Pope’s events canceled this week as he recovers from bronchitis in hospital
FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images
(LONDON and ROME) — The Vatican has announced that the Jubilee Audience on Saturday has been cancelled as Pope Francis continues recover in hospital from a respiratory tract infection.
“Due to the Holy Father’s health condition, the Jubilee Audience on Saturday, Feb. 22, is cancelled,” the Vatican said Tuesday morning. “For the celebration of the Holy Mass on the occasion of the Jubilee of Deacons, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m., in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis has delegated H.E. Msgr. Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Section for Fundamental Issues of Evangelization in the World.”
Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican press room, told reporters on Sunday that the pope had his second consecutive restful night after being admitted to the hospital on Friday.
“Pope Francis had a tranquil night. He slept well, had breakfast and read a few papers, as usual,” Bruni said.
On Saturday, the Vatican said the pope “rested all night” Friday and had no fever on Saturday morning. His treatment has been slightly modified based on further “microbiological findings,” according to the Vatican.
The Vatican added, “To facilitate his recovery, the medical staff prescribed absolute rest.”
The pope was admitted to a hospital on Friday for “necessary tests” and to continue his ongoing bronchitis treatment, the Vatican said.
ANSA, the Italian news agency, reported that “several sources” revealed the pope had arrived on Friday at Gemelli Hospital very fatigued due to difficulty in breathing related to an excess of phlegm and that the treatment he was undergoing at home had not yielded the expected results.
“Pope Francis has been informed of the many messages of closeness and affection he has received and expresses his gratitude, as well as asking for continued prayers,” the Vatican added.
(NEW YORK) — DeepSeek, the explosive new artificial intelligence, tool that took the world by storm, has code hidden in its programming which has the built-in capability to send user data directly to the Chinese government, experts told ABC News.
DeepSeek caught Wall Street off guard last week when it announced it had developed its AI model for far less money than its American competitors, like OpenAI, which have invested billions. But the potential risk DeepSeek poses to national security may be more acute than previously feared because of a potential open door between DeepSeek and the Chinese government, according to cybersecurity experts.
Of late, Americans have been concerned about Byte Dance, the China-based company behind TikTok, which is required under Chinese law to share the data it collects with the Chinese government.
With DeepSeek, there’s actually the possibility of a direct path to the PRC hidden in its code, Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of Feroot Security, an Ontario-based cybersecurity firm focused on customer data protection, told ABC News.
“We see direct links to servers and to companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government. And this is something that we have never seen in the past,” Tsarynny said.
Users who register or log in to DeepSeek may unknowingly be creating accounts in China, making their identities, search queries, and online behavior visible to Chinese state systems.
Tsarynny says he used AI software to decrypt portions of DeepSeek’s code and found what appeared to be intentionally hidden programming that has the capability to send user data to one website: CMPassport.com, the online registry for China Mobile, a telecommunications company owned and operated by the Chinese government.
China Mobile was banned from operating in the U.S. by the FCC in 2019 due to concerns that “unauthorized access to customer…data could create irreparable damage to U.S. national security.” It was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 and added to the FCC’s list of national security threats in 2022.
John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and former acting Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis for the Department of Homeland Security, said DeepSeek is a most blatant example of suspected surveillance by the Chinese government.
“China Mobile is part of a growing list of Chinese-based technology companies that have been determined to pose a risk to U.S. national security,” Cohen said .
“National security officials always suspect that technology sold by a Chinese-based company has a backdoor making that data accessible to the Chinese government. In this case, the back door’s been discovered, it’s been opened, and that’s alarming.”
“It’s alarming to say the least,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC News.
“I think we should ban DeepSeek from all government devices immediately. No one should be allowed to download it onto their device. And I think we have to inform the public,” Gottheimer said.
DeepSeek’s terms of service specify that they “shall be governed by the laws of the People’s Republic of China.”
DeepSeek’s privacy policy discloses that they collect all kinds of data including chat and search query history, keystroke patterns, IP addresses, and activity from other apps.
However, experts say it’s impossible to know what of this data DeepSeek is potentially sending to China Mobile.
Tsarynny’s analysis found that DeepSeek’s web tool creates a digital “fingerprint” for each unique user, which has the capability to track users’ activity not only while they use DeepSeek’s website, but all web activity going forward.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, said the possibility of covert collection of DeepSeek user data by the Chinese government is “very disturbing.”
“I think there’s absolutely the intention by the CCP to collect data of Americans and user data worldwide,” Krishnamoorthi told ABC News. “This pattern of data collection is really familiar to people who study the use of CCP controlled-company apps and you use those apps at your own risk.”
DeepSeek, its hedge fund founder High-Flyer, and China Mobile did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Andrew Tate (left) and his brother Tristan Tate are pictured inside The Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, on December 10, 2024. (Photo by DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP v
(LONDON) — Romania’s organized crime agency issued a statement Thursday saying court restrictions prohibiting controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate from leaving Romania while awaiting trial have now been lifted, clearing the way for them to fly.
Romanian media reports said the two had left the country aboard a private jet headed to the United States.
The charges against the Tates remain in force, and they will be expected to return to Romania for court appearances, said the statement from the agency, Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism, or DIICOT.
The brothers have been confined to Romania since late 2022 when they were arrested on human trafficking, sexual abuse, money laundering and forming an organized criminal group.
They were charged in 2023 and have denied the charges.
The Tates’ departure follows reports Trump administration officials had lobbied Romania to lift a travel ban on them while they are awaiting trial.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(LONDON) — At least five people were shot on Tuesday at an adult education facility in Orebro, Sweden, police said.
“The extent of the injuries is unclear,” police said. “The operation is still ongoing.”
Police said the shooter may be among the injured being treated at the hospital, but said “nothing is clear yet.” Five people have been taken to the hospital. Officials cannot confirm if anyone has died, and no ages of the victims have been given yet.
Officials said in a statement they were urging the public to stay away from the Risbergska Skolan, a municipal education center in the Vasthaga area of Orebro. The school is for students over 20 years old, according to its website.
Law enforcement in the Bergslagen region began at about 1 p.m. local time to post a series of short statements, saying initially that a “major operation” was underway and the school was under threat of “deadly violence.”
Police set up an information point for relatives to gather, and students were sent to nearby facilities.
“The danger is not over,” Police said at about 2 p.m. “The public MUST continue to stay away from Västhaga.”
The school is about 200 km, or about 125 miles, west of Stockholm, the capital.
ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Helena Skinner contributed to this report.
