International

UN sounds alarm on Haiti’s looming hunger crisis, calls for urgent funding

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has issued an urgent appeal for funding to address the worsening hunger crisis in Haiti, which is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe amid escalating violence.

Cindy McCain, the executive director of WFP, emphasized the critical need for immediate action, stating, “Our humanitarian operations in Haiti are running critically low on resources, with funds for hot meals expected to be depleted within two weeks. We urge donors to step forward urgently to address the escalating hunger crisis and prevent further chaos.”

McCain stressed that Haiti requires more than just security measures, emphasizing the necessity for a robust humanitarian response to address the growing needs of the population. However, she highlighted the urgent requirement for funding to effectively respond to this largely overlooked crisis.

The UN agency warned of the potential paralysis of humanitarian operations due to insecurity limiting access to communities and the depletion of donor funding. Failure to address the hunger crisis in Haiti could jeopardize efforts to restore stability.

Despite the challenges posed by violence, the WFP has provided assistance to over 280,000 individuals since March 1, including the distribution of 62,000 hot meals to 14,000 displaced persons.

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Jean-Martin Bauer, the WFP director in Haiti, emphasized the organization’s commitment to providing aid but emphasized the need for consistent and secure access to reach those in need.

The agency aims to assist 2.4 million people in 2024 through emergency aid, including cash transfers and food rations, contingent upon security conditions.

Haiti is currently experiencing one of the most severe food crises globally, with 1.4 million people at risk of famine. Approximately half of the country’s population faces food insecurity, and over half of its 11 million inhabitants live in poverty.

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.

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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.