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Florida Senate unlikely to pass repeal of gun-buying age law passed after Parkland TALLAHASSEE — Days after a mass shooting at nearby Florida State University, the state Senate appears poised to scuttle a controversial proposal that would allow people under age 21 to buy rifles and other long guns, a restriction that went into effect after the 2018 Parkland massacre. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/04/21/florida-senate-unlikely-to-pass-repeal-of-gun-buying-age-law-passed-after-parkland/?

I would like to set in context, the place that the Pope had in the lives of people who are not of the Catholic Faith. I will quote one such person. She simply said: "He was a good person." That person was my wife.

Trump stands by Hegseth "He's doing a great job," President Trump said today when asked whether he still has confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — after reports of a second Signal chat in which Hegseth shared sensitive military information. Trump called worries over Hegseth's sharing of sensitive information "a waste of time." 💬 What they're saying: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, saying on X, "As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind" Hegseth. She called an NPR report saying the White House is looking for a new secretary of defense to replace him "FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about." Go deeper. ps:Of course he does!!!!!

Trump to attend Pope Francis' funeral President Trump plans to attend Pope Francis' funeral, he said today on Truth Social. He ordered flags flown at half-staff in Francis' honor. Vice President Vance met with the late pope yesterday — one of his last meetings before his death at age 88. ✝️ What's next: A conclave to select the next pope will begin within the next few weeks. Francis appointed 80% of the cardinals who will elect his successor. Early speculation has focused on several European cardinals who were close to Francis, as well as potential candidates from Africa and Southeast Asia, per The New York Times (gift link). How it works: Infographic: Maura Losch/Axios

60,000 Americans to lose their rental assistance and risk eviction unless Congress acts The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says that rental assistance for some 60,000 Americans fleeing homelessness or domestic violence will run out of money by the end of next year. Read More. 🤐 The Senate's silent caucus Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who leads his party's messaging arm, has some simple advice for fellow GOP senators: Don't talk with reporters when you're walking to votes. Why it matters: Cotton is one of a handful of senators who refuse to answer questions from congressional reporters in the Capitol hallways covering whatever is the biggest story of the day. Call it curtness. Or call it message discipline. But it allows Cotton and taciturn colleagues to respond to questions on their own terms. And it spares them from having to react to every utterance from President Trump. These senators will give occasional interviews to the press or join Sunday shows, but they are less likely to show their cards on days when the president makes controversial news or the Senate makes moves. The Senate's "silent caucus" also includes: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), now chair of the NRSC, most often refers reporters to his staff or explains he does not answer hallway questions. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) will usually quickly tell reporters she doesn't do hallway interviews. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) while leader refused to answer spontaneous questions in hallways. He indicated to Politico last year that his approach may change in his post-leader era, but so far has largely maintained his silent stare when approached with a question. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) usually refers reporters to his office when they pose a question. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) is new to the Senate but has already informed journalists he will not be taking regular questions when walking to and from votes. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) will also inform reporters she does not do hallway interviews when approached. Between the lines: A Curtis spokesperson challenged the "silent" characterization, saying the senator supports the media's role but that they're wary of "bad faith" hallway conversations. "He wants to have honest, thoughtful, nuanced conversations and most of the time that's impossible to do in a 15 second sound bite," a spokesperson told us. The other side: There are plenty of Democrats who are not considered media friendly, and many senators use tactics to avoid reporters from time to time (such as pretending to take a phone call to shun conversations). But most will give some kind of response to questions in the halls. Zoom out: The decline of local reporters working from D.C. already means some constituents may hear less reporting on how their lawmakers are voting and reacting to major news, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer notes. — Stef Kight

Gunman who killed 23 in a racist attack at a Walmart in El Paso pleads guilty to capital murder The gunman who killed 23 people when he targeted Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart in Texas in 2019 pleaded guilty Monday to capital murder and was scolded by a judge over the racist attack in El Paso near the U.S.-Mexico border. Read More.

White House voices support for Hegseth as a new Signal chat revelation stirs fresh Pentagon turmoil The White House expressed support Monday for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following media reports that he shared sensitive military details in another Signal messaging chat, this time with his wife and brother. Read More. Trump's Transportation Department reverses traffic safety stance on 'road diets' Removing lanes to slow down speeding drivers is a long-embraced strategy for improving safety on city streets. The practice known as road diets has proven to reduce accidents. Now President Donald Trump's administration is heading in another direction. Read More.

