International

Social networks, protagonists in the farewell to Pope Francis for ‘selfies’ in front of his coffin

Social networks continue to be protagonists in the massive farewell to Pope Francis, who died last Monday at the age of 88, in the midst of a growing controversy over the ‘selfies’ that some visitors have published in front of his coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica.

More than a hundred thousand people have paraded these days through the Vatican temple to say goodbye to the Argentine pontiff, including many tourists and curious people who have “snealed” for photographs for the last time the most “viral” pope in history.

In recent hours, images have been released of people who, after hours of waiting, take advantage of the few seconds that the authorities let stop in front of the coffin to take a selfie next to Francisco’s body inside the coffin and then publish them on social networks.

This has unleashed criticism from many faithful, who denounce the lack of respect and solemnity in a context of mourning.

“The moment lived with so many people loses a lot of intimacy; the queues, the speed, blur that experience,” Pedro lamented to EFE, who traveled a whole night by car from the Spanish town of Murcia to say goodbye to the pope.

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“Many come more to take pictures than to pray for the pope,” he added bitterly.

Francis’ closeness to young people and his active digital presence, especially through the official account @Pontifex in X (formerly Twitter), marked the style of a pope who knew how to adapt to contemporary languages and build bridges with the new generations.

Although the account was inaugurated by Benedict XVI in December 2012, it was Francisco who turned that channel into a common communication tool with millions of faithful.

Four days after his death and on the eve of the massive funeral expected for Saturday, social networks continue to mourn his death with an avalanche of tributes, messages of affection and content that consolidates the Argentine pontiff as the most “viral” and photographed in history.

Now, those same young people pay tribute to him from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram with emotional posts that compile his most remembered speeches and the iconic moments of his pontificate.

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And even videos generated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in which he is seen coming to heaven, received by his predecessors John Paul II and Benedict XVI, or even by Jesus, with whom he appears taking a picture “between the clouds.”

In the first 24 hours after the announcement of his death, more than 9.7 million content related to the pope and about 200 million interactions on social networks around the world were generated, according to an analysis by the SocialCom platform for Adnkronos.

A figure that surpassed other events of great global impact, such as the assassination attempt of US President Donald Trump in 2024.

Much loved by the new generations, Francisco managed to connect with her thanks to his direct tone, his simple language and his positive look towards the use of social networks, which he did not condemn or ignore during his pontificate.

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International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.