United News of Bangladesh

Pope Francis' funeral was held today at the Vatican, marking the end of a remarkable pontificate that touched the lives of millions. His coffin was brought to the church in Rome where he will be buried, surrounded by leaders and dignitaries from around the world, as well as an estimated 250,000 mourners. Of those, 50,000 gathered inside St Peter's Square to pay their respects to the late pontiff. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who led the service, paid tribute to Pope Francis, describing him as a man who "touched minds and hearts" and strove to "build bridges, not walls." The sentiment echoed the Pope’s lifelong mission of peace and unity, both within the Catholic Church and the broader global community. Among the mourners were several prominent political figures, including former US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prince William. The presence of these figures underscored the worldwide respect for Pope Francis and the significant influence he had during his tenure. Before the funeral service, Trump and Zelensky met privately inside St Peter's Basilica for a brief, yet "very productive" conversation, according to the White House. The two leaders are expected to meet again later today to continue their discussions. Iran to ink $4b oilfields deal with Russia Additionally, a photograph released by the Ukrainian officials showed Trump and Zelensky speaking with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, further emphasising the global importance of the event. For viewers in the UK, the funeral service and related coverage can be streamed on BBC One and iPlayer, with live commentary available on the BBC World Service. Pope Francis' passing marks the end of a pivotal era for the Catholic Church, and his funeral has become a poignant moment for people of all faiths to reflect on his contributions to global peace, humanitarian work, and the Church itself. Source: With inputs from BBC

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday attended the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square and paid his last tribute to the Pope. The Chief Adviser was greeted by senior officials of the Vatican as he entered St. Peter's Basilica, where the mortal remains of the Pope were lying in state, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB. Prof Yunus stood in solemn silence in front of the coffin to pay his last respects to the late Pope Francis. He then joined the two-hour-long funeral mass along with leaders of the world's more than 130 countries. Ahead of the funeral and after the service, the Chief Adviser exchanged greetings with some of the world leaders, including the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, EU President Ursula von der Leyen, former US president Joe Biden, President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Kenyan President , Montenegro President, Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, President of Ecuador, President of East Timor, Prime Minister of Honduras, President of Iceland, President of Portugal, the King and Queen of Belgium, Prime Minister of Belgium, Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince and Princess of Norway, Prime Minister of Tunisia, Prince and Princess of Liechtenstein, Director General of WHO, President of IOC Tomas Bach, foreign ministers of Sri Lanka, Bahrain and Syria, former US secretary of state John Kerry. Pope Francis was laid to rest Saturday following the funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Square attended by presidents, princes and as many as a quarter-million more. Late Pope Francis was the big admirer of the Prof Yunus’ work for the marginalised people across the globe and his vision for a three zero work where there will be no unemployment, no poverty and zero carbon emission. The Vatican also launched a joint Three Zero Initiative in Rome with the 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate. Earlier, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus visited Bangladesh House in Rome on Friday and signed visitor’s book, Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Azad told UNB. An hour after his arrival in Rome from Doha, Qatar, the Chief Adviser visited St. Peter Square on Friday afternoon to pay homage to the mortal remains of Pope Francis. Prof Yunus' presence represents a significant tribute to the memory of the Pontiff, with whom he had established a deep and genuine bond, founded on shared values and a common vision for humanity. The Chief Adviser was received by the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Italy and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Vatican City. He will depart the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport around 8:00 am (12:00pm Bangladesh Standard Time) on Sunday and is expected to reach home in the early hours on Monday, Azad said  

