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Pope Francis responds well to treatment for double pneumonia

ROME — Pope Francis is responding well to the treatment for double pneumonia and has shown a “gradual, slight improvement” in recent days, the Vatican said Saturday. But his doctors have decided to keep his prognosis as guarded, meaning that he’s not out of danger yet. 

The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has remained stable, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported in a Vatican statement. 

The doctors said that such stability “as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy.” It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14. 

Francis worked and rested during the day Saturday, as he entered his fourth week at Rome’s Gemelli hospital with his condition stabilized following a few bouts of acute respiratory crises last week. 

“In order to record these initial improvements in the coming days as well, his doctors have prudently maintained the prognosis as guarded,” the statement said. 

In his absence, the Vatican’s day-to-day operations continued, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrating Mass for an anti-abortion group in St. Peter’s Basilica. At the start, Parolin delivered a message from the pope from the hospital on the need to protect life, from birth to natural death. 

In the message, dated March 5 and addressed to the Movement for Life, which seeks to provide women with alternatives to abortion, Francis encouraged the faithful to promote anti-abortion activities not just for the unborn, but “for the elderly, no longer independent or the incurably ill.” 

Later Saturday, another cardinal closely associated with Francis’ papacy, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, presides over the nightly recitation of prayers for Francis. Czerny then returns Sunday to celebrate the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated. 

Francis has been using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night. 

Francis was hospitalized Feb. 14 for what was then a bad case of bronchitis. The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future. 
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Protests in Turkey demand protection from domestic violence

ISTANBUL — Thousands of women demonstrated in the streets of Turkish cities Saturday to mark International Women’s Day, protesting inequality and violence against women.

On the Asian side of Istanbul, a rally in Kadikoy saw members of dozens of women’s groups listen to speeches, dance and sing in the spring sunshine. The colorful protest was overseen by a large police presence, including officers in riot gear and a water cannon truck.

The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared 2025 the Year of the Family. Protesters pushed back against the idea of women’s role being confined to marriage and motherhood, carrying banners reading “Family will not bind us to life” and “We will not be sacrificed to the family.”

Critics have accused the government of overseeing restrictions on women’s rights and not doing enough to tackle violence against women.

Erdogan in 2021 withdrew Turkey from a European treaty, dubbed the Istanbul Convention, that protects women from domestic violence. Turkey’s We Will Stop Femicides Platform says 394 women were killed by men in 2024.

“There is bullying at work, pressure from husbands and fathers at home and pressure from patriarchal society. We demand that this pressure be reduced even further,” Yaz Gulgun, 52, said.

The women’s day events were the first planned public demonstrations since the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, announced a ceasefire last week, bringing hope for an end to a 40-year conflict with the Turkish state.

Crowds in Diyarbakir, the largest city in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast, heard a message from the group’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan in which he said the “women’s issue is bigger than the Kurdish issue.”

Gultan Kisanak, a Kurdish politician who was released from prison last year after being convicted of terrorism charges, addressed a rally near the city center. “A democratic society that does not accept women’s will cannot be built. Therefore, women’s struggle for freedom is the cornerstone of our people’s struggle for freedom and peace,” she said.

Many women were expected to gather in the evening on the European side of Istanbul for a Feminist Night March despite a ban. In recent years, authorities have blocked efforts by women to demonstrate in Taksim Square, Istanbul’s traditional gathering point for rallies.

Nearby metro stations were closed from the early afternoon, and streets, including one of the city’s main shopping thoroughfares, were sealed off with barriers.

The Beyoglu district governor’s office said the ban was enforced to prevent “actions that may disrupt public order and social peace.”
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Russian strikes on Ukraine kill at least 11, Kyiv says

KYIV, UKRAINE — At least 11 people were killed and 30 wounded, including five children, in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s eastern city of Dobropillia overnight, Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Another three civilians were killed in a drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast, the ministry added. The ministry said Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets and drones, damaging eight multistory buildings and 30 cars.

“While extinguishing the fire, the occupiers struck again, damaging the fire truck,” the ministry said on the Telegram Messenger.

he ministry published photos of partially destroyed buildings engulfed in fire and rescuers removing rubble from the buildings.

Dobropillia, home to about 28,000 people before the war, is in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, 22 kilometers from the front-line north of the key hub of Pokrovsk, which the Russian troops have been attacking for weeks.

