MADRID (AP) — Pope Francis has criticized the West’s two-decade-long involvement in Afghanistan as an outsider’s attempt to impose democracy — although he did it by citing Russia’s Vladimir Putin while thinking he was quoting Germany’s Angela Merkel. But the words were spoken last month by the Russian president in the presence of Merkel, during her visit to Moscow. Merkel, meanwhile, urged Russia to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan. In the interview, Pope Francis addressed direct questions about his health for the first time since he underwent bowel surgery in early July. The pope also said he was expecting to appear and speak at the U.N.-sponsored COP26 climate talks in November in Glasgow.

Source: thestar September 01, 2021 08:50 UTC