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus arrived in Rome, Italy on Friday to attend the funeral of Pope Francis and pay his last tribute to the Pope. Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder confirmed Prof Yunus' arrival in Rome. An hour after his arrival in Rome from Doha, Qatar, the Chief Adviser visited St. Peter Square on Friday afternoon to pay homage to the mortal remains of Pope Francis. Heads of state and royals started converging on Rome on Friday for the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square. US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei are among the leaders arriving Friday, the last day Argentine pope will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica before his coffin is sealed in the evening in preparation for his funeral Saturday, reports AP. The Vatican said 130 delegations are confirmed, including 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns. His presence represents a significant tribute to the memory of the Pontiff, with whom he had established a deep and genuine bond, founded on shared values and a common vision for humanity. Foreign journalists laud Prof Yunus for leading Bangladesh interim govt successfully The Chief Adviser was received by the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Italy and the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Vatican City. Earlier, the Chief of Protocol of the State of Qatar, Ibrahim bin Yousif Abdullah Fakhroo, saw off Prof Yunus at Hamad International Airport in Doha as he departed for the Vatican around 12:25pm (Bangladesh Time). His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Vicar General of His Holiness for Vatican City, will offer an official greeting to the chief adviser and the Bangladesh delegation at St. Peter Square. On Saturday, at around 9:30 am, Prof Yunus will again visit St. Peter Square to attend the Funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis, Azad said. He will depart the Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport around 8:00 am (12:00pm Bangladesh Standard Time) on Sunday and is expected to reach home in the early hours on Monday. Late Pope Francis was the big admirer of the Prof Yunus’ work for the marginalised people across the globe and his vision for a three zero work where there will be no unemployment, no poverty and zero carbon emission. The Vatican also launched a joint Three Zero Initiative in Rome with the 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday expressed profound condolences on behalf of the government and people of Bangladesh at the passing of Pope Francis, describing him as a beacon of peace, humanity and unity. "With his passing away, we have seen the end of an epoch of dignified papacy, honed by suave leadership qualities, carried out for uplifting human dignity, interfaith harmony and justice for the marginalised," he said in a message, expressing condolences with a heavy heart. Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change, died Monday. He was 88. CA mourns death of ex-army chief KM Shafiullah In his message to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, Vatican City Prof Yunus said his leadership transcended religious boundaries and inspired millions to step up efforts to build a more inclusive, tolerant and compassionate world. "I have been honoured to meet many times with Pope Francis and to work closely with him to foster peace, human dignity and environmental stewardship," he said. "The people of Bangladesh, who were deeply honoured by His Holiness’ historic visit to our country in 2017, join the global community in mourning this great loss," said the Chief Adviser. Dr Yunus mourns ex-President Jimmy Carter’s death "During this time of sorrow, we stand in solidarity with the Catholic Church and people of faith around the globe, remembering the profound impact of his teachings and the kindness he extended to all," he said. "May the departed soul rest in eternal peace. May we continue to honour his vision of a world united in compassion and understanding," Prof Yunus added.

Pope Francis had coffee and read newspapers on Saturday following a concerning setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia, reports AP. Doctors placed him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation after he suffered a coughing fit, during which he inhaled vomit that had to be extracted. Italian Premier visits Pope Francis in hospital Medical experts stated that it would take a day or two to assess whether Friday afternoon’s incident had affected the pope’s overall condition. His prognosis remained guarded, meaning he was still not out of danger. In a Saturday morning update, the Vatican confirmed that the 88-year-old pope experienced no further respiratory crises overnight: “The night has passed quietly, the pope is resting.” He had coffee with breakfast, indicating he was not reliant on a ventilation mask for breathing and continued to eat independently. In its late Friday update, the Vatican described the incident as an “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm,” where a coughing fit caused the pope to inhale vomit, leading to a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors aspirated the vomit and placed him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation. Pope Francis diagnosed with pneumonia Throughout the episode, Pope Francis remained conscious, alert, and cooperative with the necessary medical interventions. He responded well, maintaining good oxygen exchange levels and continuing to use a mask for supplemental oxygen, according to the Vatican. The incident marked a setback after two consecutive days of increasingly positive updates from doctors treating him at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since his admission on 14 February. The pope, who had part of one lung removed in his youth, suffers from lung disease and was hospitalised when a case of bronchitis worsened into pneumonia affecting both lungs. Doctors express concern The Vatican noted that this episode differed from the prolonged respiratory crisis reported on 22 February, which had caused discomfort for the pope. Dr John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care physician at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, described the event as alarming, highlighting the pope’s fragility and the rapid changes in his condition. “I find this extremely concerning, given that the pope has been hospitalised for over two weeks and continues to experience respiratory episodes, now including an aspiration event that requires greater support,” Coleman told The Associated Press. “Considering his age, fragile state, and prior lung resection, this is very concerning,” he added, though he is not involved in Francis’ treatment. Dr William Feldman, a pulmonary specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, agreed that while it was reassuring the pope remained alert during the episode, it still marked “a worrying turn.” “Often, we use noninvasive ventilation to prevent the need for intubation or invasive mechanical ventilation,” Feldman explained. Types of noninvasive ventilation include a BiPAP machine, which assists breathing by pushing air into the lungs. Doctors typically monitor whether a patient’s blood gas levels improve with its use before transitioning back to oxygen therapy alone. Friday’s statement indicated Francis showed a “good response” to gas exchange through ventilation. Doctors have not resumed describing Francis as being in “critical condition,” a term absent from statements for the past three days. However, they caution that he remains at risk due to the complexity of his health situation. Prayers continue worldwide Francis’ hospitalisation coincides with the Vatican’s Holy Year, drawing pilgrims to Rome from around the world. Many are walking through the Holy Door at St Peter’s Basilica and making pilgrimages to Assisi, the hometown of his namesake, St Francis. “Every day, we’re praying for the pope,” said the Rev. Jacinto Bento, a priest visiting Assisi on Saturday with 30 Jubilee pilgrims from the Azores Islands. “We’re very sad about his condition.” Veronica Abraham, a catechist and Argentine native, visited Assisi on Saturday with her two children and other parish kids from Lake Garda. She shared that the group had prayed for the pope at every church they had visited. “I’m sure he’s hearing our prayers, that he feels our closeness,” she said. Serena Barbon, visiting Assisi from Treviso with her husband and three children, expressed hope that if Francis does not recover, his successor will carry on his legacy. “He’s been very charismatic, and we pray for him and that any new pope might also be someone who puts the poor at the centre. Because in some way, we are all the poor,” she said.