The ministry also said at least three were killed and seven injured in a separate drone attack on Kharkiv region overnight. Ukrainian military said Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and one Iskander-K cruise missile as well as 145 drones.

They said air forces shot down one cruise missile and 79 drones. The military said another 54 drones did not reach their targets likely due to electronic countermeasures. 
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Protesters hurl bombs near Greek Parliament amid rail disaster motion debate

ATHENS, GREECE — Clashes broke out in Greece’s two largest cities Friday, as protesters hurled gasoline bombs and flares outside Parliament during a censure motion debate against the government over its handling of a deadly rail disaster two years ago.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades at the violent protesters and used water cannons when the clashes broke out moments after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis began speaking at the end of the three-day debate. The government survived the challenge in a 157-136 vote announced late Friday. Inside the assembly, activists in the visitors’ gallery threw leaflets down onto lawmakers before being removed by police.

Violence also erupted in the northern city of Thessaloniki.

Mitsotakis’ center-right government faced a censure motion over the 2023 train collision that killed 57 people and injured dozens more.

Friday’s demonstrations, the third round of nationwide protests held in a week, followed the second anniversary of the Feb. 28, 2023, collision at Tempe in northern Greece.

In a rare display of unity, four center-left and left-wing opposition parties submitted the no-confidence motion, arguing that the government has failed to accept responsibility for multiple rail safety system failures identified by investigators.

“You want to hide the criminal responsibility of the government for the Tempe tragedy,” Socialist opposition leader Nikos Androulakis told lawmakers, addressing the prime minister. “No Greek citizen will forgive your unacceptable behavior.”

Despite widespread public anger over the Tempe rail disaster, the fragmented opposition has struggled to capitalize on the discontent.

Mitsotakis accused his political opponents of engineering a political stunt, adding, “When I visited the scene of the accident … it was the most difficult moment of my life.”

Relatives of crash victims attended Friday’s protest rallies, publicly expressing gratitude to demonstrators.

“People are here because they understand what’s going on and they demand justice,” Chrysoula Chlorou said at a protest in the central city of Larissa. Chlorou’s sister Vasso, 55, was killed in the crash.

She added, “We will stand with everyone who has the strength to raise their voices for the people and we thank them very much.”
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Greenland and Afghanistan: Frontiers in race for critical minerals

Just as discoveries of fossil fuel reserves helped to shape the 20th century, the race for critical minerals is shaping the 21st. These minerals are seen as strategically crucial for modern economies, including those used in construction, energy and manufacturing — particularly for semiconductors and other technology applications.

Where mineral resources are located and extracted has often played a major role in geopolitical and economic relations. Today, the world’s attention is turning to two places believed to be rich in untapped reserves — but accessing each of them comes with unique challenges.

Afghanistan

Sitting at the intersection of multiple tectonic plates, Afghanistan’s geology has resulted in extensive and diverse mineral deposits. Historically, its territory was a primary source of copper and gold as well as gems and semiprecious stones, particularly lapis lazuli, a stone prized for its intense blue color.

Today, Afghanistan is estimated to hold nearly $1 trillion worth of mineral reserves. This includes 60 million tons of copper, 183 million tons of aluminum and 2.2 billion tons of iron ore. Gold is mined on an artisanal scale in the northern and eastern provinces, while the mountainous north contains valuable marble and limestone deposits used in construction.

The China National Petroleum Corporation also pumps oil in the north, though Afghanistan has no domestic refining capability and is reliant on neighbors such as Turkmenistan, Iran and Kyrgyzstan for fuel.

Most of the international focus, however, is on Afghanistan’s other metal deposits, many of which are crucial to emerging technologies. These include cobalt, lithium and niobium, used in batteries and other electronics. The country’s unexplored lithium reserves may even exceed those of Bolivia, currently the world’s largest.

Afghanistan also holds major deposits of rare earth metals like lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, which are used for magnets and semiconductors as well as other specialized manufacturing applications.

One obstacle to extracting Afghanistan’s minerals is its terrain, considered the eighth most mountainous in the world. But security has been a much bigger impediment. Amid the political instability that followed the first fall of the Taliban in 2001, many gemstone and copper mines operated illegally under the command of local militants. With workers paid very little and the product smuggled out to be sold in neighboring Pakistan, the Afghan people saw little benefit from these extraction operations.

Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban, who have been eager to make use of the country’s mineral wealth and increase exports, are hampered by a lack of diplomatic recognition and their designation as a terrorist group by multiple nations. This is, however, beginning to change, as some countries establish de facto diplomatic ties.

In 2024, the Taliban government’s resource ministry announced that it had secured investments from China, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and the United Kingdom. China, which was the first nation to accredit a Taliban-appointed ambassador, is expected to be a major player in Afghanistan’s extractive industries as part of its Belt and Road Initiative.

However, as newly discovered deposits require an average of 16 years to develop into operational mines, harnessing Afghanistan’s mineral potential will take a great deal of investment and time — if the political and security issues can somehow be worked out.

Greenland

For millions of years, Greenland has been mostly covered by an ice sheet, habitable only along coastal areas. Despite some offshore petroleum and gas exploration, fishing and whaling have remained the primary nongovernment industries.

Now, as ice recedes amid climate change, the large island’s frozen interior offers new opportunities in untapped mineral resources. These include more common metals such as copper and gold, as well as titanium and graphite. But as elsewhere, there is even greater interest in Greenland’s deposits of technology-critical minerals.

The autonomous Danish territory is estimated to contain deposits of 43 of the 50 minerals designated by the United States as crucial to national security. Among these are the sought-after rare earth metals, in addition to other metals with technological applications such as vanadium and chromium.

Currently, a majority of the world’s rare earth metals are mined in China, making Greenland’s deposits vital for countries seeking to reduce their dependence on Chinese imports. This strategic importance is one of the factors that led U.S. President Donald Trump to propose buying Greenland from Denmark.

Greenland’s government has issued nearly 100 mining licenses to companies like KoBold Metals and Rio Tinto. But these have mostly involved exploration, with only two mines currently operating in the country. Getting a mine to production can take as long as a decade, because it involves several unique challenges.

One such hurdle is Greenland’s strong environmentalist movement, which has successfully shut down mining projects for safety concerns. Rare earths pose a particular issue, because they must be extracted from other ores — a process that can cause waste and pollution. At the Kvanefjeld site in the south, metals were to be extracted from uranium ore until the fear of radioactive pollution led to a ban.

The receding ice and warming climate have made extraction easier not only by revealing more territory but also by extending possible working hours and easing ship navigation. However, the environment remains harsh and inhospitable, and the island suffers from a lack of infrastructure, with few roads or energy facilities outside major settlements. Nevertheless, Greenland’s government considers the mining industry to be an important means of developing the economy.

Conclusion

Shaped by both politics and geography, Greenland and Afghanistan have become two major frontiers in the global scramble for critical minerals. Which parties will have the opportunity to benefit from their resources will depend on the interplay of military power, economics and diplomacy. 
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Pope hits 3-week mark in hospital after showing his frailty in recording

ROME — Pope Francis hit the three-week mark Friday in his hospitalization for double pneumonia, in stable condition and resuming his therapies after giving the world a tangible indication of just how frail and sick he is.

The Vatican said the 88-year-old pope had a good night’s rest and woke up Friday morning just after 8 a.m. He resumed his respiratory and physical therapy, using high flows of supplemental oxygen to help him breathe. Doctors said they didn’t expect to give another medical update until Saturday, given his continued stability and absence of respiratory crises or other setbacks for several days now.

But Francis offered a first public sign of just how weak he is on Thursday by recording an audio message that was broadcast to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square who had gathered for the nightly recitation of the rosary prayer.

In it, Francis thanked the people for their prayers. But his voice was barely discernible through his labored breaths, and he spoke in his native Spanish, not Italian.

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square, I accompany you from here,” he said to the hushed square. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”

The message served many purposes. It was the first public sign of life from the pope since he entered Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14, and it put to rest right-wing conspiracy theories and rumors calling into question his true medical status.

The Vatican said Francis himself wanted to record it, to thank all those people who had been praying for him. In his Sunday message last weekend, Francis said he had felt the affection of so many people and felt “as if I am ‘carried’ and supported by all God’s people.”

But the audio also underscored just how weak Francis is. For anyone used to hearing his voice, this audio — which is often so soft it sounds like a whisper — was an emotional punch to the gut that hammered home just how hard it is for him to even breathe.

