Sunday with a massive crowd who gathered around the&nbsp;Saint Peter&#39;s Square and sang happy birthday.&nbsp;

The celebration took place on Sunday morning where twenty-five thousand children and pilgrims from many lands came to wish him, children carried balloons and bought&nbsp;statues of the infant Jesus for him to bless, as per Roman traditions.&nbsp;

The celebrations&nbsp;were followed by lunch and cake cutting ceremony.&nbsp;

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Pope Francis looking at children holding balloons shaped in the number 81 (AFP)
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The cake&nbsp;was made by&nbsp;Mauro Pallotta, famously known as&nbsp;MauPal&nbsp;- who is an Italian graffiti artist.&nbsp;

The cake is designed&nbsp;with a picture of the pope carrying the world on his shoulders.&nbsp;

The pear and cinnamon delight shows Francis in his white cassock, holding up with one hand the world, which is divided in two but stitched back together - a symbol of the pope&#39;s unifying force, Rome pastry maker Hedera said.

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The cake is decorated with a drawing of Italian street artist Mauro Pallotta a.k.a Maupal (AFP)
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Numerous children from &quot;Dispensario Santa Marta&quot;, a Vatican pediatric clinic gathered around Francis during lunch - the feast included pizzas which were decorated with candles.

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Pope Francis blowing a candle on a pizza for his 81st birthday with children assisted by &quot;Dispensario Santa Marta&quot;. (AFP)
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&quot;Be always joyful, even when things don&#39;t go as we wish they would,&quot; the pope said during the Angelus prayer.

&quot;When children see problems at home, parents that fight, they suffer. Don&#39;t make them sad. They must always grow up with joy,&quot; he said as he met disadvantaged youngsters looked after by a Vatican foundation.

The pope&#39;s birthday this year falls on Gaudete Sunday, which the church marks as a moment of particular joy as celebrations for the birth of Jesus Christ approach.

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The pope's birthday this year falls on Gaudete Sunday, which the church marks as a moment of particular joy as celebrations for the birth of Jesus Christ approach

Pope Francis celebrated his 81st birthday on Sunday with a massive crowd who gathered around the Saint Peter's Square and sang happy birthday. The celebration took place on Sunday morning where twenty-five thousand children and pilgrims from many lands came to wish him, children carried balloons and bought statues of the infant Jesus for him to bless, as per Roman traditions. The celebrations were followed by lunch and cake cutting ceremony. Pope Francis looking at children holding balloons shaped in the number 81 (AFP) × The cake was made by Mauro Pallotta, famously known as MauPal - who is an Italian graffiti artist. The cake is designed with a picture of the pope carrying the world on his shoulders. The pear and cinnamon delight shows Francis in his white cassock, holding up with one hand the world, which is divided in two but stitched back together - a symbol of the pope's unifying force, Rome pastry maker Hedera said. The cake is decorated with a drawing of Italian street artist Mauro Pallotta a.k.a Maupal (AFP) × Numerous children from "Dispensario Santa Marta", a Vatican pediatric clinic gathered around Francis during lunch - the feast included pizzas which were decorated with candles. Pope Francis blowing a candle on a pizza for his 81st birthday with children assisted by "Dispensario Santa Marta". (AFP) × "Be always joyful, even when things don't go as we wish they would," the pope said during the Angelus prayer. "When children see problems at home, parents that fight, they suffer. Don't make them sad. They must always grow up with joy," he said as he met disadvantaged youngsters looked after by a Vatican foundation. The pope's birthday this year falls on Gaudete Sunday, which the church marks as a moment of particular joy as celebrations for the birth of Jesus Christ approach.

Inside Pope Francis' 81st birthday celebrations - cake, balloons, and pizzas!

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/shashi-kapoor-passes-away-at-79-25844" target="_blank">Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor passes away at 79</a>

Veteran Bollywood superstar Shashi Kapoor died aged 79 on Monday. The actor&#39;s death has left the cinema industry and his family in a state of shock.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/repeatedly-said-charges-against-me-fabricated-and-baseless-mallya-25834" target="_blank">Repeatedly said charges against me fabricated and baseless: Mallya</a>

Liquor baron&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/vijay-mallya-arrested-in-london-appears-in-court-granted-bail-20957">Vijay Mallya appeared in London&#39;s&nbsp;</a>Westminster court today and declared that charges against him were &quot;false, fabricated and baseless&quot; as India continues to push for former Kingfisher chief&#39;s extradition.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-explains-why-he-did-not-say-rohingya-25787" target="_blank">Pope explains why he did not say &#39;Rohingya&#39;</a>

Pope Francis on Saturday explained why he had avoided the use of the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; on the first leg of his trip in Myanmar. The pontiff said he knew that had he used the word in official speeches, Myanmar&#39;s military leaders would have &quot;closed the door in our faces&quot; and that he wanted to be allowed to go &quot;further in the private meetings.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/asurya-prakash-re-appointed-as-chairman-of-prasar-bharti-25825" target="_blank">A.Surya Prakash takes charge as chairman of Prasar Bharti</a>

A.Surya Prakash has been re-appointed as the chairman of the public broadcaster Prasar Bharti. He took charge of the post from today.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/yemen-president-orders-forces-to-retake-sanaa-as-saudi-planes-continue-air-strikes-25839" target="_blank">Yemen president orders forces to retake Sanaa as Saudi planes continue air strikes</a>

Yemen&#39;s<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uae-denies-yemens-houthis-fired-missile-at-abu-dhabi-nuclear-reactor-25768">&nbsp;PM Ahmad Obaid bin Daghr said the</a>&nbsp;government will &quot;grant amnesty&quot;&nbsp;to all those all nationals who cut ties with rebels even as the president ordered forces to retake the capital city Sanaa.&nbsp;

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Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor passes away at 79 Veteran Bollywood superstar Shashi Kapoor died aged 79 on Monday. The actor's death has left the cinema industry and his family in a state of shock. Repeatedly said charges against me fabricated and baseless: Mallya Liquor baron Vijay Mallya appeared in London's Westminster court today and declared that charges against him were "false, fabricated and baseless" as India continues to push for former Kingfisher chief's extradition. Pope explains why he did not say 'Rohingya' Pope Francis on Saturday explained why he had avoided the use of the term "Rohingya" on the first leg of his trip in Myanmar. The pontiff said he knew that had he used the word in official speeches, Myanmar's military leaders would have "closed the door in our faces" and that he wanted to be allowed to go "further in the private meetings." A.Surya Prakash takes charge as chairman of Prasar Bharti A.Surya Prakash has been re-appointed as the chairman of the public broadcaster Prasar Bharti. He took charge of the post from today. Yemen president orders forces to retake Sanaa as Saudi planes continue air strikes Yemen's PM Ahmad Obaid bin Daghr said the government will "grant amnesty" to all those all nationals who cut ties with rebels even as the president ordered forces to retake the capital city Sanaa.

WION Evening News brief, 4 December 2017

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-police-arrests-terrorist-from-peshawar-linked-to-hafiz-saeeds-jud-25634">Police arrests terrorist from Peshawar linked to Hafiz Saeed&#39;s JuD</a>

 
In a major breakthrough, police have apprehended a Jama&#39;at-ud-Da&#39;wah(JuD)-linked terrorist Mohamad Amir also known as Abu Hamas.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-vigilant-security-before-the-fifa-world-cup-final-draw-25622">Watch: High security around Kremlin in Russia ahead of FIFA World Cup final draw</a>

 
The 21st FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament is scheduled to take place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/up-civic-poll-bjp-bags-9-out-of-10-seats-declared-leads-in-6-25635">UP civic poll: BJP bags 9 out of 10 seats declared, leads in 6</a>

In what has been dubbed as Yogi Adityanath&#39;s first big electoral test after assuming office as Uttar Pradesh chief minister, ruling BJP swept the Uttar Pradesh civic polls bagging nine of the ten mayoral seats for which results were declared till evening while leading in six others where the counting was in progress.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-newborn-declared-dead-by-hospital-found-alive-by-parents-25620">Newborn, declared dead by Delhi hospital, found alive by parents</a>

 
In a case of negligence, Max hospital Shalimar Bagh in Delhi has declared one of the twins dead while the baby was still alive. The parents of the child said they were about to bury the child when they found out that it was alive.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-to-lead-huge-mass-for-bangladesh-catholics-25549">Pope to lead huge mass for Bangladesh Catholics</a>

Pope Francis will lead an open-air mass Friday for around 100,000 Catholics in Bangladesh, which is grappling with a rise in Islamist extremism and a massive influx of Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.

