A nun holds a picture of Pope Francis and a rosary as the faithful attend a Rosary prayer for the health of the pontiff at St Peter's Square in Vatican City on Monday. EPA
A nun holds a picture of Pope Francis and a rosary as the faithful attend a Rosary prayer for the health of the pontiff at St Peter's Square in Vatican City on Monday. EPA
A nun holds a picture of Pope Francis and a rosary as the faithful attend a Rosary prayer for the health of the pontiff at St Peter's Square in Vatican City on Monday. EPA
A nun holds a picture of Pope Francis and a rosary as the faithful attend a Rosary prayer for the health of the pontiff at St Peter's Square in Vatican City on Monday. EPA

Pope Francis suffers new breathing attacks and undergoes two bronchoscopies


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Pope Francis has suffered two new breathing attacks, requiring two separate bronchoscopies, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff struggles to recover from pneumonia.

“Today, the Holy Father experienced two episodes of acute respiratory failure, caused by a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm,” the Vatican said on Pope Francis's 18th day in hospital, the longest of his papacy.

In its usual evening update on Monday, the Holy See said the pope had resumed the use of an oxygen mask and noted that he was “alert, focused and co-operative”.

Doctors had extracted “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs during the two bronchoscopies, in which a camera-tipped tube was sent down into his airways with a sucker at the tip to suction out fluid.

The Vatican said the mucus was the body's reaction to the original pneumonia infection and not a new infection, given laboratory tests did not indicate any new bacteria.

It added that Francis's prognosis remains “reserved”, an indication that doctors cannot predict the likely outcome of his condition.

The Argentine pope was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 with bronchitis, which developed into pneumonia in both lungs, causing alarm around the globe.

Despite “slight” incremental improvements in the pope's condition last week, according to the Vatican, he suffered a setback on Friday with a bronchospasm that required him to use a “non-invasive mechanical ventilation”.

In recent years, Pope Francis has had surgery on his colon, a hernia operation and pain in his knee and hip that have caused him to rely on a wheelchair. AFP
In recent years, Pope Francis has had surgery on his colon, a hernia operation and pain in his knee and hip that have caused him to rely on a wheelchair. AFP

On Monday, with the two episodes of acute respiratory failure, the Vatican said the two separate bronchoscopies were performed in order to “aspirate abundant secretions”.

Acute respiratory failure, which can be life-threatening, occurs when the lungs cannot pass enough oxygen into the blood, or when carbon dioxide builds up in the body.

What is a bronchoscopy?

A bronchoscopy is a medical procedure that allows doctors to view the air passages using a small camera at the base of a flexible tube, while also taking tissue samples.

On Sunday evening, the Vatican had said the condition of the leader of the world's almost 1.4 billion Catholics was stable.

Francis, who has been pope since March 2013, had required the oxygen mask on Friday and Saturday, but not on Sunday, when he participated in mass and spent the rest of the day alternating rest with prayer.

Dr John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the latest episodes were more concerning than the last one on Friday, in which Francis had a coughing fit, inhaled some vomit that needed to be extracted and then was put on the non-invasive mechanical ventilation for a day and then did not need it any more.

The use of bronchoscopies reflects a worrying level of mucus and phlegm in the lungs, Dr Coleman said. “The fact that they had to go in there and remove it manually is concerning, because it means that he is not clearing the secretions on his own,” he said.

“He’s taking little steps forward and then steps back,” said Dr Coleman, who is not involved in Francis' care.

The pope on Sunday received Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and Edgar Pena Parra, a Venezuelan archbishop who is also a senior Vatican official.

The Jesuit is being treated in a special suite reserved for pontiffs on the 10th floor of the Gemelli, where the Vatican has said he has continued to work.

Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, missed his traditional Angelus prayer for a third straight Sunday and the Vatican issued a written text instead.

In it, the pope thanked well-wishers for their prayers, saying: “I feel all your affection and closeness and, at this particular time, I feel as if I am 'carried' and supported by all God's people. Thank you all.”

Pontiff's path to recover could be long

As pilgrims and other well-wishers pray and leave offerings outside the hospital, medical experts, along with the Vatican itself, continue to warn that Pope Francis is not out of danger and the path to recovery could be long.

This hospital stay is the fourth of his nearly 12-year papacy.

In recent years, he has had surgery on his colon, a hernia operation and pain in his knee and hip that have caused him to rely on a wheelchair.

There has been speculation as to whether he might now resign, especially as his schedule has been packed with papal duties amid celebrations for the holy Jubilee year.

The Vatican has not released any photos or videos of Pope Francis since before he entered the hospital on February 14 with a complex lung infection. It has become the longest absence of his papacy.

He has said he would be open to following his predecessor, Benedict XVI – who in 2013 stepped down because of his physical and mental health – were he unable to fulfil his functions as pope.

However, before he was recently taken to hospital, he repeatedly had said it was not yet the time.

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Stats at a glance:

Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)

Number in service: 6

Complement 191 (space for up to 285)

Top speed: over 32 knots

Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles

Length 152.4 m

Displacement: 8,700 tonnes

Beam:   21.2 m

Draught: 7.4 m

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT

Valencia 3

Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'

Ferran Torres 67'

Atlanta 4

Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'

Breast cancer in men: the facts

1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.

2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash. 

3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible. 

4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key. 

5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor

 

Teams

Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq

Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi

Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag

Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC

Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC

Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes

Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals

EXPATS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lulu%20Wang%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicole%20Kidman%2C%20Sarayu%20Blue%2C%20Ji-young%20Yoo%2C%20Brian%20Tee%2C%20Jack%20Huston%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)

Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)

Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)

Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)

Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

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SERIE A FIXTURES

Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)

Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),

Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),

Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)

Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm) 

Benevento v Napoli (6pm) 

Parma v Spezia (6pm)

 Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)

Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)

Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Updated: March 04, 2025, 8:12 AM`