Month: April 2025

Pope Francis has died at 88, the Vatican has confirmed. The Vatican said Francis died just after 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday, a day after he appeared outside the Vatican on Easter Sunday to greet well-wishers. His death on Monday comes after a series of worsening health problems, including a respiratory crisis that left him in critical condition in recent months.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, formally announced Francis’ death on Monday, with a statement saying: “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”

Francis’ body will be put on display in an open coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, one of Christianity’s holiest sites, where pontiffs have been buried for more than 100 years. But in accordance with Francis’ wishes, he is expected to be buried at the ancient Basilica of St. Mary Major, which lies outside the Vatican walls. His successor will be chosen during a conclave, a gathering of cardinals who are charged with electing a new pope in strict seclusion at the Vatican.

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On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis made an appearance in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican to offer his traditional blessing, following a short earlier meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic (per ABC NEWS).

According to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, Vice President Vance arrived at Casa Santa Marta—Pope Francis’ residence—shortly after 11:30 a.m. local time. A photo shared by the Vatican shows the pontiff greeting Vance and his accompanying delegation during their brief audience on April 20, 2025. The Vatican noted the meeting lasted only a few minutes and served primarily as a chance to exchange Easter greetings.

In the days leading up to Easter, the Vatican had not confirmed whether the 88-year-old Francis would be able to attend the Mass, saying it would depend on his health (he skipped the solemn services of Good Friday and Holy Saturday leading up to Easter). The pontiff did not lead the Easter Mass, with Cardinal Angelo Comastri, a retired archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, taking his place and delivering the homily that Francis has prepared.

In what would be his last public appearance, Francis emerged on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday, overlooking a large crowd that had just attended Easter mass. From his wheelchair, the Pope said “Dear brothers and sisters, Buona Pasqua,” (which means “Happy Easter” in Italian) and extended his blessing and greeted the crowd. His Easter message carried a heartfelt plea for peace, especially in conflict zones across the Middle East, Europe, and Africa: “Let the spirit of humanity be the guiding force in all our actions. In the face of the brutal impact of wars that harm innocent civilians and target vital institutions like schools and hospitals, we must remember that we are striking not objects, but human beings—each one with a soul and dignity.”

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Severe weather impacted over 45 million Americans on Easter Sunday as thunderstorms, flooding, and tornado risks affected areas from East Texas to southeastern Iowa and Illinois. In Oklahoma, heavy rain earlier in the weekend had already caused fatalities.

At least two people, one of them a child, lost their lives after powerful storms swept through parts of Texas and Oklahoma over the weekend. According to police, a woman and a 12-year-old boy were killed after floodwaters swept their vehicle off the road in central Oklahoma (per CNN).

The Moore Police Department in Oklahoma reported that emergency teams responded around 9 p.m. Saturday to calls about two vehicles stranded in rising floodwaters. Authorities said one vehicle veered off the road and was pulled under a bridge by the strong current. While rescuers managed to save most of the passengers, two individuals could not be saved. The storm event severely affected roadways and prompting dozens of high-water rescues throughout Moore.

The police department shared on Facebook “This was a historic weather event. With heavy hearts, we confirm the deaths of an adult woman and a 12-year-old boy, whose bodies were later recovered. We deeply appreciate the assistance from neighboring agencies who supported the rescue operations. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Storm Prediction Center received over 120 reports of severe weather on Saturday, most of them concentrated in Texas and Oklahoma. The town of Jacksboro, Texas, faced significant damage, with photos revealing battered buildings and scattered debris. In Oklahoma’s Courtney area, storm damage included downed trees and power lines, while structures such as barns and sheds also suffered destruction.

According to the Storm Prediction Center, severe weather was expected to strike parts of East Texas through the Ozarks and mid-Mississippi Valley in the afternoon and evening, threatening portions of Arkansas and Missouri. Severe weather, including strong winds, hail, and tornado risks, also spread to East Texas, the Ozarks, and parts of Arkansas and Missouri. Tornado watches were issued across multiple states, including Oklahoma and Texas, with boat rescues in Montague County, Texas, where flooding stranded residents. Forecasters expect the storms to subside by Monday.

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A suspect has been taken into police custody after a mass shooting on Thursday at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.   At least two people were confirmed dead, with six others hospitalized after police responded to a shooting on the campus of FSU.

Per ABC News, the suspect is identified as 20-year-old Phoenix Ikner — a current FSU student and the son of a current Leon County sheriff’s deputy, according to Sheriff Walter McNeil. The suspect is said to have had access to one of his mother’s personal weapons, which was one of the weapons found at the scene. McNeil said that the suspect’s mother has been a deputy with the department for more than 18 years and “her service to this community has been exceptional,” adding that the suspect was also a “long-standing member” of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office’s Youth Advisory Council.

It appears that Ikner had a handgun and a shotgun with him when he allegedly opened fire near the Student Union at FSU, which prompted ambulances, fire trucks and patrol vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies to respond after the university issued an active shooter alert midday Thursday. The university’s FSU Alert account on X said the report was made in the area of the student union: Police responded to an active shooter call from the area of the student union around 12:01 p.m., FSU said. The school’s alert warned those on campus to “seek shelter and await further instructions.” The university also cautioned students to lock and stay away from all doors and windows.

Police have not identified the two people killed, but said they were not students at FSU. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare said it had received six patients, all currently listed in fair condition. The suspected shooter was also being treated at the hospital.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, “My heart breaks for the students, their families, and faculty at Florida State University. There is no place in American society for violence. Our entire nation is praying for the victims and their families.”

FSU informed students that the threat to the campus has been “neutralized” but the area around the campus is still considered an active crime scene.  Per CNN, the university is cancelling classes, business operations and athletic events after the campus shooting: “All classes and business operations are canceled through Friday, April 18. Essential employees should check with their supervisors for further reporting instructions. Athletics events in Tallahassee are canceled throughout the weekend.”

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The Supreme Court announced Thursday that it will hold oral arguments next month to consider whether the Trump administration can partially implement an executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship.

The birthright citizenship order seeks to limit automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are citizens or lawful permanent residents. Specifically, it excludes children born to undocumented mothers, those in the U.S. temporarily, or children whose fathers lack legal status or citizenship. Under the directive, federal agencies were instructed to stop recognizing U.S. citizenship for children born after February 19.

The high court scheduled the hearing for May 15 at 10 a.m., to hear the Justice Department’s request for emergency relief. These injunctions have so far prevented the federal government from implementing a new framework that would deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents without permanent legal status.

The administration is asking the Court to scale back three federal injunctions that currently prevent enforcement of President Trump’s order across the country.  If the Supreme Court grants the request, the administration would only be restricted from applying the executive order to a limited group: the individual plaintiffs, certain immigrant advocacy groups, and residents of 22 states.

The acting solicitor general wrote in the application to the Court “enough is enough,” urging the justices to limit the injunctions to the individual plaintiffs and specific group members involved in the case: “At the very least,” she added, “the Court should permit federal agencies to prepare and issue public guidance on the new policy.”

Opponents of the order have urged the Supreme Court to maintain the lower court rulings. Officials from 18 states, along with Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, argued in court filings that the administration’s request would effectively strip citizenship from potentially hundreds of thousands of children born in the U.S.

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