International
Australia closes farms as avian flu spreads
Avian influenza continues to spread in the Australian state of Victoria, where more than 500,000 chickens have been slaughtered. Strict quarantine zones have also been established that restrict the movement of birds and equipment. Australian health authorities say that avian influenza is mainly spread among wild waterfowl.
The highly pathogenic strain H7N3 of avian influenza has been found in four farms, while another virus, H7N9, has been detected in a fifth property in the last seven weeks in the state of Victoria. Australian farms have been quarantined. At least 580,000 birds have been slaughtered as part of extensive biosecurity controls.
Japan and the United States have temporarily banned imports of poultry from Victoria as a precautionary measure.
In Australia, some supermarkets are restricting the amount of eggs that consumers can buy due to supply chain disruptions.
Avian influenza is a viral disease found all over the world. It spreads between birds or when contaminated food and equipment for animals moves between areas.
Danyel Cucinotta is vice president of the Victoria Farmers’ Federation, an industry group. She told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday that the virus can spread quickly.
“There is very little we can do and no matter how good their biosecurity is, you can’t prevent wild birds from entering. This is a particular flight route for migratory birds. There are orders that all the birds are locked up. It’s about protecting our birds and protecting the food supply chain,” he said.
Avian influenza strains identified in the states of Victoria and Western Australia can infect people, but experts insist that cases are rare.
The virus can also infect cows. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said that avian influenza has infected dairy cows in more than 80 herds in several states since the end of March.
At least three workers in the U.S. dairy industry. The United States has tested positive for avian influenza after exposure to infected livestock. The three patients are recovering.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States said that infections do not change their assessment that avian influenza is a low risk for the community in general and that they have not seen evidence of person-to-person transmission.
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.
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.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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