INTERNACIONAL
Lithuanian, Polish troops aid in ‘search and recovery’ for 4 missing US soldiers from Fort Stewart
The Polish military has established a group to assist the Lithuanian Army and U.S. Army in a recovery operation for four U.S. Army soldiers who disappeared early Tuesday during a training exercise near Pabradė, Lithuania.
The soldiers, based in Fort Stewart in Georgia, were riding in an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle on a scheduled maintenance mission to recover another U.S. Army vehicle in the training area when they disappeared, U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs in Wiesbaden, Germany, confirmed.
Hundreds of U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers and law enforcement, Lithuanian military helicopters and dive teams aided in the initial ground-based search through the thick forests and swampy terrain.
However, the soldiers have yet to be located, and the M88 Hercules was found submerged in a body of water inside the training area, located over a highly pressurized gas pipeline near Pabradė, a town north of the capital Vilnius.
Lithuanian engineers and U.S. Army soldiers pump water from a swamp to recover an Army M88 Hercules armored vehicle Thursday near Pabradė, Lithuania. (Lithuanian Armed Forces)
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In an interview with Fox News Digital Thursday afternoon, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said from the moment the country learned of the incident, it had «given everything» it has, both from its armed forces and internal affairs ministry institutions, to find the soldiers.
«From helicopters with thermal vision to forces on the ground, we are continuing very intensely,» Šakalienė said.
U.S. Army Europe and Africa public affairs noted water, thick mud and soft ground around the site «have complicated recovery efforts,» requiring specialized equipment to drain water from the side and stabilize the ground.
Polish officials announced Thursday they were sending a group of troops with engineering equipment to assist.
As of Thursday afternoon, officials said land dredging equipment was on the way, and a dam was being reinforced to isolate the mud pumping area.
The pressurized gas has been removed, and it is now safe to work at the site, according to Šakalienė.
Recovery efforts continued Thursday for four missing U.S. soldiers near the spot where their Hercules armored vehicle was found submerged at a training range in Pabradė, Lithuania. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
The internal water waste agency will send out a water master dredger and more than 900 feet of bulk pipe on Friday morning, and they should reach the the location by midday.
It will take several hours to install the pipeline and the dredgers. Then, they will begin making water influx with the excavator.
«The dredger pump usually pumps 80% of water, while working with 20% of mud or sludge, and the goal is to start working with the pump until the evening, so that, finally, on Saturday morning, a diver and the hydrographic team can use a multi-beam echo founder to assess the position of the vehicle, because we don’t know yet if it has overturned or what position it is in,» Šakalienė said.
Lithuanian military and law enforcement personnel observe recovery efforts as an excavator gathers soil Wednesday near Pabradė, Lithuania, where a search and recovery effort is underway for four missing U.S. Army soldiers. (Lithuanian Armed Forces)
A diver will attach cables, and workers will use pulleys to tow the vehicle to shore.
«Then we will be able to check if the missing soldiers are inside,» she said.
Šakalienė said it is unknown if the soldiers could have escaped the vehicle before it sank but reiterated there was «no evidence» confirming the deaths of the missing soldiers as of Thursday afternoon.
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The area surrounding the site is a forested area with swamps and bogs, similar to an environment found in Alaska. Weather conditions are also similar, making it a challenging training area for Army personnel.
«Maybe they were lost, confused, hurt or in hypothermic condition, and we haven’t found them yet,» Šakalienė said. «But we are not losing hope until the very last moment. These are strong soldiers, strong, grown men. All scenarios are possible.»
Soldiers walk along a road near a training range in Pabradė, Lithuania, Thursday. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
She added Lithuania, a member of NATO, considers American soldiers their own and will not leave them behind.
«We are working with them. We are friends with them, and all of our society is heartbroken watching every single moment of this rescue operation,» Šakalienė said. «I have a 24-year-old son. It’s difficult for me even to imagine what they are going through. … Let me assure you, we will do everything in our power to find them and to find the answers as soon as possible.»
SEARCH ‘ONGOING’ FOR 4 AMERICAN SOLDIERS MISSING FROM TRAINING AREA IN LITHUANIA: NATO
Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed on X a task force of several dozen Polish soldiers with heavy equipment and frogmen were «urgently» heading to Lithuania to help.
