National

Pope Francis said Wednesday that his predecessor, 95-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, is "very sick" and asked his audience to pray for the former pontiff.

Driving the news: The Vatican said in a statement Benedict's condition was "worsening due to advanced age" and that Francis had gone to visit his predecessor.

He is now under the constant supervision of doctors, but the "situation remains under control," Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said.

Benedict now lives in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery on Vatican grounds, where he moved shortly after becoming the first pope to resign in 600 years in 2013.

What's happening: Francis made the remarks at the end of a general audience at the Vatican but didn't discuss the specifics of Benedict's condition.

"I'd like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Emeritus Pope Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the church," Francis said, according to a translation from AP. " I remind you that he is very sick."

"Let's ask the Lord to comfort him and sustain him in this testimony of love to the church to the very end."

Former pope Benedict's health is "worsening," Vatican says

Benedict is now under the constant supervision of doctors, a Vatican spokesperson said.

 Pope Francis greets Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during a meeting at the Vatican in August.

Pope Francis greets Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during a meeting at the Vatican in August. Photo: Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

Catholic Church

World

Sam Bankman-Fried will testify before the House Committee on Financial Services next Tuesday as part of the panel's investigation into FTX's collapse.

Why it matters: Bankman-Fried has embarked on a wide-ranging media tour after the company filed for bankruptcy but hasn't testified under oath.

The former CEO missed a separate deadline on Thursday to respond to the Senate Banking Committee, which wants him to testify at its upcoming hearing.

Bankman-Fried could face a subpoena if he doesn't agree to testify voluntarily.

Driving the news: His testimony before the House Committee on Financial Services follows a back-and-forth between Bankman-Fried and the panel's chair on Twitter.

Bankman-Fried told Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) earlier this month that he wanted to finish "learning and reviewing what happened" before he appeared in front of Congress.

What he's saying: "I still do not have access to much of my data — professional or personal," Bankman-Fried tweeted Friday. "So there is a limit to what I will be able to say, and I won't be as helpful as I'd like."

"But as the committee still thinks it would be useful, I am willing to testify on the 13th," he added.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details. 

Sam Bankman-Fried will testify before House committee next Tuesday

"There is a limit to what I will be able to say, and I won't be as helpful as I'd like."

Sam Bankman-Fried testifies during a House hearing in May.

Sam Bankman-Fried testifies during a House hearing in May. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Sam Bankman-Fried

Sam Bankman-Fried will testify before the House Committee on Financial Services next Tuesday as part of the panel&#x27;s investigation into <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FTX&#x27;s collapse" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/29/sam-bankman-fried-100000-ftx-cftc-regulation" data-vars-content-id="4fdd6bcd-2383-436f-988e-6ccf0c97f914" data-vars-headline="Sam Bankman-Fried will testify before House committee next Tuesday" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/29/sam-bankman-fried-100000-ftx-cftc-regulation" target="_self">FTX&#x27;s collapse</a>.Why it matters: Bankman-Fried has embarked on a wide-ranging media tour after the company filed for bankruptcy but hasn&#x27;t testified under oath.

After a record economic expansion, the coronavirus pandemic sent the U.S. economy into a recession as unemployment soared to staggering heights. The country now faces urgent questions about how much stimulus is needed for reeling consumers and businesses, and what a recovery might look like.

Economy & Business

Elon Musk said Monday that future polls on Twitter's policies will be limited to paying Twitter Blue subscribers.

Why it matters: It was one of Musk's first tweets since Twitter users voted for him to step down as head of the company via a poll he initiated and pledged to follow.

Musk hasn't specifically addressed the poll since the results were finalized early Monday morning.

Driving the news: A Twitter user tweeted at Musk to suggest that "Blue subscribers should be the only ones that can vote in policy related polls. We actually have skin in the game."

Musk replied: "Good point. Twitter will make that change."

A majority of the roughly 17.5 million respondents — 57.5% — to a Twitter poll posted by Musk on Sunday said that he should step down as head of Twitter.

The big picture: The social media company relaunched its Twitter Blue subscription service earlier this month.

Subscribers can pay a monthly fee for verified, blue-check-mark accounts and some additional features — like editing tweets and uploading high-quality video.

An earlier attempt to roll out the subscription attempt failed over concerns about impersonation.

Go deeper: Twitter investors are divided on Musk moves

Musk: Twitter will limit policy polls to paying subscribers

It was one of Musk's first tweets since Twitter users voted for him to step down as head of the company.

Elon Musk talks to the press at a Tesla Gigafactory near Berlin in 2020. Photo: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Twitter

Elon Musk

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Elon Musk" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/economy-business/elon-musk" data-vars-content-id="8dfb2434-6934-4fe0-8c28-b22adb3b5c7b" data-vars-headline="Musk: Twitter will limit policy polls to paying subscribers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/economy-business/elon-musk" target="_self">Elon Musk</a> said Monday that future polls on Twitter&#x27;s policies will be limited to paying Twitter Blue subscribers.Why it matters: It was one of Musk&#x27;s first tweets since Twitter users <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="voted for him to step down" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/19/elon-musk-twitter-ceo-poll-results" data-vars-content-id="8dfb2434-6934-4fe0-8c28-b22adb3b5c7b" data-vars-headline="Musk: Twitter will limit policy polls to paying subscribers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/19/elon-musk-twitter-ceo-poll-results" target="_self">voted for him to step down</a> as head of the company via a poll he initiated and pledged to follow.

