International

Football legend Pele hospitalized again

Photo: Miguel Schincariol / AFP

| By AFP |

Brazilian football legend Pele has been hospitalized again for a “reevaluation” of his treatment following a colon tumor last year, his doctors said Wednesday, the latest health issue for the 82-year-old icon.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento — Pele’s real name — was admitted to hospital in Sao Paulo “for a reevaluation of his chemotherapy treatment for the colon tumor diagnosed in September 2021,” his medical team said in a statement.

“He was taken to a standard room, without the need for intensive or semi-intensive care… (He) is in full control of his vital functions and in stable condition,” it added.

Pele’s daughter Kely Nascimento told his fans there was “no emergency.”

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“There is (no) emergency or new dire prediction… We appreciate the concern and love,” she wrote on Instagram.

Another daughter, Flavia Nascimento, denied rumors the footballer known as “The King” had taken a turn for the worse.

“There’s been a certain amount of confusion because my father went to the hospital for some exams,” she said in a video, describing the stay as part of routine treatment “to monitor his cancer.”

“Please keep sending him that World Cup energy, which he loves and is exactly what he needs.”

Considered by many the greatest footballer of all time, Pele has suffered from increasingly fragile health in recent years.

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He has been undergoing regular chemotherapy treatments since being diagnosed with colon cancer last year.

He had surgery to remove the tumor in September 2021, spending a month in the hospital.

The only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970), Pele had one of the most storied careers in sport, scoring more than 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.

His public appearances have grown increasingly rare, but he maintains an active presence on social media — recently telling the Brazilian national team he was counting on them to “bring this trophy home” from the World Cup in Qatar.

Current Brazilian international Alex Telles told a news conference in Doha the team are rooting for Pele to make a speedy recovery.

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“It’s hard to talk about our ‘King,’ he represents us to the entire world. I’m praying for him to stay strong here with us. Hugs to his family, everything will be all right,” said the Sevilla defender.

International

Iran Reports 201 Dead, 747 Injured After U.S. and Israeli Strikes

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported Sunday night (local time) that at least 201 people were killed and 747 injured following attacks carried out by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic.

A spokesperson for the humanitarian organization said more than 220 rescue teams have been deployed across affected areas and that relief operations are continuing without interruption. The official highlighted the difficulty of treating the large number of wounded and the urgent need for additional resources in impacted provinces.

Out of Iran’s 31 provinces, 24 have reported damage, according to a statement carried by the Isna news agency. This marks the first overall casualty toll released by Iranian state-affiliated media since the launch of the offensive.

Among the dead are 85 schoolgirls from a school in the southern city of Minab, according to the country’s judiciary. “The number of martyrs at the Minab girls’ school has risen to 85,” the local prosecutor’s office said, as quoted by the judiciary’s website, Mizan Online.

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian described the attack as a “savagery” that “constitutes a new black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors.”

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Meanwhile, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely amid concerns about possible further reprisals and the broader impact on Middle East stability, energy markets, and global security.

AFP noted that it was unable to independently verify the casualty figures or the circumstances surrounding the events.

International

Pope Leo XIV Urges End to ‘Spiral of Violence’ in Middle East

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an end to the “spiral of violence” in the Middle East, following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran and subsequent retaliatory bombardments in the region.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I urge the parties involved to assume their moral responsibility and stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” the pontiff told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Speaking during the Angelus prayer, the U.S.-born pope said stability and peace cannot be achieved through threats or weapons. “Stability and peace are not built with reciprocal threats or with arms that sow destruction, suffering and death, but only through reasonable, sincere and responsible dialogue,” he declared.

The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics also called for diplomacy to “regain its role” amid escalating tensions.

In addition, the pope urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to urgently resume dialogue after several days of clashes between the two countries.

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International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.