During his first day in Kuwait, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin meets with the clergy, religious, and faithful of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, inviting them to be witnesses of hope in society.

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In a joint statement, the Holy See and the State of Kuwait emphasize the importance of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among religions, at the start of Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin's visit.

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Pope Leo XIV meets with family members of those killed in a tragic fire that struck Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year's Day, and offers words of faith and consolation.

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Pope Leo XIV sends his best wishes for the 50th anniversary of the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, expressing his hope that the press will “always promote communication that is free and dialogical, animated by the search for truth and without prejudice.”

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The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has mobilized nationwide humanitarian and pastoral support to help communities recover from deadly floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which killed more than 600 people and affected millions late last year.

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As Open Doors releases its World Watch List 2026, reporting a new record in violence against Christians, Cristian Nani, the association’s director, tells Vatican News that many of the victims were women and minors, noting particular concern for sub-Saharan Africa.

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Amid ongoing threats to peace worldwide, Archbishop Gintaras Grušas, President of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, invites Christians to pray for peace during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, held annually on 18-25 January.

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Jan 14, 2026 / 20:49 pm (CNA).

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, called for finding peaceful solutions to the events unfolding in Iran, where he sees the population’s yearning to live in “peace, justice, and dignity.”

On Dec. 28, 2025, protests erupted in the capital, Tehran, as Iranians demonstrated against rising prices of basic goods such as chicken and cooking oil, due to inflation. In the following days, the demonstrations spread to more than 180 cities.

These protests are considered the most severe that the Islamic Republic has faced since it came to power in 1979. However, authorities have responded with a crackdown that has resulted in more than 2,500 deaths, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).

Speaking to Vatican News, Pizzaballa said he sees in Iran “the yearning of the entire Iranian population, but also of us, for peace, justice, and dignity; and however much the authorities, politics, may want to draw a line, there is always a red line that cannot be crossed,” which is the people’s demand for a decent life.

“Where this is lacking, sooner or later this need explodes; that is what we are seeing there. I hope that peaceful solutions will be found, that things will not degenerate into violence, but surely no one can ignore the yearning for life and justice that is an integral part of every person’s conscience,” he said in a Jan. 13 statement.

During the interview, the Italian cardinal also addressed the situation in Gaza, noting that it “hasn’t changed much” because, although there is no longer a war, “there are still targeted bombings.”

“There is more food than before, but there is a shortage of medicine. People are dying not only from the cold but also from lack of medical care,” he said. “Everything is still very uncertain. There is much to be done, but it is clear that the situation remains one of total devastation.”

Pizzaballa explained that the conflict in the Middle East is affecting the faithful of the patriarchate in various ways, including those in Jordan, where the war is having both an emotional and economic impact.

Finally, the cardinal shared his experience at the recent extraordinary consistory. He said there was a “very positive atmosphere” and that it was important “because it was the first consistory in a long time.”

“The topics discussed didn’t produce anything sensational, but that wasn’t the goal. The goal was to initiate dialogue, get to know each other, and better define some methods for working together,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Jan 14, 2026 / 20:46 pm (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied knowledge of reports that his administration has restored millions of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood.

According to Jan. 13 report in Politico, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last month restored Title X funding to Planned Parenthood. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday dropped a lawsuit against the administration related to this funding.

Planned Parenthood and some other clinics will be able to submit reimbursement receipts to the government for low-income patients who received birth control and other non-abortion services, according to the Politico report.

While the funding won’t directly cover abortion — the Hyde Amendment prevents the federal government from doing so — the funding will subsidize an organization that performs hundreds of thousands of abortions yearly. 

When asked about the report on Wednesday, Trump told reporters: “I don’t know anything about that.”

“I have not heard that,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. added.

The issue immediately stirred controversy in the pro-life movement. Many pro-lifers have spoken out against the move, calling on the administration to fully defund Planned Parenthood. Others have defended the Trump administration, saying it was their best legal option.

Live Action and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA), two organizations that advocate for legal protections for unborn children, have been urging the Trump administration to completely defund Planned Parenthood.

“The Trump administration has quietly restored millions of dollars in Title X grants to Planned Parenthood that it had withheld since March of 2025,” said Lila Rose, founder of Live Action, in a statement shared with EWTN News. “PP kills 1,102 babies daily with your taxpaying dollars. We must fully defund abortion corporation Planned Parenthood!”

While the first Trump administration enacted a “Protect Life Rule” that stopped abortions from using Title X funding, the second administration has not yet done so.

SBA urged the administration to “immediately reinstate” this rule.

“The Protect Life Rule from the 1st Trump admin stopped Big Abortion businesses from using Title X taxpayer $$ as a slush fund. Biden canceled it,” read a statement shared with EWTN News. “The Trump admin must immediately reinstate it.”

Members of the country’s pro-life movement are set to rally at the annual March for Life on Jan. 23 in Washington, D.C. Leading voices in the movement have been calling for the complete defunding of Planned Parenthood and renewed safety restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone. Though the administration ordered a review of the pill months ago, the review has not been completed. In fact, the administration recently approved a generic form of the abortion drug mifepristone.