Por Christopher Lamb, CNN

Al volar a Argelia el lunes para dar inicio a su histórica gira por África, el papa León XIV tenía que tomar una decisión. Podía ignorar la extraordinaria diatriba que Donald Trump le lanzó en las redes sociales durante la noche, o podía enfrentarla directamente.

Finalmente, optó por la segunda opción, dando el paso, sumamente inusual, de criticar al Gobierno de Trump.

En declaraciones a los periodistas a bordo del avión papal, el papa afirmó no temer al Gobierno y que continuaría manifestándose enérgicamente en contra de la guerra.

“No creo que el mensaje del Evangelio deba ser mal utilizado, como algunos lo están haciendo”, declaró, y agregó: “Se han perdido demasiadas vidas inocentes… Creo que alguien debe alzar la voz y decir que hay una mejor manera”.

Las declaraciones de León XIV lo han consolidado como el contrapeso internacional más visible a Trump y han propiciado un enfrentamiento sin precedentes entre el primer papa estadounidense y un presidente de Estados Unidos que le ha lanzado repetidos ataques.

Sin embargo, el pontífice, nacido en Chicago y conocido por su estilo amable y discreto, no buscó esta confrontación.

Habiendo dedicado gran parte de su vida adulta a la Orden de San Agustín, cuyos frailes y monjas hacen votos de pobreza, castidad y obediencia, con énfasis en la unidad y la comunidad, sus prioridades son la unidad y la construcción de puentes.

En lugar de asumir el cargo con una avalancha de decretos ejecutivos o iniciativas sensacionalistas, el papa ha dedicado gran parte de su primer año a escuchar y realizar cambios graduales.

También ha enfatizado la importancia de las instituciones multilaterales como las Naciones Unidas y el respeto al derecho internacional, en un momento en que el presidente de Estados Unidos ha insinuado que no se siente obligado por dichas normas.

Aunque es una persona más reservada que su predecesor, el papa Francisco, la operación militar estadounidense en Irán ha sacado a relucir la firmeza de León XIV y su disposición a expresarse con franqueza.

Decidió nombrar a Trump personalmente, algo que los papas rara vez hacen. Si bien no ha mencionado a otros miembros de la administración Trump, sus declaraciones de que “Dios no escucha las oraciones de quienes hacen la guerra” parecieron aludir al afán del secretario de Defensa estadounidense, Pete Hegseth, por enmarcar el conflicto en Medio Oriente en términos religiosos.

Que los papas aboguen por la paz y se opongan a la guerra no es nada nuevo. El papa Juan Pablo II se opuso firmemente a la invasión de Iraq liderada por Estados Unidos en 2003. Sin embargo, con un papa estadounidense, la situación es diferente.

León XIV habla inglés como lengua materna, algo que no ocurría desde el siglo XII, y sus palabras calan hondo en el público estadounidense, en la Casa Blanca y más allá.

León XIV también es conocido en el Vaticano por su impasibilidad: posee una cierta enigmática cualidad que dificulta su comprensión, y su estilo cuidadoso y deliberado, sin duda, otorga mayor peso a sus palabras.

Durante su estancia en África, León XIV ha seguido pronunciándose, afirmando que su tiempo en el continente ofrece un mensaje de paz que el mundo necesita escuchar.

Durante una reunión por la paz en Bamenda, Camerún, León XIV pronunció un discurso que tuvo repercusiones a nivel mundial.

“El mundo está siendo asolado por un puñado de tiranos, pero se mantiene unido gracias a una multitud de hermanos y hermanas que nos apoyan”, declaró.

Y agregó: “¡Ay de aquellos que manipulan la religión y el mismísimo nombre de Dios para su propio beneficio militar, económico o político, arrastrando lo sagrado a la oscuridad y la inmundicia!”.

Las tensiones entre el papa y Trump han estado latentes desde antes del último enfrentamiento.

Antes del cónclave qu

Análisis por Stephen Collinson, CNN

Los presidentes de EE.UU. han buscado durante mucho tiempo la bendición de Dios en tiempos de guerra y para los soldados que se dirigen al fragor de la batalla.

Pero la disposición del Gobierno de Trump a insinuar un respaldo divino a su autoridad y a disfrazar su guerra en Irán con una rectitud basada en la fe amenaza con erosionar otra tradición política arraigada.

El secretario de Defensa, Pete Hegseth, enmarca sus informes con citas bíblicas y presenta a las tropas estadounidenses como guerreros casi espirituales.

El presidente Donald Trump publicó en redes sociales una imagen de sí mismo creada con inteligencia artificial, que lo representaba como una figura semejante a Cristo.

Y el vicepresidente J.D. Vance criticó la interpretación teológica del papa León XIV después de que el pontífice advirtiera que Dios no bendice a quienes lanzan bombas.

Este tipo de retórica está acercando a Estados Unidos a la imagen de guerra santa que preocupaba a muchos presidentes anteriores y que hace que tantos conflictos en Medio Oriente sean intratables.

