Pope rejects ‘war of words’, urges release of jailed reporters

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV, in his first address to the media, spoke out against partisan bickering and called for the release of imprisoned journalists.

“The way we communicate is of fundamental importance: we must say ‘no’ to the war of words and images, we must reject the paradigm of war,” Leo told thousands of journalists who covered his election and the death of his predecessor.

He also spoke up for jailed journalists who, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, numbered 361 at the end of last year.

“The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press,” he said.

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Leo, the first pope from the US, addressed the journalists in the Vatican’s large audience hall in Italian but started in English in jocular fashion.

“Good morning. Thank you for this wonderful reception. They say that when they clap at the beginning, it doesn’t matter much. If you’re still awake at the end and still want to applaud, thank you very much,” he said.

The pontiff also spoke about artificial intelligence, saying it should be used with responsibility and discernment.

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