Vatican & World News

- Hamas is considering an Israeli offer of a 40-day truce in exchange for the release of hostages - The UN warns that Sudan is in the midst of the world's worst hunger and displacement crisis - Pope Francis highlights the formation in his prayer intention for the month of May

- Pope Francis travels to the city of Venice to meet with prison inmates, artists and young people before presiding over Mass and issuing an appeal for peace and stability in violence-wracked countries across the world

- Rescuers in Gaza race to save survivors under rubble as Israeli attacks kill scores of people - 150 years from his birth, Vatican Radio celebrates Guglielmo Marconi, the man who set up the radio of the Popes in 1931 - We look ahead to the Pope’s half-day visit to Venice on Sunday during which he will meet prison inmates, artists and young people before celebrating Holy Mass

- Haiti’s prime minister steps down amid continuing unrest throughout the country - The UN children’s agency, UNICEF, says the number of children killed in Ukraine has risen dramatically - Israeli forces are expected to begin evacuations from Rafah ahead of an anticipated ground assault

- Pope Francis tells Catholic Action Italy that embracing one another can prevent wars - International NGO Human Rights Watch calls for an investigation into a massacre of civilians in Burkina Faso - Flooding in Kenya has led to some thirty deaths, while more than 40,000 people have been displaced

- Hezbollah militants in Lebanon launch their deepest attack on Israel since the start of the Gaza war - Humanitarian organizations express disappointment over the approval by the UK of a deportation bill for migrants and refugees - Young South Korean climate change activists bring their case against the government to the nation’s highest court

In the headlines this Monday, April 22nd: - This Earth Day, Pope Francis renews urgent appeal to address environmental crisis - EU Bishops suggest that expanding member nations presents opportunity and challenges - Study reveals global military spending has reached unprecedented levels

- Mediators from Qatar review their role as they attempt to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas - The bishops of Quebec call on Christian communities in one of the world’s richest nations to respond to the call of the hungry - Pope Francis tells Discalced Carmelite nuns to bear witness to the love they have received

- Pope Francis calls for the release of prisoners of war and condemns the use of torture - The Holy See calls for solidarity and urgent action to meet the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia - Myanmar transfers prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, from jail to house arrest

These are the headlines for Tuesday, April 16: - As the death toll in the Gaza Strip nears 34,000, Israel’s war cabinet meets to discuss how to respond to Iran’s weekend assault - A new report by UNICEF highlights the number of children kidnapped in Nigeria, warning that urgent measures must to be taken - Around 50 people are killed after severe weather conditions strike Pakistan

- Europe joins the United States in urging Israel to exercise restraint following Iran’s weekend attack - Sudan marks a tragic first anniversary of the civil war in which 15,000 people have died and 10.7 million have been displaced - Five years after the fire that destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris restoration is on track for a grand reopening on 8 December

In the headlines, this Sunday, April 14th: - Pope Francis appeals for stopping any action that could worsen the spiral of violence in the Middle East - The Holy Father renews his prayers for children around the world suffering from war - He calls on faithful to transmit the beauty of their faith and of their encounter with Christ

In the headlines, this Saturday, April 13th: - Pope Francis expresses his closeness to Australians mourning loved ones after stabbing rampage at a mall in Sydney. - The Pope advances causes for sainthood - The Holy Father calls for defending the dignity of human life