Police arrests terrorist from Peshawar linked to Hafiz Saeed's JuD In a major breakthrough, police have apprehended a Jama'at-ud-Da'wah(JuD)-linked terrorist Mohamad Amir also known as Abu Hamas. Watch: High security around Kremlin in Russia ahead of FIFA World Cup final draw The 21st FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament is scheduled to take place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018. UP civic poll: BJP bags 9 out of 10 seats declared, leads in 6 In what has been dubbed as Yogi Adityanath's first big electoral test after assuming office as Uttar Pradesh chief minister, ruling BJP swept the Uttar Pradesh civic polls bagging nine of the ten mayoral seats for which results were declared till evening while leading in six others where the counting was in progress. Newborn, declared dead by Delhi hospital, found alive by parents In a case of negligence, Max hospital Shalimar Bagh in Delhi has declared one of the twins dead while the baby was still alive. The parents of the child said they were about to bury the child when they found out that it was alive. Pope to lead huge mass for Bangladesh Catholics Pope Francis will lead an open-air mass Friday for around 100,000 Catholics in Bangladesh, which is grappling with a rise in Islamist extremism and a massive influx of Rohingya refugees from neighbouring Myanmar.

WION Evening News Brief, December 1, 2017

After spending three days in Myanmar, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-addresses-myanmars-buddhist-monks-avoids-using-the-term-rohingya-again-25447">Pope Francis arrived in Bangladesh today</a> to find a peaceful solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis which has created deep fissures between the Asian neighbours.

The Pope who has avoided <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bangladesh-priest-disappearance-casts-pall-over-pope-visit-25448">using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; so far </a>during his visit to Asia, spoke of &quot;refugees from Rakhine state&quot; as he arrived in Bangladesh.

In his speech before Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, the Pope praised Bangladesh&#39;s &quot;spirit of generosity and solidarity&quot; in helping &quot;a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;It is imperative that the international community take decisive measures to address this grave crisis,&quot; he added.

The appealed to everyone involved in the crisis to help offer&nbsp;&quot;immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;None of us can fail to be aware of the gravity of the situation, the immense toll of human suffering involved, and the precarious living conditions of so many of our brothers and sisters, a majority of whom are women and children, crowded in the refugee camps,&quot; he said.

Francis who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh is the first pope to visit the country in 31 years.&nbsp;

The Pope flew down from Myanmar after meeting the military chief and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi calling for calm even as the Rohingya refugees continued to pour into Bangladesh due to alleged atrocities against them in Rakhine state which has attracted worldwide condemnation.

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The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" so far during his visit to Asia, spoke of "refugees from Rakhine state" as he arrived in Bangladesh

After spending three days in Myanmar, Pope Francis arrived in Bangladesh today to find a peaceful solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis which has created deep fissures between the Asian neighbours. The Pope who has avoided using the term "Rohingya" so far during his visit to Asia, spoke of "refugees from Rakhine state" as he arrived in Bangladesh. In his speech before Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, the Pope praised Bangladesh's "spirit of generosity and solidarity" in helping "a massive influx of refugees from Rakhine state". "It is imperative that the international community take decisive measures to address this grave crisis," he added. The appealed to everyone involved in the crisis to help offer "immediate material assistance to Bangladesh in its effort to respond effectively to urgent human needs." "None of us can fail to be aware of the gravity of the situation, the immense toll of human suffering involved, and the precarious living conditions of so many of our brothers and sisters, a majority of whom are women and children, crowded in the refugee camps," he said. Francis who is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh is the first pope to visit the country in 31 years. The Pope flew down from Myanmar after meeting the military chief and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi calling for calm even as the Rohingya refugees continued to pour into Bangladesh due to alleged atrocities against them in Rakhine state which has attracted worldwide condemnation.

Pope arrives in Bangladesh, appeals for decisive action for 'refugees from Rakhine state'

Pope Francis addressed a gathering<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pope-francis-meets-aung-san-suu-kyi-as-rohingya-crisis-simmers-25346"> of Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist monks today </a>and urged them to &quot;surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred&quot;.

Pope Francis has avoided using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar&#39;s military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported.

Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis.

In his speech to the Buddhist monks the Pope said: &quot;If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred&quot;.

Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages.

The prayer in Karen read: &quot;For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord.&quot;

The Pope is on a four-day visit to Myanmar which has been racked by the Rohingya crisis and has been severely criticised the world over for it handling of the refugee issue.

The Pope had met Myanmar&#39;s military chief General Min Aung Hlaing and&nbsp;Nobel peace laureate&nbsp;Aung San Suu Kyi&nbsp;in the last two days and appealed for peace and calm amid the spiralling Rohingya crisis.

Reuters said&nbsp;Vatican sources feel the Pope&#39;s&nbsp;trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily.

Pope Francis will leave for Bangladesh on Thursday, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.

Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis.

Pope Francis addressed a gathering of Myanmar's Buddhist monks today and urged them to "surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred". Pope Francis has avoided using the term "Rohingya" during his visit to Myanmar, following the advice of Vatican insiders who feared it could set off a diplomatic incident and turn Myanmar's military and government against minority Christians, Reuters reported. Vatican insiders also feel hardline Buddhist monks could turn against the Pope and Christians living in Myanmar if the Pope pushes too hard on the Rohingya crisis. In his speech to the Buddhist monks the Pope said: "If we are to be united, as is our purpose, we need to surmount all forms of misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and hatred". Prayers were then read by members of the congregation in the Shan, Chin, Karen, Kachin and Kayan languages. The prayer in Karen read: "For the leaders of Myanmar, that they may always foster peace and reconciliation through dialogue and understanding, thus promoting an end to conflict in the states of Kachin, Rakhine, and Shan, we pray to the lord." The Pope is on a four-day visit to Myanmar which has been racked by the Rohingya crisis and has been severely criticised the world over for it handling of the refugee issue. The Pope had met Myanmar's military chief General Min Aung Hlaing and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in the last two days and appealed for peace and calm amid the spiralling Rohingya crisis. Reuters said Vatican sources feel the Pope's trip to Myanmar was decided too hastily. Pope Francis will leave for Bangladesh on Thursday, where he will meet a group of Rohingya refugees in the capital, Dhaka.

?Pope Francis addresses Myanmar's Buddhist monks, avoids using the term 'Rohingya' again

Pope Francis will hold talks with Myanmar&#39;s leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday, a key moment of a tour aimed at alleviating religious and ethnic hatreds that have driven huge numbers of Muslim Rohingya from the country.&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid reaction to the plight of the Rohingya.

After the talks in the capital Naypyidaw, the pontiff will address Suu Kyi and diplomats there -- his first opportunity to speak publicly about the conflict that looms over his trip.

The 80-year-old pontiff late Monday received a &quot;courtesy visit&quot; from the powerful army chief Min Aung Hlaing -- whose troops, according to the UN and US, have waged a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya from Rakhine state.&nbsp;

General Min Aung Hlaing has firmly denied allegations of widespread brutality by his forces, despite the flight to Bangladesh since late August of 620,000 Rohingya who have recounted widespread cases of rape, murder and arson.

His office said he told the pope there was &quot;no discrimination&quot; in Myanmar, and praised his military for maintaining &quot;the peace and stability of the country&quot;.

The pope has repeatedly spoken out from afar about the crisis, standing up for what he has called his Rohingya &quot;brothers and sisters&quot;.

A similar approach in Myanmar is fraught with danger -- using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; is unacceptable in a mainly Buddhist country where the Muslim minority are denied citizenship and branded illegal &quot;Bengali&quot; immigrants.

The country is listening closely to see if Francis will use the word &quot;Rohingya&quot; on Myanmar soil, and risk provoking the outrage of Buddhist nationalists.

Early Tuesday, day two of his four-day visit, the pontiff met leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Baptist and Jewish faiths in Yangon.

