solution

The pontiff is set to meet Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and deliver a speech to authorities and diplomats later today.

Pope Leo XIV has reiterated the Vatican’s insistence on a two-state resolution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying it’s the “only solution” that can guarantee justice for both sides.

Leo made the comments as he flew from Turkiye to Lebanon on Sunday for the second and final leg of his maiden international voyage as pope.

On the flight, the pontiff was asked by reporters about his private talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan upon his arrival in Ankara, and whether they discussed the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

Leo confirmed they had and said Turkiye has an “important role to play” to end both conflicts.

On Gaza, he repeated the Holy See’s longstanding position supporting a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. The creation of a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza has long been seen internationally as the only way to resolve the decades-long conflict.

“We know that in this moment, Israel doesn’t accept this solution, but we see it as the only one that can offer a solution to the conflict that they are living in,” said Leo. “We are also friends with Israel, and we try with both sides to be a mediating voice that can help bring them closer to a solution with justice for all.”

The pope has avoided any direct mention of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza while in Turkiye.

There was no immediate response from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has long asserted that creating a Palestinian state would reward the Palestinian group Hamas and eventually lead to an even larger Hamas-run state on Israel’s borders.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu said Israel’s opposition to a Palestinian state has “not changed one bit” and isn’t threatened by external or internal pressure. “I do not need affirmations, tweets or lectures from anyone,” he said.

‘Glimmer of hope’

The American pontiff landed in Beirut and is now set to meet Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, the Arab world’s only Christian head of state, and deliver a speech to authorities and diplomats at the presidential palace later in the afternoon.

“Many people are meeting him on the side of the road towards the presidential palace and he’s expected to meet Lebanese officials. He’ll also hold a huge mass in the centre of Beirut, and then visit several cities across the country,” reported Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem from the scene.

About 30 percent of the population of Lebanon is Christian, while the vast majority are Muslim, roughly half of whom belong to the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam.

Travelling abroad has become a major part of the modern papacy, with popes seeking to meet local Catholics, spread the faith, and conduct international diplomacy.

‘For the sake of peace’

Lebanon’s diverse communities have also welcomed the papal trip with leading Druze cleric Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna saying Lebanon “needs the glimmer of hope represented by this visit”.

Reinforcements from the Lebanese army and internal security forces were deployed to the airport before Leo’s arrival.

His convoy will pass through Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area where Hezbollah holds sway and where the terrain was battered in last year’s Israeli air strikes. Hezbollah’s Imam al-Mahdi Scouts are to hold a welcoming ceremony by the roadside as the convoy passes.

Leo’s schedule includes a prayer at the site of a 2020 explosion at the Beirut port that killed 200 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.

He will also lead an outdoor mass on the Beirut waterfront and visit a psychiatric hospital, one of the few mental health facilities in Lebanon, where healthcare workers and residents are eagerly anticipating his arrival.

Leo will not travel to the south, the target of Israeli attacks. Despite a United States-brokered ceasefire in November 2024, Israel continues to launch near-daily air strikes on southern Lebanon.

The pope “is coming to bless us and for the sake of peace”, said Farah Saadeh, a Beirut resident. “We have to wait and see what will happen after he leaves, and we hope nothing is going to happen after his departure,” Saadeh said.

Before Leo’s arrival, Hezbollah urged the pope to express his “rejection of injustice and aggression” that the country is being subjected to, a reference to the Israeli attacks.

Liverpool’s stellar start was followed by a run of six defeats in seven matches that sparked concern and talk of a crisis.

Things started to look up earlier in November, with victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid lifting morale and offering hope of a return to form.

But they ultimately proved not to provide a permanent change in their fortunes, but a momentary respite.

A 3-0 defeat by Manchester City just before the international break was tough, but can happen against Pep Guardiola’s side.

But a setback by the same scoreline to Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest left them 12th in the Premier League and now followed by this embarrassing loss against PSV – only their second at Anfield in their past 26 pre-knockout stage games in this competition.

