International
People are already dying from diseases in Gaza and not only from the bombings, denounces MSF

The quasi-total collapse of the health system in the Gaza Strip, devastated after more than 200 days of war with Israel and more than 34,400 deaths; in addition to the shortage of drinking water, overcrowding and lack of medicines make many Gazans die from easily treatable diseases.
“How many children have already died of pneumonia in overflowing hospitals?” asks Mari Carmen Viñoles, head of the Emergency Unit of Doctors Without Borders, an organization present in the Palestinian enclave and which this Monday publishes a report entitled: ‘Silent deaths’.
“And the deadly consequences of the closure of renal dialysis units in the hospitals attacked? These are the silent deaths of Gaza that are not reported,” Viñoles adds.
According to the report, based on medical data and patient testimonies, the current living conditions in Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians take refuge, are not conducive to survival.
The UN coordinator for humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, warned on Monday that the reconstruction efforts of the devastated Gaza Strip are “tied” to the two-state solution, although she warned that the Palestinians “can’t wait.”
“It needs to be said that reconstruction efforts, not only politically but from an investment perspective, are all tied to political parameters: the two-state solution,” Kaag said in a panel on Gaza at the special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is held in Riyadh.
Likewise, the head of the UN warned that from a humanitarian point of view “civilians cannot be asked to wait” for the creation of a Palestinian State to begin the reconstruction of the enclave and recalled that more than one million children are not being enrolled in school because of the war.
According to Kaag, schools are being used as shelters, contagious diseases represent a threat as there is a shortage of water and lack of sanitation and insecurity prevents the beginning to rebuild the devastated Strip.
“We need to act now, and this cannot wait for a political solution (…) We have failed the Palestinians countless times,” insisted Kaag, who added that “political will is what is required.”
On the other hand, he called for a “paradigm shift” in the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza, and assured that it is not only necessary to increase the volume of assistance, but also to expand the type of products that are distributed to the population, such as medicines.
“We are no longer counting trucks. We are seeing what aid is being distributed and what kind of assistance reaches the population,” Kaag said.
The diplomat recalled that the distribution of aid still faces “a number of obstacles,” such as “behavior at Israeli checkpoints,” something she said “must change.”
International
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Purse Stolen in D.C. Restaurant Heist

The purse of Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, was stolen on Sunday night at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., Fox News Digital confirmed through several agency sources.
The handbag, taken by a white male wearing a mask, reportedly contained $3,000 in cash along with personal documents, including her passport, keys, driver’s license, and DHS badge, according to an agency spokesperson.
“Her entire family was in town, including her children and grandchildren. She was celebrating her retirement by treating them to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,” the spokesperson added.
Crime continues to be a significant issue in the U.S. capital, particularly theft. However, violent crime reached its lowest level in 30 years last year, according to the Office of the Attorney General at the time.
International
Pope Francis: The Quiet Architect Behind the U.S.-Cuba Thaw

When then-U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in December 2014—after decades of hostility—there was a third figure present in both speeches: Pope Francis.
This thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations—later reversed by Donald Trump—was the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations personally encouraged by Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, just over a year after becoming head of the Catholic Church.
Upon learning the news of the breakthrough, the pontiff humbly stated, “This was made possible thanks to the ambassadors and to diplomacy,” which he called “a noble, very noble job.”
In 2015, months after the announcement, Raúl Castro visited the Vatican and met with the pope. Over time, Castro developed a fondness for Francis that he never had for his predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. “If the Pope continues talking like this, sooner or later I’ll start praying again and return to the Catholic Church—and I’m not joking,” said the younger Castro, who, like his brother Fidel (1926–2016), had been educated by Jesuits—the same order to which Pope Francis belonged.
Pope Francis visited Cuba later that year. Just days before his arrival, the Cuban government announced the pardon of 3,522 common prisoners as an act of clemency.
While in Havana, the pope met with Fidel Castro, who gave him a first edition of the book Fidel and Religion by Brazilian friar and liberation theologian Frei Betto.
Criticism from the Opposition
Francis’s diplomatic approach also drew criticism from parts of the Cuban opposition. In a 2022 interview with Univision, the pope revealed he had “a human relationship” with Raúl Castro.
International
Dominican Republic Declares Three Days of Mourning for Pope Francis

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has declared three days of national mourning starting Tuesday following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 in his residence at the Casa Santa Marta.
In an official decree, Abinader highlighted the pope’s legacy “as a global leader who promoted significant reforms within the Catholic Church and was known for his humility, openness to dialogue, and commitment to peace among nations.”
During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-staff at military facilities and public buildings.
According to a statement from the Office of the Presidency, although Pope Francis never visited the Dominican Republic during his papacy, he maintained a close relationship with the country. He expressed solidarity and empathy during difficult times, including offering prayers for the victims of the recent tragedy at a Santo Domingo nightclub on April 8, which claimed 232 lives and left more than 180 injured.
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