«We are responding to a request from our allies #StrongerTogether,» Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote in the post.
The country, also a member of NATO, has reportedly feared talks between Russia and Ukraine could end in a settlement that would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to threaten the region.
U.S. soldiers gather near military and other vehicles parked at a training range in Pabradė, Lithuania, Thursday. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Lithuanian officials said they are in touch with U.S. Ambassador Kara C. McDonald and U.S. Army personnel.
«We are leveraging every available U.S. and Lithuanian asset to coordinate and provide the required resources for this effort,» U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Taylor, the commanding general of 1st Armored Division, wrote in a statement.
The rescue mission has now turned into «search and recovery efforts,» according to a statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
«We are incredibly appreciative of the dedicated and professional efforts of our Lithuanian allies in ensuring the safety of U.S. personnel,» Taylor added. «They have worked tirelessly alongside us over the last 48 hours, and we continue to be grateful for their support.»
Recovery efforts continued Thursday for four missing U.S. soldiers near the spot where their Hercules armored vehicle was found submerged at a training range in Pabradė, Lithuania. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
The U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division is keeping the soliders’ families updated on the search.
«This tragic situation weighs heavily on all of us, and we’re keeping the families, friends and teammates of our soldiers and recovery team in our thoughts and prayers,» Taylor wrote. «We want everyone to know we will not stop until our soldiers are found.»
President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday he had not been briefed about the missing soldiers.
The training site is less than 6 miles from Belarus, a Russian ally since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990.
Military road equipment at a training range in Pabradė, Lithuania, Thursday. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Lithuania, a Catholic country, will be organizing a joint prayer Sunday at its main church, the capital cathedral, and will host a mass for the missing soldiers.
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The White House and Fort Stewart did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The Associated Press and Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
INTERNACIONAL
Twelve states sue Trump over tariffs, claiming they’re ‘illegal’ and harmful to US economy
President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs are facing a major legal challenge from New York and 11 other states, who argue the president overstepped his authority and put the U.S. economy at risk by imposing them without congressional approval.
Filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade, the lawsuit challenges Trump’s use of emergency powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad tariffs on imports from countries worldwide.
«Once again, Democrats like Letitia James are prioritizing a witch hunt against President Trump over protecting the safety and wellbeing of their constituents,» White House spokesman Kush Desai wrote exclusively to Fox News Digital. «The Trump Administration remains committed to using its full legal authority to confront the distinct national emergencies our country is currently facing—both the scourge of illegal migration and fentanyl flows across our border and the exploding annual U.S. goods trade deficit.»
The 12 states, however, argue that the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to impose taxes and tariffs, and that IEEPA was never intended to authorize trade policy on this scale.
LONGTIME TRUMP FOE LETITIA JAMES REVIEWING POSSIBLE INSIDER TRADING OVER PRESIDENT’S TARIFF PAUSE
Twelve states are suing the Trump administration over tariffs. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
«President Trump’s reckless tariffs have skyrocketed costs for consumers and unleashed economic chaos across the country,» said Gov. Kathy Hochul. «New York is standing up to fight back against the largest federal tax hike in American history. Attorney General James and I are partnering on this litigation on behalf of New York consumers, because we can’t let President Trump push our country into a recession.»
«The president does not have the power to raise taxes on a whim,» said New York Attorney General Letitia James. «His tariffs are unlawful and, if not stopped, they will lead to more inflation, unemployment, and economic damage.»
Since February 2025, Trump has signed multiple executive orders imposing new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China, and nearly all other U.S. trading partners.
The administration cited national emergencies as the basis for the tariffs, including drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and unfair trade practices. The states in the lawsuit claim the president’s justifications are vague and legally insufficient.
The IEEPA, enacted in 1977, allows presidents to respond to specific international threats, such as terrorism or hostile foreign actors. But according to the lawsuit, no president in the 48 years since its passage has used it to impose tariffs.
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The complaint argues that the new tariffs were imposed without congressional approval or the necessary legal findings to justify sweeping trade actions.
