Even though the mass media has recently paid attention to the conflict in Mali, the war began about a year and a half ago, when Tuareg rebels took up arms against the government of the African country. In doing so, a door of radical Islam that was already established, turned wide open. With the increased violence, Caritas in Italy took action by sending kits with the essentials, to those in need.

Christians Gary McFarlane and Shirley Chaplin describe the events that led up to their legal battle at the European Court of Human Rights on whether they were discriminated against at work.

The Catholic Church has never encouraged anyone to use ivory for religious devotional objects and, in fact, teaches that animals must be treated with respect, the Vatican spokesman said in a letter to "friends of the elephants."

……

This week’s election results in Israel could lead to the formation of a government more likely to resume peace talks with the Palestinian Authority, in the view of Bishop William Shomali.

……

A Turkish court has issued a 15-year prison sentence to the man who admitted to the June 2010 murder of Bishop Luigi Padovese.

A group of nuns from the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (also known as the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco) are providing a home, food, clothing, care, education as well as leisure and sport to a group of girls and young women who survived abuse, child labour or the loss of their parents. They are preparing them to fight the future exploitation of Indian women.

The chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities called on Catholics to participate in "Nine Days of Prayer, Penance and Pilgrimage," January 19-27, to mark the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision.

……

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says his government will vigorously defend an opposition court challenge aimed at shutting down the Australian-run Manus Island detention facility.

……

A 21-year-old man has been executed in Iran for a crime he allegedly committed while apparently still a juvenile.Amnesty International has said the hanging shows a deplorable disregard for international law.

So, Christians are free to wear a cross at work, but they're not necessarily free to believe in marriage. That's the upshot of the ruling from the European Court of Human Rights on four cases of British Christians who claimed to have suffered discrimination.