INTERNACIONAL
Will the next pope be from Asia?
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — There may only be a few days before the College of Cardinals gathers inside the Sistine Chapel to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church, and, for the first time in history, an Asian pope is a real possibility.
Of the 23 cardinals from Asia eligible to vote, one name comes up again and again, that of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, sometimes called the «Philippine Francis.»
The 67-year-old had a close relationship with Pope Francis and served as his envoy to Asia during the 2015-16 special Jubilee Year, during which he made a brief stop in Taipei, Taiwan. Tagle also accompanied Francis on his first international trip to Asia in 2014, when the pontiff visited South Korea.
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Pope Francis, right, waves to Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, left, during a ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta Sept. 4, 2024. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)
Pope Francis achieved several «firsts» in Asia, including becoming the first pontiff to visit Myanmar in 2017 and Mongolia in 2023. Thomas Tu, a Vatican diplomacy expert at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University, told Fox News Digital that while Mongolia is home to only about 1,400 Catholics, it now hosts a cardinal, but he is Italian-born and just 50 years old, making his election as pope unlikely.
Another Asian candidate is Burma’s Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, 76, from a country where Catholics represent just about 1% of the population. Meanwhile, over the last several days, reports from South Korean newspapers are suggesting South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, 74, is among the leading candidates to succeed Pope Francis.
Pope Francis greets the people of China as he concludes Mass in the Hun Theatre Sept. 3, 2023, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)
Catholicism is growing rapidly in South Korea, according to Taipei-based Tu, who told Fox News Digital both Buddhists and Protestants have been converting at surprising rates.
«Unlike in Brazil, where Catholics are losing members to Evangelicals, Korea’s Catholic Church is attracting new followers,» Tu said. Then-Bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik is widely credited with helping persuade Pope Francis to make South Korea the first stop on his Asian travels in 2014. Heung-sik was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022.
Pope Francis, right, walks with the Bishop of Daejon, Lazarus You Heung-sik, as he arrives at the Shrine of Solmoe, birthplace of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, in Dangjin Aug. 15, 2014. (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images)
Francis may one day be rated as among the most influential popes of all time. Pope John Paul II made history by becoming the first pope from Poland and his pontificate lasted 26 years (1978-2006). Francis was head of the Catholic Church for a much shorter time, almost exactly 12 years, but the late pope appointed 80% of the cardinals who will vote for his successor.
The late Holy Father also enlarged the number of cardinals and, for the first time in history, the upcoming conclave will see European cardinals in the minority. However, some experts warn against assuming the next pope will be «Francis the Second,» as many of these new cardinals are considered more conservative.
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This picture taken Aug. 10, 2018, shows a motorcyclist riding past the Holy Spirit Church in Yanshui, about an hour’s drive from the southern city of Tainan. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
The home nation of Asian cardinals doesn’t necessarily reflect the number of Catholics there. In Japan, Catholics make up fewer than 0.5% of the population, but there is a Japanese cardinal who is reasonably active on social media. The largest Asian block of cardinals hails from majority-Hindu India, which has six to the predominately Catholic Philippines’ five.
Still, many Vatican watchers believe Cardinal Tagle remains the most likely Asian candidate, although his progressive stances may prove divisive. Tagle has publicly criticized the church for using «harsh words» in past criticisms of LGBTQ Catholics and remarried divorcees and advocates for a more flexible approach. This stance is in line with Pope Francis’ 2015 papal declaration that said the church needs to «avoid judgments which do not take into account the complexity of various situations.»
Cardinal Charles Maung Bo poses with relatives during a courtesy visit Feb. 14, 2015, at the Vatican. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)
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Should Tagle beat the odds and become the next pope, his election would energize the church’s progressive wing, as he would likely continue the liberal-leaning direction charted by Francis. His emphasis on serving the poor has won him admiration across Asia and beyond, as has his relatable style. Tagle reportedly prefers being called by his nickname «Chito,» rather than by his formal title.
