VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Wednesday thanked members of the medical team who saved his life during a five-week hospital stay for a serious case of double pneumonia, speaking softly but breathing without oxygen at the meeting in the Vatican.
The 88-year-old pontiff is gradually making more public appearances as he recovers from the biggest health crisis in his 12 years in the role. On Wednesday morning, he met with about 70 doctors and staffers from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where he was treated for 38 days.
“Thank you for your service in hospital,” the pope said in a soft, raspy voice. “It is very good. Keep going like this.”
As during his last public appearance, on Sunday, the pope did not use oxygen.
The pope’s medical team have urged him to take two months’ rest after leaving hospital to allow his body to fully heal. Francis initially remained out of view after returning home but has now made several brief public appearances.
The Vatican on Thursday will start its busiest holiday season, with at least six religious celebrations in four days, including Easter, the most important Christian holiday, on Sunday.
It is still not known how much the pope will participate in the events. The Vatican has delegated senior cardinals to lead each of the celebrations in the pope’s place.
Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican
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Pope Francis thanks doctors who saved his life in meeting at Vatican
- The 88-year-old pontiff is gradually making more public appearances as he recovers
- “Thank you for your service in hospital,” the pope said
Trump hopes North Carolina speech will bolster standing on US economy
- Trump works to turn around public opinion on economy
- Opinion polls show Americans have doubts
ROCKY MOUNT, North Carolina: US President Donald Trump traveled to the “battleground” state of North Carolina on Friday, seeking to convince Americans that his handling of the economy is sound ahead of a midterm election year that could spell trouble for him and his ruling Republicans.
With prices increasing and unemployment up, Trump has his work cut out for him. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday showed just 33 percent of US adults approve of how Trump has handled the economy.
Trump is set to argue that the US economy is poised for a surge due to his policies and that any problems they are experiencing are the fault of the Democrats.
He contends that he has lowered the price of gasoline, imposed tariffs that are generating billions of dollars for the US Treasury and attracted hundreds of billions of dollars in investment pledges by foreign governments.
Republicans worry, however, that economic woes could jeopardize their chances in elections next November that will decide whether they will keep control of the House of Representatives and the Senate for the remaining two years of Trump’s term.
The speech is taking place at a 9 p.m. rally (0200 GMT Saturday) at the convention center in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The city is represented by a Democrat in the House, Don Davis, who faces a tough re-election fight in 2026 after the boundaries of his congressional district were redrawn.
North Carolina is considered a “battleground” state because its statewide elections are closely contested between Democrats and Republicans. But Trump won the state in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
The North Carolina event is a stop on the way to his oceanfront Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he plans to spend the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
The US president has repeatedly said that any economic pain Americans are experiencing should be blamed on policies he inherited from his predecessor, Democratic President Joe Biden.
“Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump said in a grievance-filled speech on Wednesday night that he delivered in a jarringly rapid-fire pace. Democrats have argued that Trump himself has bungled the economy, the central issue he campaigned on last year.
rump got some early holiday cheer on Thursday from the Consumer Price Index report for November. It said housing costs rose by the smallest margin in four years.
Food costs rose by the least since February. Egg prices — a subject Trump raises regularly — fell for a second month, and by the most in 20 months. The report nonetheless showed that other prices, like beef and electricity, soared.
Overall, prices rose 2.7 percent over the year prior. Asked what his message will be in North Carolina, Trump said it would be similar to his last two events, a prime-time address on Wednesday night and a visit to Pennsylvania last week.
“We’ve had tremendous success. We inherited a mess, and part of what we inherited was the worst inflation in 48 years,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. “And now we’re bringing those prices down. I’ll be talking about that.”
