International News
Pope Francis Will Miss Weekly Sunday Blessing
Pope Francis has been asked by medical professionals to avoid giving his Sunday benediction from a hospital balcony.
They said that the pontiff is doing well after his three-hour abdominal hernia surgery on Wednesday at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
Briefing reporters on Saturday, surgeon Sergio Alfieri said the 86-year-old would not perform the weekly blessing to avoid strain on his abdomen.
He added the Pope would stay in hospital for all of next week, according to BBC.
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the Pope would instead say the traditional noon Angelus prayer from his hospital suite and urged the world’s Catholics to join him.
“Only three days have passed. We asked the Holy Father to be prudent and avoid the strain [of standing at the balcony]”, Dr Alfieri told reporters.
He added that the Pope had a mesh prosthetic inserted into his abdominal wall to help it heal and doctors want it to settle and attach properly to avoid another operation if it breaks.
“You can understand how that would not be pleasing for him, and for me,” Dr Alfieri joked. “Each time he gets out of bed and sits in an armchair puts stress on the abdominal walls.”
But he insisted that Pope Francis remained in good spirits, and had started eating a diet of semi-solid foods again.
BBC said the pontiff did not have a fever, the doctor said, adding that his heart rate and blood pressure were stable.
Pope Francis, who was chosen by cardinals to lead the Catholic Church after his predecessor Pope Benedict resigned in 2013, has faced a host of health issues in recent years.
Due to knee pain, he regularly uses a cane and wheelchair to get around, and in March he spent three days in hospital to treat a lung infection.
In 2021, he spent 10 days in hospital after having a part of his colon removed, while last month he pulled out of his Friday audiences due to a fever.
But while his predecessor Benedict XVI quit the role citing health issues – becoming the first Pontiff to resign in nearly 600 years – Pope Francis has dismissed the possibility of leaving office too.
“You don’t run the Church with a knee but with a head,” he is said to have told an aide last year.
In general, it is believed that the Pope’s health was good during his decade as head of the Catholic Church.
He keeps a full schedule and is scheduled to travel to Portugal and Mongolia starting in August.
A devastating fire has swept through a girls’ boarding school in central Kenya, leaving at least 16 students dead and dozens more injured in one of the country’s worst school tragedies in recent years.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy, located in Nakuru County, roughly 120 kilometres north of Nairobi. Authorities said the fire broke out around 1:00 a.m. while about 220 students were asleep inside the dormitory.
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Emergency responders, including the Kenyan Red Cross and local security agencies, rushed to the scene and evacuated survivors.
At least 73 students have been hospitalised with varying degrees of burns and smoke inhalation, while rescue operations and search efforts continued into the morning.
Police sources said the cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations have been launched to determine what triggered the deadly blaze.
The affected dormitory has since been cordoned off as forensic teams examine the scene.
Parents gathered anxiously outside the school as authorities worked to account for all students. Officials have urged calm, assuring that full details will be released once investigations are completed.
The tragedy adds to a troubling history of school dormitory fires in Kenya, where boarding schools remain common.
In previous years, similar incidents have raised serious concerns about safety standards and emergency preparedness in educational institutions.
Government officials are expected to revisit school safety regulations following the latest disaster.
Global oil prices climbed sharply on Thursday following reports of a new United States military strike on Iran, raising fresh concerns over stability in the Middle East and possible disruptions to global energy supplies.
Brent crude rose significantly in early trading, while West Texas Intermediate also recorded gains as investors reacted to renewed hostilities and uncertainty around the fragile ceasefire in the region.
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According to reports, the latest US action included targeted strikes on Iranian positions following a series of drone and maritime incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military described its operations as “measured and defensive,” aimed at preventing further escalation and protecting strategic interests in the region.
The developments triggered immediate reactions across global financial markets, with Asian stocks mostly declining amid fears that prolonged conflict could disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical route for nearly a fifth of global crude supply.
Market analysts warn that sustained instability could push energy prices even higher, fueling inflationary pressures worldwide and potentially forcing central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies.
In Asia, major indices recorded losses, while tech-driven gains in select markets were overshadowed by broader investor caution. Safe-haven assets strengthened slightly as traders moved away from riskier positions.
Economists say the situation remains highly volatile, with conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran adding to uncertainty.
Any further escalation, they caution, could send oil prices even higher and deepen global economic pressure.
For now, investors are closely watching diplomatic developments and military activity in the region, as the world braces for possible further shocks to energy markets.
The United States has issued its strongest travel advisory against Uganda, warning citizens to completely avoid travel to the country due to an ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease.
In the updated alert, the United States Department of State upgraded Uganda’s travel status to Level 4, the highest risk classification, which is widely understood as a “Do Not Travel” warning.
The decision was based on serious health threats and the rapid spread of the virus in affected areas.
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Authorities also warned of the risk of cross-border transmission, noting that continued movement across neighbouring countries could worsen the situation despite ongoing containment efforts.
Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had placed Uganda under a lower-level health advisory, advising travellers to take standard precautions.
However, a surge in infections and deteriorating conditions led to the tightening of restrictions.
Meanwhile, Ugandan authorities have stepped up emergency response measures, including stricter border surveillance, movement restrictions in affected zones, and reductions in public transportation and market activities in high-risk areas.
Health agencies remain on high alert as the outbreak continues to raise concern over possible regional spread across East Africa.
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