It has left Slot with a massive task on his hands to return his side to the top half of the Premier League and remain in the hunt for a top-eight place in the Champions League league phase, having slipped down to 13th.

“I don’t think there should be a knee-jerk reaction, I think this is a very tough moment at Liverpool for one reason or another, but the one thing I’d say is that things weren’t right at the start of the season either, when they were winning,” added Warnock.

Sacking managers at the first sign of trouble is not a tactic Liverpool have frequently deployed. Let’s not forget too that last year Slot oversaw the best ever start – eight wins in his first 10 top-flight games – by a Reds boss, having just replaced Jurgen Klopp.

But his summer signings have not worked, putting him under pressure.

Record transfer Alexander Isak is still yet to get off the mark, German playmaker Florian Wirtz is currently injured and left-back Milos Kerkez continues to struggle.

Yet on Wednesday, Slot made just two substitutions as his side trailed. One was Isak for fellow new signing Hugo Ekitike, who looked to have picked up an injury, while the other was Italy forward Federico Chiesa for Ibrahima Konate during another tough evening for the French defender.

“This run is a shock for everyone,” admitted Slot.

“For the players, for me. I don’t easily shock and it’s very unexpected. We can all do better individually, but that goes for everyone including myself.”

The brightest spark has perhaps been Dominik Szoboszlai.

Reinstated in his role in central midfield against PSV, he provided not only a goal, but energy and an attacking threat, while going some way to proving there are significantly better uses for him than as a stand-in right-back.

“With each defeat it gets closer to being a crisis,” former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard told TNT Sports. “I don’t think Liverpool are at that [yet] – crisis is too strong.

“There are no excuses for a performance like that at this football club

“You cannot deny the team is struggling massively, they are on a terrible run, their confidence is at an all-time low, they are wide open.

“Unless the manager can find answers and stability in his team, then this situation is going to continue.”

PSV, though, was never going to be an easy fixture for Slot to try to get his players back on track.

The former Feyenoord boss has only won one of his past eight games against the Eredivisie outfit in all competitions (D3 L4), and against no side has he suffered more defeats in his managerial career.

Slot says he is not worrying about his future at the club and is instead focused on turning things around.

“I need to do better, that’s what I’m trying to do every single day to improve the team and that is where my main focus is,” added the 47-year-old.

SACRAMENTO — Antonio Villaraigosa, former Los Angeles mayor and current candidate for California governor, on Friday said he opposed the creation of a state-level single payer healthcare system.

Villaraigosa’s stance separated him from three rival Democrats who appeared on stage with him at a candidate forum at UC Riverside.

Candidates, who were asked about a single-payer healthcare system during a question-and-answer session that only involved raising their hands, did not provide explanations for their stances. But during earlier remarks, Villaraigosa had said he had no interest in selling “snake oil” solutions to voters on complex matters like healthcare.

The divide stood out because the four Democrats were otherwise closely aligned on prioritizing healthcare if elected in the 2026 race.

Aside from Villaraigosa, the candidates included: former state Controller Betty Yee, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and California Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

During the event, candidates were asked how they would approach a range of issues that impact an individual’s health, including aging, nutrition and mental illness.

The four contenders were largely on the same page, with all promising to work on removing barriers to care by expanding healthcare coverage and supporting programs that increase access to fresh food and mental health services. They all voiced support for creating pathways and incentives for students to study healthcare to help with industry staffing shortages.

Each also offered slightly different insights when asked a question about how to best support the “sandwich generation,” or those who are caring for both children and aging parents.

Becerra recalled how he and his siblings took turns caring for their aging father, which allowed him to spend his final years at home.

“There is nothing better because they are being cared for by those who love them,” Becerra said. “If I am governor, home care will be compensated.”

Yee said income tax credits could help and explained she would work with employers to improve employee leave options.

Thurmond said California should create a long-term care system for seniors similar to the system the state developed to help homeowners unable to access homeowners insurance.

The event was organized by Health Matters, a nonpartisan forum on health and equity that is organized by 11 health-focused foundations in California.