The conversation centred around themes of unity in diversity, with the pope sharing a prayer and giving a &quot;very, very beautiful speech&quot;, according to Sammy Samuels, a representative from the small Jewish community.&nbsp;

Francis flies up to Naypyidaw Tuesday afternoon to meet Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Lady, as she is fondly known in Myanmar, finally came to power after elections in 2015 but has fallen from grace internationally for not doing more to stand up to the army in defence of the Rohingya -- whose name she will not publicly utter.

Rights groups have clamoured for Suu Kyi to be stripped of her peace prize. Oxford, the English city she once called home, on Monday removed her Freedom of the City award for her &quot;inaction&quot; in the face of oppression of the Rohingya.

Catholics congregate

So far, the pontiff has received a warm welcome to the majority Buddhist nation.

Myanmar&#39;s Catholic community numbers just over one percent of the country&#39;s 51 million people.

But some 200,000 Catholics are pouring into the commercial capital Yangon from all corners of the country ahead of a huge, open-air mass on Wednesday.

Zaw Sai, 52, from Kachin state, found space for himself and his family to camp out in a churchyard.&nbsp;

&quot;We feel very pleased because we are from different ethnicities but are one in our religion,&quot; he told AFP. &nbsp;

Just days before the papal visit, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal to start repatriating Rohingya refugees within two months.

But details of the agreement -- including the use of temporary shelters for returnees, many of whose homes have been burned to the ground -- raise questions for Rohingya fearful of returning without guarantees of basic rights.

Francis will travel on to Bangladesh on Thursday. 
&nbsp;

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid reaction to the plight of the Rohingya

Pope Francis will hold talks with Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday, a key moment of a tour aimed at alleviating religious and ethnic hatreds that have driven huge numbers of Muslim Rohingya from the country. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has been ostracised by a global rights community that once adored her but is now outraged at her tepid reaction to the plight of the Rohingya. After the talks in the capital Naypyidaw, the pontiff will address Suu Kyi and diplomats there -- his first opportunity to speak publicly about the conflict that looms over his trip. The 80-year-old pontiff late Monday received a "courtesy visit" from the powerful army chief Min Aung Hlaing -- whose troops, according to the UN and US, have waged a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya from Rakhine state. General Min Aung Hlaing has firmly denied allegations of widespread brutality by his forces, despite the flight to Bangladesh since late August of 620,000 Rohingya who have recounted widespread cases of rape, murder and arson. His office said he told the pope there was "no discrimination" in Myanmar, and praised his military for maintaining "the peace and stability of the country". The pope has repeatedly spoken out from afar about the crisis, standing up for what he has called his Rohingya "brothers and sisters". A similar approach in Myanmar is fraught with danger -- using the term "Rohingya" is unacceptable in a mainly Buddhist country where the Muslim minority are denied citizenship and branded illegal "Bengali" immigrants. The country is listening closely to see if Francis will use the word "Rohingya" on Myanmar soil, and risk provoking the outrage of Buddhist nationalists. Early Tuesday, day two of his four-day visit, the pontiff met leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Baptist and Jewish faiths in Yangon. The conversation centred around themes of unity in diversity, with the pope sharing a prayer and giving a "very, very beautiful speech", according to Sammy Samuels, a representative from the small Jewish community. Francis flies up to Naypyidaw Tuesday afternoon to meet Aung San Suu Kyi. The Lady, as she is fondly known in Myanmar, finally came to power after elections in 2015 but has fallen from grace internationally for not doing more to stand up to the army in defence of the Rohingya -- whose name she will not publicly utter. Rights groups have clamoured for Suu Kyi to be stripped of her peace prize. Oxford, the English city she once called home, on Monday removed her Freedom of the City award for her "inaction" in the face of oppression of the Rohingya. Catholics congregate So far, the pontiff has received a warm welcome to the majority Buddhist nation. Myanmar's Catholic community numbers just over one percent of the country's 51 million people. But some 200,000 Catholics are pouring into the commercial capital Yangon from all corners of the country ahead of a huge, open-air mass on Wednesday. Zaw Sai, 52, from Kachin state, found space for himself and his family to camp out in a churchyard. "We feel very pleased because we are from different ethnicities but are one in our religion," he told AFP. Just days before the papal visit, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a deal to start repatriating Rohingya refugees within two months. But details of the agreement -- including the use of temporary shelters for returnees, many of whose homes have been burned to the ground -- raise questions for Rohingya fearful of returning without guarantees of basic rights. Francis will travel on to Bangladesh on Thursday.

Pope to meet Myanmar leader Suu Kyi today

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/bali-raises-volcano-alert-to-highest-level-officials-25207">Eruption may be imminent, Bali volcano alert raised to highest level</a>

An eruption could be imminent at a volcano belching huge plumes of smoke on Indonesia&#39;s resort island of Bali, officials warned Monday, as they raised the alert to the highest level and increased the exclusion zone. Huge plumes of smoke have been pouring out of Mount Agung since Tuesday and senior state volcanologist Gede Suantika said it was belching thick grey smoke more than two miles (three kilometers) into the sky early Monday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/federal-law-minister-zahid-hamid-submits-resignation-25211">Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigns, says hopes protests will end</a>

Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi late on Sunday, media reports said.&nbsp;Hamid said he hoped his resignation would bring the crisis to an end.&nbsp;There had been massive protests against Hamid in the capital Islamabad.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-heads-to-myanmar-as-rohingya-refugee-crisis-unfolds-25210">Rohingya crisis: Pope Francis heads to Myanmar &amp; Bangladesh</a>

&#39;&#39;My presence is a sign of affinity and hope,&quot; said Pope Francis as he embarked on a six-day visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh against the backdrop of the unfolding Rohingya refugee crisis.&nbsp;&quot;I ask you to be with me in prayer so that, for these peoples, my presence is a sign of affinity and hope,&quot; Francis told 30,000 believers in St Peter&#39;s Square, shortly before packing his bags for the diplomatically fraught trip. Some 620,000 Rohingya, more than half their total number, have fled from Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August as a result of violence that the UN and the United States have described as ethnic cleansing.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-australia-crush-england-by-10-wickets-in-1st-test-25214">Ashes: Australia crush England by 10 wickets in 1st Test</a>

Australia cruised to a crushing 10-wicket win over England to go one-up in the Ashes series in the opening Test at the Gabba on Monday, with captain Steve Smith praising his team&#39;s character. Openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft added to England&#39;s agony by peeling off the required runs without the loss of a wicket before lunch on the final day.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kerala-love-jihad-hadiya-to-present-her-side-of-story-before-supreme-court-bench-today-25218">Kerala &#39;love jihad&#39; case: Hadiya to appear in Supreme Court today</a>

Kerala woman, Hadiya, who is in the midst of Love Jihad controversy, will depose before the Supreme Court on Monday to tell her side of the story. 
Hadiya, originally a Hindu, converted to Islam and married a Muslim man Shafin Jahan.

Eruption may be imminent, Bali volcano alert raised to highest level An eruption could be imminent at a volcano belching huge plumes of smoke on Indonesia's resort island of Bali, officials warned Monday, as they raised the alert to the highest level and increased the exclusion zone. Huge plumes of smoke have been pouring out of Mount Agung since Tuesday and senior state volcanologist Gede Suantika said it was belching thick grey smoke more than two miles (three kilometers) into the sky early Monday. Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid resigns, says hopes protests will end Pakistan Law Minister Zahid Hamid submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi late on Sunday, media reports said. Hamid said he hoped his resignation would bring the crisis to an end. There had been massive protests against Hamid in the capital Islamabad. Rohingya crisis: Pope Francis heads to Myanmar & Bangladesh ''My presence is a sign of affinity and hope," said Pope Francis as he embarked on a six-day visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh against the backdrop of the unfolding Rohingya refugee crisis. "I ask you to be with me in prayer so that, for these peoples, my presence is a sign of affinity and hope," Francis told 30,000 believers in St Peter's Square, shortly before packing his bags for the diplomatically fraught trip. Some 620,000 Rohingya, more than half their total number, have fled from Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh since August as a result of violence that the UN and the United States have described as ethnic cleansing. Ashes: Australia crush England by 10 wickets in 1st Test Australia cruised to a crushing 10-wicket win over England to go one-up in the Ashes series in the opening Test at the Gabba on Monday, with captain Steve Smith praising his team's character. Openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft added to England's agony by peeling off the required runs without the loss of a wicket before lunch on the final day. Kerala 'love jihad' case: Hadiya to appear in Supreme Court today Kerala woman, Hadiya, who is in the midst of Love Jihad controversy, will depose before the Supreme Court on Monday to tell her side of the story. Hadiya, originally a Hindu, converted to Islam and married a Muslim man Shafin Jahan.

