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The Star
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Athletics-Kenya's Chebet nears 5000m world record at Rome Diamond League
Athletics - Diamond League - Rome - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - June 6, 2025 Kenya's Beatrice Chebet in action during women's 5000m final REUTERS/Remo Casilli Rome (Reuters) -Kenyan Beatrice Chebet came close to breaking the women's 5000 metres world record on Friday at the Rome Diamond League when she clocked 14:03.69, a meeting record that was just 2.5 seconds shy of Gudaf Tsegay's 1997 world mark of 14:00.21. Chebet, who recorded the second-fastest ever time in the women's 3000 metres – running 8:11.56 in Rabat last month behind Wang Junxia's 8:06.11 set in 1993 – appears determined to shave further seconds off her times. "I can see that my body is in good shape and that I am capable of achieving the world record. Now I am going home to prepare for it. Everything is possible," the 25-year-old said after the race. Jamaica's Andrenette Knight dominated the women's 400m hurdles, finishing in 53.67 seconds, while American Anavia Battle won the women's 200 metres in 22.53 seconds. Irish Sarah Healey triumphed in the 1500 metres with a time of 3:59.17. THRILLING VICTORIES The men's 110m hurdles produced the evening's closest finish, with Swiss athlete Jason Joseph clocking 13.14 and snatching victory from American Cordell Tinch, who finished in the same time. There was also a nail-bitting race in the men's 400 metres, with American Quincy Hall finishing in 44.22 seconds, just a hundredth of a second ahead of South Africa's Zakithi Nene. "I have been working hard. We are coming there. I want to be the best. It is coming down. You do not know about the time, but it is coming down this year," Quincy said. In the men's 1500 metres, France's Azeddine Habz surged in the closing stages to beat former world champion Kenya's Timothy Cheruiyot. Habz won by three-hundredths of a second with a time of 3:29.72, while Cheruiyot finished in 3:29.75. American Trayvon Bromell claimed victory in the 100 metres, finishing in 9.84 seconds, while Tokyo Olympics high jump gold medallist Gianmarco Tamberi failed to reach the podium as South Korea's Woo Sanghyeok took the win with a jump of 2.32 metres. (Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City)
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Pope Leo appeals for Gaza ceasefire, laments deaths of children
People attend the general audience held by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Pope Leo XIV is greeted at the general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Pope Leo XIV waves on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Pope Leo XIV gestures on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Pope Leo XIV waves on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo appealed on Wednesday for a ceasefire in Gaza, and called on Israel and Hamas militants to "completely respect" international humanitarian law. "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," the pontiff said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square. "To those responsible, I renew my appeal: stop the fighting," said the pope. "Liberate all the hostages. Completely respect humanitarian law." Leo, elected on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, also appealed for an end to the war in Ukraine. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Will Catholic cardinals pick another outsider like Francis to be pope?
Cardinals and bishops attend a mourning Mass for Pope Francis on the third day of Novendiali (nine days of mourning after the Pope's funeral) at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, April 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Will Catholic cardinals pick another outsider like Francis to be pope? VATICAN CITY - When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected in 2013 as Pope Francis, he was a near total Vatican outsider. He had never been a Vatican official, instead spending decades in local ministry. And he came from Argentina, the first pope from the Americas. As the world's Catholic cardinals meet this week to discuss who should succeed Francis, the deliberations may boil down to a simple choice: Do they want another outsider? Or is it time now for an insider, someone more familiar with the Vatican's arcane ways of operating? "Pope Francis... shifted the Church's attention to the outside world," said John Thavis, former Rome bureau chief for the Catholic News Service, who covered three papacies. "Some cardinals will now be tempted to pick an insider, someone with the skills to manage church affairs more carefully and quietly than Francis did." Francis, who died on April 21 aged 88, focused much of his papacy on outreach to places where the Church was not traditionally strong. Many of his 47 foreign trips were to countries with small Catholic populations, such as South Sudan, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, and he was especially committed to Catholic-Muslim dialogue. He was also known for giving freewheeling press conferences, where no topics were off the table and the pope might respond to a query with an unexpected quip. Asked about the Catholic ban on birth control in 2015, Francis reaffirmed the ban but added that Catholics don't have to have children "like rabbits". The late pope's unusually open style attracted criticism from some Catholics, but also global interest. His funeral on Saturday and a procession through Rome to his burial place at the Basilica of St. Mary Major attracted crowds estimated at more than 400,000. German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, one of the leading Catholic prelates in Europe and once a senior adviser to Francis, said the cardinals who will meet in a secret conclave to elect his successor would not be looking for a "functionary". "We do not need a manager," Marx told reporters. "What's essential is that it be a courageous person... People around the world need to be comforted, lifted up." Other cardinals are expressing sharp disagreement. "We need to give the Church back to the Catholics," Italian Cardinal Camillo Ruini told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. Ruini, who is 94 and too old to enter the conclave, said Francis sometimes appeared to favour those who were distant from the Church, "at the expense" of devout faithful. Others argue that it is precisely a more managerial pope that is needed