Stocks tumble and dollar hits three-year low as Trump bashes Powell again US stocks ended the day sharply lower Monday and the dollar tumbled as investors assessed continued tariff uncertainty and the implications of President Donald Trump’s ongoing mission to try and oust Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/21/investing/us-stock-market/index.html? ps:If he would just shut up and get rid of the tariffs all would be fine!! He inherited a great economy and he's just screwing it up!! Trump renews attack on Federal Reserve Chair Powell, accelerating US market slide President Donald Trump repeated his attacks Monday against the chair of the Federal Reserve, demanding that the central bank lower its key interest rate to boost the economy. Trump's comments drove the stock market and the dollar lower as investors in the U.S. and overseas grow increasingly wary about the economic standing of the U.S. Read More.

Pope Francis’ Last Act Was to Give JD Vance a Lesson About Migrants The pontiff, who died Monday, spoke up in opposition to MAGA policies and suggested in a final statement that they stirred up “contempt.” Pope Francis, who died at 88 on Monday, used his last days on the planet to order up a stern dressing down to JD Vance on the White House’s attitude to migrants. It was an entirely fitting final set piece from one of the few world leaders who had the courage—and political immunity—to stand up to and criticize, often in blistering terms, both presidencies of Donald Trump, explicitly calling his migration policies a “disgrace” and “not Christian.” Vance met with Francis in the Vatican on Sunday. He was given Easter eggs for his children. While that brief meeting appears to have been largely conciliatory in tone, with Vance telling Francis, “It’s good to see you in better health,” Francis’ official Easter speech later in the day seemed to rebuke the MAGA/Vance stance on immigrants and foreign aid: “How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants,” Francis wrote in the address. Sunday’s events were preceded by a less diplomatic meeting on Saturday between Vance and Francis’ number 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Vatican’s foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, in the Apostolic Palace. The Holy See spoke in frank terms after that meeting, saying there had been “an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners.” It called for “serene collaboration” between the White House and the Catholic Church in the United States. A statement from Vance’s office notably did not include migration among the topics of conversation, saying the two discussed Trump’s “commitment to restoring world peace,” Bloomberg reported. In a post reacting to Francis’ death, Vance shared his condolences with “the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” but stopped short of expressing a personal sense of loss. Vance added that he’d been “happy” to see Francis on Sunday and said he’d “always remember” him for a homily given at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. That Francis dared to stand up to Donald Trump and his minions to the very end will surely cement his legacy as the anti-MAGA pope. In February 2025, Francis responded to Trump’s plans for mass deportations of undocumented immigrants on Italian talk show Che Tempo Che Fa, saying: “If true, this will be a disgrace… This is not the way to solve things.” It was also not his first run-in with Vance, the highest-ranking Catholic in the U.S. government, who converted to the faith in 2019. In a February letter, Francis critiqued Vance saying, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups.” Vance acknowledged the Pope’s criticism, calling himself a “baby Catholic” and admitting that there are “things about the faith that I don’t know.” Undoubtedly some of the papal animus towards Trump’s immigration policies sprang from his status as the first Latin American pope, and Trump’s relentless denigration of the continent; Francis was born Jose Mario Bergoglio, in 1936, in Argentina. Trump and Francis clashed during Trump’s first presidency, when Francis described the proposal to build a southern border wall as “not Christian.” Trump retaliated, calling Francis “disgraceful” and a “very political person.” It didn’t stop Trump making a 2017 visit to the Vatican and calling it the “honor of a lifetime.” Few would have predicted that Francis would have ended up preaching fire and brimstone against the president of the United States when he was elected in a fractious 2013 conclave. Francis was essentially a compromise candidate whose main asset was his low profile, his love of consensus and his reputation for humility. He took on the leadership of the Catholic Church from Benedict XVI, whose inept handling of the Catholic child-abuse scandals led him to become the first pope to resign in more than 600 