Cardinal Keith O'Brien of St Andrews and Edinburgh has appealed for an independent inquiry into the conviction of Lockerbie bomber.

The man accused of stabbing a 69-year-old Canadian bishop has appeared in court.

The Jerusalem Post has urged the Pope to distance himself from controversial comments by a Greek Melkite archbishop at the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East.

Benedict XVI has expressed concern at violent clashes over the opening of a rubbish tip near Mount Vesuvius in Italy.

The Pope has praised the German theologian Erik Peterson, who died 50 years ago.