Pope Francis criticized laws that criminalize homosexuality as “unjust,” saying God loves all his children just as they are and called on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.

“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press.

Francis acknowledged that Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws that criminalize homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, and he himself referred to the issue in terms of “sin.”

But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds, and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognize the dignity of everyone.

“These bishops have to have a process of conversion,” he said, adding that they should apply “tenderness, please, as God has for each one of us.”

Some 67 countries or jurisdictions worldwide criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which can or do impose the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which works to end such laws. Experts say even where the laws are not enforced, they contribute to harassment, stigmatization and violence against LGBTQ people.

In the U.S., more than a dozen states still have anti-sodomy laws on the books, despite a 2003 Supreme Court ruling declaring them unconstitutional. Gay rights advocates say the antiquated laws are used to harass homosexuals, and point to new legislation, such as the “Don’t say gay” law in Florida, which forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, as evidence of continued efforts to marginalize LGBTQ people.

The United Nations has repeatedly called for an end to laws criminalizing homosexuality outright, saying they violate rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination and are a breach of countries’ obligations under international law to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Declaring such laws “unjust,” Francis said the Catholic Church can and should work to put an end to them. “It must do this. It must do this,” he said.

Francis quoted the Catechism of the Catholic Church in saying gay people must be welcomed and respected, and should not be marginalized or discriminated against.

“We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are and for the strength that each of us fights for our dignity,” Francis said, speaking to the AP in the Vatican hotel where he lives.

Such laws are common in Africa and the Middle East and date from British colonial times or are inspired by Islamic law. Some Catholic bishops have strongly upheld them as consistent with Vatican teaching that considers homosexual activity “intrinsically disordered,” while others have called for them to be overturned as a violation of basic human dignity.

In 2019, Francis had been expected to issue a statement opposing criminalization of homosexuality during a meeting with human rights groups that conducted research into the effects of such laws and so-called “conversion therapies.”

In the end, the pope did not meet with the groups, which instead met with the Vatican No. 2, who reaffirmed “the dignity of every human person and against every form of violence.”

On Tuesday, Francis said there needed to be a distinction between a crime and a sin with regard to homosexuality.

“Being homosexual is not a crime,” he said. “It’s not a crime. Yes, but it’s a sin. Fine, but first let’s distinguish between a sin and a crime.”

“It’s also a sin to lack charity with one another,” he added.

Catholic teaching holds that while gay people must be treated with respect, homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Francis has not changed that teaching, but he has made reaching out to the LGBTQ community a hallmark of his papacy.

Starting with his famous 2013 declaration, “Who am I to judge?” when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest, Francis has gone on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and trans community. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples as an alternative to endorsing gay marriage, which Catholic doctrine forbids.

Despite such outreach, Francis was criticized by the Catholic LGBTQ community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office that the church cannot bless same-sex unions “because God cannot bless sin.”

The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a U.N. declaration that called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. In a statement at the time, the Vatican urged countries to avoid “unjust discrimination” against gay people and end penalties against them.

An Emirates flight from Tokyo Narita to Dubai International on January 19 touched down with an extra traveler on board, after a passenger gave birth in the air.

The new arrival made their appearance on the 12-hour overnight Flight EK 319, which landed on schedule despite the medical emergency, the airline confirmed to CNN.

The passenger and baby were assisted by Emirates cabin crew, who all receive medical response training so they can handle situations such as baby deliveries or heart attacks.

Emirates told CNN that the parent and infant “were in stable condition and, upon arrival in Dubai, were met by local medical staff. The health and safety of our crew and passengers is of paramount importance.”

Births on board planes are relatively rare. Emirates’ policy when it comes to pregnant travelers is similar to that of many other commercial airlines: Travelers can fly up to their seventh month of pregnancy unless they have any medical complications or concerns.

Passengers who are 29 weeks pregnant or more need to bring a medical certificate or a letter signed by their doctor or midwife, and no one is allowed to fly after the 32nd week of a multiple pregnancy or the 36th week of a single pregnancy.

Last May, a woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy in a lavatory on board a Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Colorado, with assistance from a flight attendant.

And in January 2022, a woman went into labor six hours into a flight between Accra, Ghana, and Washington Dulles International Airport. Her child was delivered safely on the floor of the cabin in the space provided by the emergency exits.

There can be silver linings to this medical emergency no parent plans for. In 2016, a baby boy was awarded a lifetime of free flights on Buraq Air after his mother gave birth while on board the airline.

The UK High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott, announced on Wednesday that the visa process for Kenyans visiting the UK is now back on track after six months of assurances to improve the service.

According to Marriott, visa applications should now be decided within three weeks, with faster priority services available.

“Six months ago, I promised we would get our visa service for Kenyans travelling to the UK back on track. I’m pleased we’re now at normal customer service standards – a decision should take just three weeks, with faster priority services available,” Marriot tweeted.

According to the official guidance from the UK Visas and Immigrations office, the applicant must either show up for their appointment at a visa application centre and provide their fingerprints and photo, or they must use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to confirm their identity. The waiting period begins once an application is submitted online.

The waiting period will end when the applicant receives an email with the decision on their application.

Individuals applying for a visa to travel to the UK for pleasure, business, or marriage should expect to hear from the visa office within three weeks of their appointment at the visa application centre.

This applies to those seeking a visa to enter the UK for a period of no more than six months.

The decision process for those applying for a student visa or short-term study visa should also take three weeks.

Those applying for a work or investment visa, or to join family in the UK, may have to wait longer.

Applicants seeking to settle in the UK as a spouse or family member may have to wait up to 24 weeks for a decision.

Many Kenyans will be relieved by the announcement, as they have been dealing with long wait times and delays in visa processing.

Last year in July the High Commissioner had indicated that they are working on addressing delays experienced by Kenyans in getting UK visas, an issue that has caused major inconveniences.

She however noted that this was a global issue and not just in Kenya.

Members of Parliament have resumed their induction seminar in Mombasa, following the release of KES 4 billion in National Government-Constituency Development Funds by the National Treasury (NG-CDF).

More than 300 MPs had boycotted the seminar for two days, threatening to shut down Parliament until the funds were released. To protest the delay, MPs camped out in the lobby of the hotel, and some went to the beach.

Parliamentarians, led by NG-CDF committee chairman Musa Sirma, had received only KES 7 million of the funds, with KES 2 million going toward administrative expenses and KES 5 million going toward bursaries.

They expected at least KES 50 million for bursaries and believed their walkout was genuine rather than political in nature.

MPs had accused Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof Njuguna Ndung’u of failing to address the issue.

Following a Supreme Court ruling, the Treasury agreed in December to disperse KES 2 billion in weekly tranches of the NG-CDF. MPs will receive KES 44.289 billion over the course of 23 weeks, with the first payment due on December 9, 2022.

Moses Wetangula, Speaker of the National Assembly, arrived in Mombasa on Wednesday to mediate the dispute between lawmakers and the finance ministry.

The lawmakers also demanded that the state close all public schools that had reopened for the first term due to a lack of fees for the thousands of students who rely on bursaries.