Latest news with #Francis
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV Set to Receive $33,000 a Month as Vatican Pays for Every Luxury in His New Life of Power
Call it pennies from heaven. Newly installed Pope Leo XIV is entitled to a massive monthly stipend that's estimated at $33,000, sources say — in addition to other pricey perks as the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Even though Pope Leo may have plenty of dough at his disposal, the 69-year-old pontiff's every need will be provided for by the Vatican, which is the world's smallest independent country. That means the leader of the globe's 1.4 billion Catholics — who was formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost — won't have to pay a cent for ecclesiastical clothing, accommodations, travel, food, health care or security. Leo will have access to a fleet of vehicles, official residences and a generous allowance for donations for his spiritual stewardship. He will also oversee a vast financial empire that includes Peter's Pence — an annual collection from Catholics around the world that generates over $25 million annually for support of the pope's mission and charitable works. Chicago-born Pope Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis — who was known for his humble lifestyle — refused any personal income during his tenure from 2013 to 2025. Pope Francis also famously chose to live at the modest Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse on Vatican grounds — instead of the traditional papal residence in the opulent Apostolic Palace. Sources suggest Pope Leo may follow in Pope Francis' footsteps and have his salary directed to charity. While the first American pope answers to a higher authority, he may still have to pony up to Uncle Sam — unless U.S. officials give him a pass on filing a tax return. Edward A. David, an assistant professor in the department of theology and religious studies at King's College London, says, 'U.S. tax law claims the right to tax all citizens on their worldwide income. There is no blanket exception for religious personnel nor for people who are diplomats/head of state for foreign countries such as the Vatican.'
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Grand Tour shake-up as original trio 'replaced by younger and cooler new hosts'
The Grand Tour was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond for Prime Video but there's now speculation over their potential replacements on the show There's speculation over the line-up for the Grand Tour, with news hosts said to have signed up. It's been teased that Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond 's apparent replacements are "younger" and "cooler". Jeremy, 65, James, 62, and Richard, 55, hosted the Prime Video show together from 2016 until it ended last year. They are looking back over it in four special episodes though. One has aired so far and it was previously announced that the others will be released "later this year and into 2026". It has now been reported that their replacements for the Grand Tour have been decided. It's claimed that Thomas Holland and James Engelsman - who run the Throttle House channel on YouTube - will front the motoring TV show with viral trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, 24, moving forward. A source has told the Sun: "Thomas and James are as knowledgeable about motors as Jeremy, Richard and James - the only difference is they're younger, cooler and a lot more social media savvy. Francis became famous for his love of trainspotting and will be bringing his humour to the show." Thomas and James are behind the brand Throttle House, which has more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube. Through the channel, the pals post "everything from car reviews to track tests, to epic adventures". Launched by Thomas, the channel dates back to 2013 and James later joined as a presenter in 2018. Francis - whose real name is Luke Nicolson - instead rose to fame through TikTok in 2021. He's known for posting content about trains, including footage of himself trainspotting, and has more than 3 million followers on the platform. It was reported earlier this year that he was being considered for the Grand Tour. A source previously told the Sun: "Francis is a big noise online and Amazon producers are hoping to bring him into the mainstream. [...] Francis is not just a social media sensation but trained as a mechanical engineer so knows his stuff." The latest speculation about the line-up comes after former host James May suggested that a younger generation should take the helm of motoring shows like the Grand Tour. He spoke about stepping back on Australia 's ABC News in March. After suggesting that he wouldn't reunite with Jeremy and Richard in such a role, he said: "It was probably time for us to stop because we always said we would land it ... we would land it with dignity not fly it into the cliffs. That's the way we used to talk about it. We have come close to flying it into the cliffs a few times so it was probably the right time to stop." Discussing the future, he suggested that the former Top Gear presenters are "getting on a bit". He then proposed that a "younger generation" should find a "new way" of discussing motoring, as opposed to their potentially "dated" view. He said at the time: "We're getting on a bit. Our view of the subject is probably becoming a bit dated. It's time for a younger generation to reevaluate it and think of a new way of talking about things like cars and transport generally." James expressed hope that "somebody out there" will be able to, though said he wasn't sure "exactly" how. He said in the interview: "I don't know how they're going to do it exactly but I feel sure there must be somebody out there."