Pope Francis officiating the General Audience in Saint Peter’s square. Pope Francis together with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle. (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Thomas Tu shared a personal story about Tagle’s compassion, recalling an incident before the cardinal received his red hat. After a young seminarian died suddenly, Tagle chose to join the group of senior seminary members and personally visit the grieving family, later giving a moving sermon in which he «compared the church to a mother, similar to the one who had lost her son,» Tu said. «Tagle just has a way of reaching people that is special.»
Few dispute that the election of the next pope will be among the most consequential moments for the Catholic Church in decades. And, for the first time, candidates from Asia are now part of serious conversations about the future direction of the faith.
INTERNACIONAL
Cuáles son las joyas que fueron robadas en el Louvre y qué puede pasar con ellas, según expertos
Fueron ocho minutos de un robo tan audaz como descarado: el reloj marcaba las 09:30 del domingo cuando, bajo las ventanas del museo del Louvre, cuatro ladrones instalaron un montacargas. A las 09:38, se marchaban de allí con las joyas “de la Corona”, un tesoro histórico “inestimable”, tras romper las vidrieras que las protegían con una amoladora.
Cuáles son las joyas de la Corona que se llevaron del Louvre
Ahora más de sesenta investigadores buscan a los autores de este robo que, con los rostros cubiertos, robaron nueve piezas del siglo XIX, entre ellas la corona de la emperatriz Eugenia, esposa de Napoleón III, que luego abandonaron durante su huida.
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La joya, que lleva ocho águilas de oro, 1354 diamantes, 1136 diamantes de talla rosa y 56 esmeraldas resultó “dañada”, según informó la fiscal de París, Laure Beccuau. La corona de la emperatriz Eugenia, que fue abandonada por los ladrones. (Foto: AFP/Stéphane de Sakutin).
Las otras piezas que fueron robadas atravesaron dos siglos de historia y fueron propiedad de importantes soberanas y emperatrices de Francia.
La tiara de perlas de Eugenia fue realizada por el famoso joyero Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier poco después de la boda de la emperatriz de origen español con Napoleón III, en 1853, al igual que su corona. Lleva 2000 diamantes y más de 200 perlas. La tiara de la emperatriz Eugenia. (Foto: RMN-GP/S. Maréchalle)
“Esta diadema es la que llevaba casi todos los días en la corte y la que aparece en sus retratos oficiales. Le tenía mucho cariño”, explicó a la agencia de noticias AFP Pierre Branda, historiador y director científico de la Fundación Napoleón.
El broche de la emperatriz Eugenia que fue robado en el Louvre. (Foto: gentileza RMN-GP/S. Maréchalle).
También fueron robados un lazo decorativo de corset y un broche de la emperatriz conocido como “relicario”, que se compone de 94 diamantes, entre los que destaca una roseta de siete diamantes alrededor de un solitario central, con dos diamantes en forma de corazón legados por el cardenal Mazarin a Luis XIV. El Gran Lazo del Corsete de la Emperatriz Eugenia. (Foto: gentileza RMN-GP/S. Maréchalle).
Además, los delincuentes se llevaron un collar y pendientes de zafiros usados por la reina María Amelia (esposa de Luis Felipe I, rey de Francia de 1830 a 1848) y por la reina Hortensia (madre de Napoleón III). El collar y los pendientes del ajuar de zafiros de la reina María Amelia y la reina Hortensia (Foto: gentileza RMN-GP/S. Maréchalle).
Según Vincent Meylan, historiador especializado en joyería, la reina Hortensia heredó este conjunto de su madre, la emperatriz Josefina, primera esposa de Napoleón I. Algunos especialistas afirman también que podría proceder de la reina María Antonieta.
Leé también: Encontraron una de las joyas que robaron en el Louvre: el museo sigue cerrado y buscan a los sospechosos
“Realmente forma parte de la historia de Francia”, insiste Meylan.
