U.S. Vice President JD Vance took part in a Good Friday service at St. Peter’s Basilica, arriving with his wife and three young children just days after the death of Pope Francis, who passed away earlier this week at age 88.
The visit comes at a sensitive moment. Vance, a Catholic convert and vocal defender of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, had previously clashed with the late pope over the treatment of migrants. Francis had called the administration’s deportation policy a “disgrace” and issued a public letter rebuking the theological justifications cited by Vance.
Despite their differences, Vance is expected to meet with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, on Saturday. The meeting will take place amid ongoing tensions between the Vatican and U.S. Catholic institutions over cuts to migrant aid and refugee services.
The U.S. bishops’ conference recently ended a 50-year federal partnership on migrant support, citing severe funding reductions. Vatican officials are reportedly seeking ways to address the fallout and maintain humanitarian programs.
Vance may also attend Pope Francis’s funeral in the coming days, though the Vatican has not yet confirmed the full list of international attendees.
As the Church mourns its first Latin American pontiff, the visit by America’s vice president underlines both the shared heritage and the unresolved disagreements between Washington and the Holy See.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations...
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United St...
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artif...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Iraq has returned restricted airspace across the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits imposed for military operations against Islamic State since 2016, the Transport Ministry said.
Denmark and Greenland have moved to reassure the public that their sovereignty will remain intact under a new security agreement with the United States.
World leaders are set to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York for several days of high-level debate, with Iran, Ukraine, artificial intelligence (AI) and a range of global crises expected to dominate discussions this week.
Ed Sheeran has broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his U.S. tour, apologising for decisions made after rapper Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his public support for Palestine.
French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the tiny French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Canada, where he is due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday (20 September).
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