International

Brazil exceeds 100 deaths from floods in the southern region of the country

The number of deaths from the catastrophic floods in the southern region of Brazil has exceeded one hundred, in one of the greatest climatic tragedies in the country, according to the latest balance published this Wednesday by the Civil Defense.

The most hit state is Rio Grande do Sul, bordering Uruguay and Argentina and where 100 deaths have been reported, five more than Tuesday night, 128 missing and 372 injured, according to official figures.

The neighboring state of Santa Catarina has so far recorded a death, which brings the preliminary balance to the 101 deaths throughout southern Brazil, which since Monday of last week has been dealing with heavy rains linked to the effects of climate change.

In Rio Grande do Sul, 80% of the municipalities have been affected by severe floods, which have partially or totally flooded cities, including Porto Alegre, the regional capital and whose main airport has become a lagoon.

In that state, one of the prosperous of the country, about 230,500 people have had to leave their homes and in total there are 1.5 million victims, according to the Civil Defense.

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Rainfall and the consequent floods have left a large part of the population without water and electricity and caused considerable material damage to roads, bridges and other urban infrastructure.

The rescue teams, with the support of the Armed Forces, are still working in the area to find more victims and save the incommunicado survivors, many of whom only had time to climb to the roof of their homes.

The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said this Wednesday, during an event to present investments in the areas of infrastructure and prevention of natural disasters, that this climate tragedy is “a warning for the world” and “a bill that the planet is passing” to humanity.

The governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite, has said that the state is experiencing “a war situation” in the face of what is already one of the worst climatic tragedies in the history of Brazil and that could worsen in the coming hours, since a new storm is expected in the extreme south of the region.

The heavy rains in the south of the country, an important agricultural pole, contrast with the high temperatures, above 30 degrees Celsius, which have been recorded in recent days in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, not common for this time of year.

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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.