How does the huge crowd for the pope's Mass in East Timor compare to others?

TASITOLU, East Timor (AP) — Popes are popular. So much so that nearly half the population of East Timor gathered Tuesday in a seaside park for Pope Francis’ final Mass in the small Southeast Asian country whose people are deeply Catholic. Other papal Masses have drawn millions of...

Pope Francis’ Mass in East Timor draws 600,000 people, nearly half the population

TASITOLU, East Timor (AP) — An estimated 600,000 people — nearly half of East Timor’s population —- packed a seaside park Tuesday for Pope Francis’ final Mass, held on the same field where St. John Paul II prayed 35 years ago during the nation’s fight for independence from Indonesia. ...

Pope cheers East Timor's recovery while acknowledging a bishop's abuse scandal

DILI, East Timor (AP) — Pope Francis received a raucous welcome Monday as he arrived in East Timor to celebrate its recovery from a bloody and traumatic independence battle, even as he indirectly acknowledged an abuse scandal involving its Nobel Peace Prize-winning hero. Timorese...

Pope Francis enters Papua New Guinea's remote jungles with humanitarian aid and toys

VANIMO, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Pope Francis traveled to the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea on Sunday to celebrate the Catholic Church on the peripheries, bringing with him medicine, musical instruments and a message of love for the people who live there. Francis flew aboard a...

Environment solution: New metals refinery for nickel and cobalt opens in Ohio

In a step forward for efforts to acquire the metals crucial to addressing climate change, on Monday a new plant that can extract nickel and cobalt from scrap material opens in Fairfield, Ohio. The resulting metals will be used in new batteries and other clean energy markets. ...

Pope arrives in Papua New Guinea for the second leg of his Southeast Asia and Oceania trip

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Pope Francis arrived in Papua New Guinea on Friday for the second leg of his four-nation trip through Southeast Asia and Oceania, becoming the second pope to visit the poor, strategically important South Pacific nation. A cannon salute and...

Pope heads to Papua New Guinea after final Mass in Indonesia before an overflow crowd of 100,000

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Pope Francis wrapped up his visit to Indonesia on Friday after celebrating Mass before an overflow crowd of 100,000, a final celebration before heading to Papua New Guinea for the second leg of his 11-day journey through Southeast Asia and Oceania. The...

Indonesia deports an ex-Philippine town mayor accused in Manila of cybercrimes

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia on Thursday deported a dismissed Philippine town mayor accused in Manila of helping establish an illegal online gaming and scam center and evading an investigation by the Philippine Senate. Alice Guo, 34, will continue her legal process in...

Pope and imam of Southeast Asia's largest mosque make joint call to fight violence, protect planet

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Pope Francis and the grand imam of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque vowed Thursday to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of Francis’ visit to Indonesia. ...

PHOTO COLLECTION: Pope Francis Visits Indonesia