International
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed by gunshot, autopsy reveals
An autopsy conducted by Israeli authorities revealed that the leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, died from a gunshot wound to the head, reported the American newspaper The New York Times on Friday.
Dr. Chen Kugel, director of Israel’s national forensic institute who oversaw the procedure, told the newspaper that Sinwar was initially injured in the arm by shrapnel, possibly from a missile or tank shell.
Following this, the Hamas leader tied an electrical cable around his arm in an apparent makeshift tourniquet, but according to Kugel, “it was not strong enough, and his forearm was shattered.”
Kugel added that a gunshot to the head ultimately killed Sinwar, but The New York Times reported that it remains unclear who fired the shot, when it occurred, and what weapon was used.
According to the Israeli army, Sinwar’s death occurred during a routine surveillance round on Wednesday.
A group of soldiers was patrolling the city of Rafah when they encountered three Palestinian militants.
While the military pursued them, Sinwar separated from the other two, the army clarified.
Israeli forces subsequently fired a tank shell at the building where the two militants were hiding and at another building where Sinwar was taking refuge, it added.
Israeli media and military officials stated that there was no prior information indicating the presence of the Hamas leader in the area.
Images released by the Israeli army reportedly show Sinwar, covered in dust, sitting in an armchair and staring at a drone as it entered a house devastated by attacks.
In the low-quality video, Sinwar is seen alone, with a severely injured hand and his head covered with a traditional scarf, throwing a stick at the drone.
The Israeli army conducted DNA tests, dental examinations, and other forensic investigations that helped confirm the leader’s identity.
He had not been seen in public since the outbreak of the war in Gaza following the deadly attack launched by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023, for which he was the mastermind.
Sinwar, 61, had led Hamas in Gaza since 2017 and was appointed the political leader of the movement in August following the death of Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran on July 31 in an attack attributed to Israel.
This group, which is supported by Iran, has governed Gaza since 2007.
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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