In the days after Francis died, Prevost received messages from friends who offered condolences and prayers. Father Ramiro Castillo Castro, who studied under Prevost in the 1990s, told him he was praying for him. Prevost responded that everything was in God’s hands.

John Snider, a Lutheran pastor and longtime friend, also sent a message. The two had spent a summer together in Minneapolis before their ordinations, discussing theology and learning how to minister to sick and dying people.

Snider, who was nearing retirement, told Prevost that he faced an intense responsibility as he prepared to participate in the conclave.

“Everything is in God’s hands,” Prevost replied, thanking the Sniders for their friendship and prayers.

Friends began wondering if Prevost could become pope

John Barry, who had known Prevost since high school, also contacted him after Francis’ death. Barry expressed sympathy for Prevost’s personal loss and then raised the possibility that his friend could become pope.

Barry praised Prevost’s compassion and character and jokingly asked whether he could still email him if he became pope.

Prevost replied that he would leave everything in the Lord’s hands. He also assured Barry that they could continue corresponding.

At the time, however, Prevost did not rank among the cardinals widely discussed as “papabile,” a term used for potential papal candidates.

His nationality presented one obstacle. No American had ever become pope, and some cardinals questioned whether the leader of the Catholic Church should come from a country with significant political, economic and military influence.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, said in an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times that electing an American would represent a difficult choice under those circumstances.

Prevost saw the interview and later told Father John Merkelis that Cupich had said the cardinals would not elect an American.

“I’m sleeping well at night,” Prevost said.

Merkelis shared the comment with Sister Thérèse DelGenio, who had worked with both men decades earlier. She responded with a reminder that Prevost had not accounted for the Holy Spirit.

Cardinals arrive in Rome

Cardinals from around the world arrived in Rome following Francis’ death to mourn the pope and prepare for the conclave.

New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, one of the most prominent American cardinals and one of the few electors who had taken part in the 2013 conclave, dismissed questions about his own chances with a joke about having a better chance of batting cleanup for the New York Yankees.

Dolan had known many cardinals and served as a highly visible representative of the U.S. Catholic Church. Yet Prevost had not initially attracted his attention.

“I didn’t even think of him as an American,” Dolan later said. “The little bit I knew about him was good — I had heard good things about him. But I had never met the man.”

Other cardinals quickly began asking Dolan about Prevost after he arrived in Rome. They wanted to know about Prevost’s interests, personality and temperament.

Dolan then approached Prevost at a gathering of cardinals and introduced himself.

General Congregations shape the discussion

Beginning the day after Francis’ death, the cardinals held daily General Congregation meetings in an auditorium near St. Peter’s Square.

The meetings lasted for hours as the cardinals discussed the state of the Catholic Church, the challenges facing its next leader and the qualities they wanted in the next pope.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin of New Jersey described some sessions as disorganized but said the discussions repeatedly returned to fundamental questions about what the church and the world needed.

Outside the Vatican, thousands of journalists and religious pilgrims gathered in Rome as interest in the conclave grew.

The 2024 film “Conclave,” based on Robert Harris’ novel, also fueled public interest in the papal election. Prevost had watched the film and discussed it with family and longtime friends, although he rejected comparisons between himself and its fictional characters.

Prevost gains support among cardinals

As the meetings continued, more cardinals began considering Prevost seriously.

Prevost had worked closely with Francis and supported several priorities associated with the previous pope, including synodality, advocacy for immigrants and environmental concerns. His years as a missionary and his extensive work in Peru also gave him strong ties outside the United States.

Some cardinals also saw Prevost as a possible change in leadership style after Francis. Dolan said he wanted a pope who was measured, calm and reliable.

Dolan began researching Prevost’s record and asked a colleague who had worked closely with him for an assessment.

“He runs a good meeting,” the colleague told him.

Dolan initially considered the comment faint praise but later understood it as an indication that Prevost could organize discussions, establish goals and manage responsibilities effectively.

During a coffee break at one General Congregation meeting, Dolan asked an older cardinal who he thought could become pope.

The cardinal pointed toward Prevost.

Cardinals examine Prevost’s experience

The cardinals continued discussing the priorities they wanted the next pope to address, including the church’s response to sexual abuse, Vatican finances, Curia reform, world peace and environmental concerns.

Cardinal Pedro Barreto of Peru, who was 81 and therefore ineligible to vote, saw connections between those priorities and Prevost’s experience.

Prevost had led the Peruvian bishops’ council addressing abuse and had helped address church finances in Peru. His two years in Rome had also given him experience with the Vatican without establishing him as a longtime Curia insider.

Barreto saw Prevost’s background as relevant to the cardinals’ concerns and recognized that his American nationality remained the main obstacle.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin also began considering Prevost as a possible pope. The two had known each other for about three decades and had worked together in Rome and Peru.

