First Thing: Pope Leo recovering from surgery after lung cancer diagnosis
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A person holds a picture of Pope Leo in Rome amid prayers for his health. Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters View image in fullscreen A person holds a picture of Pope Leo in Rome amid prayers for his health. Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters First Thing newsletter US news First Thing: Pope Leo recovering from surgery after lung cancer diagnosis Vatican says operation on US-born head of Roman Catholic church was ‘successful’. Plus, after six decades in the US, Joni Mitchell has become a citizen
Prefer the Guardian on Google Good morning. Pope Leo XIV, the head of the 1.4 billion-strong Roman Catholic church, has been diagnosed with lung cancer . The Vatican made the announcement after Leo, 71, the first US-born leader to assume the role, underwent an operation and had the lower lobe of his right lung removed. A statement said the surgery was “successful, on schedule and as planned”.
The Vatican said Leo had “now returned to his room” after the operation. All of his appointments have been cancelled until 20 October. The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, a practising Catholic who has met the pope, said he and his wife were “united in prayers” for Leo after the diagnosis.
View image in fullscreen Trump and the press pack at the White House. Photograph: Samuel Corum/EPA Donald Trump faced another setback in his battle over media coverage after a federal judge ordered that journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico must still have access to the White House as the media coalition’s lawsuit against the administration plays out.
In his ruling on Tuesday, Judge Kelly wrote that the plaintiffs “are likely to succeed not only on their due process claim, but also on their two first amendment claims”. While access to the White House is not guaranteed, court precedent dictates that once it is provided to journalists, it cannot be taken away for editorial or viewpoint-based reasons.
What is the latest in Trump’s legal battle with the BBC? The BBC is asking a federal judge in Florida to force Donald Trump to sit for a deposition as part of the president’s $10bn defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster. The president has so far declined to set a date to appear. “Plaintiff chose to file this lawsuit and, in doing so, he accepted the obligations of civil litigation,” the BBC’s motion reads. “The BBC therefore asks the court to compel plaintiff to confirm a date.”
View image in fullscreen Kimberly Guilfoyle speaks as Donald Trump watches on. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP Kimberly Guilfoyle is stepping down as US ambassador to Greece after weeks of reports that she sought payment from a Donald Trump donor in exchange for access to administration officials. The decision ends the diplomatic career of one of the US president’s longest-standing political allies.
The former fiancee of Donald Trump Jr, Guilfoyle confirmed her departure from the post which she described as the “honor of a lifetime”. She said she would “vigorously defend my name, my reputation and my integrity” and that “my commitment to President Trump, the America First movement, and the country I love will never end”.
What were the allegations against Guilfoyle? The Wall Street Journal reported she used Signal messages to press the donor Eric Deters to pay a $100,000 credit card bill in exchange for official influence – a request Deters described as a quid pro quo. She was also accused of accepting improper gifts and promoting a private Greek firm during official business. Guilfoyle strongly contests all allegations and disputes the authenticity of the messages.
View image in fullscreen Students protest at Cornell University. Photograph: Olga Fedorova/EPA Cornell University has announced it is suspending parties and other social gatherings at fraternity houses for the rest of the academic year amid intensifying backlash over its handling of allegations that a female student was sexually assaulted at a fraternity house in 2024. The university has also said it will involve New York state police in investigating alleged sex crimes on campus.
View image in fullscreen Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis in court. Photograph: Steve Marcus/Reuters Duane “Keffe D” Davis, the former California gang leader convicted of murder for orchestrating the 1996 fatal shooting of the rapper Tupac Shakur , has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. Judge Carli Kierny said as she delivered the sentence: “You don’t get to take a man from his family. You don’t get to take his very life, his whole future from him and just walk away from it.” On 7 September 1996, Shakur was gunned down near the Las Vegas strip shortly after a Mike Tyson boxing match. He succumbed to his injuries days later.
View image in fullscreen The aftermath of Hurricane Isaias. Photograph: Gerald Herbert/AP Six deaths have been confirmed in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Isaias . The state’s governor praised Floridians and local officials for taking proper precautions, linking it to there being a lower death toll compared with previous storms.
A sixth death has been announced in Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak , as new figures show cases in the state have risen above 1,100.
An Iranian woman has been handed a death sentence for “blasphemy” in a social media post, as rights groups warn of Tehran’s increasing use of executions to suppress dissent, with at least 600 this year.
Apple has unveiled new smart home devices that showcase an upgraded Siri AI . HomeView, an iPad-like device, acts as a hub for other smart home gadgets.
Lena Dunham’s Girls is returning for a limited run at HBO . The creator and star will return along with other key cast members for a five-episode revival.
View image in fullscreen Elon Musk. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Musk’s midterm donations, mostly for rightwing candidates and causes, surpass his contributions to Trump in 2024 . Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers in combat have suddenly had their access to Starlink satellite internet terminals…
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