International

Irish mobster Hutch is rending for general elections after arrest in Spain

Dublin gangster Gerard Hutch, popularly known as ‘The Monk’, confirmed on Monday his intention to run in the Irish general elections, while he is on bail after being arrested in Lanzarote (Spain) last October.

Hutch, whom the police consider the leader of one of the most dangerous organized crime organizations in this country, assured the media today upon his arrival at Dublin airport that he will be a “one hundred percent” candidate in the elections of November 29.

In the videos circulating on social networks, ‘El Monje’, 61, assured from Terminal 1 that he has begun the legal procedures to register as a candidate for a seat in the Dáil (lower house) for the northern district of Dublin, which includes some of the poorest areas of the capital.

He also stated that he is not concerned about his detention in Lanzarote (Canary Islands), where he resides for much of the year, and that he is “innocent.”

Alleged crime of money laundering

Hutch was arrested on October 25 along with eight other people for alleged money laundering crimes in the context of an international criminal organization, after a joint operation by the Spanish and Irish security forces, who also searched his home in Dublin.

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Days later, the Court of Instruction number 2 of Arrecife (Lanzarote) released him on bail of 100,000 euros and decided not to impose additional precautionary measures.

In this regard, the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands explained that the judge and the prosecutor of the case understood that removing Hutch’s passport or imposing some other restriction beyond the bail could cause irreparable damage to his right to run in the elections, while recalling that only a final judgment can prevent him from running in those elections.

In the event that this Dublin gangster finally becomes a candidate, most of his election campaign will run online, as he is threatened with death by the rival gang of the Kinahan family, one of the most persecuted organized crime organizations worldwide.

Both mafia families have been warting a war since 2016 that has claimed 18 fatalities to date, most of them on the Hutch side.

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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.