Extracts - R.T.S. (Courtesy of the Catholic Times)
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis offered his condolences to those affected by a mudslide at a gold mine in Liberia which has killed at least seven and trapped another 40. He said he was "deeply saddened to learn of the injury and loss of life caused by a mudslide in Gbanipea" and expressed "his heartfelt solidarity" with all those affected by the tragedy. A pit caved in in an illegal gold mine near Tapeta. Other miners attempted to recover the trapped workers by using their bare hands to remove debris in an effort to rescue people without further harm. The workers did not have access to heavy machinery.

VATICAN CITY: Technology holds the potential to benefit all of humankind, but it also poses risky and unforeseen results, Pope Francis said. The rapid evolution of increased technological capacities, for example with artificial intelligence and robotics, creates a "dangerous enchantment; instead of handing human life the tools that will improve care, there is the risk of handing life over to the logic of instruments," he said. "This inversion is destined to create ill-fated results - the machine is not limited to running by itself, but ends up running mankind." The Pope made his remarks during an audience with members of the Pontifical Academy for Life and those taking part in its plenary assembly, which included a two-day workshop on Robo-ethics; Humans, Machines and Health. In his speech, the Pope noted the "dramatic paradox" at work today: Just when humanity has developed the scientific and technological abilities to bring improved well-being more fairly and widely to everyone, instead there is increasing inequality and worsening conflict.

NHA TRANG CITY: Participants at a Bible conference in Vietnam have urged Church leaders to develop Bible programmes for Catholics. More than 150 bishops, priests, nuns and laity nationwide attended the National Conference on the Bible, in Nha Trang City. Archbishop Joseph Vu Van Thien of Hanoi said: "In reality, we invest heavily in building facilities but pay scant attention to publishing materials to aid Bible studies or offer Bible courses for lay Catholics." But he added that many children who receive copies of the New Testament never end up reading them, and that they must be taught to love God's wisdom.