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Norway and France to Boost Defense Cooperation

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu attends a joint press statement after talks about strengthening security and defense in Europe, at Ministry of Defense in Berlin, Germany November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu attends a joint press statement after talks about strengthening security and defense in Europe, at Ministry of Defense in Berlin, Germany November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
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Norway and France to Boost Defense Cooperation

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu attends a joint press statement after talks about strengthening security and defense in Europe, at Ministry of Defense in Berlin, Germany November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu attends a joint press statement after talks about strengthening security and defense in Europe, at Ministry of Defense in Berlin, Germany November 25, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo

Norway and France have signed a letter of intent to expand and strengthen their defense and security policy cooperation, the Norwegian defense ministry said on Thursday.

Norway's Defense Minister Bjoern Arild Gram and French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu met in Oslo to sign the agreement, Reuters reported.

The two countries plan enhanced cooperation on exercises and training in Norway and will work together to counter hybrid threats to critical infrastructure such as undersea cables and energy supply lines, the Norwegian ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers also discussed enhanced defense materiel cooperation, Norway said.

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Rome's Chief Rabbi Criticizes Pope Francis over Israel Remarks

FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
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Rome's Chief Rabbi Criticizes Pope Francis over Israel Remarks

FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni speaks with Pope Francis during an inter-religious prayer for peace at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

Rome's chief Jewish rabbi on Thursday sharply criticised Pope Francis over the pontiff's recent ramping up of criticism against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, in an unusually forceful speech during an annual Catholic-Jewish dialogue event.
Francis has unfairly focused his attention on Israel compared to other ongoing world conflicts, including those in Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia, said Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, spiritual leader of Rome's Jewish community since 2001.
"Selective indignation ... weakens the pope's strength," Reuters quoted Di Segni as saying.
"A pope cannot divide the world into children and stepchildren and must denounce the sufferings of all," he said. "This is exactly what the Pope does not do."
Francis, leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, has recently been more outspoken about Israel's military campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas. Last week, he called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "very serious and shameful".
A complex ceasefire accord between Israel and Hamas emerged on Wednesday, and is scheduled to start on Sunday.
Relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism have improved in recent decades, after centuries of animosity. The event on Thursday, held at a Catholic university, was organized to mark the 36th annual World Day of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue.
One of the organizers, Rev. Marco Gnavi, a Catholic priest, expressed surprise at Di Segni's comments.
He said he felt "discomfort" because of the rabbi's words.