WION morning news brief, November 27, 2017

Myanmar&#39;s new leader forged diplomatic ties with the Vatican in May, but little did anyone know that six months down the line, those new relations would be the source of tension and international attention.

Pope Francis is due to make his first-ever visit to Myanmar and will be meeting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, senior officials and the Catholic community amid a refugee crisis which has seen more than 600,000 Rohingyas fled across the border into Bangladesh since an August attack.

Given the sensitivity of the issue, Francis&#39; trip is expected to gain much limelight on what he chooses to do or say.

&quot;So, the Pope is not going to hold back on saying what he feels and what he thinks. But on the other hand, he doesn&#39;t then want his presence in Myanmar to create difficulties for the people themselves, in this case, specifically for the Rohingya,&quot; said Reuters&#39; Vatican correspondent, Philip Pullella, adding that the Pope must tread carefully to make sure he does not upset relations between the Holy-See and Myanmar.

Pullella said the Pope has been advised by Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Archbishop of Yangon, to avoid using the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; while in Myanmar. Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar rejects the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; and does not recognise them as citizens nor as an ethnic group in their own right.

The Pope, a less predictable figure than his predecessors, has used the term &quot;Rohingya&quot; before to address the Muslim minority, which is also widely used by the international community such as the United Nations and the United States.

Roman Catholics make up a tiny minority in Myanmar of around 700,000 from among a population of more than 51 million.

Meanwhile, in Cox&#39;s Bazar the Pope is literally unknown. The hundreds of thousands of refugees have little information or interest in the inter-faith diplomacy going on in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Their main concerns are getting enough food for the day as their numbers continue to grow and as more make the perilous journey to cross the border.

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Pope Francis is due to make his first-ever visit to Myanmar and will be meeting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar's new leader forged diplomatic ties with the Vatican in May, but little did anyone know that six months down the line, those new relations would be the source of tension and international attention. Pope Francis is due to make his first-ever visit to Myanmar and will be meeting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, senior officials and the Catholic community amid a refugee crisis which has seen more than 600,000 Rohingyas fled across the border into Bangladesh since an August attack. Given the sensitivity of the issue, Francis' trip is expected to gain much limelight on what he chooses to do or say. "So, the Pope is not going to hold back on saying what he feels and what he thinks. But on the other hand, he doesn't then want his presence in Myanmar to create difficulties for the people themselves, in this case, specifically for the Rohingya," said Reuters' Vatican correspondent, Philip Pullella, adding that the Pope must tread carefully to make sure he does not upset relations between the Holy-See and Myanmar. Pullella said the Pope has been advised by Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the Archbishop of Yangon, to avoid using the term "Rohingya" while in Myanmar. Predominantly Buddhist Myanmar rejects the term "Rohingya" and does not recognise them as citizens nor as an ethnic group in their own right. The Pope, a less predictable figure than his predecessors, has used the term "Rohingya" before to address the Muslim minority, which is also widely used by the international community such as the United Nations and the United States. Roman Catholics make up a tiny minority in Myanmar of around 700,000 from among a population of more than 51 million. Meanwhile, in Cox's Bazar the Pope is literally unknown. The hundreds of thousands of refugees have little information or interest in the inter-faith diplomacy going on in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Their main concerns are getting enough food for the day as their numbers continue to grow and as more make the perilous journey to cross the border.

Pope heads to Myanmar, Bangladesh

Hours after becoming the highest-profile Catholic cleric to be accused of sexually abusing children,&nbsp;Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell said Thursday he had been a victim of &quot;relentless character assassination&quot; and said he would take leave from the Vatican to clear his name.

The Vatican chief said he would return to Australia and return to work after after proving himself innocent.

In a strongly supportive statement, the Vatican said Pell&#39;s staff would continue his work in his absence and noted Francis&#39;s respect for the Australian&#39;s &quot;honesty&quot; and &quot;energetic dedication&quot; to his work on Church financial reform.

&quot;The Holy See expresses its respect for the Australian justice system that will have to decide the merits of the questions raised,&quot; the statement said.

&quot;At the same time, it is important to recall that Cardinal Pell has openly and repeatedly condemned as immoral and intolerable the acts of abuse committed against minors; has cooperated in the past with Australian authorities ... has supported the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors; and finally, as a diocesan bishop in Australia, has introduced systems and procedures both for the protection of minors and to provide assistance to victims of abuse.&quot;

Pell,&nbsp;unofficially considered the number three in the Vatican hierarchy, said he had been in close contact with Pope Francis, who in turn came out strongly in his defence and has asked him to resign from his senior Church post.

&quot;I am looking forward finally to having my day in court. I am innocent of these charges,&quot; the 76-year-old said at a press conference. &quot;They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me.&quot;

Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell was Thursday charged with multiple child sex offences in Australia, police said.

&quot;There are multiple complainants relating to those charges,&quot; said Victoria state police deputy commissioner Shane Patton to a Melbourne conference, reports Reuters. Cardinal Pell was charged by summons to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18, he said.

Pell was interviewed in Rome by Australian police last October over the allegations which he strongly denies.

Pell is the highest-ranking Vatican official to ever be charged&nbsp;in the Catholic Church&#39;s long-running sexual abuse scandal.

&quot;Victoria Police have charged Cardinal George Pell with historical sexual assault offences,&quot; Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton told reporters.

&#39;CATASTROPHIC&#39; CHOICES

Pell told the Australian inquiry last year the Church made &quot;catastrophic&quot; choices by refusing to believe abused children, shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish and relying too heavily on the counsel of priests to solve the problem, Reuters reports.

Francis&#39;s attempts to root out sexual abuse in the Church have hit stumbling blocks. Marie Collins, the top non-clerical member of a papal commission on abuse, resigned in frustration earlier this year, citing &quot;shameful&quot; resistance to change within the Vatican.

Church sexual abuse broke into the open in 2002, when it was discovered that US&nbsp;bishops in the Boston area moved abusers from parish to parish instead of defrocking them. Similar scandals have since been discovered around the world and tens of millions of dollars have been paid in compensation.

Thousands of cases of sexual abuse of children by priests have come to light around the world in recent years as investigations have encouraged long-silent victims to finally go public with their complaints.

&quot;I would suspect (the charges against Pell) are going to be stunning to the Vatican and to the pope himself,&quot; said Thomas P&nbsp;Doyle, the U.S. priest whose report on molestation in the church led to the discovery of cover-up practices in Boston.

&quot;My suspicion is that the pope will do something but I don&#39;t know what because there&#39;s no scenario for this,&quot; Doyle said by telephone from his home in Virginia.

Under previous popes, the Vatican, a sovereign state in the middle of Rome, sheltered officials wanted by other countries.

In the early 1980s, the Vatican refused to hand over to Italy Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, an American who was then head of the Vatican bank and wanted for questioning about the fraudulent bankruptcy of a private Italian bank.

Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston moved to Rome after a sexual abuse scandal erupted in his diocese in 2001 and has been living in the Italian capital since.

Victims groups were outraged when Law was given a plum job as chief priest at a Rome basilica. Victim support groups have repeatedly attacked the Vatican for its response to the crisis, saying successive popes have failed to grasp the gravity of the situation.

&quot;It would be naive for us to assume that people will be only relieved,&quot; said Neil Woodger, vice president of the In Good Faith Foundation, which says it represents 460 victims of Catholic church abuse in Australia.