The Vatican reported that Pope Francis had a restful night and had breakfast on Wednesday after being diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, adding to concerns about the 88-year-old pontiff’s ability to combat the infection, reports AP. A Vatican spokesperson shared an early morning update on Wednesday, stating that Francis spent his fifth night at Rome's Gemelli hospital without issues. "He had a peaceful night, woke up, and had breakfast," the spokesperson said. Pope Francis has named the first woman to head a major Vatican office On Tuesday, the Vatican confirmed the pneumonia diagnosis and added that Francis' respiratory infection is accompanied by asthmatic bronchitis, requiring cortisone antibiotic treatment. "Laboratory tests, chest X-rays, and the Holy Father’s clinical condition continue to present a complex picture," the Vatican said. Despite the situation, the pope, who had part of his right lung removed in his youth, remains in good spirits and is thankful for the prayers for his recovery, according to a late update from Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni. Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital on Friday in "fair" condition after his bronchitis worsened. On Monday, doctors determined that he had a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection, meaning a mix of viruses, bacteria, and potentially other organisms had infected his airways. A follow-up CT scan on Monday revealed the development of bilateral pneumonia, prompting the need for additional medication, Bruni noted. Bronchitis can lead to pneumonia, a serious infection of the lungs. Pneumonia is more dangerous when it affects both lungs, as there is no healthy tissue to compensate for the damage. Treatment depends on severity but may involve oxygen support, intravenous fluids, and addressing the underlying infection. So far, Pope Francis has not needed supplemental oxygen, has had breakfast daily, read the newspapers, and worked from his hospital room. Pope Francis reprimands Vatican staff for gossiping in annual Christmas message The Vatican has not disclosed how the pope is responding to his medication, other than confirming he does not have a fever. Dr. Carmelo D’Asero, an infectious disease expert, pointed out that the absence of a fever is not necessarily a good sign given the severity of the infection. "A high fever indicates the body’s immune response," he said. "A low fever in the presence of a serious bronchial infection suggests a weaker immune response, which is concerning. It might actually be better if he had a fever." The Vatican has not specified how long the pope might stay in hospital, but noted that his treatment for this "complex clinical picture," which has already led to multiple changes in his medication, will require an "adequate" period of hospitalization. In a hopeful sign, a rainbow appeared over the Gemelli hospital on Tuesday afternoon, and Francis received well-wishes in the form of drawings and cards from children in the hospital’s oncology ward.