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

Technology

An Arizona judge on Saturday rejected GOP candidate Kari Lake's legal bid to overturn her defeat in the state's governor's race, confirming Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs' victory.

Driving the news: Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson ruled that Lake didn't prove election officials committed misconduct that would've changed the outcome of the race.

Thompson dismissed eight of Lake's 10 claims in her lawsuit before hearing the case last week.

In his ruling, Thompson acknowledged "the anger and frustration of voters" but said the court "cannot accept speculation or conjecture in place of clear and convincing evidence."

Flashback: Lake lost by about 17,000 votes to Hobbs, who will be sworn in next month.

Before the election, Lake indicated she would challenge an unfavorable outcome.

What they're saying: "For the sake of restoring faith and honesty in our elections, I will appeal his ruling," Lake tweeted.

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Kari Lake loses bid to overturn Arizona election results

Lake lost to Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs by about 17,000 votes.

Kari Lake speaks during the Republican Party's election night event in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Kari Lake speaks during the Republican Party's election night event in Scottsdale, Ariz. Photo: Joshua Lott/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Kari Lake

An Arizona judge on Saturday rejected GOP candidate Kari Lake&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="legal bid" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/10/kari-lake-arizona-election-lawsuit" data-vars-content-id="925f4cf4-e1c7-465d-9f1d-78b3d0a9ad97" data-vars-headline="Kari Lake loses bid to overturn Arizona election results" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/12/10/kari-lake-arizona-election-lawsuit" target="_self">legal bid</a> to overturn her defeat in the state&#x27;s governor&#x27;s race, confirming Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs&#x27; victory.Driving the news: Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ruled that" data-vars-click-url="https://www.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4531/638074764564181393" data-vars-content-id="925f4cf4-e1c7-465d-9f1d-78b3d0a9ad97" data-vars-headline="Kari Lake loses bid to overturn Arizona election results" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/4531/638074764564181393" target="_blank">ruled that</a> Lake didn&#x27;t prove election officials committed misconduct that would&#x27;ve changed the outcome of the race.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Nurses at two New York City hospitals on Thursday reached a tentative agreement to end their strike after three days and return to work.

Driving the news: The deal came after more than 7,000 nurses at two of New York City's major hospitals went on strike, arguing that staffing shortages had caused widespread burnout, hampering patient care, CNN reported.

This was New York City’s largest nurse strike in decades, per the New York Times.

State of play: The agreement between the New York State Nurses Association and Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Bronx ensures that both hospitals have "safe staffing ratios," Nancy Hagans, president of the nurse's association, said in a statement.

"Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession," Hagans added.

Nurses who had been on strike at Mount Sinai would return to work at 7 am ET on Thursday, with the promise of safe staffing levels at all in-patient units taking effect immediately, Hagans said.

At Montefiore, nurses would return to work following an agreement to implement safe staffing ratios in the Emergency Department as well as financial penalties for failing to comply to safe staffing ratios in all units, among other benefits.

What they're saying: “We are pleased to offer a 19% wage increase, benefits that match or exceed those of our peer institutions, more than 170 new nursing positions and a generous plan to address recruitment and retention," Philip Ozuah, President and CEO of Montefiore Medicine, said in a statement.

“We are grateful for the dedication and commitment of our nurses who have served through very challenging circumstances over the past several years," he added.

The big picture: The conflict between New York City's major hospitals and their nurses is part of a nationwide movement that has seen a slew of healthcare workers launch strikes across the U.S, Axios' Arielle Dreher writes.

Mount Sinai began transferring babies from its neonatal intensive care unit in preparation for the strike while New York City set up a situation room to prepare for delayed or limited care while nurses were on strike.

NYC nurses reach deal with hospitals to end strike

More than 7,000 nurses had gone on strike, the city's largest nurse strike in decades.

Nurses shout slogans outside Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan on Wednesday. Photo: Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress via Getty Images

Hospitals

Nurses at two <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="New York City hospitals" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/07/nyc-hospitals-nurses-strike-union" data-vars-content-id="b559c15b-340b-4ab8-8ee0-8cae74fcbc76" data-vars-headline="NYC nurses reach deal with hospitals to end strike" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/01/07/nyc-hospitals-nurses-strike-union" target="_self">New York City hospitals</a> on Thursday reached a tentative agreement to end their strike after three days and return to work.Driving the news: The deal came after more than 7,000 nurses at two of New York City&#x27;s major hospitals went on strike, arguing that staffing shortages had caused widespread burnout, hampering patient care, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="CNN" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/12/business/nyc-nurses-strike-ends/index.html" data-vars-content-id="b559c15b-340b-4ab8-8ee0-8cae74fcbc76" data-vars-headline="NYC nurses reach deal with hospitals to end strike" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/12/business/nyc-nurses-strike-ends/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a> reported.

The U.S. faces a range of health care flashpoints — unaffordable drugs, opioids, vaping — as we debate whether to adopt universal care. For now, the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, but Republicans want to issue it a final death blow.

Noah Bressner

Stories

NYC nurses reach deal with hospitals to end strike

Former pope Benedict's health is "worsening," Vatican says

Kari Lake loses bid to overturn Arizona election results

Musk: Twitter will limit policy polls to paying subscribers

Sam Bankman-Fried will testify before House committee next Tuesday