International
Who is Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, the 267th pontiff?
Who is Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, the 267th pontiff?
Robert Francis Prevost, 69, will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter and he will be known as Leo XIV.
He was named the new pope on Thursday from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
He was elected by his fellow cardinals to be the first US-born pope and has chosen to take the name Leo XIV.
With the choice of Prevost, experts say, the cardinals opted for continuity with the late Francis, a progressive from Argentina who shook up the Church in his 12-year papacy.
Prevost will celebrate a private mass with cardinals at the Sistine Chapel on Friday at 11am (0900 GMT)
Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained in 1982.
Although he moved to Peru three years later, he returned regularly to the US to serve as a pastor and a prior in his home city.
He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges.
He spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and as a teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in north-western Peru.
In his first words as pope, Leo XIV spoke fondly of his predecessor Francis.
“We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us,” he said.
“United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together,” he told cheering crowds.
In 2014, Francis made him Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru.
He is well known to cardinals because of his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America which has the important task of selecting and supervising bishops.
He became archbishop in January 2023 and within a few months Francis made him a cardinal.
On his personal background, Prevost told Italian network Rai before his election that he grew up in a family of immigrants.
“I was born in the United States… But my grandparents were all immigrants, French, Spanish… I was raised in a very Catholic family, both of my parents were very engaged in the parish,” he said.
Although Prevost was born in the US, the Vatican described him as the second pope from the Americas (Francis was from Argentina).
During his time in Peru, he was unable to escape the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church, even though his diocese has fervently denied he has been involved in any attempted cover-up.
In choosing the name Leo, Prevost has signified a commitment to dynamic social issues, according to experts.
The first pontiff to use the name Leo, whose papacy ended in 461, met Attila the Hun and persuaded him not to attack Rome.
The last Pope Leo led the Church from 1878 to 1903 and wrote an influential treatise on workers’ rights.
Former Archbishop of Boston Seán Patrick O’Malley wrote on his blog that the new pontiff “has chosen a name widely associated with the social justice legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who was pontiff at a time of epic upheaval in the world, the time of the industrial revolution, the beginning of Marxism, and widespread immigration”.
The new Pope’s LGBT views are unclear, but some groups, including the conservative College of Cardinals, believe he may be less supportive than Francis.
Leo XIV has shown support for a declaration from Francis to permit blessings for same-sex couples and others in “irregular situations”, although he has added that bishops must interpret such directives in accordance with local contexts and cultures.
Speaking last year about climate change, Cardinal Prevost said that it was time to move “from words to action”.
He called on mankind to build a “relationship of reciprocity” with the environment.
And he has spoken about concrete measures at the Vatican, including the installation of solar panels and the adoption of electric vehicles.
Pope Leo XIV has supported Pope Francis’ decision to allow women to join the Dicastery for Bishops for the first time.
In 2024, he told the Catholic News Service that women’s presence “contributes significantly to the process of discernment in looking for who we hope are the best candidates to serve the Church in episcopal ministry”.
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International
BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House
BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House
WASHINGTON, D.C. — One person has been killed and four others injured after a gunman opened fire at and around a fitness centre in Washington, D.C., triggering a massive security operation in the US capital.
The shooting occurred on Thursday morning, November 12, 2026, in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, approximately one mile from the White House.
The suspected gunman also died after barricading himself inside a nearby apartment and apparently shooting himself, according to police.
Authorities said the first emergency call came in at about 8 a.m. from people inside VIDA Fitness, a gym located around 15th Street and P Street Northwest.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reportedly arrived within 30 seconds and discovered a man who had been shot inside the fitness facility.
Additional emergency calls subsequently reported more gunfire and victims in the surrounding area, bringing the total number of people shot to five, including the deceased.
Police said four other victims sustained gunshot injuries, with one reportedly in critical condition, while the remaining three suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly left the immediate scene and barricaded himself inside an apartment on the seventh floor of a nearby residential building.
Police officers and tactical teams subsequently surrounded the building as negotiators attempted to persuade him to surrender.
However, officers reportedly heard a gunshot during the negotiations. Upon entering the apartment, they discovered that the suspect had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed the development during a briefing, although authorities had yet to publicly disclose the identities of the victims or the suspected gunman.
The shooting prompted an extensive security operation involving local and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Several surrounding streets were cordoned off, while residents and people working in the neighbourhood were advised to remain indoors as officers secured the area.
Nearby schools also implemented precautionary security measures during the emergency response.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether the suspect knew any of the victims.
Preliminary information from police indicated that the suspect may have been involved in a dispute with the homeowners’ association of the residential building where he barricaded himself. However, investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive for the shooting.