In an Easter message highlighting hope, Pope Francis on Sunday invoked prayers for both the Ukrainian and Russian people, praised nations which welcome refugees and called on Israelis and Palestinians wracked by the latest surge in deadly violence to forge a “climate of trust.” Francis, along with dozens of prelates and tens of thousands of faithful, celebrated Easter Mass in a flower-adorned St. Peter’s Square, affirming the Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead days after his crucifixion. The 86-year-old pontiff topped the celebration with a traditional speech about troubled places in the world. Encouraging “trust among individuals, peoples and nations," Francis said Easter's joy “illumines the darkness and gloom in which, all too often, our world finds itself enveloped.” The pope's Easter message is known by its Latin name, ”Urbi et Orbi," which means “to the city and the world.” Since Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine in February 2022, Francis has repeatedly called for the fighting to end and sought prayers for the “martyred” Ukrainian people. Ukrainian diplomats have complained that he hasn't come down hard enough in his statements on Russia and particularly Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Vatican tries to avoid alienating Moscow. “Help the beloved Ukrainian people on their journey towards peace, and shed the light of Easter upon the people of Russia,'' Francis implored God in his Easter speech, which he delivered while sitting in a chair on the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica facing the square. ”Comfort the wounded and all those who have lost loved ones because of the war, and grant that prisoners may return safe and sound to their families." He urged the international community to work to end the war in Ukraine and “all conflict and bloodshed in the world, beginning with Syria, which still awaits peace.” Francis also prayed for those who lost loved ones in an earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey two months ago, claiming tens of thousands of lives. With a renewal in deadly violence affecting both Israelis and Palestinians in recent days, Francis called for a "resumption of dialogue, in a climate of trust and reciprocal respect, between Israelis and Palestinians, so that peace may reign in the Holy City and in the entire region,'' a reference to Jerusalem. But Francis also noted progress on some fronts. “Let us rejoice at the concrete signs of hope that reach us from so many countries, beginning with those that offers assistance and welcome to all fleeing war and poverty," he said, without naming any particular nations. How to care for asylum-seekers, migrants and refugees, and whether to allow them entrance, is a raging political and social debate in much of Europe, as well in the United States and elsewhere. Francis also prayed that national leaders “ensure that no man or woman may encounter discrimination” and that there would be “full respect for human rights and democracy.” With migrants risking their lives in smugglers’ unseaworthy boats in hopes of reaching Europe, the pope lamented that Tunisia's people, particularly the young, struggle with social and economic hardship. In the last two weeks, dozens have died or were left missing after attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from Tunisia. The pope included Lebanon and two African countries he visited this year - South Sudan and Congo - among the nations in need of ending divisions and building reconciliation. Speaking about Haiti, he appealed to “political actors and the international community to seek a definitive solution to the many problems that afflict that sorely tried people.” The bloody conflicts cited by Francis contrasted with a riot of bright colors lent by orange-red tulips, yellow sprays of forsythia and daffodils, hyacinths and other colorful seasonal flowers that decorated St. Peter's Square. The blooms were trucked in trucks from the Netherlands. By the end of the pope's appearance, some 100,00 people had flocked to the square in time for the pontiff's speech, according to the Vatican's crowd count. A canopy on the edge of steps on the square sheltered the pontiff, who was back in the public eye for the Mass 12 hours after a 2.25-hour long Easter vigil ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica the night before. Francis was hospitalized March 29-April 1 for treatment of bronchitis. Still recovering, he skipped the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum due to unseasonably cold nighttime temperatures. Near the end of the more than two-hour-long Easter Sunday appearance, Francis seemed to run out of steam. His voice grew hoarse and he interrupted his speech at one point to cough. He nonetheless made several laps through the square in the popemobile after the Mass, waving and smiling at cheering well-wishers.

Pope Francis praised Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s “acute and gentle thought” as he presided over a packed Wednesday general audience in the Vatican, while thousands of people paid tribute to the former pope on the final day of public viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd in the Paul VI auditorium and shouts of “Viva il papa!” or “Long live the pope” as he arrived for his weekly catechism appointment with the faithful. This week’s audience was conducted as tens of thousands of people continued to flock to St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects before Benedict’s body, lying in state. The first two days of viewing drew a total of 135,000 people. Wednesday’s viewing began before dawn and was set to end in early evening. Francis is due to preside over the late German pope’s funeral on Thursday, an event that is drawing heads of state and royalty despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and Vatican efforts to keep the first Vatican funeral for an emeritus pope in modern times low-key. Francis drew applause when he opened his remarks by noting all those who were outside paying tribute to Benedict, whom he called a “great master of catechesis.” “His acute and gentle thought was not self-referential, but ecclesial, because he always wanted to accompany us in the encounter with Jesus,” Francis said. Later Wednesday, Vatican officials were to place Benedict’s body in a cypress coffin — the first of three coffins —along with a brief, written summary of his historic papacy, the coins minted during his pontificate and his pallium stoles. Read more: Pope on Christmas: Jesus was poor, so don’t be power-hungry After the funeral, the retired pontiff’s remains will be carried back into the basilica, where the coffin will placed inside a zinc one, and then finally into another made from oak. In keeping with Benedict’s wishes, his remains will be placed in the crypt once occupied by the tomb of St. John Paul II in the grottos underneath the basilica. Benedict, who was elected pope in 2005 following John Paul’s death, became the first pope in six centuries years to resign when he announced in 2013 he no longer had the strength to lead the Catholic Church. After Francis was elected pope, Benedict spent his nearly decade-long retirement in a converted monastery in the Vatican Gardens. “We can’t forget the example that he gave in his resignation, that he more or less said, ‘Look, I’m not in this for the prestige, the power of the office, I’m in it for service, as Jesus taught,’” recalled Cardinal Timothy Dolan, whom Benedict named archbishop of New York in 2009 and cardinal in 2012. Dolan came to Rome for the funeral. Thursday’s rite takes into account the unusual situation in which a reigning pope will preside over a funeral for a retired one, making important changes to a funeral ritual for popes that is highly codified. Two key prayers, from the diocese of Rome and the Eastern rite churches, that were recited during John Paul’s funeral, for example, will be omitted because Benedict wasn’t pope when he died and because both branches of the Catholic Church still have a reigning pope as their leader: Francis. Read more: Did the Pope actually say ‘even nuns watch porn’? While the funeral will be novel, it does has some precedent: In 1802, Pope Pius VII celebrated the funeral in St. Peter’s of his predecessor, Pius VI, who had died in exile in France in 1799 as a prisoner of Napoleon, the Vatican noted Wednesday.

