IN BRIEF

• Philippine rebels declare own Christmas truce

  Church welcomes communist declaration, hopes ceasefire will lead to resumption of peace talks

• Police investigate Hindu group over Christmas warning

  Authorities ask fanatical group to pay a 1-million rupee bond and sign a pledge promising not to disturb celebrations

• Japanese students have on-line video chat with pope

  A good education is one that looks toward service to others, pope tells students at the Jesuit Sophia University in Tokyo

• Philippine activists call for Christmas gadget boycott

  Electronic goods contain lots of material harmful to the environment, they say

• Christians reject Jakarta Christmas celebration plan

  Event at National Monument could stoke tensions, is a waste of public money, churches tell governor

• Christians lack confidence in Modi government, cardinal

  Cardinal Baselios Cleemis says the onus is on the administration to restore trust

• Kashmir Catholics pray for peace this Christmas

  A church in the capital Srinagar had subdued celebrations in 2016 due to an upsurge in killings late in the year

• Vietnam parishioners attacked by 'red flag' mob

  Catholics in Nghe An province set upon by communist supporters as they tried to dig ditch on disputed land