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Queen Victoria survived first of two assassination attempts 183 years ago today
It was 183 years ago today when Queen Victoria survived the first of two consecutive assassination attempts in London. As the queen returned to Buckingham Palace on May 29, 1842, a young man named John Francis aimed his pistol at her carriage. For reasons unknown, 19-year-old Francis did not pull the trigger and fled. But his actions did not go unnoticed, according to an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Victorian Review. A 16-year-old witness named George Pearson saw Francis aim his weapon, but never alerted the authorities because he had a stammering problem, believing Francis would be gone by the time he formulated the words, experts said. But this wouldn't be Francis' only attempt. The next day, as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert returned from their 'usual afternoon' carriage ride, Francis caused a scene outside Buckingham Palace, using 'horrid' and 'abusive' language, accusing the queen of living 'upon the vitals of the people,' according to a broadside published May 30, 1842. This time, Francis 'took a deliberate aim' and pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired, according to a second broadside published May 30, 1842. The broadside notes discrepancies in witness accounts about whether the pull of the trigger resulted in a flash in the pan or a successfully discharged shot. The queen was unharmed. Seconds lost when constable salutes queen Police constable William Trounce, who helped apprehend Francis, expressed concern that by saluting the queen's carriage that day with his right hand, he may have lost precious seconds to stop Francis from firing, according to a copy of his written statement following the assassination attempt. Trounce said he 'did not intent to make any delay in seizing' Francis. 'If I had known at the first moment who fired the Pistol, I could have laid hold of him sooner,' the statement read. The BBC reports Queen Victoria defiantly left Buckingham Palace the day after the first assassination attempt, luring Francis into the hands of authorities. Francis was seized, charged with high treason and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to transportation for life in Australia, records show. Queen Victoria survived assassination attempts by seven men in her lifetime.
National Observer
a day ago
- Business
- National Observer
Alberta's grievances aren't actually reasonable
It's time I gave Danielle Smith some credit: she certainly knows how to create a distraction. Her recent efforts to empower and enable Alberta's separatist movement have consumed so much of the political and media oxygen in the province that it's hard to talk about her government's various scandals and self-inflicted wounds, from the ongoing collapse of the healthcare system to the deliberate kneecapping of the province's renewable energy sector. The bad news here, at least for the separatists she's given so much hope lately, is that the idea of an independent Alberta remains as unpopular as ever. A recent Janet Brown poll of Albertans conducted for CBC Calgary shows support for separatism remains stuck around 30 per cent, with the biggest recent change actually being a surge in self-reported attachment to Canada. The idea that Alberta is being deliberately screwed over by Ottawa, on the other hand, finds far more favour. In a May 13 press conference — one where he refused to publicly condemn Alberta's separatists — Pierre Poilievre told reporters that Albertans have 'a lot of legitimate grievances,' ones that revolve almost entirely around the treatment of the oil and gas industry. 'Let's be blunt,' he said. 'Canada's biggest industry … largely situated in Alberta, has been under attack for the last decade.' It's worth noting that said 'attack' includes the construction of the first two pipelines to Pacific tidewater in 70 years, one of which was paid for by Canadian taxpayers. Said 'attack' has also resulted in massive production growth and record profits for Canada's oil and gas industry. Most industries would probably kill to be 'attacked' like this. Even so, this willful misrepresentation of the relationship between Ottawa and Alberta has become a shared reflex among Canada's Conservative political and pundit class. In a recent Financial Post column, Diane Francis — who once argued for an American 'merger' with Canada — hit all the familiar talking points. 'None of these complaints are new,' she wrote, 'but now they are potentially nation-busting. Albertans are not a bunch of whiny separatists, but have legitimate grievances that deserve respect and remedy.' Do they, though? Francis highlights Ottawa's 'unfair equalization system,' a system that nine years of a Stephen Harper-led Conservative government declined to change. It's true that Albertans pay more in federal taxes on a per-capita basis than other provinces, a reality owing entirely to the fact that they make more money than people in other provinces. They pay the same tax rates as other Canadians, and would continue to even if the entire equalization program was eliminated tomorrow. Francis also highlights the 'unfair seat distributions in the House of Commons,' which she says 'favours Liberal-voting provinces at the expense of the West.' Alas, this isn't actually true. After the most recent electoral redistribution process, one that saw three seats added in Alberta, the most under-represented province in parliament in terms of the ratio of seats to population is actually Ontario. Two of the more over-represented provinces, meanwhile, are Saskatchewan — not exactly a Liberal stronghold — and Manitoba. Whether it's Jason Kenney or Naheed Nenshi, federalist politicians in Alberta seem more than happy to accept Danielle Smith's framing of the province's relationship with Ottawa. That's a mistake — one that could prove fatal to Canada's future. But these are mere appetizers to the main course on Alberta's menu of grievances: the treatment of the oil and gas industry. To hear Francis and others tell it, the current Liberal government has single-handedly stood between the province and its rightful status as a global oil and gas