International and National news written by Maisie Strader

Pope Francis Lays to rest at St. Peter’s Basilica

Thousands of mourners are gathering at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, who passed away at age 88 on Monday.

Associated press mentions in their article that Many people paying their respects had come to Rome to celebrate Easter, on a spring vacation or other personal business, only to be met with the news of Francis’ death on Easter Monday. Out of devotion to the Argentine pope and his message of inclusion, they joined the procession of mourners that wended through the Holy Door and down the central aisle of the basilica.

The public viewing will continue through Friday evening, allowing faithful from around the world to honor the pontiff’s legacy of humility, compassion, and advocacy for peace. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, with heads of state expected to attend

The have Cardinals met in private to prepare for Saturday’s funeral as well as plan the conclave to elect Francis’ successor

Julio Henrique from Brazil said, “The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we’ve lost our leader. But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter’s throne?.”

Diplomatic Efforts on Ukraine Conflict Face Setbacks in London

The High-level peace talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war, have now been an obstacle in London. This war has made its way to the 3 year mark. 

The U.S. delegation, initially led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was downgraded to lower-ranking officials due to scheduling conflicts. Vice President JD Vance emphasized that the situation has reached a critical juncture, stating, “It’s decision time.”​

On going violence still continues, Associated press says, “A Russian drone struck a bus carrying workers in Marganets, in eastern Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Wednesday morning, killing eight women and one man, regional head Serhii Lysak wrote on his Telegram channel. More than 40 people were injured, he said. Lysak published photos of a bus with its windows blown out and shards of glass mixed with blood spattered on the bus floor.”

The U.S. proposed a plan to freeze current territorial lines, requiring both Russia and Ukraine to relinquish some control. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy firmly rejected any proposal involving territorial concessions, reaffirming Ukraine’s demand for an unconditional ceasefire and full sovereignty over its land.

This proposal was declared final after initially having it described as an idea that can be tossed.

Political news featuring Dan Quagliana

Hegseth again leaks classified info
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is under fire for again sharing classified information in a group chat on the app Signal, this time in a group chat including his wife, brother and lawyer. According to NPR, Hegseth used the Signal messaging app on his personal smartphone, detailing minute-by-minute classified information about airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Kevin Carroll, a former Homeland Security official during the first Trump Administration, said,“The last time he was wrongly using an insecure communications device, and he mistakenly thought he was speaking only to security clearance holders. Here he’s knowingly using an insecure communication device and he’s knowingly giving classified information to people who are not security clearance holders.” According to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and published in NPR, the Trump Administration is looking to replace Hegseth as Defense Secretary due to the Signal leaks, although the White House has publicly denied these remarks. Democrats and at least one Republican, Don Bacon of Nebraska, have called for his resignation in the wake of the news.

Trump softens economic stances

As per the BBC, President Trump has appeared to soften his recent comments on China and the head of the US Federal Reserve after recent clashes as he pursues his economic agenda. He said that he has“no intention of firing” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell after publicly claiming he would do just that and last week, calling him a “major loser.” However, he did say that he would like Powell to be more active on cutting interest rates. Yesterday, Trump also claimed that he was optimistic on improving trade relations with China. He said his tariffs on China would “come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.” Additionally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that he expected the trade war with China to de-escalate, and that it was “not a joke.” According to the BBC, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on Friday that Trump was looking into whether it would be possible to fire Powell, who Trump appointed to the Federal Reserve in 2017. The BBC says that it is unclear whether Trump has the authority to fire the Fed chair, as no other president has ever attempted to do so.