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The pope overcomes the hard test of his longest trip

Pope Francis concluded what was supposed to be a tough test in his pontificate: the longest international trip, 12 days in which he has traveled four countries – Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore – and in which despite his 87 years and his mobility problems he overcame without problems in good shape and without showing signs of weakness.

A pope to whom the trip seems to have not made a dent

The trip in which he has traveled 32,000 kilometers, added to those he made by car and mobile among the faithful, the four schedule changes and seven flights, do not seem to have made a dent in the pontiff who said goodbye to Singapore on Friday with a visit to a home for the elderly and a meeting with the young people in which he showed good humor again.

It is true that with respect to other trips, the pace of the events has been slowed down and he has been allowed to rest from one country to another with some free hours on arrival.

But the Argentine pontiff, who due to his knee pain has to move in a wheelchair, has not given up anything, including the strenuous tours in papamóvil of more than 40 minutes among the faithful in the massive masses that he has celebrated and also fighting with the heat and humidity of these countries.

For more than 40 minutes he was touring the huge esplanade ed Taci Tolu in Dili with intense humidity and heat despite the fact that the sunset was waiting to greet the faithful at the end of the mass in which about 600,000 people gathered, practically almost half of the population of East Timor.

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Francisco “regenerates” with the affection of people

“The pope regenerates the affection of the people. All these people were not expected in their path as has been seen in countries like East Timor and that gives it strength,” explains one of the people from the Vatican delegation.

And he tells the pope’s great satisfaction for having been able to go to Vánimo, a remote town in Papua New Guinea, after having traveled another two hours by plane, to visit the Argentine missionaries who work there among the poorest of one of the poorest countries in the world.

Francisco has been seen shaking thousands of hands from the long lines that formed after his actions to be able to greet him without losing patience, stop the car on numerous occasions to bless the babies that his parents had taken to the sides of the road to see him just spend a moment and always approach the sick for a caress.

And distribute candies among the children, one by one, who showed off with songs, dances and playing their instruments during their acts, although always in their wheelchairs.

Francisco, with Asia in his heart

Francis, a great lover of Asia, following in the footsteps of the Jesuits to whom he belongs, has also wanted to demonstrate that this Continent is hope for the Catholic Church, which loses faithful in secularized Europe while in Latin America the evangelist churches make their way.

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East Timor is considered the most Catholic country in the world – not counting the Vatican, with 95% of the population and so he showed it by taking to the streets the two and a half days that the visit lasted.

Even in Singapore, a multi-religious country, where around 43% of its more than five million inhabitants are Buddhists, about 20% are Christians, 14% Muslims, the Catholic Church currently has 176,000 faithful but it is the only one that grows every year, they say.

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Trump renews criticism of Pope Leo XIV amid tensions over Iran

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, renewed his criticism of Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday night, urging that “someone tell him” that Iran has “killed at least 42,000 innocent protesters” and insisting that it is “unacceptable” for the country to possess nuclear weapons.

“Can someone please inform Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 completely unarmed, innocent protesters over the past two months, and that it is absolutely unacceptable for Iran to have a nuclear bomb?” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

The statement comes amid an escalating public dispute between Trump and the pontiff over the conflict in Iran and the broader Middle East. The US president concluded his message with the phrase “AMERICA IS BACK.”

Pope Leo XIV, who was born in the United States, has repeatedly spoken out—both directly and indirectly—against Washington’s stance toward Tehran, while calling for peace in the region.

On Monday, Trump openly criticized the pope, describing him as “weak” and “terrible on foreign policy.”

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Speaking aboard a flight to Algeria, the first stop of his trip to Africa, the pontiff said he was “not afraid” of the Trump administration and would continue to raise his voice against the ongoing conflict.

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Tehran engulfed in toxic cloud after strikes on fuel facilities

Tehran woke up under a sky that shifted from gray to black following strikes on fuel infrastructure, as the city has become engulfed in a toxic cloud that is turning daily life into a public health and environmental emergency.

Residents warn that what is falling from the sky is no longer just rain, but a mixture of oil and pollutants. Attacks on fuel depots have triggered prolonged fires, releasing thick plumes of smoke that continue to spread across the العاصمة.

For several days, facilities have remained ablaze, while a dark layer has settled over streets, homes, and even water reserves. Authorities have urged the population—more than nine million people—to remain indoors, especially vulnerable groups.

The extreme toxicity is linked to mazut, a dense petroleum byproduct with high sulfur content still used in Iran due to industrial limitations and sanctions. When burned, it releases hazardous particles that, when combined with moisture, result in contaminated rainfall.

The situation is worsened by Tehran’s geography. Surrounded by mountains, the city is affected by a temperature inversion phenomenon that traps pollutants near the ground, preventing their dispersion and creating a stagnant layer of toxic air over the population.

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Residents have reported symptoms such as eye and skin irritation, headaches, and respiratory difficulties. Emergency agencies have also warned of potential chemical burns caused by acid rain.

Long-term concerns are mounting, as prolonged exposure to fine particles and heavy metals could lead to serious health conditions, including lung damage and cancer.

Contamination is also spreading to water sources and agricultural land, threatening the food supply in a country already facing water scarcity.

At a regional level, the environmental impact is expanding, with oil spills reported in the Persian Gulf, affecting marine ecosystems and fishing communities.

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FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Arrested in Mexico and Deported to U.S.

Authorities in Mexico announced Thursday that Samuel Ramírez Jr., a U.S. citizen accused of murdering two women and listed among the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, was arrested in the northern state of Sinaloa.

Ramírez Jr., 33, was detained Tuesday in Culiacán just 1 hour and 13 minutes after being added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Ten Most Wanted list, the agency said in a statement.

The suspect, who was born in California, has already been deported to the U.S. state of Washington, where he faces charges related to the fatal shooting of two women at a bar in Federal Way in May 2023.

A court issued an arrest warrant for Ramírez in November last year, and the FBI initially offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to his capture, later increasing the amount to up to $1 million.

“To protect individuals’ privacy and ensure continued cooperation from the public, the FBI does not confirm the identity of those who provide information,” the agency said in its statement.