In a secret location, under the watchful guard of Pakistan’s military, Asia Bibi and her family are hoping Canada or some other country will take them in before gangs searching from house to house discover her. 

WARSAW, Poland – Bishops in the Central African Republic urged Catholics to boycott their country's National Day observance Dec. 1 to protest the failure of government and United Nations forces to prevent the massacre of church members by rebel groups.

WARSAW, Poland – As government delegations from across the globe prepare for a Dec. 2-14 U.N. conference on climate change, Catholic organizations are pledging to make the church's voice heard.

SAN FRANCISCO – As San Francisco prepares to consider a ballot measure to boost taxes for services to aid the homeless, a U.N. investigator has classed the treatment of the homeless in San Francisco and the Bay Area as a human rights violation.

OTTAWA – Bold action on climate change is needed in the wake of an ominous report by the United Nations’ International Panel on Climate Change, says Development and Peace.

ROME – At a time of technological and scientific progress, "we ought to feel shame" for not having advanced in "humanity and solidarity" enough to feed the world's poor, Pope Francis said.

AMMAN, Jordan – Aid agencies and Catholic officials are sounding the alarm on Yemen's spiraling humanitarian crisis, calling on the combatants to end the war and make badly need assistance available.

Pope Paul VI made papal history on Oct. 4, 1965, becoming the first pontiff to ever leave Europe and the first to leave Italy since 1809. His destination (he’s also the first to travel by plane) was New York City, where he spent a grand total of 14 hours on the ground. He packed a lot into the quick trip, including a meeting with President Lyndon Johnson and a speech to the United Nations. Here’s a report in the Oct. 9, 1965 issue of The Register on part of Pope Paul’s historic visit.

---

VATICAN – Abolishing the death penalty worldwide would reflect the brave and hope-filled belief that crime can be dealt with without capital punishment and that a criminal should be given the chance to reform, a top Vatican diplomat told world leaders.

NEW YORK – The daily schedule at the United Nations is jammed with substantial debates and conferences about issues of interest to the universal church.

MANDALAY, Myanmar – U.N. fact-finding mission said senior military officials in Myanmar must be prosecuted for genocide and war crimes against Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities.

AMSTERDAM – An initiative to identify and properly treat children living with HIV has gained new momentum as international organizations and pharmaceutical companies respond to a Vatican push to look past profit to doing the right thing.

AMSTERDAM – Despite rumors of its demise, the AIDS pandemic is far from over, and churches must continue to play a critical role in combating the disease, Catholic leaders were told at an international gathering of more than 15,000 AIDS researchers and activists.

UNITED NATIONS – The Vatican's nuncio to the United nations welcomed the "inclusion and added emphasis on the right to family unity and to family life" in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

VATICAN – Calling torture a "mortal sin," Pope Francis called on Christians to help victims of this crime against human rights.