Interfax: Russia Starts Air Force Drills

Israeli tanks reached Rafah’s city center on Tuesday, Reuters reported, three weeks after the Israeli military began its ground invasion into the city. Witnesses reported that the army has taken control of Al-Awda roundabout, a well known landmark in the city’s central area. At least 16 Palestinians were killed by air strikes in Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in northwest Rafah on Tuesday as the Israeli offensive escalates. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Israel has faced international criticism for the large number of civilian casualties after nearly eight months of war in Gaza.

Pope Francis apologized on Tuesday after he reportedly used a homophobic slur while reiterating his opposition to gay people becoming priests during a private discussion on the matter with bishops last week. “There is already too much frociaggine” in seminaries, Francis has been quoted as saying, using an Italian word that roughly translates to “faggotry.” [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The remark, said to have been made during a closed-door meeting last Monday, was first reported by Italian news and gossip site Dagospia and then affirmed by Italian newspapers la Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, which each cited unnamed firsthand sources. “The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, in a statement on Tuesday. Read More: Pope Francis Calls Surrogate Motherhood ‘Deplorable,’ Calls for Global Ban Corriere reported that the remark was received with incredulous laughter by the bishops in attendance and that, given the 87-year-old Argentinian pontiff’s native language is Spanish, “it was evident that the Pope was not aware of how offensive the word is in Italian.” Catholic magazine America similarly reported that Francis’ use of “frociaggine” was a “gaffe” rather than an intentional slur, “given the pope’s ‘Who am I to judge?’ attitude toward gay priests.” Francis was named TIME’s 2013 Person of the Year after uttering those landmark five words 11 years ago that seemed at the time to herald a new era of acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ people by the Catholic Church.

BRUSSELS — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday picked up a second $1 billion promise of military aid in as many days for his war with Russia during a whirlwind tour through the European Union. The pledge came from Belgium, which topped up the money with a commitment to give 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years.

Hong Kong’s national security police arrested six people using a new security law for the first time, days ahead of the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Police said a woman currently under detention made social media posts with seditious intent with the help of five others, according to a government statement on Tuesday.

Taiwan lawmakers passed legislation that could curb the authority of President Lai Ching-te, as thousands of protesters gathered outside parliament to oppose the changes. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The controversial measure became law Tuesday afternoon following a day of raucous debates and scuffles between Lai’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party and opposition groups, which saw one lawmaker’s T-shirt ripped.

BARCELONA, Spain — Spain and Norway moved to formally recognize a Palestinian state with Ireland to follow suit on Tuesday in a coordinated effort by the three western European nations. Israel slammed the diplomatic move that will have no immediate impact on its grinding war in Gaza but adds to international pressure on Tel Aviv to soften its devastating response to last year’s Hamas-led attack. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the Spanish Cabinet will recognize a Palestinian state at its Tuesday morning meeting. “This is a historic decision that has a single goal, and that is to help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace,” Sánchez, standing at the gates of the prime minister’s palace in Madrid, said during a televised speech. Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz lashed out at Spain on X, saying Sánchez’s government was “being complicit in inciting genocide against Jews and war crimes.” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement that “for more than 30 years, Norway has been one of the strongest advocates for a Palestinian state.