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Geopolitics

Mugabe Sworn In To Fifth Term After Election Opponents Call "Sham"

AL JAZEERA

Worldcrunch

HARARE — Zimbabwe’s veteran leader Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a new five-year term in a massive stadium inauguration that was boycotted by his election rival, Al Jazeera reports.

Mugabe pledged “to observe, uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe,” extending his 33-year rule.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who insists the July 31 vote was a "sham," was a no-show at the inauguration. For more on Mugabe, read our Le Monde piece in English.


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Geopolitics

The Pope's Health Feeds Succession Rumors — And Deeper Questions About The Church

It is not only the health of the Pope that worries the Holy See. From the collapse of vocations to the conservative wind in the USA, there are many ills to face.

October 4, 2023 - Pope Francis concelebrates the Holy Mass with the new Cardinals at the Vatican

Evandro Inetti/ ZUMA
Gianluigi Nuzzi

Updated Dec. 4, 2023 at 6:05 p.m.

ROME — "How am I? I'm fine... I'm still alive, you know? See, I'm not dead!"

With a dose of irony and sarcasm, Pope Francis addressed those who'd paid him a visit this past week as he battled a new lung inflammation, and the antibiotic cycles and extra rest he still must stick with on strict doctors' orders.

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The Pope is dealing with a sensitive respiratory system; the distressed tracheo-bronchial tree can cause asthmatic reactions, with the breathlessness in his speech being the most obvious symptom. Tired eyes and dark circles mark his swollen face. A sense of unease and bewilderment pervades and only diminishes when the doctors restate their optimism about his general state of wellness.

"The pope's ailments? Nothing compared to the health of the Church ," quips a priest very close to the Holy Father. "The Church is much worse off, marked by chronic ailments and seasonal illnesses. "

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