at this time to tackle the Church's financial woes, which include a widening budget shortfall and growing liabilities for its pension fund. CARDINALS' SPEECHES The cardinals are meeting daily this week to discuss general issues facing the 1.4-billion-member Church before those under the age of 80 enter the conclave on May 7. As they meet in what are called "general congregations," individual prelates can offer speeches to give their vision for the future of the global faith. In 2013, Bergoglio, then archbishop of Buenos Aires, offered a short reflection at one such meeting, saying the Church needed to do a better job of opening itself up to the modern world. This, by many accounts, proved decisive for his election. "Bergoglio gave the speech which led the cardinals to believe that the Holy Spirit had made its choice," said Austen Ivereigh, a biographer of Francis who also wrote a book with the pope in 2020. "The choice that (Bergoglio) gave them, and the proposal for what the next pope should do, just struck them very, very forcefully," said Ivereigh. It remains to be seen whether any cardinal can give such a compelling speech this week. Francis made a priority of appointing cardinals from countries that had never had them, such as Myanmar, Haiti and Rwanda, and many of the roughly 135 cardinals expected to enter the conclave do not know each other well. They may be looking at Francis as a model and choose another outsider. Or they may look at Francis' own predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI - a consummate insider who worked as a senior Vatican official for nearly two decades before becoming pontiff. Thavis said he thought the large crowds who came to mourn Francis might affect the cardinals' decision. "The cardinals witnessed an outpouring of love and respect for Francis," he said. "It's one more reason why the ability to connect with people will weigh more than managerial skills as they make their choice." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
What is a Roman Catholic conclave and who takes part?
FILE PHOTO: Cardinals attend a consistory ceremony to elevate Roman Catholic prelates to the rank of cardinal led by Pope Francis, in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/ File photo VATICAN CITY - Roman Catholic cardinals will hold a conclave to elect the Church's 267th pontiff and a successor to Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88. The date of the conclave will be announced sometime after his funeral on Saturday. Following are key facts about the conclave - one of the world's oldest and most secretive electoral processes. WHO TAKES PART IN THE CONCLAVE? There were 135 cardinals aged under 80 when Francis died and are thereby eligible to take part in the conclave. However, it is not known if all of them will attend. Cardinals aged 80 or over cannot take part in the conclave but can join the daily, closed-door sessions organised ahead of the election, called general congregations, where the senior prelates discuss issues facing the Church. The person chosen as pope does not have to be one of the cardinal electors, but in practice now always is. The cardinal electors come from 71 countries, against just 48 in 2013, when Pope Francis was elected. Italians make up the biggest single national bloc, with 17 cardinals, against 10 from the United States and seven from Brazil. In all, there are 53 cardinal electors from Europe, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa, 17 from South America, 16 from North America, 4 from Central America and 4 from Oceania. WHERE DOES THE CONCLAVE TAKE PLACE? The cardinals hold their election in the Sistine Chapel, under Michelangelo's frescoes of the Last Judgment and of Bible scenes, including the creation panel with the fingers of God and Adam nearly touching. Most of the participating cardinals sleep in a Vatican hotel behind St. Peter's Basilica. They will be banned from communicating with the outside world - no phones, television or Internet. HISTORY OF THE CONCLAVE The word conclave, from Latin cum clave (with a key), dates back to the protracted election of Celestine IV in 1241, when cardinals were locked up in a crumbling palace. One conclave in the 13th century lasted two years, nine months and two days. The average length of the past 10 conclaves was three days. The last conclave, which elected Francis in 2013, lasted just two days and involved five ballots. HOW DOES THE BALLOT WORK? Except for the first day, when only one ballot is held, the cardinals hold two daily balloting sessions until one candidate has a majority of two-thirds plus one. All participants are sworn to secrecy about the voting. WHAT DOES THE SMOKE SIGNIFY? Cardinals cast their votes on papers printed with the Latin words "Eligo in Summum Pontificem" ("I choose as Supreme Pontiff"). The ballots are gathered together and burned at the end of the morning and afternoon sessions, with smoke pouring from a makeshift chimney above the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke indicates inconclusive votes, while white smoke tells the outside world that a pope has been chosen. The great bell of St. Peter's Basilica will ring out as an additional sign that a new pope has been elected. The smoke signals are expected at around noon and 7 p.m. each voting day. However, smoke could emerge earlier if the new pontiff is elected in the first ballot of one of the sessions. HOW IS THE NEW POPE ANNOUNCED? After a pope is chosen, a senior cardinal appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and announces in Latin: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam" ("I announce to you great joy. We have a pope"). He identifies the new pope by his given name, with his first name translated into its Latin version, and then announces the papal name the new leader of the Church has chosen. The papal names most often chosen have been John (23 times), Gregory (16), Benedict (16), Clement (14), Innocent (13), Leo (13) and Pius (12). Pope Francis was the first to choose that name, in honour of St. Francis of Assisi. Following the announcement, the new pope steps forward to deliver his first public address and his first "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") blessing in front of the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square. A few days later, the new pope will celebrate a Mass that marks the beginning of his ministry. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Factbox-What is a Roman Catholic conclave and who takes part?
