International
The pope lands in Singapore: from extreme poverty to one of the richest countries in the world
Pope Francis landed this Wednesday in the city-state of Singapore, one of the richest countries in the world, which will be a huge contrast to the realities of extreme poverty that he found in his previous stages of Papua New Guinea, and will mark the themes of his speeches in this last stage of his tour of Asia and Oceania.
After the meeting with the young people in Dili, the pope moved to Singapore on a flight of the Timorese company AirDili, which landed at 14:55 hours (6.55 GMT), and was received by the Minister of Culture, Edwin Tong.
Regarding the great presence of people in the streets of Dili waiting for the pope, the inhabitants of the frenetic business city, known as the “Pearl of Asia”, did not seem to notice the arrival of the pontiff.
Francis, the third pope who visits Singapore after Paul VI and John Paul II, will spend the rest of the day resting and will only have a private meeting with the members of the Society of Jesus.
On Thursday, the day will begin with the welcome ceremony, the meeting with the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the authorities and will end with a mass at the ‘Singapore SportsHub’ in which about 55,000 people are expected, the capacity of the stadium.
While on Friday this stage will conclude, of just over 24 hours, with a visit to a group of elderly and sick people in the ‘Santa Teresa’ House and then an interreligious meeting with young people at the ‘Catholic Junior College’ and then return to Rome.
Singapore has maintained diplomatic relations with the Holy See since 1981 and occupies the top positions in a large number of international indicators, both in terms of quality of life, personal security or education and is the fourth richest country in the world in relation to the purchasing power of its inhabitants, after Qatar, Luxembourg and Macau.
The Catholic population of Singapore, which currently has around 395,000 faithful, represents about 3% of its inhabitants and the majority, 70%, are of Chinese origin. The city State is closely linked to the figure of the Spanish saint St. Francis Javier, who arrived among the first evangelizers to these lands, where Francis will highlight tolerance and multiculturalism.
As the nunciature is very small, Francisco will reside in the ‘San Francisco Javier Retreat Center’, a house in the diocese intended for training activities.
Not only the wealth of the country, but also the fact that it is one of the largest technological and financial centers in the world will inspire Francis’ speeches on the use of technologies at the service of man. The pope could also refer to the application of the death penalty in the country, which the Catholic Church strongly condemns.
International
Former Trump allies call for removal, cite 25th Amendment amid Iran threats
One of the most prominent voices was former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who invoked the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as a mechanism to remove the president from power.
“25th Amendment! Not a single bomb has fallen on the U.S. We cannot annihilate an entire civilization. This is evil and insanity,” Greene wrote on social media platform X.
Greene, once a leading figure within Trump’s political movement during his first term, broke with the president last November over disagreements on foreign policy and his handling of controversial cases.
Another former supporter, controversial commentator Alex Jones, also raised the possibility of applying the constitutional provision during his show, in a conversation with attorney Robert Barnes.
Barnes explained that invoking the 25th Amendment requires the support of two-thirds of Congress, making it a more complex process than impeachment.
Section 4 of the amendment, ratified in 1967, establishes that the vice president, together with a majority of the cabinet, can declare the president unable to perform the duties of the office, a decision that must then be confirmed by both chambers of Congress.
The statements come amid rising international tensions and increasing domestic political pressure on the president.
International
Trump pauses strikes on Iran, extends ultimatum by two weeks
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced a temporary suspension of attacks against Iran for a period of two weeks, extending the ultimatum he had imposed on Tehran just hours before its deadline.
According to the president, the measure is conditional on Iran allowing the “full, immediate, and secure” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated that the decision would involve a reciprocal ceasefire between both parties.
The announcement was made through a message on his social media platform, where he emphasized that the pause in military actions is intended to create space for de-escalation in the region.
He also noted that the decision followed a conversation with the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who requested a two-week extension of the ultimatum.
The move comes amid heightened global tensions, marked by escalating threats and concerns over the potential impact of the conflict on key international energy trade routes.
International
WHO worker killed as Israeli forces fire on Gaza medical convoy
An employee of the World Health Organization (WHO) was killed on Monday in Gaza Strip after Israeli forces opened fire on a medical convoy transporting patients for evacuation, according to witnesses and official accounts.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the vehicle approached troops in a “threatening manner,” alleging that the driver accelerated toward soldiers despite warning shots. “The troops fired warning shots. The vehicle continued advancing, and additional fire was directed at it,” the military said in a statement.
The army also claimed the vehicle lacked clear markings and was therefore treated as a potential threat.
However, survivors disputed that account. Raed Aslan, a passenger in the convoy, told reporters in Khan Younis that the vehicles were clearly marked with WHO insignia. “The vehicle was clearly identified as belonging to the WHO,” he said, adding that an Israeli tank blocked the road and fired at the driver despite the route being empty.
The convoy was transporting patients to the Rafah crossing, the only exit point available for medical evacuations abroad, as Israel does not permit transfers to Jerusalem or the West Bank.
The incident adds to a series of controversial cases involving Israeli military actions against humanitarian convoys. In April 2024, seven workers from World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah. The military initially cited a “misidentification,” despite the vehicles being clearly marked.
Similarly, in March 2025, 15 paramedics, rescuers, and a UN worker were killed near Rafah. Israeli authorities first claimed emergency lights were off, but video evidence later contradicted that assertion.
A subsequent investigation by organizations including Forensic Architecture found that Israeli forces fired hundreds of rounds at the convoy, and that the vehicles were later destroyed and buried along with the bodies before being recovered days later.
The latest incident is likely to intensify scrutiny over the conduct of military operations in Gaza, particularly regarding the safety of humanitarian personnel and medical evacuations.
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