The incident has renewed concerns about gun violence in the United States, with the attack unfolding in a busy residential neighbourhood within close proximity to the White House.
The investigation is ongoing.
BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House
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International
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
Police in New York City have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student, Javits Frimpong, who was killed while walking to school in the Bronx.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, saying the suspect had been taken into custody and charged with murder over the October 29 killing.
The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed because he is a minor, is also reportedly facing manslaughter and firearm-related charges.
Frimpong was shot in the abdomen near Crotona Park, close to East 171st Street and Crotona Place, while making his way to DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx.
He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
According to police reports, the teenager was walking to school when he was attacked. Investigators have not established the motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect knew the victim.
The arrest followed weeks of investigations and growing demands for justice from Frimpong’s family, members of the Ghanaian community and civil rights advocates.
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Police had previously indicated that three people might have been involved in the shooting and had been investigating possible motives, including robbery and alleged bullying at the victim’s school.
Frimpong’s father, Thomas Frimpong, had earlier said his son complained about being bullied by fellow students at DreamYard Preparatory School. Two students were reportedly suspended over the alleged harassment.
However, investigators have not established a connection between the alleged bullying and the fatal shooting.
The arrest was announced as the victim’s parents, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, Reverend Al Sharpton and Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, gathered at a news conference in New York to demand justice.
Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, broke down in tears during the event as she appealed for justice for her son.
She reportedly travelled from Ghana following her son’s death, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier appealed to US President Donald Trump to facilitate arrangements for her to travel to the United States to mourn with her family.
Frimpong had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year before his death to reunite with his father and pursue better educational opportunities. He was a Grade 10 student and reportedly aspired to become a doctor.
The killing sparked protests and public demonstrations in New York, with demonstrators calling for accountability under the campaign slogan, “Justice for Javits!”
Crump, who is representing the family, acknowledged the arrest but said several questions surrounding the teenager’s death remained unanswered.
He called for a thorough investigation to establish why Frimpong was killed and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
Ghanaian authorities have also been engaging with their American counterparts over the case. Ghana’s government has engaged Crump to assist in seeking justice for its nationals killed in the United States.
The NYPD said investigations were continuing, with the possibility of other arrests not ruled out.
The arrest marks a significant development in the case, although the circumstances and motive behind the killing remain under investigation.
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
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International
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
Canada has announced plans to provide permanent residency opportunities for up to 100,000 foreign workers and their eligible family members already living in the country under a new immigration measure scheduled for 2027.
The initiative is part of the Canadian government’s efforts to address labour shortages, reduce immigration application backlogs and provide greater certainty for migrant workers who have established themselves in Canadian communities.
According to details released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the programme will create additional permanent residency admission spaces for eligible workers living outside Quebec, alongside their family members.
The measure is expected to benefit workers whose skills are needed in local economies, particularly in smaller communities, as the government works with provincial and territorial authorities to identify eligible applicants.
However, the announcement does not establish a new immigration pathway open to every foreign worker. It is designed to accelerate permanent residency for people who already meet specified eligibility conditions under existing immigration programmes.
Under the proposed arrangement, workers may qualify through two main routes. They must either be awaiting a decision on a permanent residency application submitted under selected immigration programmes that are now closed to new applicants, or be eligible to apply through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).
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The selected programmes include the Start-Up Visa Programme, Self-Employed Persons Programme, Agri-Food Pilot and Home Care Workers (Caregivers) immigration programme.
The government said the additional admission spaces would cover workers living outside Quebec and their eligible family members.
The initiative is intended to recognise the contributions of foreign workers who have established roots in Canadian communities, paid taxes and helped address labour shortages.
Beyond the workers’ initiative, Canada is also setting aside additional permanent residency spaces for other categories of applicants.
These include up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are already in Canada and awaiting decisions on their applications.
Another 12,600 applicants whose permanent residency cases have already received approval in principle on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are expected to benefit.
The government is also targeting outstanding applications under special immigration arrangements for Hong Kong residents and Ukrainians with family members in Canada.
According to IRCC, the measures are designed to provide stability for people who are already contributing to Canadian society while reducing outstanding immigration applications and improving processing times.
The department clarified that applicants do not need to submit separate applications or take additional steps to be considered under the temporary measures.
The 2027 initiative is time-limited and will operate outside Canada’s regular immigration admission targets. It is not a permanent expansion of immigration programmes.
The announcement is part of Canada’s wider effort to reform its immigration system, balance labour market requirements with sustainable population growth and prioritise applicants who are already living and working in the country.
The government said the additional admission spaces would help eligible migrants and their families secure greater certainty about their future in Canada.
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
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