&quot;They&#39;re going to be experiencing a bit of distress as well,&quot; he said. &quot;It is a result that I think points to justice working and that justice is there for everybody.&quot;

Pope aide Pell is the highest-ranking Vatican official to ever be charged in the Catholic Church's long-running sexual abuse scandal

Hours after becoming the highest-profile Catholic cleric to be accused of sexually abusing children, Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell said Thursday he had been a victim of "relentless character assassination" and said he would take leave from the Vatican to clear his name. The Vatican chief said he would return to Australia and return to work after after proving himself innocent. In a strongly supportive statement, the Vatican said Pell's staff would continue his work in his absence and noted Francis's respect for the Australian's "honesty" and "energetic dedication" to his work on Church financial reform. "The Holy See expresses its respect for the Australian justice system that will have to decide the merits of the questions raised," the statement said. "At the same time, it is important to recall that Cardinal Pell has openly and repeatedly condemned as immoral and intolerable the acts of abuse committed against minors; has cooperated in the past with Australian authorities ... has supported the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors; and finally, as a diocesan bishop in Australia, has introduced systems and procedures both for the protection of minors and to provide assistance to victims of abuse." Pell, unofficially considered the number three in the Vatican hierarchy, said he had been in close contact with Pope Francis, who in turn came out strongly in his defence and has asked him to resign from his senior Church post. "I am looking forward finally to having my day in court. I am innocent of these charges," the 76-year-old said at a press conference. "They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me." Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell was Thursday charged with multiple child sex offences in Australia, police said. "There are multiple complainants relating to those charges," said Victoria state police deputy commissioner Shane Patton to a Melbourne conference, reports Reuters. Cardinal Pell was charged by summons to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18, he said. Pell was interviewed in Rome by Australian police last October over the allegations which he strongly denies. Pell is the highest-ranking Vatican official to ever be charged in the Catholic Church's long-running sexual abuse scandal. "Victoria Police have charged Cardinal George Pell with historical sexual assault offences," Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton told reporters. 'CATASTROPHIC' CHOICES Pell told the Australian inquiry last year the Church made "catastrophic" choices by refusing to believe abused children, shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish and relying too heavily on the counsel of priests to solve the problem, Reuters reports. Francis's attempts to root out sexual abuse in the Church have hit stumbling blocks. Marie Collins, the top non-clerical member of a papal commission on abuse, resigned in frustration earlier this year, citing "shameful" resistance to change within the Vatican. Church sexual abuse broke into the open in 2002, when it was discovered that US bishops in the Boston area moved abusers from parish to parish instead of defrocking them. Similar scandals have since been discovered around the world and tens of millions of dollars have been paid in compensation. Thousands of cases of sexual abuse of children by priests have come to light around the world in recent years as investigations have encouraged long-silent victims to finally go public with their complaints. "I would suspect (the charges against Pell) are going to be stunning to the Vatican and to the pope himself," said Thomas P Doyle, the U.S. priest whose report on molestation in the church led to the discovery of cover-up practices in Boston. "My suspicion is that the pope will do something but I don't know what because there's no scenario for this," Doyle said by telephone from his home in Virginia. Under previous popes, the Vatican, a sovereign state in the middle of Rome, sheltered officials wanted by other countries. In the early 1980s, the Vatican refused to hand over to Italy Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, an American who was then head of the Vatican bank and wanted for questioning about the fraudulent bankruptcy of a private Italian bank. Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston moved to Rome after a sexual abuse scandal erupted in his diocese in 2001 and has been living in the Italian capital since. Victims groups were outraged when Law was given a plum job as chief priest at a Rome basilica. Victim support groups have repeatedly attacked the Vatican for its response to the crisis, saying successive popes have failed to grasp the gravity of the situation. "It would be naive for us to assume that people will be only relieved," said Neil Woodger, vice president of the In Good Faith Foundation, which says it represents 460 victims of Catholic church abuse in Australia. "They're going to be experiencing a bit of distress as well," he said. "It is a result that I think points to justice working and that justice is there for everybody."

Pope aide Cardinal Pell 'strenuously' denies sex abuse  charges

Pope expresses hope that science and technology innovations would come with social equality and inclusion

Pope Francis, who surprised many by giving a TED talk on Tuesday, not only urged harmony over division, but also had an interesting message for the tech industry. In the 18-minute long video, which was filmed in Vatican City and broadcast to the audience at the annual TED 2017 conference in Vancouver, Pope expressed hope that science and technology innovations would come with social equality and inclusion. “How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us. How wonderful would it be if solidarity, this beautiful and, at times, inconvenient word, were not simply reduced to social work, and became, instead, the default attitude in political, economic and scientific choices, as well as in the relationships among individuals, peoples and countries,” he said. Expressing his belief, Pope said that only by educating people to a true solidarity we will be able to overcome the "culture of waste," which doesn't concern only food and goods, but also the people who are cast aside by economic systems that rely increasingly on automation. He also made a point highlighting how products are kept ahead of people by companies around the world. Warning the rich and powerful, Pope said, ”The more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly," adding, "If you don't, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other,” he added. Francis embraced the theme of this year's conference - 'The Future is You' - saying it was relations and connections between people that would shape society going forward. It was the first time Francis addressed an international conference, according to TED organisers. His talk was not listed on the program and kept secret by organisers. It took many discussions to make the talk happen, and repeated trips to Rome over more than a year, according to TED international curator Bruno Giussani. TED Talk lectures have grown in popularity, having been viewed cumulatively over 4.6 billion times since going online in 2006. Other speakers slated to appear at the annual conference this week include Tesla founder Elon Musk, tennis superstar Serena Williams and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Here's the full transcript of Pope Francis' TED talk. Good evening – or, good morning, I am not sure what time it is there. Regardless of the hour, I am thrilled to be participating in your conference. I very much like its title – "The Future You" – because, while looking at tomorrow, it invites us to open a dialogue today, to look at the future through a "you." "The Future You:" the future is made of yous, it is made of encounters, because life flows through our relations with others. Quite a few years of life have strengthened my conviction that each and everyone's existence is deeply tied to that of others: life is not time merely passing by, life is about interactions. As I meet, or lend an ear to those who are sick, to the migrants who face terrible hardships in search of a brighter future, to prison inmates who carry a hell of pain inside their hearts, and to those, many of them young, who cannot find a job, I often find myself wondering: "Why them and not me?" I, myself, was born in a family of migrants; my father, my grandparents, like many other Italians, left for Argentina and met the fate of those who are left with nothing. I could have very well ended up among today's "discarded" people. And that's why I always ask myself, deep in my heart: "Why them and not me?" First and foremost, I would love it if this meeting could help to remind us that we all need each other, none of us is an island, an autonomous and independent "I," separated from the other, and we can only build the future by standing together, including everyone. We don’t think about it often, but everything is connected, and we need to restore our connections to a healthy state. Even the harsh judgment I hold in my heart against my brother or my sister, the open wound that was never cured, the offense that was never forgiven, the rancor that is only going to hurt me, are all instances of a fight that I carry within me, a flare deep in my heart that needs to be extinguished before it goes up in flames, leaving only ashes behind. Many of us, nowadays, seem to believe that a happy future is something impossible to achieve. While such concerns must be taken very seriously, they are not invincible. They can be overcome when we don't lock our door to the outside world. Happiness can only be discovered as a gift of harmony between the whole and each single component. Even science – and you know it better than I do – points to an understanding of reality as a place where every element connects and interacts with everything else. And this brings me to my second message. How wonderful would it be if the growth of scientific and technological innovation would come along with more equality and social inclusion. How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us. How wonderful would it be if solidarity, this beautiful and, at times, inconvenient word, were not simply reduced to social work, and became, instead, the default attitude in political, economic and scientific choices, as well as in the relationships among individuals, peoples and countries. Only by educating people to a true solidarity will we be able to overcome the "culture of waste," which doesn't concern only food and goods but, first and foremost, the people who are cast aside by our techno-economic systems which, without even realizing it, are now putting products at their core, instead of people. Solidarity is a term that many wish to erase from the dictionary. Solidarity, however, is not an automatic mechanism. It cannot be programmed or controlled. It is a free response born from the heart of each and everyone. Yes, a free response! When one realizes that life, even in the middle of so many contradictions, is a gift, that love is the source and the meaning of life, how can they withhold their urge to do good to another fellow being? In order to do good, we need memory, we need courage and we need creativity. And I know that TED gathers many creative minds. Yes, love does require a creative, concrete and ingenious attitude. Good intentions and conventional formulas, so often used to appease our conscience, are not enough. Let us help each other, all together, to remember that the other is not a statistic or a number. The other has a face. The "you" is always a real presence, a person to take care of. There is a parable Jesus told to help us understand the difference between those who'd rather not be bothered and those who take care of the other. I am sure you have heard it before. It is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. When Jesus was asked: "Who is my neighbour?" - namely, "Who should I take care of?" - he told this story, the story of a man who had been assaulted, robbed, beaten and abandoned along a dirt road. Upon seeing him, a priest and a Levite, two very influential people of the time, walked past him without stopping to help. After a while, a Samaritan, a very much despised ethnicity at the time, walked by. Seeing the injured man lying on the ground, he did not ignore him as if he weren't even there. Instead, he felt compassion for this man, which compelled him to act in a very concrete manner. He poured oil and wine on the wounds of the helpless man, brought him to a hostel and paid out of his pocket for him to be assisted. The story of the Good Samaritan is the story of today’s humanity. People's paths are riddled with suffering, as everything is centered around money, and things, instead of people. And often there is this habit, by people who call themselves "respectable," of not taking care of the others, thus leaving behind thousands of human beings, or entire populations, on the side of the road. Fortunately, there are also those who are creating a new world by taking care of the other, even out of their own pockets. Mother Teresa actually said: "One cannot love, unless it is at their own expense." We have so much to do, and we must do it together. But how can we do that with all the evil we breathe every day? Thank God, no system can nullify our desire to open up to the good, to compassion and to our capacity to react against evil, all of which stem from deep within our hearts. Now you might tell me, "Sure, these are beautiful words, but I am not the Good Samaritan, nor Mother Teresa of Calcutta." On the contrary: we are precious, each and every one of us. Each and every one of us is irreplaceable in the eyes of God. Through the darkness of today's conflicts, each and every one of us can become a bright candle, a reminder that light will overcome darkness, and never the other way around. To Christians, the future does have a name, and its name is Hope. Feeling hopeful does not mean to be optimistically naïve and ignore the tragedy humanity is facing. Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesn't lock itself into darkness, that doesn't dwell on the past, does not simply get by in the present, but is able to see a tomorrow. Hope is the door that opens onto the future. Hope is a humble, hidden seed of life that, with time, will develop into a large tree. It is like some invisible yeast that allows the whole dough to grow, that brings flavor to all aspects of life. And it can do so much, because a tiny flicker of light that feeds on hope is enough to shatter the shield of darkness. A single individual is enough for hope to exist, and that individual can be you. And then there will be another "you," and another "you," and it turns into an "us." And so, does hope begin when we have an "us?" No. Hope began with one "you." When there is an "us," there begins a revolution. The third message I would like to share today is, indeed, about revolution: the revolution of tenderness. And what is tenderness? It is the love that comes close and becomes real. It is a movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands. Tenderness means to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of the future. To listen also to the silent cry of our common home, of our sick and polluted earth. Tenderness means to use our hands and our heart to comfort the other, to take care of those in need. Tenderness is the language of the young children, of those who need the other. A child’s love for mom and dad grows through their touch, their gaze, their voice, their tenderness. I like when I hear parents talk to their babies, adapting to the little child, sharing the same level of communication. This is tenderness: being on the same level as the other. God himself descended into Jesus to be on our level. This is the same path the Good Samaritan took. This is the path that Jesus himself took. He lowered himself, he lived his entire human existence practicing the real, concrete language of love. Yes, tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women. Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is the path of solidarity, the path of humility. Please, allow me to say it loud and clear: the more powerful you are, the more your actions will have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly. If you don’t, your power will ruin you, and you will ruin the other. There is a saying in Argentina: "Power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach." You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance, and you will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you don’t connect your power with humility and tenderness. Through humility and concrete love, on the other hand, power – the highest, the strongest one – becomes a service, a force for good. The future of humankind isn't exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies. Yes, they do hold an enormous responsibility. But the future is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a "you" and themselves as part of an "us." We all need each other. And so, please, think of me as well with tenderness, so that I can fulfill the task I have been given for the good of the other, of each and every one, of all of you, of all of us. Thank you. (WION)

