Headline

Pope Francis Orders Pope Benedict’s Dormer Aide To Leave Vatican

Published

3 years ago

June 15, 2023

Pope Francis has commanded that Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, the private secretary and long-time aide of the late Pope Benedict, return to his home country, Germany by the end of June.

In a statement issued by the Vatican on Thursday, Gaenswein will vacate without any new role, which attested to speculation that Francis has sidelined him after a fallout between the duo.

Gaenswein, a powerful figure in the Vatican for more than a decade, worked for the late Pope Benedict, according to Reuters.

Former Pope Benedict died on December 31, nearly ten years after he resigned in 2013, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years.

Gaenswein is 66 and it is exceptionally unusual for someone of that relatively young age and rank not to have an assignment, giving the pope’s decision a sense of banishment.

The two-line statement said Francis “had disposed” that the 66-year-old Gaenswein returns to his diocese of Freiburg “for the time being”.

Nearly all papal secretaries in the past have either been assigned to lead dioceses or made cardinals or given some other high-profile post.

Gaenswein is nine years short of the normal retirement age of 75 for bishops.

He has met Francis several times in the past months about his future and there have been rumours in Catholic media that he was hoping to land a diplomatic assignment as nuncio, or ambassador, to a country.

Gaenswein declined to comment when contacted by Reuters on Thursday.

He was Benedict’s personal secretary from 2003, when Benedict was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, and remained at his side for nearly 20 years, nearly 10 of them after Benedict resigned.

In a book called “Nothing But The Truth – My Life Beside Benedict XVI” and sent to reporters by its publisher only hours after Benedict was buried on January 5, Gaenswein rattled the Vatican by describing what he says were strains while two men wearing white lived within its walls.

Gaenswein and Francis fell out in 2020 when Gaenswein was at the centre of a messy episode concerning former Pope Benedict’s role in a book about priestly celibacy that many saw as an attack on Francis’ authority.
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Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.