Online pornography viewing poses risks to priests and nuns, according to Pope Francis, who claims that it “weakens the priestly heart.” At a Vatican meeting, the 86-year-old Pope was asked how social media and digital technology should be used, BBC reports. He claimed that pornography was “a vice that so many people have — even priests and nuns.” Read more: Pope blasts Russia's 'infantile' war, EU-Libya deal in Malta “The devil enters from there,” BBC quoted Pope Francis as saying. He advised priests and seminaries to use social media and other aspects of the digital world, but to not spend too much time there. He declared: “The pure heart, the one that Jesus receives every day, cannot receive this pornographic information.” Read more: Pope to UN forum: Hunger is 'crime' violating basic rights “Delete this from your phone, so you will not have temptation in hand,” he urged the group. According to church doctrine, pornography violates chastity.

Pope Francis on Monday decried as criminal the existence of hunger in a world which can produce enough food for all, building on a warning from the chief of the United Nations that climate change and conflict are both a consequence and a driver of poverty and income inequality. Earlier in the day, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a meeting in Rome via video message that the world’s food system generates a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. That same system is responsible for as much as 80% of biodiversity loss, he lamented in a video message. The gathering was called to help prepare for a U.N. food systems summit to be held in September in New York. In a written message that was read to meeting participants, Francis said the coronavirus ppandemic has “confronted us with the systemic injustices that undermine our unity as a human family.” He said the the world’s poorest people and the planet are crying out because of “the damage we inflict on it through irresponsible use and abuse of the goods God has placed in it.” READ: Pope decries shame of racism, like ‘virus’ lurking in wait The pontiff added that while new technologies are developed to increase the capacity to produce food on Earth, people continue to “exploit nature to the point of sterilization, thus expanding not only external deserts but also internal spiritual deserts.“ Francis called the “scandal” of hunger a ”crime that violates basic human rights.” Earlier this month, a U.N. report noted that up to 161 million more people faced hunger last year compared to 2019, with much of that widened suffering likely linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Poverty, income inequality and the high cost of food continue to keep healthy diets out of the reach of some 3 billion people,″ Guterres said. ”Climate change and conflict are both consequences and drivers of this catastrophe.” The summit idea was launched in 2019 months before the coronavirus emerged, but Italian Premier Mario Draghi said the pandemic made existing threats to food security more urgent. Draghi noted in his remarks Monday that the Agricultural Commodity Price Index had jumped by 30% compared to January 2020. The International Fund for Agricultural Development called on decision-makers “to address the failures in food systems” that leave hundreds of millions of people poor and hungry. IFAD is a U.N. agency which aims to help small-scale farming. IFAD appealed for food production which “protects the environment and biodiversity, and where people who produce our food are paid decently for their labor.” In 2020, as many as 811 million people faced hunger, according to the U.N. report earlier this month. READ: Pope visits Iraq's war-ravaged north on last day of tour The chief economist of the Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has said that removing 100 million people from chronic undernourishment would need an additional $14 billion (nearly 12 billion euros) every year until 2030 and nearly triple that amount to achieve the U.N. goal of zero hunger by 2030.