superpower. The facts, as much as they even matter to grievance-hungry Albertans, don't support their feelings. As I've written before, previous federal governments — and, specifically, Liberal federal governments — have played a key role in helping Alberta's oil and gas industry. The feds directly funded some of the earliest oilsands ventures, and stepped in to backstop them when private sector partners pulled out. It changed the tax treatment of oilsands projects to make them more economically viable, which helped precipitate the massive boom in the early 2000s that many Albertans remember fondly. And yes, it got the Trans Mountain pipeline built in the face of opposition from provincial and local governments in British Columbia. Even the dreaded National Energy Program would have been a boon to the oil sands if it hadn't been killed by Brian Mulroney's government. Yes, it would have built the very east-west pipelines that so many Conservatives have spent years pining for lately. But it also would have paid a premium for oilsands crude that would have generated hundreds of billions in extra revenue for the industry according to University of Alberta economist Andrew Leach. Most of the angst in Alberta today revolves around Ottawa's ongoing attempts to reduce carbon pollution, involving varying proportions of carrots and sticks. Both the oil and gas industry and the Alberta government have committed to the same carbon neutrality targets, which makes their reflexive opposition to any policies aimed at achieving that goal deeply telling. But even here, and maybe especially here, the dreaded federal government isn't trying to 'kill' the industry. If anything, it's trying to save it from itself. That's because it's easy to imagine a post-Trump future in which demand for oil has begun to decline and the carbon intensity of fossil fuel exports is penalized [or, taken into account] by importers (like, say, the ones in Europe). If Canada's oil producers don't start preparing for the net-zero world they claim they're committed to building, they're either going to be left behind or forced to eat an ever-larger discount on their barrels. And while Alberta's government has only offered a 12 per cent tax credit on carbon capture and storage projects, Ottawa is offering 50 to 60 per cent right now. Which one is the problem again? Rather than retreating from these facts, the defenders of Canadian unity need to help Albertans better understand them. The more they cater to this jaundiced view of confederation, one in which Alberta is a perpetual victim, the more they undermine its durability. Danielle Smith and her fellow separatist enablers are telling Albertans one version of the story. It's time for the rest of us to tell them the truth before support for separation actually starts to grow.
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pope Leo calls for ceasefire in Gaza, laments 'cries' of parents of dead children
Pope Leo called for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages in a May 28 general audience, following in the steps of his predecessor Pope Francis, who was both praised and criticized for using his position to advocate for ending the war in Gaza. "In the Gaza Strip, the intense cries are reaching Heaven more and more from mothers and fathers who hold tightly to the bodies of their dead children," Leo said in St. Peter's Square, in Vatican City. "To those responsible, I renew my appeal: stop the fighting. Liberate all the hostages. Completely respect humanitarian law." More: Chaos and criticism for Trump-backed Gaza aid plan as 47 are injured Leo assumed the papacy earlier this month after he was chosen in a closely followed papal conclave following Francis' death on April 21. It was not the first time Leo has spoken out on international conflicts. In his first Sunday message, he urged "no more war," a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages as well as an "authentic and lasting peace" in Ukraine. On May 21, he addressed the crisis in Gaza during a weekly Sunday audience, advocating "an end the hostilities," and asking Israel to allow humanitarian aid into the war-torn and impoverished enclave. Israel has since lifted its blockade, allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid back into Gaza. Leo's May 18 inauguration kicked off swirling speculation about whether he would promote social justice and immigrant rights, as Francis had. Leo, a Chicago native, is the first American-born pope, although he lived for much of his adult life in Peru. Some of Leo's past social media posts criticized Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, and the Trump administration for its hardline immigration policies. Leo met privately with Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and their wives, the Vatican announced on May 19. Israel launched its siege of Gaza after militants affiliated with Hamas − which controls the territory on the border of Israel and Egypt − overran Israel's borders on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostage. Since then, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's attacks, according to Hamas-run local health authorities. A ceasefire brokered in mid-January was shattered after two months. The Trump administration's direct talks with Hamas in Qatar since then have failed to clinch a new agreement. At least 54 Palestinians sheltering in a school were killed by Israel's airstrikes on May 26. Pope Francis repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, reiterating in an Easter Sunday message a day before he died, "I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace." Some of his comments directly criticized Israel for the toll on Palestinian civilians. In a January message, he called the situation "very serious and shameful," adding, "We cannot in any way accept the bombing of civilians." More: Pope Leo appeals for Israel to allow humanitarian aid in Gaza Throughout the conflict, Francis kept in close contact with Gaza's small Catholic community, even holding nightly calls with the majority-Muslim enclave's churches in the weeks leading up to his death. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pope Leo calls for ceasefire in Gaza, release of hostages