La República Islámica de Irán afirma desde hace tiempo estar cumpliendo la voluntad de Alá y exalta el martirio en la guerra como una recompensa divina.

El primer ministro de Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, explicó la guerra actual invocando, en parte, Purim, la festividad judía que conmemora la salvación de los judíos de un complot del Imperio Persa para destruirlos, según se narra en el Libro de Ester.

La creciente religiosidad de la administración Trump refleja un endurecimiento de la ideología republicana y la influencia de un credo evangélico más radical que coincidió con el auge de MAGA.

Esto pone de manifiesto la creciente disposición de los altos cargos del partido a destacar sus propias doctrinas religiosas, incluso a riesgo de ofender a personas de otras religiones o a quienes no profesan ninguna fe.

Esto puede deberse en parte a creencias personales. Pero también es una lucha de poder, ya que varios funcionarios del partido buscan ganarse el apoyo de los cristianos evangélicos, un pilar importante de la base cada vez más debilitada de Trump.

“Eso no es tan sorprendente”, opinó Jim Guth, profesor de política y asuntos internacionales en la Universidad de Furman. “Pero la forma tan explícita y sectaria en que lo hicieron es sin duda sin precedentes”.

Para muchos estadounidenses religiosos, hablar de espiritualidad en la política no resulta controvertido. Sin embargo, la fe no es necesariamente partidista. Algunos creyentes temen que su religión se utilice indebidamente para justificar la guerra.

Además, surgen dudas sobre si se respeta la separación constitucional entre religión e instituciones estatales.

Si bien ofrece consuelo a muchos, la retórica religiosa explícita puede marginar a otros. Este es un problema especialmente acuciante en las fuerzas armadas, donde se practican diversas religiones. Y los estadounidenses también tienen derecho a no profesar ninguna fe.

Los predecesores modernos de Trump tendieron a evitar presentar las guerras en Medio Oriente como empresas religiosas.

Buscaban negar legitimidad a los adversarios que predican la yihad o guerra santa y eran conscientes de que las connotaciones cristianas pueden generar complicaciones p

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN

Brisbane, Australia (CNN) — The last time Australia hosted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex they were the fresh new faces of the royal family, ready to walk the path set by decades of tradition.

This time, there was no royal walkabout, but a mix of quasi-regal public engagements and private commercial events for a tour that’s part-celebrity, part-charity.

A tour by Harry and Meghan to Australia – where his father is still the king – was always going to be controversial given their deliberate attempt to distance themselves from the family yet retain some vestiges of royal status.

Even before they arrived, some complained about cost to taxpayers of police security, and the couple’s attempt to cash in on their titles – as one newspaper column put it, to use Australians “as an ATM.”

Yet, for all the headlines about their money-making exploits, it’s unclear how much cash they’ll make from the privately funded tour that includes many unpaid appearances.

Prince Harry wasn’t paid anything to speak at the InterEdge Summit on Thursday, a spokesperson told CNN. And sources say rumors about Meghan’s huge payday for a surprise appearance on MasterChef Australia are also false.

Reports suggest the pair may be setting the stage for the potential expansion of Meghan’s lifestyle brand “As Ever” to Australia, but at the time of writing that hadn’t been confirmed.

Australia’s relationship with Harry and Meghan

The couple last touched down in Australia in 2018 for a formal tour as royal newlyweds, whose wedding was watched by millions worldwide and boosted that year’s sales of Australian women’s magazines.

Less than two years later, the couple announced their split from the royal family, but interest in them remained high as mostly negative headlines from Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloids – longtime foes of Prince Harry – carried over into News Corp’s vast stable of Australian mastheads.

As a member of the Commonwealth, Australia has a direct connection to the British royal family, with King Charles as its head of state.

While rumblings of a republic are never too far away, a survey taken at the end of the king’s last visit to Australia in 2024 showed most Australians wanted to keep the status quo.

By then Harry and Meghan’s popularity had taken a hit in Australia, but local media coverage of their latest tour suggests – love them or hate them – interest is high.

Harry and Meghan’s arrival in Melbourne Tuesday on a commercial Qantas flight made local breakfast news with live reports from journalists who stopped passengers for comment on the famous couple.

“They were super friendly around the toilet areas,” one passenger said.

Australian media has followed their latest trip closely – covering Meghan’s comments on bullying and Harry’s thoughts on parenthood.

“Every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world,” Meghan told students at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology at an event by batyr, a mental health organization, on Thursday.

Harry also reflected on his past challenges in royal life at an event the same day.

“I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role – wherever this is headed, I don’t like it,” he recalled feeling as a teenager, speaking at the InterEdge Summit. “It killed my mum, and I was very much against it.

“Eventually I realized – well, hang on, if there was somebody else in this position, how would they be making the most of this platform and this ability and the resources that come with it to make a difference in the world?”