WATCH TED talk: Pope urges tech industry to be more compassionate

Pope Francis said in an interview published Thursday that the church may consider ordaining married men who could potentially then work in remote areas faced with a shortage of priests.&nbsp;

&quot;We must think about whether viri probati are a possibility,&quot; Francis said referring to older, married men who are already involved in church business.&nbsp;

&quot;Then we have to decide what tasks they can take on, for example in remote communities,&quot; he added in the interview with German weekly Die Zeit.&nbsp;

Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened.

They think that in addition to priests who take a vow of celibacy, older, married men with a long commitment to the church could also be considered.

Pope Francis said in May 2014 that &quot;there are married priests in the Church&quot; citing married Anglican ministers who joined the Catholic Church, Coptic Catholics and the priests of some Eastern churches.

The church, and notably the current pope&#39;s predecessor Benedict XVI, had previously said that celibacy was not a matter of inflexible church dogma unlike, for example, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

However, Francis said allowing priests in training to choose whether or not to be celibate was &quot;not the solution&quot;.

(AFP)

Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened

Pope Francis said in an interview published Thursday that the church may consider ordaining married men who could potentially then work in remote areas faced with a shortage of priests. "We must think about whether viri probati are a possibility," Francis said referring to older, married men who are already involved in church business. "Then we have to decide what tasks they can take on, for example in remote communities," he added in the interview with German weekly Die Zeit. Many in the church believe, given the lack of priests in many places, that a new path to ordination should be opened. They think that in addition to priests who take a vow of celibacy, older, married men with a long commitment to the church could also be considered. Pope Francis said in May 2014 that "there are married priests in the Church" citing married Anglican ministers who joined the Catholic Church, Coptic Catholics and the priests of some Eastern churches. The church, and notably the current pope's predecessor Benedict XVI, had previously said that celibacy was not a matter of inflexible church dogma unlike, for example, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, Francis said allowing priests in training to choose whether or not to be celibate was "not the solution". (AFP)

Church may consider making married men priests: Pope Francis

The last time the entire Sistine Chapel was photographed for posterity, digital photography was in its infancy and words like pixels were bandied about mostly by computer nerds and NASA scientists.

Now, after decades of technological advances in art photography, digital darkrooms and printing techniques, a five-year project that will aid future restorations has left the Vatican Museums with 270,000 digital frames that show frescoes by Michelangelo and other masters in fresh, stunning detail.

&quot;In the future, this will allow us to know the state of every centimetre of the chapel as it is today, in 2017,&quot; said Antonio Paolucci, former head of the museums and a world-renowned expert on the Sistine.

Michelangelo&#39;s ceiling frescoes include one of the most famous scenes in art - the arm of a gentle, bearded God reaching out to give life to Adam.

The Renaissance master finished the ceiling in 1512 and painted the massive &quot;Last Judgement&quot; panel behind the altar between 1535 and 1541.

The last time all Sistine frescoes were photographed was between 1980 and 1994, during a landmark restoration project that cleaned them for the first time in centuries.

The new photos were taken for inclusion in a new three-volume, 870-page set that is limited to 1,999 copies and marketed to libraries and collectors.

The set, which costs about 12,000 euros ($12,700), was a joint production of the Vatican Museums and Italy&#39;s Scripta Maneant high-end art publishers.

Post production computer techniques included &quot;stitching&quot; of frames that photographers took while working out of sight for 65 nights from 7 pm&nbsp;to 2 am, when the chapel where popes are elected is closed.

The project was known to only to a few people until it was unveiled in the chapel on Friday night.

The set includes the entire chapel, including the mosaic floor and 15th-century frescoes by artists who have long languished in Michelangelo&#39;s giant shadow.

More than 220 pages are printed in 1:1 scale, including &#39;The Creation of Adam&#39; and Jesus&#39; face from the Last Judgement.

Each volume weighs about 9 kg (20 pounds) and fold-out pages measure 60 by 130 cm ( 24 by 51 inches).

The old photos taken during the last restoration were done with film.

&quot;We used special post-production software to get the depth, intensity, warmth and nuance of colours to an accuracy of 99.9 percent,&quot; said Giorgio Armaroli, head of Scripta Maneant.

&quot;Future restorers will use these as their standards,&quot; he said, adding that each page was printed six times.

Brush strokes are clearly visible as are the &quot;borders&quot; delineating sections, known as &quot;giornate,&quot; or days. Since frescoes are painted on wet plaster, artists prepare just enough for what they can complete in each session.