The lawsuit also claims that tariffs are not connected to any specific «unusual and extraordinary» threat, as required under IEEPA, which the Trump administration cited as its authority. The states claim the tariffs will significantly raise consumer prices, drive inflation, lead to job losses, and create widespread economic instability.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The legal challenge doesn’t just focus on economics. It argues the tariffs are unconstitutional because they usurp congressional authority over taxes and trade. The lawsuit also claims the administration’s shifting policy — which they claim is often modified by executive orders or social media — has created chaos in trade and financial markets.
Supporters of the Trump administration say the tariffs are a bold move to protect American industries and correct longstanding trade imbalances.
At a February 2025 press conference, President Trump said, «We took in hundreds of billions of dollars [with past tariffs]… It’s going to make our country rich,» framing the measures as a continuation of his America First economic agenda.
But the lawsuit paints a different picture of legal overreach and a lack of transparency. It argues that if President Trump’s actions are allowed to stand, any future president could impose taxes under the label of emergency authority, bypassing Congress entirely.
President Donald Trump speaks during a «Make America Wealthy Again» trade announcement event in the Rose Garden at the White House on April 2, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Gov. Hochul and Attorney General James, both vocal critics of the Trump administration, have frequently clashed with the president over a range of issues, from immigration to environmental policy. This latest lawsuit marks another high-profile confrontation.
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Alongside New York, the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont have joined the case.
The coalition is asking the court to block further enforcement of the tariffs and declare the orders invalid under both the Constitution and federal law.
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INTERNACIONAL
Los escenarios de un cónclave marcado por el secretismo: de las chances de un primer papa africano a la opción del «Francisco asiático»
El cónclave que elegirá al sucesor de Francisco tendrá la compleja misión de marcar el rumbo futuro de la Iglesia católica tras 12 años de un pontificado histórico.
Hay varios posibles caminos que se bifurcan en el cuerpo cardenalicio: mantener el progresismo que inició Jorge Bergoglio; profundizar esa senda reformista con la elección de otro papa no europeo, quizás africano o asiático del mismo perfil; buscar un consenso, una especie de transición con una figura moderada que equilibre las luchas internas, o dar un brusco giro de 180 grados con el regreso a un conservadurismo clásico.
Leé también: Miles de fieles le dan el último adiós al papa Francisco en la Basílica de San Pedro
“Hay varias cosas que se analizan y piensan en un cónclave. Hay muchas aristas y claves: la cuestión pastoral, ideológica, la lucha conservadora-progresista y el peso que tiene el papa anterior. Esas son las variables principales”, dijo a TN el periodista y escritor Marcelo Larraquy, autor de dos libros sobre el papa Francisco, “Recen por él” y “Código Francisco”.
¿La hora de África?
En Italia ya se comienza a hablar de un papa italiano. El último fue Juan Pablo I con su efímero papado de 33 días en 1978.
Desde entonces han pasado dos europeos (Juan Pablo II, polaco; Benedicto XVI, alemán, y un sudamericano de ascendencia italiana, Francisco). La pregunta es si ya es hora de que la Iglesia mire hacia otro continente.
El cónclave tendrá la difícil de misión de marcar el rumbo de la Iglesia católica (Foto: EFE)
Algunos cardenales ya lo esbozan en voz alta. “El resultado del cónclave podría traer algunas sorpresas. El papa Francisco fue una sorpresa, no estaba en los pronósticos. Y fue una hermosa sorpresa”, dijo el arzobispo de San Pablo, cardenal Odilo Scherer.
Para el purpurado brasileño, el nuevo pontífice podría venir de un lugar inesperado. “No me sorprendería que el nuevo Papa viniera de un continente distinto a Europa o América. La Iglesia Católica está en todo el mundo”, dijo a la radio CBN.
Leé también: Reformistas vs. conservadores: quiénes son los candidatos con más posibilidades de suceder a Francisco
Larraquy cree que el progresismo, en teoría, tiene ventaja en el futuro cónclave. ¿El motivo? Francisco dejó la vara muy alta. “La agenda climática, la agenda 2030 de la ONU y el posicionamiento a favor de los migrantes no son posturas conservadoras. ¿Podríamos tener un papa que avale las razzias de Trump contra los inmigrantes en Estados Unidos?“, se preguntó.
