Pope Francis, known for his dynamic reforms that deeply inspired many Catholics while stirring unease among traditionalists, passed away at the age of 88. The Argentine pope, who has led the Catholic Church since March 2013, had been hospitalized for 38 days due to severe pneumonia. Throughout his papacy, Francis reshaped Church teachings on issues like.

The death penalty and nuclear arms, maintained conservative positions on topics such as abortion, and worked to build bridges with Muslims and other communities that had often felt excluded by the Church. Pope Francis upheld the Church’s traditional stance against abortion, calling it part of a broader “throwaway culture” and even comparing it to hiring a hitman.

He granted regular priests the authority to forgive sin, a shift from past practice where only bishops could do so. He rejected efforts by U.S. bishops to bar President Joe Biden from receiving Communion due to his support for abortion rights, asserting that clergy should act as spiritual guides rather than political enforcers.

Francis’s papacy was marred by the sexual abuse crisis, particularly after he initially dismissed Chilean victims’ claims. He apologised in person and pressured the Chilean bishops to resign. He also reformed Church laws to remove pontifical secrecy and establish procedures for uphold doctrinal teachings while embracing a more pastoral and inclusive approach to complex social issues holding bishops accountable.

Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, leaves behind a complex legacy marked by efforts to modernize the Catholic Church while upholding certain traditional doctrines. His stances on abortion and LGBTQ+ rights exemplify this nuanced approach.​

Abortion: Upholding Tradition with Compassion

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis maintained the Church’s traditional opposition to abortion, consistently affirming the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. In his 2025 New Year’s Day message, he called for a “firm commitment” to protect life, emphasizing the need to reject abortion . He often described abortion as a grave moral wrong, once likening abortion providers to “hitmen” and labeling abortion laws as “homicidal.

Despite his firm stance, Francis adopted a more pastoral tone than some predecessors. He As the Church moves forward, Francis’s legacy will continue to influence discussions on how to emphasized offering spiritual support to women who had undergone abortions and allowed priests to absolve them, highlighting the importance of mercy and reconciliation.

LGBTQ+ Rights: A Pastoral Shift Without Doctrinal Change

Pope Francis’s approach to LGBTQ+ issues marked a significant shift in tone for the Catholic Church. While he upheld the Church’s teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman, he expressed support for civil unions as a means to provide legal protections for same-sex couples.

In 2013, he famously stated, “Who am I to judge?” when asked about gay priests, signaling a more inclusive attitude . Under his leadership, the Vatican approved blessings for same-sex couples, a move that aimed to make the Church more welcoming while maintaining its doctrinal stance on marriage.

Francis also took steps to include transgender individuals in the Church, permitting them to be baptized and serve as godparents . However, he remained critical of gender theory and to provide legal protections for same-sex to gender-affirming surgeries, reflecting a cautious approach to these issues.​

A Legacy of Inclusivity and Controversy

Pope Francis’s efforts to balance tradition with a more compassionate and inclusive approach garnered both praise and criticism. His outreach to marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, and his emphasis on mercy over strict doctrine, marked a transformative period in the Church’s history.

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French club Lyon stoked the flames of the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry in their announcement video for Argentine midfielder Thiago Almada.

With the January football transfer window currently open and clubs across Europe looking to add talent to their rosters for the run-in in the second half of the season, French team Olympique Lyonnais have made the exciting signing of Argentine midfielder Thiago Almada. Almada joins on an initial loan from Brazilian club Botafogo, but his announcement was made in style in the latest in a long line of iconic transfer videos.

The 23-year-old midfielder’s signing was announced through a video shared by Lyon in which he receives a text message from ‘Lionel’ along with a goat emoji, clearly meant to be the legendary Lionel Messi, Almada’s compatriot and teammate in the Argentine national team. The text sent to Almada in this video reads “Don’t listen to Cristiano, Ligue 1 is incredible.”

Lyon’s retribution for Ronaldo’s comments
The text provides a sneaky tongue-in-cheek remark from the seven-time French champions, who are referencing Cristiano Ronaldo’s past comment regarding Ligue 1 being a weaker competition than the Saudi Pro League, where he currently plies his trade for Al Nassr. Ronaldo had claimed there was a better standard of football in Saudi Arabia, with the French league considered the weakest of the ‘top five’ leagues in Europe.

Messi, meanwhile, spent two years playing in France, having spent a period in the capital with Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona. Messi was the latest star at PSG, playing alongside Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe, before the trio was broken up as they left France with Messi heading to Inter Miami, Neymar to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, and Mbappe finally getting his marquee move to Real Madrid.

Almada was part of the Argentina squad that lifted the World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022, helping Messi finally get his hands on the coveted trophy and firmly setting his status as the greatest of all time in stone. Almada has represented Argentina six times, scoring twice, and finally earned a move to Europe after playing for Atlanta United in the MLS and a brief spell in the Brazilian Serie A at Botafogo. Almada will be joining fellow Argentine Nicolas Tagliafico, who also made a cameo appearance in the announcement video.

Lyon currently sit in sixth place in the Ligue 1 table with half the season concluded, but will have intentions of fighting for spots in next year’s UEFA Champions League with a strong end to the season, in which Almada could play an important role.

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The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s brazen terror attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed almost 1,200 people

India on Thursday welcomed the ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas and reiterated its call for a return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy.

Negotiators from Israel and Hamas have agreed on a 42-day truce and hostage release, and the deal will come into effect on January 19, US President Joe Biden and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said on Wednesday. The truce comes after more than 460 days of war that has devastated Gaza.

“We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza,” the external affairs ministry said in a brief statement.

“We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy,” the statement said.

The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s brazen terror attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed almost 1,200 people. More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory attacks and bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Qatar’s prime minister told reporters that Israel and Hamas were still to conclude some logistical matters related to the ceasefire, while the office of the Israeli prime minister said in a statement that a number of details of the agreement remained unresolved. The deal also needs to be formally ratified by the Israeli cabinet and the government.

The initial phase of the ceasefire, set to last six weeks, will see a limited prisoner exchange, partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and a surge of aid into the region. Thirty-three Israeli nationals taken hostage during the October 7 attacks will be released in exchange for a large number of Palestinian prisoners, according to reports.

Around 100 Israeli hostages are thought to be still in Gaza, though Israeli authorities believe some if them are dead.

India initially expressed solidarity with Israel after the attacks by Hamas, in line with its “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism, but it adopted a more nuanced position subsequently because of concerns expressed by Arab partners.

India has strong strategic ties with Israel while Arab states are key sources of energy and have developed stronger defence and security ties with India in the past decade. India also had significant concerns about the potential expansion of the conflict because West Asia is home to nine million Indians, with almost six million of them concentrated in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

As the war dragged on, India repeatedly urged Israel to be mindful of humanitarian concerns in its response. The Indian side also called for the unimpeded provision of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy aimed at finding a two-state solution.

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