The Catholic Church has strict protocols in place following the death of its leader, but as ex-Pope Benedict's health wanes it is unclear whether those same protocols will apply to a retired pope, known as Emeritus.
Pope Francis has condemned human "hunger for wealth and power" at Christmas Eve Mass in the Vatican, seemingly referring to the war in Ukraine and other conflicts.
Operation Free Zelensky: How secret mission to get Ukrainian president across the Atlantic was carried out with NATO spy aircraft and fighters... as he tells US lawmakers 'your money is not charity, it's an investment in democracy'.
The Biden administration convened a United States-Africa summit in Washington this week after having announced a new strategy for the continent in the summer to restore lost trust and credibility in their relationship.
A Sharia court in the northern Nigerian state of Kano has sentenced a prominent Islamic cleric to death by hanging, after finding him guilty of blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad as well as incitement in some of his preaching, although he denies the charges.