International
International leaders begin to confirm their presence at Pope Francis’ funeral
International leaders are already beginning to confirm their presence at the funeral for Francisco, which will take place on Saturday, April 26 in St. Peter’s Square.
Since yesterday, Monday, shortly after learning of the death of the 88-year-old pontiff, numerous countries announced mourning measures and sent condolences to the Vatican
Among the earliest when it comes to confirming his trip to Rome is the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who will travel with his wife Melania.
“Rest in peace, Pope Francis! May God bless him and all those who loved him!” the Republican leader wrote.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to travel to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral, according to sources from the Ukrainian presidency to the country’s public agency, Ukrinform, on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian president stressed that Francis always prayed for “peace in Ukraine and for the Ukrainians” and highlighted his commitment “to God, to the people and to the Church.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, whom he praised the day before for his “positive attitude” towards Russia.
“No, the president does not have such plans,” said Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman. Putin, a confessed Orthodox believer who was secretly baptized in Soviet times, met with the pope on three occasions, the last in 2019.
As for who will represent Russia in the funeral pompoms, Peskov assured that there is no final decision and that he will inform about it in due course.
The presidents of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Roberta Metsola, respectively, have already confirmed that they will attend the funeral.
The presidents of the main institutions of the European Union mourned on Monday the death of Francis, whom they remembered as a guide to move towards “a more just, peaceful and compassionate world,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, also announced his presence in Rome on the 26th after yesterday, after learning the news of the death, he paid tribute to Francis, of whom he stressed that throughout his pontificate “was on the side of the weakest.”
For their part, King Philip and Queen Matilda of Belgium will attend this Saturday’s religious ceremony after defining the Argentine pontiff as “a great man, close to the most humble and concerned about the problems of the world.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will attend the funeral, the official residence of 10 Downing Street reported on Tuesday.
So will the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the acting Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.
Other leaders who have confirmed their presence have been the President of Switzerland, Karin Keller-Sutter, and the interim President of Romania, Ilie Bolojan
From other latitudes they have not yet clarified what kind of representation they will have at the funeral, in the case of China, which has not had diplomatic ties with the Holy See since 1951 and which this Tuesday, however, expressed its condolences for the death of the pope and, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said it was willing to “work with the Vatican to promote the continuous improvement” of their bilateral relations.
International
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.
Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.
“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.
Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”
Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..
“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”
She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.
Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.
International
Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.
“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.
The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.
Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza
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International1 day agoTrump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
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International4 days agoRussia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
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Central America1 day agoPanama confirms drug contamination of El Salvador coffee shipment occurred on its territory
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International3 hours agoMarco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions
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International3 hours agoMexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza