ROME (AP) — Pope Francis told ambassadors accredited to the Holy See on Thursday that he wasn’t up to delivering his annual foreign policy speech and asked an aide to deliver it instead.
A congested-sounding Francis began the speech, greeting the ambassadors gathered in the Hall of Blessings.
But just a few lines into the lengthy speech, which usually recaps highlights of the past year, the 88-year-old Francis said he was still battling a cold and handed the remarks over to an aide.
Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, often suffers bouts of bronchitis in winter that leave him out of breath and make it difficult to speak at length. He has just emerged from a grueling Christmas period in which he inaugurated the Vatican’s Holy Year celebrations.
He has sounded congested in recent days but has nevertheless kept up with his typically busy schedule.
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Pope Francis attends his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
TORONTO (AP) — Natalie Spooner scored her first two goals of the season and the Toronto Sceptres beat the PWHL-leading Montreal Victoire 4-1 on Thursday night.
The league MVP a year ago, Spooner has played six games since returning from a knee injury sustained in the playoffs. She scored both goals on power plays.
Allie Munroe and Maggie Connors also scored and Kristen Campbell made 25 saves to help Toronto beat Montreal for the first time in five games this season.
Marie-Philip Poulin scored for Montreal.
Victoire: Montreal remains six points ahead of second-place Toronto in the PWHL standings with one game in hand.
Sceptres: Toronto is 1-0-2-2 against Montreal this campaign after going undefeated in five games against the Victoire last season.
Nine seconds after Montreal’s Mikyla Grant-Mentis was sent to the penalty box for boarding, Julia Gosling sent a cross-ice pass in front to Spooner who missed at first but tapped in an airborne puck 5:48 into the first period for the opening goal.
Toronto was 2 for 4 on the power play.
The Victoire are at Boston on Saturday. The Sceptres host Minnesota on Sunday.
AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey
Toronto Sceptres' Renata Fast (second left) celebrates scoring a goal against the Montreal Victoire with her teammates Daryl Watts (9), Hannah Miller (34) and Natalie Spooner (24) during the second period of PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres' Maggie Connors (22) celebrates after scoring a goal against Montreal Victoire goalie Elaine Chuli (20) during the second period of PWHL hockey game action in Toronto, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres' Natalie Spooner (second right) celebrates scoring her first goal of the season against the Montreal Victoire during the first period of PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Montreal Victoire forward Laura Stacey (7) is stopped by Toronto Sceptres goaltender Kristen Campbell as Sceptres' Kali Flanagan defends during the first period of PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres' Savannah Harmon (15) plays the puck as Sceptres defenders surround Montreal Victoire's Marie-Philip Poulin (29) during the first period of PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres players celebrate a goal against the Montreal Victoire during the second period of PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres' Maggie Connors (22) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Victoire with Megan Carter (23) during the second period of PWHL hockey game action in Toronto, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres Allie Munroe (12) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Montreal Victoire with teammates Renata Fast (14), Emma Maltais (27) and Hannah Miller (34) during the second period of PWHL hockey game action in Toronto, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Sceptres' Julia Gosling (88) congratulates Natalie Spooner (24) on her first goal of the season against the Montreal Victoire during the first period of PWHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Thomas Skrlj/The Canadian Press via AP)