One evening, Tobin joined Prevost and other cardinals for prayer and dinner. Before leaving, Tobin told his friend he thought the cardinals might ask him to serve as pope.

Prevost did not argue or try to discourage him. He simply thanked Tobin for his prayers.

Prevost leaves the decision to God

As the May 7 conclave approached, Prevost faced the possibility that the cardinals could elect him to lead the Catholic Church.

He had begun thinking about retirement in recent years. The prospect of becoming pope would instead place him at the center of the Catholic Church and global affairs.

Prevost later recalled taking a deep breath and turning the decision over to God.

“I said, ‘Here we go, Lord. You’re in charge. You lead the way.’”

In New Lenox, Illinois, his brother John Prevost also prayed about the possibility.

John initially dismissed the idea of an American pope but began reconsidering it as reports from Rome continued. Father John Merkelis later told him that Robert’s chances appeared similar to those Jorge Bergoglio faced before the 2013 conclave.

John did not want the attention that could come with becoming the pope’s brother. He also worried that the role would change Robert’s life and end his regular visits home.

John initially prayed that his brother would not become pope. He then changed his prayer, asking that whatever happened would serve the church.

The final preparations

The day before the conclave began, Prevost visited the Augustinian General Curia, where he regularly prayed and shared meals with fellow Augustinians.

He spoke with Father Alejandro Moral Antón, who had succeeded him as the order’s prior general. The two then prayed to the Holy Spirit, asking for guidance as Prevost and the other 132 cardinal electors prepared to enter the Sistine Chapel.

Afterward, Moral Antón told Prevost that he would always be welcome to return to the Augustinian community for meals, Mass and prayer, regardless of the color of his vestments.

The following day, the cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave that ultimately elected Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope.

In an Oct. 2 decision, the chamber granted the prosecution’s request to introduce the written statement of a witness identified as “P-1100” as evidence in the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The prosecution has alleged that the DDS formed part of a system that Duterte conceived and used in connection with killings during his campaign against illegal drugs.

The chamber said it found the substance of P-1100’s evidence relevant to the “background of and context of this case.”

“Although P-1100’s prior recorded testimony contains some opinion statements, the defense will have the opportunity to question the witness,” the chamber said in its 15-page decision.

The judges said Duterte’s defense can challenge the basis of the witness’ knowledge and examine the foundation for his interpretations.

The defense can also question the limits of what P-1100 can establish from personal observation, the chamber said.

The judges noted that witnesses may provide evidence based on their personal perspectives, including conclusions or opinions, during testimony.

However, the chamber clarified that P-1100’s testimony would not constitute expert evidence solely because of his professional background.

“Contrary to the defense’s submissions, P-1100’s testimony, by virtue of his professional standing alone, will not be offered as expert evidence,” the chamber said.

The judges also directed prosecutors not to use P-1100’s testimony to support conclusions that extend beyond the witness’ personal knowledge.

Prosecutors had earlier asked the chamber to admit the testimony, describing P-1100 as a person with “relevant and reliable” evidence concerning Duterte’s alleged criminal responsibility for killings linked to the drug war.

Duterte remains detained at an ICC facility in The Hague and faces trial on crimes against humanity allegations related to his administration’s anti-drug campaign. The trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 30.

The Interior Ministry said police and gendarmes arrested 1,949 people during the protests, while 305 officers suffered injuries.

Authorities said protesters affected 1,027 of France’s roughly 3,700 high schools, known as lycees, with blockades reported at 222 schools.

Regional education authorities, prefectures and union representatives also reported that several school principals faced harassment, assaults or other attacks during the blockades.

Authorities in the Paris region said about 50 schools experienced violence, clashes or property damage.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez condemned what he described as “unbridled violence.” Police have also opened internal investigations following allegations that officers used excessive force against three students.

The protests began last week and spread from the Paris suburbs to cities across France. Students have raised concerns about class sizes, school schedules, teacher shortages and inadequate facilities, including problems linked to high temperatures during this year’s heatwaves.

In Marseille, authorities said protesters splashed a school principal and deputy principal with petrol. Officials also reported an attack on an M6 television journalist at the same school.

Firefighters responded to a fire at the entrance of a high school in Nantes after a gathering that regional education authorities said involved violence against staff.

Authorities also reported vandalism and clashes near schools in several cities. In Strasbourg, officials halted tram services to limit movement near areas where protests were taking place.

Raphael, a 17-year-old student who withheld his surname, said students at his school faced overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating facilities.

“There are 35 of us per classroom. With 35C in summer, it’s unbearable. There aren’t enough toilets, and there are water leaks in some rooms,” he said.

Students also protested in Toulouse, where hundreds gathered near tram tracks and some participants toppled rubbish bins, started fires and damaged bus shelters, according to AFP reporters.

