Pope Francis to visit Dubai despite lung inflammation

The Pope, who is set to travel to Dubai for a climate conference, is battling lung inflammation. Instead of delivering his customary address from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, the pontiff appeared on television and a priest read his remarks for him. The Vatican previously stated that he had mild flu-like symptoms but a CT scan revealed no lung problems. Despite his condition, Francis still plans to attend COP28 and deliver a speech on Saturday. However, he appeared to be struggling to speak during his brief remarks and was seen with a bandage and an apparent cannula on his right hand. This is not the first time the Pope has faced health issues, having had one of his lungs surgically removed during his youth and having spent time in the hospital for bronchitis earlier this year.