International

Pope Francis: ‘We are destroying the world with war’

“We are destroying the world” with war, Pope Francis declared this Tuesday in a message broadcast during the closing of the Sant’Egidio peace forum held in Paris.

“I make their cry, and that of many people affected by war, my own, and I direct it to political leaders: Stop the war! Stop the wars!” urged the Argentine pontiff in his text, which was read during a ceremony in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

“We are already destroying the world. Let us stop while there is still time!” he exhorted.

“We must pray for peace” in the face of “the risk that many conflicts, instead of ending, may dangerously expand,” the pope insisted.

His message was read during the closing ceremony of the 38th “International Meeting for Peace” by Sant’Egidio, a Catholic community close to the Vatican, which since Sunday had brought together in Paris dozens of religious dignitaries, experts, cultural figures, civil society leaders, and politicians.

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Founded in 1968, the Sant’Egidio community, present in more than 70 countries, has become one of the channels for the Vatican’s “backdoor diplomacy” and has been particularly active in Africa and Latin America.

“May this gathering inspire all believers to rediscover the vocation of fostering fraternity among peoples today,” Pope Francis, also known as Jorge Bergoglio, remarked.

“Too often in the past, religions have been used to fuel conflicts and wars, a danger that still lurks today,” warned the pope.

Religions must not “become instruments to fuel nationalisms, ethnicisms, populisms,” Francis insisted. “Woe to those who try to drag God into taking sides in wars!” he added.

During the event, a minute of silence was observed for the victims of wars, and religious leaders lit candles.

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A survivor of World War II, Gilberte Fournier, 93, urged that “the memory of the great evil, the great defeat of humanity that is war,” must not be lost.

The Sant’Egidio community also made a “call for peace” to demand “a radical change […] from political leaders, warlords, and all peoples” to prevent leaving future generations with “a world destroyed by war and ecological crisis.”

International

Spain’s irregular migrant population rises to 840,000, study finds

The number of migrants living in Spain without legal residency status continues to rise and has reached 840,000 people, with 91% originating from the Americas, particularly Colombia, Peru and Honduras, according to a report by the Spanish think tank Funcas (Foundation of the Savings Banks).

An estimated 17.2% of the non-EU foreign population living in Spain is in an irregular administrative situation. The estimate is based on the gap between the number of foreign residents effectively living in Spain, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and those who hold a residence permit, benefit from international protection, or are in the process of obtaining it.

The data, as of January 1, 2025, point to a notable and sustained increase in irregular migration since 2017, when the estimated figure stood at around 107,000 people, representing 4.2% of the non-EU population residing in Spain.

By origin, migrants from the American continent stand out, totaling around 760,000 people, or 91% of all irregular migrants. Colombians account for nearly 290,000, followed by Peruvians with almost 110,000, and Hondurans with about 90,000. Migrants from Africa (50,000), Asia (15,000) and Europe (14,000) trail far behind.

The figures predate Spain’s latest immigration regulation reform, which came into force in May 2025 and introduces measures to ease access to legal status through residency ties. According to Funcas, the reform would, in principle, tend to reduce the number of migrants in an irregular situation.

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International

Historic snowstorm paralyzes Toronto after 60 centimeters of snow

Toronto, Canada’s largest city and the fourth most populous in North America, was largely paralyzed on Monday after a historic snowstorm dumped up to 60 centimeters of snow and sent temperatures plunging to -15 degrees Celsius, authorities said.

Late Sunday, as the scale of the snowfall became clear, city officials declared a climate emergency, triggering extraordinary measures including parking bans on several major streets to facilitate snow removal operations.

Toronto’s public transit authority reported that while some buses remain immobilized, subway and streetcar services are operating with relative normality, though localized disruptions may occur.

A similar situation is affecting the city’s commuter rail network, which remains operational but is experiencing significant delays on its main routes due to the severe weather conditions.

International

Venezuela frees at least 80 political prisoners, NGO says

At least 80 political prisoners were released on Sunday across Venezuela, human rights group Foro Penal reported, as the broader process of detainee releases continues at a slow pace under the interim government.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, wrote on social media platform X that verified releases took place nationwide and that the figure could rise as more confirmations are completed.

Attorney Gonzalo Himiob, also from Foro Penal, said the excarcelations occurred during the early hours of the day and emphasized that the number is not yet final pending further verification.

The releases are part of a series of steps announced by Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, who took power after the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation on Jan. 3, 2026. Rodríguez has pledged a significant number of liberations but has been criticized by opposition groups and rights organizations for the slow and nontransparent nature of the process.

So far, the Venezuelan government reports that 626 detainees have been freed since December, though independent counts by human rights groups suggest the number of actual political prisoner releases is lower and that many remain behind bars.

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Families of those still detained have maintained vigils outside prisons, hopeful for further releases even as broader concerns about political imprisonment and due process persist.