Además, se llevaron un collar y pendientes de esmeraldas que fueron un regalo de boda de Napoleón I a su segunda esposa, la emperatriz María Luisa, realizados por su joyero oficial, François-Régnault Nitot.
El collar y los pendientes de esmeraldas de la reina Marie-Louise. (Foto: AFP/Stéphane de Sakutin).
Además de sus prestigiosos dueños, estas joyas tenían todo el derecho a estar en el museo, ya que son “obras artísticas excepcionales”, opinó Didier Rykner, director de la redacción de la página web La Tribune de l’Art.
Realizadas por los grandes joyeros de la época, como Nitot, Lemonnier o Paul-Alfred Bapst, estas joyas combinan diamantes, perlas y piedras preciosas para crear composiciones espectaculares. El collar de zafiros está compuesto por ocho piedras preciosas de color azul noche y 631 diamantes, y el collar de esmeraldas tiene 32 esmeraldas y 1138 diamantes, según indica el Louvre en su página web.
A pesar de su antigüedad, la mayoría de estas joyas llegaron al Louvre en las últimas décadas.
Collar de esmeraldas de la reina Marie-Louise (Foto: gentileza RMN-GP/J.-G. Berizzi).
De las ocho piezas robadas, siete se adquirieron desde 1985, incluidas dos que se vendieron en la subasta de las joyas de la corona de 1887.
El conjunto de esmeraldas se adquirió en 2004 gracias al fondo del Patrimonio y a la Sociedad de Amigos del Louvre.
El collar de zafiros de María Amelia se adquirió en 1985, y la diadema de la emperatriz Eugenia y su gran broche pasaron a ser propiedad del museo en 1992 y 2008.
Un tesoro “invendible” en su estado
Son joyas de un “valor patrimonial inestimable”, según el Ministerio de Cultura. “Son inestimables desde el punto de vista patrimonial. Sin embargo, su precio es perfectamente estimable”, advierte Rykner.
“El término adecuado es invendible”, precisó Meylan. De hecho, revender estas joyas catalogadas y perfectamente identificadas en su estado actual es imposible, precisó. Dos jóvenes se toman una selfie frente a la ventana por la que ingresaron los ladrones al Louvre. (Foto: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier).
En este contexto, los expertos alertan sobre el riesgo de despiece de estas obras históricas, cuyas piedras y perlas podrían ser desmontadas y reutilizadas para fabricar otras joyas.
“Si no se recuperan estas joyas muy pronto, desaparecerán, seguro”, insistió Meylan.
“La policía sabe que en las próximas 24 o 48 horas, si no atrapan a estos ladrones, esas piezas probablemente desaparecerán”, declaró a la BBC Chris Marinello, director ejecutivo de Art Recovery Internationalmedio. “Puede que atrapen a los delincuentes, pero no recuperarán las joyas”. El Louvre permanece cerrado tras el robo. (Foto: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier).
Marinello dijo que los ladrones probablemente romperán las piezas, fundirán cualquier metal valioso y tallarán de nuevo las piedras preciosas, ocultando así la evidencia del crimen. Señaló además que sería difícil vender las joyas si se conservan intactas
“Ahí es donde el tesoro se vuelve inestimable. Corremos el riesgo de perder fragmentos de la historia de Francia”, coincidió Pierre Branda.
Louvre, Francia, París, Robo, Joyas
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On his visit to Israel this week, Ambassador-Designate for International Religious Freedom Mark Walker said meeting families of hostages and survivors of Hamas captivity left him «overwhelmed,» reaffirming what he called the «spiritual and historic bond» between the United States and Israel.
Walker, a former Republican congressman and Baptist pastor from North Carolina, was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the nation’s top global envoy for religious liberty. He will officially assume the post once confirmed by the Senate, becoming the seventh American to hold the role since it was created by Congress in 1998.