Africanos conservadores o un asiático con proyección hacia China
En ese escenario, crecen las voces que señalan la posibilidad de un “papa africano”, el primero de la historia.
“Es muy difícil volver atrás con la popularidad que tuvo este papa que abandonó el estilo de la Iglesia de Ratzinger. Pero los africanos son muy conservadores. No veo que tengan la apertura del papa”, dijo Larraquy.
Leé también: Club Atlético Papa Francisco: el sueño que nació en plena pandemia y hoy salva vidas en Villa Soldati
Una variable podría ser un “papa asiático”. Aquí todas las miradas apuntan al filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, de perfil progresista y cercano al pensamiento inclusivo de Francisco.
El cardenal filipino Luis Antonio Tagle (Foto: Reuters/Guglielmo Mangiapane)
“Esto permitiría una proyección hacia China, que es el gran objetivo de la Iglesia. Es algo que está muy pensado”, dijo Larraquy.
La opción sería el italiano Pietro Parolin, secretario de Estado del Vaticano, un hábil negociador y considerado un moderado entre los cardenales con derecho a voto. “Parolin está muy atento a China”, detalló el periodista.
Quiénes son los cardenales africanos “papables”
En ese universo de 33 cardenales africanos solo un puñado es visto como “papable”. La mayoría tiene un marcado perfil conservador. Ellos son:
- Fridolin Ambongo (Congo). El arzobispo de Kinshasa, de 65 años, fue nombrado cardenal por Francisco en 2019. Integra el Consejo de Cardenales, un grupo cercano a Francisco, aunque es considerado un tradicionalista. Por ejemplo, rechazó las bendiciones a parejas del mismo sexo impulsadas por Bergoglio. Según dijo, las “uniones de personas del mismo sexo son intrínsecamente malas”.
El cardenal Fridolin Amongo Besungu se retira tras recibir la birreta roja de tres picos del papa Francisco durante un consistorio en la Basílica de San Pedro, en el Vaticano, el 5 de octubre de 2019 (Foto de archivo: AP)
- Robert Sarah (Guinea). A los 79 años, es el ex jefe de la oficina de liturgia del Vaticano. Es conocido por sus posturas conservadoras y, bajo ese posicionamiento, calificó de “herejía” las bendiciones a parejas del mismo sexo. Ha alertado en varias ocasiones sobre “la amenaza” del islam.
El cardenal Robert Sarah asiste a la presentación del libro del cardenal Raymond Leo Burke, «El amor divino hecho carne», en Roma, el 14 de octubre de 2015. (Foto AP/Andrew Medichini, Archivo)
- Peter Ebere Okpaleke (Nigeria). De 62 años, es sabida su cercanía con Francisco, aunque con un perfil más moderado y de centro. Fue nombrado canciller por Benedicto XVI. Las trabas impuestas por su país le impidieron asumir el cargo hasta el pontificado de Bergoglio.
Peter Ebere Okpaleke, cardenal nigeriano (Foto: cortesía/National Catholic Center)
- Peter Turkson (Ghana). Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson tiene 76 años. Posee un perfil progresista. Hasta 2021, estuvo encargado del Dicasterio para el Servicio del Desarrollo Humano Integral. Posee amplia experiencia en el Vaticano. Su trabajo estuvo centrado en áreas como la justicia social, la ecología y el desarrollo humano integral.
En este marco, las posibilidades de tener un “papa africano” se inclinan más hacia el conservadurismo clásico que al reformismo de Francisco. Habrá que ver hacia dónde decanta la balanza del cuerpo de cardenales para saber si el nuevo pontífice vendrá de una región nueva, repetirá en América Latina o regresará finalmente a Europa.
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POLITICA1 día agoEl Gobierno de la Ciudad quiere renombrar “Papa Francisco” a la estación Catedral del subte
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POLITICA3 días agoMurió el papa Francisco, líder espiritual y político del siglo XXI
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INTERNACIONAL3 días agoQuiénes son los posibles candidatos a Papa tras la muerte de Francisco: los europeos, los “tapados” y los moderados