The cardinal presiding over the prayer, Cardinal Angel Fernandez Artime, had told the crowd at the start of the service that he had “beautiful news, a beautiful gift” to share.

“Oh, che bello,” marveled one nun in the crowd. “Oh, how beautiful.”

The clearly surprised crowd broke into applause and then applauded again after Francis’ final “Gracias.” Fernandez Artime, for his part, bowed his head as he listened.

The 88-year-old pope has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man.

The Vatican has given twice-daily updates on Francis’ condition but has distributed no photos or video of him since the morning of Feb. 14, when he held a handful of audiences at the Vatican before being admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis.

The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future of his papacy.

The absence of any images of Francis in a country where the image and voice of the pontiff is a part of everyday life helped fuel dire conspiracy theories, primarily among right-wing critics of the pope, about Francis’ true fate.

Francis has issued written messages from the Gemelli, including some that seemed very much like him. But even Vatican officials had been clamoring to hear his voice, saying the pope’s calls for peace are particularly needed at a time of such global conflict and war.

More than any pope before him, Francis has mastered the art of informal and direct communication, often recording cell phone videos for visitors, anything from a “Happy Birthday” for someone’s mother to a religious prayer for a particular church group. For the considerable effort it must have taken, the audio message made clear that he understood the power of his voice, even in its weakened state.

Doctors on Thursday reported that Francis was in stable condition, with no new respiratory crises or fever. He continued his respiratory and other physical therapy Thursday, worked, rested and prayed from the 10th floor papal suite at Rome’s Gemelli hospital. His prognosis remains guarded, meaning he is not out of danger.

The pope has been sleeping with a noninvasive mechanical mask to guarantee that his lungs expand properly overnight and help his recovery. He has been transitioning to receiving high-flow oxygen with a nasal tube during the day.
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Russia intensifies attacks as US, Ukraine prepare for talks

Ahead of planned talks with the United States next week, Ukraine reported Friday that Russia struck its energy infrastructure across a broad swath of the nation, hitting targets in five regions, damaging residential buildings and injuring residents.

This latest barrage came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia Monday for meetings with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a possible ceasefire with Russia.

“The first steps to establishing real peace should be to force the sole source of this war, that is, Russia, to stop precisely such attacks against life,” Zelenskyy said in his Friday post, referencing the overnight assault.

In posts on his social media accounts, Zelenskyy said the Russian attack included almost 70 cruise and ballistic missiles and nearly 200 attack drones. He said they struck targets in Odesa, Poltava, Chernihiv, Ternopil and Kharkiv regions.

Zelenskyy said that many of the drones were taken out by antiaircraft troops and that, for the first time, French-made Mirage fighter jets were deployed in air defense, which he said were particularly successful against cruise missiles. He said U.S-made F-16s were also deployed to thwart the attack.

Monday’s meeting between Zelenskyy and U.S. officials would be the first since last week’s contentious White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance as reporters looked on.

Earlier this week in a letter sent to Trump, Zelenskyy said the way the meeting went was “regrettable” and Ukraine was “ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

Witkoff told reporters Thursday the president felt the Ukrainian president had made amends with the statement. He also confirmed he would meet with Zelenskyy in Saudi Arabia with the goal of establishing “a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well.”

Zelenskyy was in Brussels Thursday, where he met with European Union leaders and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Zelenskyy said that at both meetings, they discussed the next steps needed toward establishing lasting peace.

Zelensky also announced that he is scheduled to meet in Paris on Tuesday with military chiefs of countries willing to send troops to Ukraine to ensure peace. Commenting on the meeting, Zelenskyy said, “The leaders share a clear vision that real and lasting peace is possible through the cooperation of Ukraine, all of Europe and the United States.”

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press and Reuters.
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Discovery of WWII bomb disrupts Paris trains

PARIS — The discovery of a World War II bomb has disrupted morning traffic to and from Paris’ busy Gare du Nord train station, French national railway company TER said on Friday.

“An unexploded bomb from the Second World War was discovered near the tracks,” TER said on social media platform X. The disruption is affecting both local metros and national and international trains.

Eurostar’s website shows that at least three trains scheduled to depart from Gare du Nord on Friday morning have been canceled.