The photographers used a 10-metre-high (33 feet) portable scaffold and special telescopic lens. The results are now stored in a Vatican server holding 30 terabytes of information.

(Reuters)

A five-year project that will aid future restorations has left the Vatican Museums with 270,000 digital frames

The last time the entire Sistine Chapel was photographed for posterity, digital photography was in its infancy and words like pixels were bandied about mostly by computer nerds and NASA scientists. Now, after decades of technological advances in art photography, digital darkrooms and printing techniques, a five-year project that will aid future restorations has left the Vatican Museums with 270,000 digital frames that show frescoes by Michelangelo and other masters in fresh, stunning detail. "In the future, this will allow us to know the state of every centimetre of the chapel as it is today, in 2017," said Antonio Paolucci, former head of the museums and a world-renowned expert on the Sistine. Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes include one of the most famous scenes in art - the arm of a gentle, bearded God reaching out to give life to Adam. The Renaissance master finished the ceiling in 1512 and painted the massive "Last Judgement" panel behind the altar between 1535 and 1541. The last time all Sistine frescoes were photographed was between 1980 and 1994, during a landmark restoration project that cleaned them for the first time in centuries. The new photos were taken for inclusion in a new three-volume, 870-page set that is limited to 1,999 copies and marketed to libraries and collectors. The set, which costs about 12,000 euros ($12,700), was a joint production of the Vatican Museums and Italy's Scripta Maneant high-end art publishers. Post production computer techniques included "stitching" of frames that photographers took while working out of sight for 65 nights from 7 pm to 2 am, when the chapel where popes are elected is closed. The project was known to only to a few people until it was unveiled in the chapel on Friday night. The set includes the entire chapel, including the mosaic floor and 15th-century frescoes by artists who have long languished in Michelangelo's giant shadow. More than 220 pages are printed in 1:1 scale, including 'The Creation of Adam' and Jesus' face from the Last Judgement. Each volume weighs about 9 kg (20 pounds) and fold-out pages measure 60 by 130 cm ( 24 by 51 inches). The old photos taken during the last restoration were done with film. "We used special post-production software to get the depth, intensity, warmth and nuance of colours to an accuracy of 99.9 percent," said Giorgio Armaroli, head of Scripta Maneant. "Future restorers will use these as their standards," he said, adding that each page was printed six times. Brush strokes are clearly visible as are the "borders" delineating sections, known as "giornate," or days. Since frescoes are painted on wet plaster, artists prepare just enough for what they can complete in each session. The photographers used a 10-metre-high (33 feet) portable scaffold and special telescopic lens. The results are now stored in a Vatican server holding 30 terabytes of information. (Reuters)

Sistine Chapel gets full digital treatment for future restorations

Pope&nbsp;Francis on Wednesday spoke out over the alleged maltreatment of Myanmar&#39;s Rohingya Muslim minority, who he said were being &quot;tortured and killed&quot; for their faith.

The pontiff used his midweek address to describe the Rohingya as &quot;good and peaceful people&quot; who &quot;have suffered for years.&quot;

Francis offered a special prayer for &quot;brothers and sisters&quot; as he alluded to a UN human rights report last week which accused Myanmar&#39;s military of likely killing hundreds of Rohingya in an ongoing crackdown.

The report by the UN&#39;s rights body OHCHR said the accounts of torture, murder and gang-rape at the hands of security forces were so severe they may amount to ethnic cleansing.

Almost 70,000 Rohingya are reported to have fled to Bangladesh since the army launched &quot;clearance operations&quot; four months ago to find Rohingya militants accused of attacking police border posts.

An estimated 22,000 more have fled to the Myanmar interior according to the UN report, based on 200 interviews and including brutal testimonies of children butchered with knives while their mothers were raped by security forces.

The Rohingya, who number more than one million concentrated mainly in coastal Rakhine state, are treated as virtual foreigners in Myanmar, which is 90 percent Buddhist. They are not accorded citizenship even if their families have lived there for generations.

Myanmar authorities on Tuesday insisted that a state commission investigating allegations of its military abusing Rohingya was focused on the &quot;truth&quot;.

But critics have rejected the state-appointed body, which is led by retired general and Vice President Myint Swe and includes no Muslims, as toothless and lacking in credibility.

The UN&#39;s top official on preventing genocide, Adama Dieng, Monday dubbed the commission as &quot;not a credible option&quot; to investigate the abuse claims.

&quot;I am concerned that the government commission... found nothing to substantiate the claims, while OHCHR... found an overwhelming number of testimonies and other forms of evidence,&quot; Dieng said.

Pope&nbsp;Francis also used his Wednesday address to call on governments to combat child trafficking, which he described as &quot;a plague&quot; and a &quot;shameful and intolerable&quot; crime.

(AFP)

The pontiff used his midweek address to describe the Rohingya as 'good and peaceful people' who 'have suffered for years'

Pope Francis on Wednesday spoke out over the alleged maltreatment of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority, who he said were being "tortured and killed" for their faith. The pontiff used his midweek address to describe the Rohingya as "good and peaceful people" who "have suffered for years." Francis offered a special prayer for "brothers and sisters" as he alluded to a UN human rights report last week which accused Myanmar's military of likely killing hundreds of Rohingya in an ongoing crackdown. The report by the UN's rights body OHCHR said the accounts of torture, murder and gang-rape at the hands of security forces were so severe they may amount to ethnic cleansing. Almost 70,000 Rohingya are reported to have fled to Bangladesh since the army launched "clearance operations" four months ago to find Rohingya militants accused of attacking police border posts. An estimated 22,000 more have fled to the Myanmar interior according to the UN report, based on 200 interviews and including brutal testimonies of children butchered with knives while their mothers were raped by security forces. The Rohingya, who number more than one million concentrated mainly in coastal Rakhine state, are treated as virtual foreigners in Myanmar, which is 90 percent Buddhist. They are not accorded citizenship even if their families have lived there for generations. Myanmar authorities on Tuesday insisted that a state commission investigating allegations of its military abusing Rohingya was focused on the "truth". But critics have rejected the state-appointed body, which is led by retired general and Vice President Myint Swe and includes no Muslims, as toothless and lacking in credibility. The UN's top official on preventing genocide, Adama Dieng, Monday dubbed the commission as "not a credible option" to investigate the abuse claims. "I am concerned that the government commission... found nothing to substantiate the claims, while OHCHR... found an overwhelming number of testimonies and other forms of evidence," Dieng said. Pope Francis also used his Wednesday address to call on governments to combat child trafficking, which he described as "a plague" and a "shameful and intolerable" crime. (AFP)

Pope speaks out on atrocities against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims

Pope Francis, who has condemned human trafficking as a crime against humanity, on Friday made a surprise visit to a Rome safe house where a Catholic charity is protecting women freed from a life of forced prostitution.

The Vatican, which did not disclose the exact location of the house, said the pope met 20 women from Romania, Albania, Nigeria, Tunisia, Ukraine and Italy. He encouraged them to &quot;be strong&quot; as they start new lives, a Vatican official said.

The statement said the pope made the visit to the Pope John XXIII Community,&nbsp;started by an Italian priest to help free women from their pimps,&nbsp;in order to &quot;appeal to consciences to fight human trafficking&quot;.

Under his papacy, the Vatican has hosted a series of conferences bringing together international police organisations, legislators and religious groups to find ways to work together to fight human trafficking and modern slavery.

Addressing one such group in 2014, he called trafficking an open wound for society and a crime against humanity.

Using the promise of a job, traffickers bring women to Italy and other Western European countries from Africa and Eastern Europe and then force them into prostitution.

Human rights groups estimate that millions of people around the world are victims of human trafficking and forms of modern slavery such as forced prostitution or unpaid manual labour. 
 
