Sources: BBC
A total of 133 cardinal electors begin the process of electing a new pope following the death of Pope Francis. 2025-05-7
Sri Lanka's foreign ministry says that the country has received assurances from Russia that it would stop recruiting Sri Lankan citizens to fight in Ukraine. 2024-06-11
Several opposition politicians are arrested in Colombo, Sri Lanka, after demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who said yesterday that the country is "bankrupt". 2022-07-6
During his visit to Romania, Pope Francis apologizes to the Roma people on behalf of the Catholic Church and asks forgiveness for "all those times in history when we have discriminated, mistreated or looked askance at you." He also beatifies seven Eastern Catholic church bishops who were jailed for treason and tortured under Communist rule. All died in confinement and were buried in secret. 2019-06-2
Pope Francis issues a directive banning the sale of most tobacco in Vatican City as of January 1, 2018, because of its unhealthy attributes. A 2015 book stated the papal city netted $11 million (£8.7 million) per year from these sales. 2017-11-9
Pope Francis pleads for peace in a Christmas Mass in the Vatican. 2016-12-25
Pope Francis appoints twenty new cardinals resulting in a majority of members of the College of Cardinals being from outside Europe for the first time ever. 2015-02-14
Protesters try to enter the United Nations compound in Colombo, Sri Lanka, calling for the United Nations to abandon an inquiry into alleged human rights abuses in the final stages of the civil war between the government and Tamil rebels that ended last year. Staff are unable to leave until being assisted by Sri Lankan police. 2010-07-6
Incumbent President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa is declared the winner of Sunday's presidential election, defeating opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka. 2010-01-27