Pope Francis, who encouraged Catholics to embrace a more compassionate view on many issues but found it difficult to close the book on past abuses by clergy, has died. He was 88. Francis passed away at 7.35am on Monday in Rome, the Vatican said in a statement. He had been hospitalised in Rome in mid-February with bronchitis, which progressed to pneumonia in both lungs – the last in a litany of respiratory and other medical challenges he had faced. On Sunday, he met with US Vice President JD Vance. Loading... Bloomberg