In Lille, AFP reporters saw protesters damage a bus shelter while firefighters extinguished fires involving overturned rubbish bins.

University students also joined the demonstrations Thursday, with a student union reporting blockades at about 30 campuses.

The French government has accused the hard-left France Unbowed party, or LFI, of encouraging the protests. LFI figures rejected the allegation and said the party supports nonviolent forms of protest.

The unrest comes amid broader concerns about inflation and rising fuel prices, with France also preparing for its presidential election in 2027.

Protests and property damage also occurred at several schools in the Belgian city of Liege, police said.

The chamber issued the decision on Sept. 28 in Duterte’s crimes against humanity case after his defense team, led by British barrister Peter Haynes, sought changes to the court’s E-Court Protocol.

The defense asked the chamber last month to require prosecutors to add an “expert verification field” to evidence listings for materials that the prosecution intends to cite during the proceedings.

The proposed measure would have added another layer of authentication for user-generated materials and other evidence obtained from open sources.

Trial Chamber III said the additional requirement could prove unnecessary and “could well have the effect of causing a needless delay to the start of the trial.”

Instead, the chamber accepted a prosecution proposal to add a URL field to the E-Court Protocol for open-source evidence. The field will allow parties and participants to access the cited materials directly.

The prosecution, defense and common legal representatives of victims agreed to the proposed amendment.

“Under these circumstances, the chamber is satisfied that it is appropriate to grant the request and decides to amend the E-Court Protocol as requested,” the chamber said in its seven-page decision.

The chamber ordered the ICC Registry, the court’s administrative arm, to implement the changes to the E-Court Protocol by Oct. 2.

The deadline comes less than two months before Duterte’s scheduled trial.

Xi made the remarks in a speech at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the eve of China’s National Day, which marks the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

“We must deepen cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, resolutely crack down on ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, oppose interference from external forces, promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and advance the great cause of national reunification,” Xi said, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to bring the island under its control. Taiwan has maintained its own government since the nationalist Kuomintang forces fled there after losing the Chinese civil war in 1949.

Xi’s remarks came days after his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, where Xi urged the United States to oppose Taiwan’s independence and exercise “prudence” on the issue.

Taiwan relies on the United States for security support, including arms purchases. Washington paused a $14 billion Taiwanese weapons purchase in May, with Trump describing the deal as a negotiating tool in US-China relations.

The developments have raised concerns in Taiwan about the future of US security support as Washington and Beijing manage broader tensions.

China founded the People’s Republic on Oct. 1, 1949, after Communist forces defeated the Kuomintang in a civil war that lasted about two decades.

Xi also said China faced “complex international and domestic situations” and called for faster efforts to build a new pattern of economic development.

“We must adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace … to inject more certainty and positive energy into a world intertwined with changes and turmoil,” Xi said, according to Xinhua.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said U.S. troops and equipment completed an “orderly departure” from the air base in Irbil under a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to end the U.S.-led coalition mission.

Parnell said the withdrawal reflected the completion of a campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and marked the shift toward an Iraqi-led security effort supported through a bilateral security relationship.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over a handover ceremony and described the withdrawal as the start of a new phase centered on Iraq’s sovereignty, stronger institutions and security forces, and partnerships with other countries.

Al-Zaidi said Iraqi security forces would continue operations against ISIS and that his government would work to prevent non-state armed groups from retaining weapons.

The United States invaded Iraq in 2003 to remove Saddam Hussein and withdrew its forces in 2011. Baghdad invited a smaller U.S.-led mission back in 2014 after ISIS seized large areas of Iraq.

Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to end the mission as ISIS declined into scattered sleeper cells. U.S. forces left bases across most of Iraq in 2025 but maintained several hundred troops in the northern Kurdish region until Wednesday.

The withdrawal comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran, the United States and armed groups in Iraq. Iran-backed militias have attacked U.S. positions, while U.S. forces have struck militia targets.

Iraqi officials in the Kurdish region have raised concerns about the departure, particularly the removal of U.S. air defense systems. The Kurdish Peshmerga Ministry said the region faced more than 1,000 drone and ballistic-missile attacks during the recent U.S.-Iran conflict.

Iran-aligned groups, meanwhile, welcomed the U.S. departure. Kataib Hezbollah security official Abu Mujahid al-Assaf called the withdrawal the beginning of “full sovereignty” for Iraq and warned the government against pursuing U.S. plans.

The withdrawal also leaves questions about Iraq’s armed groups. Baghdad initially tied the Sept. 30 U.S. withdrawal deadline to the disarmament of non-state militias, but several powerful Iran-aligned groups rejected the prospect or imposed conditions.

Al-Zaidi later moved the disarmament deadline to June 2027, according to an interview with The New York Times earlier this month.

Vucic announced his resignation at the presidential palace in Belgrade, where supporters gathered outside and chanted his name.

