International

The president of Egypt pledges to allow the passage of aid to Gaza by Kerem Shalom

The president of Egypt, Abdelfatah al Sisi, promised this Friday to the US president, Joe Biden, that he will allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the passage of Kerem Shalom (Israel), the White House said on Friday.

The US Presidency pointed out in a statement that Biden welcomed that commitment to allow the flow of aid from Egypt through the Israeli crossing of Kerem Shalom, border with Egypt and Gaza, “provisionally.”

The president, in turn, pointed out in that phone call that he will support efforts to reopen the Rafah crossing in a way that is acceptable to both Egypt and Israel, and agreed to send a delegation to Cairo next week to advance the discussions.

The telephone exchange served for Biden to thank Al Sisi again for his work since the beginning of the war in October to “ensure a continuous flow of assistance from Egypt to Gaza.”

The entry of aid through Rafah has been paralyzed by the Israeli offensive in that area, which, according to the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shukri, said this week, has become a “battlefield” that puts the lives of humanitarian workers at risk.

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On Tuesday, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) announced the suspension of that aid because attacks and the presence of Israeli tanks prevent access to the UNRWA distribution center and the World Food Program warehouse.

Biden and Al Sisi, according to the White House, also addressed “new initiatives to ensure the release of hostages along with an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza,” and stressed their commitment to establishing the conditions for a lasting peace in the Middle East.

This same Friday, Egypt had stressed that Israel has full legal responsibility “for the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip as an occupying power,” and asked it to put an end to “its systematic policies against the Palestinian people of attacks, hunger and siege, in violation of all the provisions of international law.”

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.