International
President of Cuba meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican
June 20 |
Pope Francis received this Tuesday at the Holy See the president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who is on a tour of several European countries, where they discussed issues on the bilateral and international agenda.
According to a Vatican communiqué, during the talks at the Secretariat of State “the importance of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Cuba was discussed, evoking the historic visit of St. John Paul II in 1998, of which it is the 25th anniversary”.
The note continues that during the meeting they discussed the situation in Cuba, the contribution offered by the Church, “especially in the field of charity”, as well as “some international issues of mutual interest and underlined the importance of maintaining the commitment to always promote the common good”.
According to the Vatican press service, the private audience held in the room adjacent to the Paul VI Hall lasted a little more than 30 minutes after Francis expressed to the Cuban leader “I am delighted to see you here, I am delighted that you have come”.
For his part, Díaz-Canel affirmed that he had a “frank” conversation with Pope Francis during their 40-minute meeting on Tuesday at the Vatican.
“It was a frank conversation. We confirmed broad coincidences on pressing issues of the international agenda for humanity,” Díaz-Canel wrote on Twitter, where the Cuban presidency disseminated images of the meeting.
The Cuban president added that it was “pleasant” to meet again with the pontiff – whom he had already met during Francis’ visit to the island in 2015 – to whom he conveyed “the deep affection and wishes for the full recovery of the Cuban people.”
Later, Diaz-Canel met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, accompanied by Monsignor Daniel Pacho, Undersecretary for the Multilateral Sector of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations.
The Cuban head of state arrived at 10:00 a.m. (local time) at the Vatican headquarters where he was received by the head of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza.
Although this is the fourth meeting between Diaz-Canel and His Holiness, it is the first as president and he is the third Cuban leader to travel to the Vatican since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
In line with the presidential agenda, the Cuban leader will meet this same day with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as part of his official visit to Italy as part of his international tour of Europe.
International
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.
The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.
Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.
Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.
The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.
Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.
International
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.
Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.
The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.
“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.
Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.
“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.
The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.
Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.
Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.
The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.
In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.
International
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
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