His visit to Israel, he explained, was driven by both friendship and timing. «All these other historic landmark agreements are happening the same week we’re here,» Walker said. «It’s been amazing to see the excitement — literally banners hanging from buildings and parks thanking President Trump for his ongoing efforts and the strength he’s shown to drive the region toward peace.»
VANCE WARNS HAMAS AS GAZA PEACE PLAN’S CIVILIAN MILITARY COOPERATION CENTER OPENS
Ambassador-Designate Mark Walker, center, visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel, in October 2025. (Warren Cohn)
Walker said he was particularly moved by his meetings with hostage families.
«I was overwhelmed to spend some time with Keith Siegel, who endured 483 days of captivity and torture, and with Ruby Chen, whose son, Itay, was killed by Hamas — his body still not returned,» Walker said. «To hear the passion in Ruby’s voice, to see his perseverance, it’s overwhelming. In America, we’re watching this from a distance. But being here on the ground, seeing how the community has banded together to stand up for these hostages — alive or dead — has impacted me in a different manner.»
The experience, he said, deepened his appreciation for Israel’s resilience. «The people of Israel have stood resiliently in the face of evil,» he said. «Their faith and courage remind the world what strength looks like.»
With U.S. officials visiting Israel to monitor the fragile ceasefire, Walker said he remains confident in the administration’s leadership.
Ambassador-Designate Mark Walker for religious freedom with freed hostage Keith Siegel and Rubi Chen, father of hostage Itay Chen. (Warren Cohn)
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«I have no confidence in Hamas based on their history,» he said. «But I have great confidence in President Trump and what he’s doing. He’s committed to peace and showing it with his actions — sending Vice President Vance, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff here this week.»
He also praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio for advancing the administration’s diplomatic agenda. «This isn’t a photo opportunity,» Walker said. «It’s a real plan for long-term stability.»
When asked how he views Israel’s importance, Walker reflected on his years in Congress.
«I think historically, we’ve had a long-standing relationship of supporting each other through times of peril as well as times of success,» he said. «Certainly, military and business relationships, but from a spiritual standpoint, America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles.»
He added, «When you sit in the House chamber where President Trump gives the State of the Union, there are 22 or 23 philosophers — great men of genius — depicted above. But there’s only one historical figure looking directly at the speaker’s rostrum, and that’s Moses. That tells you a lot about the spiritual connection that binds our two countries.»
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the Knesset as President Donald Trump and Amir Ohana, speaker of the Israeli Knesset, look on at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025 in Jerusalem. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via AP)
When asked about criticism from some within the evangelical community regarding its close alignment with Israel, Walker said he welcomes open discussion but rejects efforts to undermine the partnership. «I don’t have a problem with anyone questioning — we ought to be able to defend those relationships,» he said. «But when you see some of the talk lately that aims to degrade that relationship, maybe for personal gain or attention, I do have a problem with it, and I think it needs to be condemned.»
He added that such views are far from mainstream. «The evangelical communities that I’m part of — and I happen to be a member of the largest Protestant organization in the United States — don’t have those issues,» he said. «There may be some who are loosely affiliated and use that kind of rhetoric, but the overwhelming majority of evangelicals in America applaud and encourage the relationship we have with Israel.»
Attendees wave Israel and the United States flags at the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) summit on July 17, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. GOP presidential hopefuls for 2024 are making their cases before the pro-Israeli group. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
On his new role, Walker said the mission was deeply personal.
«When President Trump reached out and asked us to serve as the ambassador for International Religious Freedom — that’s a global position — it was humbling,» he said. «The responsibility is to advocate for people of all faiths, especially in places where they’re persecuted or punished by blasphemy laws.»
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Walker said he is already building relationships with governments and faith leaders to prepare for his official role advising both President Trump and Secretary Rubio.
«Our job is to engage, expose and eradicate atrocities — whether it’s Christians in Nigeria being massacred, Druze in Syria targeted or rising antisemitic behavior worldwide,» he said. «The United States must remain the beacon of hope for religious freedom. We’re the only country that has it written into law.»
