US eyes migration, poverty as pope trip themes

It would allow non-member observer states – there are only two – to display their flags with the 193 member states.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.- Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said thousands of officers will be working during Pope Francis’ visit to the Big Apple next month, but New Yorkers should be prepared for traffic to wreak havoc on the city.

Hackett told the Associated Press that the Pope is likely to remind Americans of their country’s history of welcoming immigrants.

When Pope Francis visits the Capitol on September 24, some Illinoisans will have tickets to watch an outdoor simulcast of his historic remarks to the Congress. Among other issues, he has weighed in on the civil war in Syria, hosted a prayer service between Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the Vatican, and ruffled feathers with Turkey when he called the 1915 killing of 1.5 million Armenians a “genocide”.

This is the first time a reigning pontiff has addressed Congress. The request was made by Speaker John Boehner in March 2014 and was accepted by Secretary of State and Assessor for General Affairs, Monsignor Peter Brian Wells.

AP noted that U.S. and Israel both object recognizing Palestine as a state.

In May, the Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine in their first formal, bilateral treaty.

Aside from a copy of the draft resolution from the Palestinians, Reuters has also seen a copy of note from Vatican requesting for U.N.to remove all its references from the draft resolution.

Pope Francis will give an unprecedented address to Congress in September, and Rep. Dave Loebsack is holding a lottery for tickets to an outdoor simulcast at the Capitol.

“The Secretary-General is confident that His Holiness Pope Francis’s visit will inspire the worldwide community to redouble its efforts to achieve human dignity for all through ensuring greater social justice, tolerance and understanding among all of the world’s peoples”, United Nations said in its announcement.