Earnings from this

By Christopher Lamb, CNN

(CNN) — Flying to Algeria at the start of his landmark Africa tour on Monday, Pope Leo had a choice. He could ignore Donald Trump’s extraordinary overnight social media tirade against him, or he could tackle it head-on.

In the end, he chose the second option, taking the highly unusual step of calling out the Trump administration. Speaking to reporters on board the papal plane, the pope said he did not fear the administration and would continue to speak strongly against war.

“I do not think the message of the Gospel should be abused, as some are doing,” he said, adding, “too many innocent lives have been lost… I believe someone must stand up and say there is a better way.”

Leo’s comments have defined him as the most visible international counterweight to Trump and set up an unprecedented clash between the first American pope and a US president who has launched repeated broadsides against him.

Yet the Chicago-born pontiff, known for his gentle, low-key style, did not pick this fight. Having spent much of his adult life in the Order of St Augustine, whose friars and sisters take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience with a focus on unity and community, his priorities are unity and building bridges.

Rather than coming into his position with a flurry of executive orders or news-making initiatives, the pope has used much of his first year in office listening and making gradual changes. He has also emphasized the importance of multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and respect for international law, at a time when the US president has suggested he is not bound by those norms.

Although he’s a more reserved personality than his predecessor, Pope Francis, the US military operation in Iran has brought out Leo’s inner steel, and a willingness to speak out in forthright terms. He decided to name Trump personally – something popes rarely do. While he has not named other members of the Trump administration, his remarks that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war” appeared to allude to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s eagerness to frame the conflict in the Middle East in religious terms.

Popes calling for peace and opposing war is not new. Pope John Paul II strongly opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. With an American pope, however, things are different. Leo XIV speaks English as his native tongue, something that has not happened since the 12th century, and his words cut through to a US audience, the White House and beyond. Leo is also known in the Vatican for his “poker face” – he has a certain inscrutability that makes him hard to read, and his careful, deliberate style arguably gives his words greater weight.

Pope’s message of peace

While in Africa, Leo has continued to speak out, saying his time on the continent offers a message of peace the world needs to hear. During a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon, Leo delivered a speech that had global ramifications.

“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters,” he said.

“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”

Tensions between the pope and Trump have been bubbling away since before the latest clash. Ahead of the conclave that selected Pope Leo last year, the president caused upset when he posted an AI image of himself as the pontiff. It had echoes of the AI image Trump posted – and later deleted – portraying himself as a Jesus-like figure shortly after attacking the pope. It’s also striking that although the cardinals elected the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, Trump has not – as far as the public record shows – had any direct contact with Leo s

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — California’s race for governor is taking shape with no clear front runner.

Candidates are weighing in on major issues including housing, healthcare, and education.

KEYT News Channel reporter Mina Wahab sat down with Green Party candidate Butch Ware for an in-depth conversation about his platform and priorities.

In a wide-ranging interview, Ware, a UC Santa Barbara professor and historian, outlined his focus on what he describes as the most urgent challenges facing Californians.

“Healthcare, housing, human rights, divestment from genocide, and education,” Ware said, listing his top concerns in order of priority.

Ware said he supports a universal, single-payer healthcare system that includes mental health and addiction treatment, arguing it would also help address the state’s homelessness crisis.

He also framed income inequality as a central issue driving broader social challenges.

Ware said, “Capitalism means billionaires get the handouts. Socialism means that the basic needs of ordinary people are met.”

Describing himself as an anti-capitalist, Ware said he believes his political outsider status is an advantage in the race.

On housing and cost of living, Ware laid out a plan that includes statewide rent control and stronger action against large institutional investors in real estate.

He criticized private equity firms such as BlackRock and Blackstone, alleging their role in shaping the housing market by acquiring large numbers of properties.

“Blackstone and Blackrock have thousands of vacant properties empty, while there are hundreds of thousands of people sleeping on the streets at night,” Ware said. “I want to tax those private equity companies that are making it so that none of us can afford a place to live. I want to tax them so hard on those vacant properties that they can't wait to sell those back to the state, and that that becomes the basis for social housing.”

Ware also addressed foreign policy and human rights concerns, saying state spending should not contribute to war-related harm.

“Californians do not want their tax dollars to be used to incinerate children in tents, whether in Gaza or in Iran or in Yemen or anywhere else. We don't want our tax dollars to make us complicit in war crimes,” he said.

He added that he believes state resources should instead be redirected toward education and programs that improve quality of life.

“It's government's job to meet the basic needs of every single person in the society, and to create a just and equitable environment so that people can be successful and thrive,” Ware said.

With the election approaching, Ware is positioning himself as a progressive alternative in a crowded field, emphasizing income inequality and systemic reform as central issues in the race and raising broader questions about who California’s government is really working for.

The post Inside Butch Ware’s Vision for California: Healthcare, Housing, and a Political Shake-Up appeared first on News Channel 3-12.