Drought in Italy prompts Vatican to shut off fountains

The Vatican announced Tuesday that it will temporarily shut off its 100 water fountains, as Italy deals with extreme drought conditions.

Venezuela opposition abandons Vatican-brokered talks, proposes new dialogue

The Venezuelan opposition alliance announced Thursday that it would be definitively abandoning Vatican-brokered talks with the government, but members of that coalition later told EFE it would present a proposal for a fresh dialogue process with new mediators.

Venezuela opposition rules out more crisis talks

Venezuela's opposition Wednesday ruled out a return to talks with the government aimed at easing the economic crisis in the volatile oil-producing country.

Venezuela gov't, opposition vow cooperation to improve food, medicine supply

Delegates of the Venezuelan government and the MUD opposition alliance agreed Saturday at the table of political dialogue to swiftly implement measures to improve the supply of food and medicines in a country suffering intense shortages of both.

Venezuela's Maduro and opponents to continue talk

Venezuela's government and opposition leaders have agreed to continue talks in the first step of Vatican-sponsored dialogue on defusing a political crisis amid calls to remove President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuelan opposition confirms it to begin dialogue with government

 The Venezuelan opposition confirmed on Thursday that it would participate in dialogue with the government, in a meeting set for Sunday on the island of Margarita.

'Hostages taken' in French church near Rouen. A priest has been killed during an attack

Two armed men have taken hostages at a church near Rouen in northern France, media reports have said.

Histórico encuentro entre el Papa y Rohani, con Medio Oriente a tope de la agenda

"Le agradezco tanto por su visita, y espero por la paz", le dijo el Sumo Pontífice a Rohani ante las cámaras luego de un encuentro a puertas cerradas de 40 minutos que ambos mantuvieron en la biblioteca privada del Palacio Apostólico...

UN set to back raising Palestinian flag

A draft resolution on raising the Palestinian flag at the United Nations will be adopted next week in time for President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to New York, the Palestinian envoy said Thursday.

Israel opposes Palestinian flag-raising at the UN

Israel Tuesday expressed strong opposition to a draft resolution that would allow the Palestinian flag to be raised at the United Nations ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders later this month.

Pope Francis exhorts international community to act against 'modern Christian martyrs'

Pope Francis called on the world to give tangible help to persecuted Christians today, highlighting the plight of people he described as modern "martyrs" after nearly 150 people were killed by Islamist militants in Kenya.

Pope won't meet Dalai Lama

Pope Francis has denied a private audience to the Dalai Lama because it could harm the Holy See's already fraught relations with China, the Vatican said on Friday.

The request was declined "for obvious reasons concerning the delicate situation" with China, a Vatican spokesman said.