ROME: Israeli President Isaac Herzog will travel to the Vatican on Thursday to meet Pope Leo, who has recently stepped up his calls for an end to the war in Gaza.
The one-day visit is being made at the invitation of the pope, Herzog’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.
The president will also meet Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s chief diplomat, and tour the Vatican Archives and Library, it added.
“Central to their meetings will be the efforts to secure the release of the hostages, the fight against global antisemitism, and the safeguarding of Christian communities in the Middle East, alongside discussions on other political matters,” the presidency said.
Leo, the first US pope, last week issued a “strong appeal” for an to end to the nearly two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas, calling for a permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza and the provision of humanitarian aid.
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Israeli president to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday
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Israeli president to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday
Fire burning in southwestern Japan damages 170 homes and forces evacuations
TOKYO: Firefighters and army helicopters were battling a fire Wednesday that has burned through a neighborhood in southwestern Japan and forced more than 170 people to evacuate.
At least 170 homes have been damaged or burned down and a man in his 70s was unaccounted for, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
The fire started during strong winds Tuesday evening near a fishing port in the city of Oita and spread to a forest. Oita is on the southern main island of Kyushu.
Japanese television footage by midday showed smoke still rising from swaths of land filled with burned-down and damaged houses, though orange flames were no longer visible.
One resident told Kyodo News Agency she quickly fled without many of her belongings because the fire “spread in the blink of an eye.”
Dozens of fire engines and more than 200 firefighters were mobilized to battle the fire, which still was not fully under control nearly 20 hours after it started.
The Ground Self-Defense Force dispatched two UH1 army helicopters to join the firefighting effort.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a statement she posted on X, offered her sympathy for those affected by the fire and pledged to “provide maximum support” for them.
At least 170 homes have been damaged or burned down and a man in his 70s was unaccounted for, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
The fire started during strong winds Tuesday evening near a fishing port in the city of Oita and spread to a forest. Oita is on the southern main island of Kyushu.
Japanese television footage by midday showed smoke still rising from swaths of land filled with burned-down and damaged houses, though orange flames were no longer visible.
One resident told Kyodo News Agency she quickly fled without many of her belongings because the fire “spread in the blink of an eye.”
Dozens of fire engines and more than 200 firefighters were mobilized to battle the fire, which still was not fully under control nearly 20 hours after it started.
The Ground Self-Defense Force dispatched two UH1 army helicopters to join the firefighting effort.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a statement she posted on X, offered her sympathy for those affected by the fire and pledged to “provide maximum support” for them.
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