years. Pope Francis inherited a holy mess: Benedict’s disastrous papacy had left the Catholic church at war with itself, bitterly divided between traditionalists who had applauded Benedict’s scholarly, rigid interpretation of Catholic doctrine, and liberals and progressives within the Church who felt at best marginalized and at worst utterly abandoned by it—as did millions of traumatized Catholics and their families worldwide who had been affected, either directly or indirectly, by clerical abuse. Not being Pope Benedict was, therefore, an excellent start, and Pope Francis rarely missed an opportunity to define himself in opposition to his dogmatic predecessor. He modeled himself, quite openly, on Jesus. Eschewing papal ermines for a plain white cassock, he lived in a monastery guest house at the Vatican instead of the lavish papal apartments, and he used simple language as opposed to the complex and weighty philosophical formulations favored by Benedict. He carried his own satchel and shunned the bulletproof “Popemobile” so he could be closer to his flock. Where Benedict had only washed the feet of men in the traditional ceremonies of Holy Week, and later switched to washing only the feet of priests, Francis washed the feet of humble parishioners, always including women. In 2024 he washed the feet of 12 female convicts, who wept as he performed the ceremony, at a prison in Rome. His critics, however, accused him of uttering fine words while continuing to preside over a hopelessly anachronistic institution, particularly when it came to the rights of non-heterosexuals. Despite piously responding, “Who am I to judge?” when asked by a reporter on one of his legendary in-flight press conferences about whether gay men should be allowed to be priests, he ultimately sided with the forces of orthodoxy, and refused to allow Catholic clergy to bless same-sex unions. In June 2024, Francis was quoted as saying there was “too much faggotry” among men training to be priests in seminaries, using the Italian word frociaggine. He subsequently apologized—before using the offensive word again just weeks later. Conservative Catholics bristled at his mixed messaging, as did women who felt he undervalued them. In one gaffe, he called a group of female theologians the “cherries on the cake” at a conference of scholars, and he frequently likened the archaic attitudes of some conservatives to “old grandmothers.” In 2016, a group led by the conservative American cardinal Raymond Burke sent an official complaint, known as a dubium, to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, using a formal method established centuries ago whereby prelates can ask a pontiff for clarification on certain matters. In this case, the cardinals had five dubia about the pope’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) in which he appeared to ease up on the church’s traditional teachings about marriage, leading to what the conservative Catholics say caused “grave disorientation and great confusion.” Francis’s mishandling of the systematic clerical sex abuse scandal will also tarnish his legacy. In 2017, he sided with Juan Barros Madrid, a bishop he wished to promote who was accused of knowing about systematic cover-ups of decades of clerical sex abuse in the Chilean church. Francis even went so far as to call the accusations against the bishop “calumnious.” Weeks later, though, he had to backtrack on his words and eventually accepted the resignation of several Chilean bishops linked to the abuse scandal. “Francis’ dogged determination to support Barros against this tide from both Church and society must be counted as one of the boldest—or, perhaps, most foolhardy—decisions of his pontificate,” wrote papal biographer Austen Ivereigh at the time. In the summer of 2018, Francis failed again after a Pennsylvania grand jury report claimed that more than 1,000 children were abused by more than 300 priests amidst decades of cover-ups in that state. He waited days before responding. One of his last public encounters, aside from Vance, was with King Charles and Queen Camilla just days before he died. The king issued a statement saying: “His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others. “His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world.” Ultimately Francis did much of what the conclave of 2013 had hoped he would do, rehabilitating and humanizing the Catholic church. He also lured many lapsed Catholics back to the pews: Although congregations in Europe have declined, in every other region they have increased. But it is his overt and deliberate humility that he will likely be best remembered for—as well as telling Donald Trump and JD Vance where to get off. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pope-francis-last-act-was-to-give-jd-vance-a-lesson-about-migrants/? ps:And he probably didn't learn a thing from the Pope!!