(Reuters)

The Vatican said the pope met 20 women from Romania, Albania, Nigeria, Tunisia, Ukraine and Italy and encouraged them to be strong

Pope Francis, who has condemned human trafficking as a crime against humanity, on Friday made a surprise visit to a Rome safe house where a Catholic charity is protecting women freed from a life of forced prostitution. The Vatican, which did not disclose the exact location of the house, said the pope met 20 women from Romania, Albania, Nigeria, Tunisia, Ukraine and Italy. He encouraged them to "be strong" as they start new lives, a Vatican official said. The statement said the pope made the visit to the Pope John XXIII Community, started by an Italian priest to help free women from their pimps, in order to "appeal to consciences to fight human trafficking". Under his papacy, the Vatican has hosted a series of conferences bringing together international police organisations, legislators and religious groups to find ways to work together to fight human trafficking and modern slavery. Addressing one such group in 2014, he called trafficking an open wound for society and a crime against humanity. Using the promise of a job, traffickers bring women to Italy and other Western European countries from Africa and Eastern Europe and then force them into prostitution. Human rights groups estimate that millions of people around the world are victims of human trafficking and forms of modern slavery such as forced prostitution or unpaid manual labour. (Reuters)

Pope visits Rome safe house for women forced into prostitution

Pope Francis said on Sunday that Islam could not be equated with terrorism and warned Europe was pushing its young into the hands of extremists. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not true and it&#39;s not correct (to say) Islam is terrorism,&quot; he told journalists aboard the papal plane during the return journey from a trip to Poland. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think it is right to equate Islam with violence&quot;. 
 
Francis defended his decision not to name Islam when condemning the brutal jihadist murder of a Catholic priest in France in the latest of a string of recent attacks in Europe claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. 
 
&quot;In almost every religion there is always a small group of fundamentalists. We have them too.&quot; 
 
&quot;If I have to talk about Islamic violence I have to talk about Christian violence. Every day in the newspapers I see violence in Italy, someone kills his girlfriend, another kills his mother-in-law, and these are baptised Catholics.&quot; 
 
The pontiff was speaking after Muslims attended Catholic mass in churches around France on Sunday in solidarity and sorrow following the murder of the priest, whose throat was slit at the altar of his church. 
 
In an echo of remarks made during his five-day trip to Poland for a Catholic youth festival, Francis said religion was not the driving force behind the violence. 
 
&quot;You can kill with the tongue as well as the knife,&quot; he said, in an apparent reference to a rise in populist parties fuelling racism and xenophobia. 
 
He said Europe should look closer to home, saying &quot;terrorism... grows where the God of money is put first&quot; and &quot;where there are no other options&quot;. 
 
&quot;How many of our European young have we left empty of ideals, with no work, so they turn to drugs, to alcohol, and sign up with fundamentalist groups?&quot; he asked. 
 
(AFP)

Pope defended his decision not to name Islam while condemning brutal jihadist murder of Catholic priest in recent church attack in France

Pope Francis said on Sunday that Islam could not be equated with terrorism and warned Europe was pushing its young into the hands of extremists. "It's not true and it's not correct (to say) Islam is terrorism," he told journalists aboard the papal plane during the return journey from a trip to Poland. "I don't think it is right to equate Islam with violence". Francis defended his decision not to name Islam when condemning the brutal jihadist murder of a Catholic priest in France in the latest of a string of recent attacks in Europe claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group. "In almost every religion there is always a small group of fundamentalists. We have them too." "If I have to talk about Islamic violence I have to talk about Christian violence. Every day in the newspapers I see violence in Italy, someone kills his girlfriend, another kills his mother-in-law, and these are baptised Catholics." The pontiff was speaking after Muslims attended Catholic mass in churches around France on Sunday in solidarity and sorrow following the murder of the priest, whose throat was slit at the altar of his church. In an echo of remarks made during his five-day trip to Poland for a Catholic youth festival, Francis said religion was not the driving force behind the violence. "You can kill with the tongue as well as the knife," he said, in an apparent reference to a rise in populist parties fuelling racism and xenophobia. He said Europe should look closer to home, saying "terrorism... grows where the God of money is put first" and "where there are no other options". "How many of our European young have we left empty of ideals, with no work, so they turn to drugs, to alcohol, and sign up with fundamentalist groups?" he asked. (AFP)

Islam is not terrorism: Pope

Pope Francis urged young people yesterday to welcome migrants and refugees, putting himself in direct contrast with the government of Poland on the second day of his visit there. 
 
Francis addressed more than 600,000 young people gathered in the city of Krakow for World Youth Day, a jamboree that actually lasts six days and has been dubbed the &quot;Catholic Woodstock&quot;. 
 
After watching performances from around the world, he urged them in an address to leave their comfort zones and be ready to embrace those in need.&nbsp;&quot;A merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; a merciful heart is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate; it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;A merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants,&quot; he told the youths gathered in a large field near the city centre. Despite being rooted in Christian values, Poland&#39;s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party government disagrees with Francis on refugees and opposes mandatory European Union quotas for accepting asylum seekers. 
 
Some of the country&#39;s conservative church leaders have also been hesitant over migrants, particularly those from Islamic countries, fearing that they will dilute Poland&#39;s Christian identity. 
 
Yesterday morning at the shrine city of Czestochowa, Francis prayed before Poland`s holiest icon - the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora - and said outdoor Mass for a congregation of tens of thousands, thanking Poles for holding on to their faith in difficult times. 
 
Francis praised what he called &quot;the contagious power of a genuine faith, passed down from family to family&quot; in Poland, which is about 98 per cent Catholic. He said their faith had stayed strong in many situations throughout history. Poland is renowned for keep its Catholic flame burning during decades of Communist rule. 
 
As the 79-year-old pope was blessing the altar at the start of the Mass, he tripped on a step but was helped up by aides and did not appear to be hurt. He continued the Mass and read his homily normally. Francis suffers from sciatica, a medical condition in which pain sometimes shoots down the leg from the lower back. 
 
The shrine is home to the Black Madonna, a Byzantine icon from sometime between the sixth and ninth centuries and brought to Poland some 600 years ago. The icon is painted on wood and covered with silver and jewels. The shrine has been a focal point in difficult periods of Polish history. 
 
Poles flocked there to pray when martial law was declared by the communist government in the early 1980s. The late Pope John Paul II, who reigned for nearly three decades until his death in 2005, visited the shrine often during his trips to his homeland and donated the blood-stained white sash he was wearing on May 13, 1981, when he was shot in St. Peter&#39;s Square at the Vatican by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

'A merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants,' Pope told the youths. Poland's government opposes acceptation of asylum seekers

Pope Francis urged young people yesterday to welcome migrants and refugees, putting himself in direct contrast with the government of Poland on the second day of his visit there. Francis addressed more than 600,000 young people gathered in the city of Krakow for World Youth Day, a jamboree that actually lasts six days and has been dubbed the "Catholic Woodstock". After watching performances from around the world, he urged them in an address to leave their comfort zones and be ready to embrace those in need. "A merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; a merciful heart is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate; it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion," he said. "A merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants," he told the youths gathered in a large field near the city centre. Despite being rooted in Christian values, Poland's conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party government disagrees with Francis on refugees and opposes mandatory European Union quotas for accepting asylum seekers. Some of the country's conservative church leaders have also been hesitant over migrants, particularly those from Islamic countries, fearing that they will dilute Poland's Christian identity. Yesterday morning at the shrine city of Czestochowa, Francis prayed before Poland`s holiest icon - the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora - and said outdoor Mass for a congregation of tens of thousands, thanking Poles for holding on to their faith in difficult times. Francis praised what he called "the contagious power of a genuine faith, passed down from family to family" in Poland, which is about 98 per cent Catholic. He said their faith had stayed strong in many situations throughout history. Poland is renowned for keep its Catholic flame burning during decades of Communist rule. As the 79-year-old pope was blessing the altar at the start of the Mass, he tripped on a step but was helped up by aides and did not appear to be hurt. He continued the Mass and read his homily normally. Francis suffers from sciatica, a medical condition in which pain sometimes shoots down the leg from the lower back. The shrine is home to the Black Madonna, a Byzantine icon from sometime between the sixth and ninth centuries and brought to Poland some 600 years ago. The icon is painted on wood and covered with silver and jewels. The shrine has been a focal point in difficult periods of Polish history. Poles flocked there to pray when martial law was declared by the communist government in the early 1980s. The late Pope John Paul II, who reigned for nearly three decades until his death in 2005, visited the shrine often during his trips to his homeland and donated the blood-stained white sash he was wearing on May 13, 1981, when he was shot in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican by Turkish gunman Mehmet Ali Agca. (Reuters)

In a country wary of migrants, Pope tells Poles to welcome refugees

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