FILE PHOTO: Cardinals attend a consistory ceremony to elevate Roman Catholic prelates to the rank of cardinal led by Pope Francis, in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/ File photo VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Roman Catholic cardinals will hold a conclave to elect the Church's 267th pontiff and a successor to Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88. The date of the conclave will be announced sometime after his funeral on Saturday. Following are key facts about the conclave - one of the world's oldest and most secretive electoral processes. WHO TAKES PART IN THE CONCLAVE? There were 135 cardinals aged under 80 when Francis died and are thereby eligible to take part in the conclave. However, it is not known if all of them will attend. Cardinals aged 80 or over cannot take part in the conclave but can join the daily, closed-door sessions organised ahead of the election, called general congregations, where the senior prelates discuss issues facing the Church. The person chosen as pope does not have to be one of the cardinal electors, but in practice now always is. The cardinal electors come from 71 countries, against just 48 in 2013, when Pope Francis was elected. Italians make up the biggest single national bloc, with 17 cardinals, against 10 from the United States and seven from Brazil. In all, there are 53 cardinal electors from Europe, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa, 17 from South America, 16 from North America, 4 from Central America and 4 from Oceania. WHERE DOES THE CONCLAVE TAKE PLACE? The cardinals hold their election in the Sistine Chapel, under Michelangelo's frescoes of the Last Judgment and of Bible scenes, including the creation panel with the fingers of God and Adam nearly touching. Most of the participating cardinals sleep in a Vatican hotel behind St. Peter's Basilica. They will be banned from communicating with the outside world - no phones, television or Internet. HISTORY OF THE CONCLAVE The word conclave, from Latin cum clave (with a key), dates back to the protracted election of Celestine IV in 1241, when cardinals were locked up in a crumbling palace. One conclave in the 13th century lasted two years, nine months and two days. The average length of the past 10 conclaves was three days. The last conclave, which elected Francis in 2013, lasted just two days and involved five ballots. HOW DOES THE BALLOT WORK? Except for the first day, when only one ballot is held, the cardinals hold two daily balloting sessions until one candidate has a majority of two-thirds plus one. All participants are sworn to secrecy about the voting. WHAT DOES THE SMOKE SIGNIFY? Cardinals cast their votes on papers printed with the Latin words "Eligo in Summum Pontificem" ("I choose as Supreme Pontiff"). The ballots are gathered together and burned at the end of the morning and afternoon sessions, with smoke pouring from a makeshift chimney above the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke indicates inconclusive votes, while white smoke tells the outside world that a pope has been chosen. The great bell of St. Peter's Basilica will ring out as an additional sign that a new pope has been elected. The smoke signals are expected at around noon and 7 p.m. each voting day. However, smoke could emerge earlier if the new pontiff is elected in the first ballot of one of the sessions. HOW IS THE NEW POPE ANNOUNCED? After a pope is chosen, a senior cardinal appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and announces in Latin: "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus Papam" ("I announce to you great joy. We have a pope"). He identifies the new pope by his given name, with his first name translated into its Latin version, and then announces the papal name the new leader of the Church has chosen. The papal names most often chosen have been John (23 times), Gregory (16), Benedict (16), Clement (14), Innocent (13), Leo (13) and Pius (12). Pope Francis was the first to choose that name, in honour of St. Francis of Assisi. Following the announcement, the new pope steps forward to deliver his first public address and his first "Urbi et Orbi" ("To the City and the World") blessing in front of the crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square. A few days later, the new pope will celebrate a Mass that marks the beginning of his ministry. (Reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Janet Lawrence and Frances Kerry)
