International

Pope Francis appoints 21 new cardinals

Pope Francis appointed 21 new cardinals on Sunday, significantly increasing the number of members in the College of Cardinals and solidifying his influence on the group of prelates that will one day choose his successor.

Among those selected by the first Latin American pope in history were leaders from several important dioceses and archdioceses in South America. These include Archbishop Vicente Bokalic Iglic of Santiago del Estero, Argentina; Archbishop Jaime Spengler of Porto Alegre, Brazil; Archbishop Fernando Natalio Chomali Garib of Santiago, Chile; Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera of Guayaquil, Ecuador; and Archbishop Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio of Lima, Peru.

He also named the oldest cardinal to date: Monsignor Angelo Acerbi, a 99-year-old retired Vatican diplomat who was once held hostage for six weeks in Colombia by leftist guerrillas, and the youngest, the 44-year-old head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Melbourne, Australia, Bishop Mykola Bychok, appointed as a nod to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The new cardinals will receive their red hats at a ceremony known as a consistory on December 8, a major holiday that officially marks the start of Christmas celebrations in Rome. This will be Francis’ tenth consistory and the largest infusion of voting-age cardinals into the college in his 11 years as pope.

Even before Sunday’s announcement, Francis had already appointed the majority of the voting-age cardinals who will one day participate in a conclave to elect his successor. According to Vatican statistics, prior to Sunday, 92 of the cardinals under 80 years old—therefore eligible to vote in a conclave—had been chosen by Francis, compared to 24 named by Pope Benedict XVI and six by St. John Paul II.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

International

Spain rebukes U.S. over euthanasia case as minister defends legal framework

Spain’s Minister of Health, Mónica García, on Wednesday responded to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump after reports that Washington requested an investigation into the euthanasia case of Spanish citizen Noelia Castillo.

The minister questioned the U.S. government’s stance and urged it not to interfere in matters governed by Spain’s legal and healthcare framework. “Stop fueling an international ultra agenda by meddling everywhere,” García wrote in a message on the social platform X.

In her remarks, García also criticized the U.S. healthcare system, noting that thousands of people die each year without access to medical coverage. She further accused the Trump administration of supporting actions that undermine human rights in international contexts.

García defended the legality of euthanasia in Spain, emphasizing that the procedure is strictly regulated and subject to medical and judicial oversight. “Spain is a serious country, with a strong healthcare system and a legal framework that protects individuals, including those who choose to seek assistance in dying under regulated conditions reviewed by clinical committees and upheld by the courts,” she said.

The case of Noelia Castillo, a 25-year-old woman living with paraplegia, drew widespread attention following a legal dispute with her father, who opposed her decision to undergo euthanasia. The procedure was ultimately carried out in accordance with Spanish law.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

International

New York City lifts TikTok ban on government devices under new security rules

New York City has lifted its ban on TikTok on government-owned devices, allowing city agencies to resume posting on the platform under newly established security protocols, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Tuesday.

The initial ban, implemented in 2023 by former mayor Eric Adams, aligned with federal and state-level restrictions across the United States, which limited the use of TikTok on official devices over concerns related to its parent company, ByteDance. The company has previously denied these concerns, calling them unfounded.

Under the updated guidelines issued by the city’s Cyber Command, devices designated for TikTok use by government agencies must not store or access sensitive information. Officials indicated that the policy shift is intended to enhance communication with residents.

“The Mamdani Administration is committed to using every tool in our toolbox to communicate with New Yorkers,” the mayor’s office said in a statement.

Following the announcement, the mayor’s official TikTok account resumed activity after remaining inactive since the ban was first enforced.

20260330_renta_mh_728x90

International

Rubio signals possible engagement with Iranian factions amid internal divisions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Washington is hopeful of engaging with factions within the government of Iran, noting that the United States has received positive private signals.

Speaking to ABC News’ Good Morning America, Rubio suggested that internal divisions exist within the Islamic Republic and expressed confidence that figures with the authority to act could emerge.

“We are hopeful that this will be the case,” Rubio said. “Clearly, there are people there who are communicating with us in ways that those previously in power in Iran did not. This is reflected in some of the steps they appear willing to take.”

Despite this, Rubio maintained a firm stance toward Iran, reiterating that the ongoing conflict seeks to eliminate its capacity to develop nuclear weapons—an objective that President Donald Trump has previously claimed was achieved during a military strike last year.