Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested to postpone his corruption trial testimony scheduled for Wednesday next week, Israeli media reported on Friday. Netanyahu made the request to allow him to be present at 40 signatures debate at the Knesset as well as for the vote on the change in the makeup of the judicial selection committee.

Pope Francis is slowly regaining his strength in hospital but must "relearn to speak" after prolonged use of high-flow oxygen therapy, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez said on Friday.The cardinal, who is the head of the Vatican's doctrinal office, dismissed speculation that the pontiff would retire and said he was returning to his old self."The pope is doing very well, but high-flow oxygen dries everything out. He needs to relearn how to speak, but his overall physical condition is as it was before," Fernandez said at a presentation of a new book by Francis on poetry.