He added that Israel’s example of tolerance stands out in the Middle East. «Christians should be able to live peaceably, share their faith and worship without fear,» he said. «The fact that Israel allows that in a region where so many others don’t is meaningful.»
U.S. President Donald Trump holds the signed agreement of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, October 13, 2025. (Reuters)
Walker said he plans to «push back wherever persecution exists — whether through diplomacy or by urging governments to repeal blasphemy and anti-conversion laws.»
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He concluded, «President Trump is the only president in American history who called a global conference on religious liberty at the United Nations,» Walker said. «That sent a message across the world — that faith matters, that freedom matters. What we see here in Israel is that same spirit of courage, and it reminds us why this partnership, rooted in faith and freedom, must endure.»
israel,donald trump,conflicts,terrorism,middle east,anti semitism
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The Coast Guard is bolstering its forces along western Texas’ Rio Grande to support President Donald Trump’s border security mission as part of a «surge operation,» according to the service.
Trump declared a national emergency at the border in January, and his administration stood up Joint Task Force Southern Border in March to allow troops under the Department of War to assist with the Department of Homeland Security’s border mission.
Dubbed Operation River Wall, the Coast Guard deployment aims to counter the influx of drugs into the U.S., and to deter and interdict illegal immigrants along the 260-mile stretch of the river that is part of the U.S. border, the service announced Monday.
The Coast Guard said it is dispatching additional response boats, shallow watercraft, command and control assets, and tactical teams to the area to support the operation.
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Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, right, pilots a U.S. Coast Guard response boat-small with the Maritime Security Response Team in San Diego, March 16, 2025. (Alex Brandon/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
The service said it is leading operations it is conducting alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of War under U.S. Northern Command to advance Trump’s border priorities.
«U.S. Coast Guard is the best in the world at tactical boat operations and maritime interdiction at sea, along our coasts, and in riverine environments,» Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a Monday statement. «Through Operation River Wall, the Coast Guard is controlling the U.S. southern border along the Rio Grande River in eastern Texas.»
COAST GUARD BURNS, SINKS SUSPECTED ‘DRUG BOAT,’ APPREHENDS 7 ALLEGED DRUG SMUGGLERS: VIDEO
A Coast Guard crew member assigned to Coast Guard Cutter Diligence wraps bails of illicit narcotics during a drug offload at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Florida, Sept. 22, 2025. (Petty Officer 1st Class Riley Perkofski/Coast Guard)
It’s unclear exactly how many Coast Guard personnel and assets are involved in Operation River Wall, and the Coast Guard did not provide specifics, citing operational security concerns.
«We are deploying a range of assets, personnel, and equipment appropriate to maximize coverage of the Rio Grande River,» Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. «Due to operational security concerns, we cannot provide specific details about deployment numbers or specific locations.»
However, the Coast Guard announced in March it was beefing up its operational presence along the southwest border for border security operations. Between January and March, the Coast Guard Southwest District announced it tripled its forces there.
The Pentagon said in July that roughly 8,500 troops are assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border to provide backup to the Coast Guard and Border Patrol, and have been tasked with responding to security threats along the border.
COAST GUARD OVERHAUL TAKES OFF AMID TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMMIGRATION, NARCOTICS CRACKDOWN
Coast Guard Cutter Seneca interdicted 5,500 pounds of cocaine northeast of the Galápagos Islands on Sept. 10, 2025, as part of Operation Pacific Viper. (Department of Homeland Security)
The Coast Guard has launched several high-profile operations in recent months. For example, the service kicked off Operation Pacific Viper in August — a joint effort between the Coast Guard and Navy aimed at countering the influx of illegal drugs to the U.S. as part of Trump’s larger effort to crack down on drug cartels.
So far, the Coast Guard has confiscated 100,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since August, averaging 1,600 pounds of cocaine daily, according to the service.
homeland security,white house,immigration,drugs,coast guard
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