International

Pope Leo XIV asks journalists: Let’s disarm the words and help disarm the Earth

Pope Leo XIV asked the media on Monday to choose “with conscience and courage the path of a communication of peace” and added: “Let’s disarm the words and help disarm the Earth,” in the audience he granted to journalists who have reported on the conclave in which he was elected.

In the first audience he celebrates, as Francis also did at the beginning of his pontificate, the first American pope gathered in the Paul VI classroom of the Vatican several thousand communicators to whom he pointed out that “we live in difficult times to navigate and count, which pose a challenge for all of us and from which we must not escape.”

And, he stressed, that “on the contrary, they ask each of us, in our different roles and services, to never surrender to mediocrity.”

Leo XIV said that “what is needed is not a noisy and muscular communication, but a communication capable of listening, of collecting the voice of the weak who have no voice.”

“Let’s disarm the words and help disarm the Earth. Unarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different vision of the world and act in a manner consistent with our human dignity,” said the pope, who in his first speech after being elected on May 8 also called for “an unarmed and disarming peace.”

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And he added: “You are on the front line narrating conflicts and hopes for peace, situations of injustice and poverty, and the silent work of many for a better world. For this I ask you to choose with conscience and courage the path of a communication of peace.”

“There can be no communication or journalism outside of time and history,” he said and recalled St. Augustine’s phrase, since he is Augustinian: “Let’s live well and times will be good. We are the times.”

To the journalists, who applauded at various moments of the speech, he explained that today, “one of the most important challenges is to promote a communication capable of helping us escape from the ‘Tower of Babel’ in which we sometimes find ourselves, from the confusion of loveless languages, often ideological or biased”

And therefore he stressed that “the words they use and the style they adopt, is important.” Communication, in fact, is not only the transmission of information, but the creation of a culture, human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and confrontation,” he added.

And above all, he stressed the technological evolution and artificial intelligence “that with its immense potential, which requires, however, responsibility and discernment to guide the tools to the good of all, so that they can produce benefits for humanity.”

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Leo XIV was greeted at the entrance of the Paul VI classroom with a loud applause by the journalists and joked saying that he hoped that the applause would also come at the end of his speech.

Pope Leo XIV after his message greeted some of them in a relaxed way, confirmed some news such as the trip to Nicea and, in dubious moments of protocol, responded jokingly: “I’m still learning.”

When asked if he wanted to participate in a charity tennis tournament that the Pontifical Mission Societies is preparing, Leo XIV jokingly said that he could participate “as long as you don’t bring (Jannick) Sinner”, about the double meaning both because the Italian is number one in the world and because his English surname means ‘sinner’.

While to others who proposed a double, he confessed: “I’m not that good.”

Leo XIV showed his sense of humor when he wanted a photo taken with a journalist who had dressed in white without “intention of wanting to be a pope,” although she refused to take a ‘selfie’ with another communicator.

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The pope also called for the release of imprisoned journalists and urged to “safeguard the precious good of freedom of expression and press.”

Before several thousand journalists gathered in the Paul VI classroom, in which it is the first audience of his pontificate, the first American pope wanted to “reiterate the solidarity of the Church with the imprisoned journalists for seeking and reporting the truth” and “asking for their release.”

“The Church recognizes in these testimonies – I think of those who tell the war even at the cost of their own lives – the courage of those who defend the dignity, justice and the right of peoples to be informed, because only informed peoples can make free decisions,” said Robert Francis Prevost in his message.

And he added: “The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community and calls on us all to safeguard the precious good of freedom of expression and of the press.”

In addition, Leo XIV confirmed that the trip that Francis had planned to Nicea, Turkey, at the end of May to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of the Christian Council is being prepared.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.