The international train company did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

French police were not immediately available to provide more information. 
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US defense secretary: Europe-led NATO is ‘future of defense on continent’  

pentagon — On a windy Thursday outside Washington at the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed his British counterpart to discuss how best to quickly end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“European leadership of NATO, led by the U.K., led by others, is, we believe, the future of defense on the continent,” Hegseth said.

British Defense Secretary John Healey said the United Kingdom had increased its defense spending and would continue to do so.

“You challenged us to step up on Ukraine, on defense spending, on European security. And I say to you that we have, we are, and we will further,” Healey said.

On the possibility of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, Healey said the U.K. believes Kyiv is ready to make the most of a “unique opportunity.”

But as to whether the U.S. has seen enough to resume intelligence sharing with Ukraine, that is up to President Donald Trump, the U.S. defense secretary said.

“We’re very encouraged by the signs we’re seeing. Ultimately, he will make the determination. But it is a pause for now,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth added that Trump is “laser focused” on ending the bloodshed.

In a joint address to Congress on Tuesday evening, Trump said he was working to end the war in Ukraine.

“It’s time to stop this madness,” he said.

Trump’s comments came the day after the United States paused military aid to Ukraine and a few days after an acrimonious Oval Office meeting on Feb. 28 concluded with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy leaving the White House without an agreement.

In his address, Trump said he received a letter Tuesday from Zelenskyy that said Kyiv was “ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report.
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Ariane 6 rocket roars skyward carrying French military satellite

PARIS — An Ariane 6 rocket roared skyward with a French military reconnaissance satellite aboard Thursday in the first commercial flight for the European heavy-lift launcher.

The rocket took off smoothly from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, quickly disappearing into thick clouds. Video images beamed back from the rocket showed the Earth’s beautiful colors and curvature.

The rocket’s mission was to deliver the CSO-3 military observation satellite into orbit at an altitude of around 800 kilometers.

It was the first commercial mission for Ariane 6 after its maiden flight in July 2024.
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EU leaders vow to ramp up funding to defend their countries, Ukraine

European Union leaders vowed to ramp up funding for Ukraine and their own defense at a summit in Brussels on Thursday as they take steps to rearm in ways they haven’t since the end of the Cold War.

The summit, also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was the first for all 27 EU members since last week’s confrontational White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy — and after Washington’s decision to suspend aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.

“Europe faces a clear and present danger to protect itself and defend itself, as we have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for a lasting and just peace,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said about her $865 billion “rearm Europe” plan. The plan aims to drastically boost Europe’s defense arsenal against what many here see as a growing Russian threat — and possibly the U.S.’s disengagement from the region.

Von der Leyen spoke alongside Zelenskyy, who was invited for part of the summit.

“We are very thankful that we are not alone, and these are not just words,” Zelenskyy said. “We feel it.”

Beyond boosting Europe’s conventional arsenal, French President Emmanuel Macron has floated extending his country’s nuclear arsenal to other European allies, which he also explained to French voters back home. In a televised address to the nation Wednesday, he called Russia a threat to Europe for years to come, remarks denounced by Moscow.

In Brussels, many EU leaders echoed the urgency of rearming, like Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, whose own country borders Russia and has already sharply boosted its defense spending.

“We see good proposals [from] von der Leyen, but we see it’s just one step,” Silina said. “We need more proposals going forward. And we see it’s really a good opportunity for Ukraine to get peace — but through strength.”

The EU sees a strong peace deal for Kyiv as serving its own interests as well to ensure Russia doesn’t go beyond Ukraine to attack its own member states. But some European leaders have misgivings, including Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who has friendly relations with Moscow.

Just as important as pouring more money into defense, analysts say, is investing strategically and pooling resources. Ian Lesser, Brussels bureau office head for the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said cooperation was necessary.

“The resources that would be needed to rebuild Europe’s industrial capacity, to build what is, in essence, a European army, even within NATO, is going to require some kind of collective action,” he said.

A key question moving forward, analysts say, is to what extent Europe will procure equipment from the United States as it has in the past — one key way to potentially keep close ties — or invest in its own industrial capacity.
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What life is like for Ukrainians in Russian-occupied cities

About 20% of Ukraine’s territory — including thousands of villages and small towns — is controlled by Russia. Life changed dramatically for many Ukrainians after Russia’s invasion, and some places — like Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar and Vovchansk — were almost fully destroyed. Kateryna Besedina looks at how some Ukrainians are coping with the upheaval in this story narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Serge Sokolov.
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