International

Biden approves the speech of the Democratic senator who called for elections in Israel

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, expressed on Friday his approval of the speech of the leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, who called for elections in Israel considering that his Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is an “obstacle to peace.”

“He gave a good speech and I think he expressed a serious concern shared not only for him, but for many Americans,” Biden told the press when he started a meeting in the White House with the Prime Minister of Ireland, Leo Varadkar.

The US president also confirmed that Schumer had previously informed the White House that he was going to deliver that speech before the plenary of the Senate.

Schumer, the first Jew to occupy the position of leader of the majority of the Senate, accused Netanyahu on Thursday of being one of the biggest “obstacles to peace” in the region and called for elections to be held in Israel.

It is the most critical message of a senior leader of the Democratic Party against the Israeli government since the beginning of the offensive against the Gaza Strip, which started after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7

20250501_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250501_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20241211_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

The Likud party, led by Netanyahu for decades, responded to Schumer that Israel “is not a banana republic, but an independent and proud democracy.”

The relationship between Netanyahu’s far-right government and Joe Biden’s Democratic Administration is going through a moment of tension due to Israel’s blockade of the entry of humanitarian aid by land into the Gaza Strip.

The United States supports Israel’s war against Hamas by sending weapons, but is expressing increasing frustration with the humanitarian consequences of the offensive.

There is also increasing concern in the Democratic Party about the impact that the Gaza War may have on the November U.S. presidential elections, in which Biden will seek his re-election.

During the meeting with Biden, the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) claimed the need for “a ceasefire as soon as possible” in Gaza that allows the entry of food and medicine, as well as the exit of the hostages from Hamas.

20250501_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250501_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20241211_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

“We need to talk about how we can make this happen and also move towards the two-state solution,” Varadkar added.

The Irish Prime Minister met with Biden in compliance with the tradition of visiting the United States on the occasion of St. Patrick’s Day, which will be celebrated next Sunday.

Related Topics:Joe Biden President of the United States Washington

Up Next

Germany, France and Poland commit to intensifying the supply of weapons to Ukraine

Don't Miss

The U.S. Supreme Court endorses lawsuits against public charges for blocking people on the networks

20250501_vacunacion-influenza-300x250

20250501_vacunacion_vph-300x250

20241211_mh_noexigencia_dui_300x250

20231124_etesal_300x250_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_300X250

MARN1

International

Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.

During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.

“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.

“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”

Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.

20250501_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250501_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20241211_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.

International

Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition

he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.

Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.

Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.

The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”

International

Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may

The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.

The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”

The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”

Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.

The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.