Pope Francis To Make First Public Appearance In Rome Since Hospitalisation: Vatican

Pope Francis to make first public appearance in Rome since hospitalisation. Pope Francis is planning to make his first public appearance on Sunday since he was hospitalised, the Vatican has said.

Mr Francis, who has been suffering from a series of respiratory illnesses including severe pneumonia for more than a month, is set to greet the crowd outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital at around 12 p.m. (1100 GMT) following the traditional Angelus prayer, the Holy See said on its official Vatican News portal on Saturday.

It would be the first time that the 88-year-old head of the Catholic Church is seen in public since he was admitted to hospital with a case of bronchitis on February 14.
It was initially unclear whether Francis would address the crowd from the window of his hospital room or from a balcony.

Pope Francis

As in past weeks, the pope will not lead the Angelus prayer himself, the Vatican said.

His doctors have not yet provided “any indication as to when the pope would be discharged from the hospital,” the statement said, but noted the most recent health update suggesting Francis’ respiratory and motor functions were continually improving.

The Argentinian pontiff, who succeeded Benedict XVI in 2013, is the second-oldest pope in history.

President Trump Revokes Security Clearances For Harris, Clinton, Others

President Trump revokes security clearances for Harris, Clinton, others. U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of former vice president Kamala Harris and former U.S. secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, among others.

Mr Trump in February revoked ex-president Joe Biden’s security clearance, stating that Mr Biden “could not be trusted with sensitive information,” hence denying him ccess to classified information.

“I hereby direct every executive department and agency head to revoke any active security clearances held by the aforementioned individuals,” Mr Trump said on Friday in a memorandum.

He added, “I have determined that it is no longer in the national interest for the following individuals to access classified information,”
Mr Trump’s latest executive action may be considered a reprisal targeted at some of his political opponents, including Mr Biden, and former senior officials of the White House who traditionally, as a sign of courtesy, retain their security clearance.

Trump

Mr Trump was also stripped of security clearance in 2021 by the then U.S President Joe Biden who accused him of breaching security rules by storing classified White House documents in his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Mr Biden’s family members along with a former secretary of state Anthony Blinken, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and other top U.S. officials were also stripped of access to state secrets.

Germany Closes Embassy In South Sudan As Fighting Worsens – Foreign Minister

Germany closes embassy in South Sudan as fighting worsens. Germany is temporarily closing its embassy in South Sudan as a result of the worsening conflict in the east African country.

“After years of fragile peace, South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war,” said foreign minister Annalena Baerbock on the social media platform Bluesky.

Ms Baerbock said the German government’s crisis management team decided to close the embassy in the capital Juba due to the worsening situation.

“The safety of our colleagues is our top priority,” she added. South Sudan secured its independence from Sudan in 2011 but soon fell into a brutal civil war.

In 2020, President Salva Kiir and his opponent Vice President Riek Machar formed a joint transitional government, but the deal is now in danger of failing.

A militia containing members of the Nuer ethnic group, to which Machar belongs, has been fighting government soldiers for weeks near the border to Ethiopia.

Government forces have bombed civilian targets, while UN helicopters were shot at during a rescue mission.

Dozens of people have been killed in the fighting, with the military accusing Machar’s party of fuelling the conflict, while the vice president accused Kiir of attacking his supporters.

Germany Closes Embassy In South Sudan

Although the fighting is taking place more than 1,300 kilometres away from the capital, the violence could spread to other parts of the country. Parties in neighbouring Sudan are also threatening to get involved.

“President Kiir and Vice President Machar are plunging the country into a spiral of violence,” said Ms Baerbock.

“They have a responsibility to stop the senseless violence and finally implement the peace agreement.”

In recent days, diplomats from the EU, the United States, and other Western countries have offered to mediate between Messrs Kiir and Machar.