— BBC: Speaking in Cameroon, the Pope criticised leaders who "turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to ?be found". He said the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants".
— The remarks come just days after a high-profile spat with US President Donald Trump, who posted a lengthy attack on the Pope, a vocal critic of the US-Israeli military operation in Iran. The Pope had voiced his concern about Trump's threat that "a whole civilisation will die" if Iran did not agree to US demands to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. Leo, who last year became the first US-born Pope, has previously also questioned the Trump administration's approach to immigration.
— "Today, 54 countries — home to 3.4 billion people — spend more on debt servicing than on health or education. [...] First outlined in the Sevilla Commitment adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in July 2025, the initiative creates a permanent space for collaboration among developing countries. Through peer learning, technical support and knowledge sharing, the platform aims to strengthen debt management practices and improve coordination on sovereign debt issues."
— In its World Economic Outlook report, the IMF said in a worst case scenario — where oil, gas and food prices spike and remain high this year and next — global growth could fall below 2% in 2026.
— "This would mean a close call for a global recession which has happened only four times since 1980," it said, the most recent being during the Covid pandemic.
— "For the first time in the history of this war, an enemy position was taken exclusively by unmanned platforms — ground systems and drones," Zelenskyy said in a statement, adding that "the occupiers surrendered, and this operation was carried out without the participation of infantry and without losses on our side."
— CENTCOM said the blockade applies only to vessels "entering and exiting Iranian ports" and other vessels remain free to transit the waterway. It added: "US forces are supporting freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports." The Reuters news agency reported at least three vessels transited the strait during the first 24 hours of the blockade, citing shipping data. They included two tankers sanctioned by the US. The three ships were not heading to Iranian ports, according to Reuters.
— "Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social . "The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION."
— History's first U.S.-born pope stressed that he was not making a direct attack against Trump or anyone else with his general appeal for peace and criticisms of the "delusion of omnipotence" that is fueling the Iran wars and other conflicts around the world.
— Rich Starry, a medium-range tanker, traveled through the strait on Monday afternoon, making it through the waterway on a second attempt, according to shipping data from Kpler. The ship is carrying around 250,000 barrels of methanol, Reuters reported. The ship flies under the Malawi flag, but the African country has stated that it has no official registration for ships. The vessel has a Chinese crew on board, according to Reuters. In 2023, the U.S sanctioned the tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Company Limited, for its dealings with Iran. It is unclear whether the vessel stopped at Iranian ports during its recent journey through the waterway.
— Another U.S.-sanctioned Chinese tanker, Murlikishan, passed through the strait from the opposite direction and is currently located in the Persian Gulf. The second tanker flies under Madagascar's flag and is heading to Iraq to load fuel on April 16, according to Kpler.