Globe-trotting: Pope baptises 21 babies at Sistine Chapel

Pope Francis baptised 21 babies in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday under the ceiling frescoed by Michelangelo, in what has become an annual tradition that marks the end of the Christmas holiday period at the Vatican. Francis celebrated the Lord's gift of faith to the children, stressing they were the protagonists of the ceremony “It is important that these children feel well,” the pope said.

Indonesia’s Mount Ibu erupts

Jakarta: Mount Ibu in North Maluku in Indonesia erupted on Saturday, spewing hot lava and releasing a column of smoke and ash four kilometres, an official said. The volcano, located on Halmahera Island, erupted at 7.45 pm Eastern Indonesia time, sending a tall flaming column soaring into the sky. “The lava was spotted two kilometres away from the eruption centre,” Geological Agency head Muhammad Wafid said in a statement.