It will be his fourth trip to Asia since becoming pope.

A student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology was found injured in a parking lot Nov. 4 as police clashed with protesters. He fell into a coma while being treated at the hospital and died four days later.

In his election platform, Sajith Premadasa identified religious extremism, illegal drugs and corruption as three issues that require urgent attention.

As demonstrations pitting pro-government groups against pro-democracy protesters continue, a bishop urged Catholics to pray for the realization that all are humans and not "cockroaches or dogs."

Christianity is disappearing from towns and cities in parts of the Middle East, warns a new report from the papal foundation Aid to the Church in Need.

Pope Francis believes that Christianity and the Catholic Church can have a great future in this continent where two-thirds of humanity live.