“I am resigning as president,” Vucic said. “Tomorrow morning I will hand over my duties to the parliament speaker.”

The snap election had become a central demand of a student-led movement that emerged after a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people. Protesters blamed corruption for the tragedy and called for accountability.

The incident sparked some of Serbia’s largest protests since the fall of Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, with demonstrations at times drawing hundreds of thousands of people.

The protests initially called for a transparent investigation before expanding into demands for snap elections. Vucic had repeatedly promised an early vote without setting a date until earlier this month, when he scheduled the election for Oct. 25 and cited “major turbulence on the domestic political scene.”

Vucic first won the presidency in 2017 and secured a second term in May 2022. He cut short his five-year term to campaign for prime minister, although Serbian law did not require him to resign from the presidency to seek the position.

“I want to compete as an ordinary man, as one of the people,” Vucic said.

Vucic now heads the electoral list of his Serbian Progressive Party, a right-wing populist party, and serves as its candidate for prime minister.

Minutes before announcing his resignation, Vucic used his constitutional powers to pardon dozens of people, including students and members of his party who faced accusations over offenses linked to the protests.

“I have decided to pardon 49 people, 23 of them in connection with the terrible events we have gone through over the past year and a half,” Vucic said.

Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic will serve as acting president for up to three months under Serbian law. Authorities must call a presidential election during that period.

Leo made the remarks in Metz near the German border as he concluded a four-day visit to France, the first official papal visit to the country in nearly two decades.

“Relations between individuals and states are becoming increasingly uncivilised. The value of keeping one’s word is dismissed. Instead, people boast of lies and deceit,” Leo said alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

The pope did not name any world leader in his remarks.

Pope calls for Europe to promote peace

Leo said Europe could help break the cycle of deteriorating international relations through respect for others and cooperation.

He also called for greater unity across Europe and urged countries to show courage in negotiations and compromise to end wars on the continent.

“Today, sadly, war has returned, even to Europe,” Leo said, referring to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

He urged leaders to pursue patient dialogue and accept compromises in the interest of peace.

Metz has a historical connection to European unity because Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union, is buried near the city.

Leo addresses migration and nationalism

Leo also called for greater European unity as nationalist movements gain support across the continent.

He said Europe had entered a new stage as people fleeing war and persecution arrive in European countries.

The pope urged nations to welcome and integrate migrants while recognizing the cultural changes that migration brings.

Macron also called for Europe to resist nationalism and strengthen its role in promoting peace, independence and democracy.

Pope concludes France visit

Leo, the first US pope, has repeatedly called for peace during his papacy. His family history has also shaped his views on war.

His father, Louis Marius Prevost, served in the US Navy and took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Leo spent Monday morning in the cockpit of the Air France plane that transported him to Metz for the final leg of his visit, according to Air France.

The pope’s visit generated increased activity in Metz, with hotels reporting full bookings and restaurants seeing more reservations.

Philippe Ballot, archbishop of Metz, said the visit carried particular significance for the city, which has experienced three wars, including two world wars.

Iranian state media reported Pezeshkian’s remarks from an interview with U.S. broadcaster CBS.

Pezeshkian said Iran would fulfill its obligations if the United States accepts the proposal and meets its own commitments.

“Coordination with the leader of the revolution (the supreme leader) … has been carried out,” Pezeshkian said.

“If the US accepts it and fulfills its obligations, we will do the same, and there will be no issue in this regard,” he said.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a key route for global oil shipments and a central point in the conflict between Iran and the United States, which has remained deadlocked for nearly seven months.

Pezeshkian said a six-member Iranian team has held discussions on the proposal and has authority to make decisions. He said the group includes representatives from the military, parliament and government.

Washington has not publicly responded to the proposal. Reports have indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump rejected the plan, which calls for an end to all hostilities in the Middle East.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the proposal carries the same conditions outlined in a memorandum of understanding that Iran and the United States signed in June.

The proposal calls for the United States to release at least $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, lift sanctions on Iranian oil and end its naval blockade of Iran.

The smiling pontiff waved to worshippers and blessed several babies as he traveled from the Arc de Triomphe toward the square, where organizers installed a large white canopy for the service.

Dozens of large screens lined the more than two-kilometer route so crowds could follow the event.

The Mass, the centerpiece of the second day of Leo’s four-day visit to France, was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. local time, or 1300 GMT.

Thousands of worshippers gathered along the route carrying French and Vatican flags as authorities closed the city center to traffic. Helicopters flew overhead while security personnel positioned snipers on rooftops.

Parents brought young children in strollers or carried them on their shoulders as they waited for a glimpse of the pope during the second day of the first official papal visit to France in nearly two decades.

Politicians also gathered near the stage at Place de la Concorde, including National Rally leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella.

French President Emmanuel Macron was not expected to attend the Mass. His wife, Brigitte Macron, was expected to represent him.