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.
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.
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
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.
Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.
“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.
“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.
Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.
The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.
“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.
France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.
International
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.
The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.
“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.
A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.
International
Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.
The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.
The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.
One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.
EU Urges Nicaragua to Hold Free and Transparent Elections Amid Proposed Electoral Reforms
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
Central America3 days agoCDC Issues Level 2 Travel Alert for Costa Rica Amid Chikungunya Outbreak
-
International4 days agoMexico Files 20 Complaints in U.S. Over Deaths of 17 Citizens During ICE Operations
-
International2 days agoWildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
-
International4 days agoNicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
-
Central America3 days agoHonduras Warns of Possible New Dengue Epidemic as Cases Continue to Rise
-
International2 days agoIsrael Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
-
Central America2 hours agoEU Urges Nicaragua to Hold Free and Transparent Elections Amid Proposed Electoral Reforms