Trump’s $239 Million Inauguration Haul Is Officially the Biggest Presidential Suck-Up in History The president has rewarded corporate America’s record donations with tariffs, trade wars and recession fears. President Donald Trump raised a record-shattering $239 million for his inauguration fund from donors eager to please the famously transactional president-elect. Trump himself had set the previous record—$107 million—in 2017. For January’s events, about 140 people and companies gave $1 million or more, The New York Times reported. The Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee was required by law to report the donations to the Federal Election Commission, but did not have to report how the money was used—or spend it in any specific way. That made inaugural fund donations the perfect vehicle for currying favor with the administration. At the time, tech giants Meta, Amazon, and Google made a point of publicly announcing their $1 million donations in the lead-up to the events, the Times reported. OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Apple CEO Tim Cook personally donated $1 million each. Now, a new election commission filing reveals that campaign mega donor Elon Musk’s tech investor friends John Hering, Ken Howery, and Keith Rabois also gave $1 million each. Trump’s pick for ambassador to Britain, Warren Stephens, donated $4 million the same day Trump announced his ambassadorship nomination, according to the Times. Other major corporate donors included JP Morgan Chase, Delta Air Lines and Target, all of which gave at least $1 million. The biggest donations came from the poultry producer Pilgrim’s, which gave $5 million, and the crypto company Ripple Inc., which gave nearly as much. The committee actually refunded about $6 million in donations because some of the events were so full that seven-figure donors couldn’t get in, according to the Times. Tech billionaires including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos were rewarded for their fealty with prime seats for the president’s inauguration ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda. They don’t seem to have received much in the way of a return on their investments, The New York Times reported earlier this month. Thanks to the president’s trade war, Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft have lost trillions of dollars in combined market value since January, as Trump’s tariffs promise to drive up the prices of many of their products. The government has also refused to drop its landmark antitrust case against Meta, and has slashed federal funding for research into emerging technologies like quantum computing and artificial intelligence. Executives may have hoped that flattery and seven-figure donations might earn them special treatment from Trump, but so far, the relationship has been a “one-way street,” a former Federal Communications Commission official told the Times. The 2025 inaugural committee hasn’t said how much money it spent on Trump’s inauguration weekend, but even with the various events planned, inauguration expenses have never come anywhere near $250 million, the paper reported. Trump’s allies have said the rest of the money will be funneled to the president’s other sponsored projects, including a presidential library. The $346 million raised by his two inaugural committees is more than every other committee combined since 1973. https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-239-million-inauguration-was-officially-the-biggest-presidential-suck-up-in-history/?

👋 Good morning! Welcome back. ‌ In today's edition: The NBA's 4 generations, the NCAA winter champions, arenas pulling double duty, softball attendance mark, Baker's Dozen, and more. ‌ Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. 🚨 ICYMI headlineS 🏆 USA 4, Canada 3 (OT): The U.S. women's hockey team beat Canada in dramatic fashion to win gold at the world championships. It's the 11th title for the Americans, who are closing in on Canada's haul of 13. ‌ 💨 Big-time blowouts: The Thunder became the sixth NBA team to win a playoff game by 50+ points with a 131-80 thrashing of the Grizzlies; the Reds destroyed the Orioles, 24-2, in the biggest beatdown of the MLB season. ‌ ⛳️ Back in the winner's circle: Justin Thomas sank a 21-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole at the RBC Heritage to end a nearly three-year PGA Tour title drought. He also became the first wire-to-wire champion this season, holding the lead after the first round (-10) and the last (-17). ‌ 🍼 Papa Ohtani: Reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, welcomed a new baby girl on Saturday. ‌ ⚽️ Rodman steps away: Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman is taking an indefinite leave of absence to address her continuing back issues. Earlier this month, she said she doesn't think her back "will ever be 100%." 🏀 NBA PLAYOFFS 4 GENERATIONS: WHO RUNS THE LEAGUE? (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) The longevity of LeBron James and others his age has provided us with a never-before-seen NBA revelation: four generations of superstars, all playing at once, each with championship aspirations. ‌From Yahoo Sports' Ben Rohrbach: There used to be a pattern to these things. One generation would cede control as another seized it, and a third would rise behind them. Rinse and repeat forever. Or so we thought. ‌There are two factions battling for control of today's NBA, and a generation on both sides of them looking to disrupt our expectations for this year's tournament. They are the legends among us, ages 22 to 40, spanning two decades of drafts. ‌ ❶ The Old Guys (2003-09 NBA Drafts): Nobody used to be this good for this long. If there is a fountain of youth, it runs through James' veins. He has altered what we thought possible, and Stephen Curry is following his lead. Nobody even thought James Harden could still do what he's doing at the age of 35. ‌ LeBron James: 40 (1st pick in 2003) Al Horford: 38 (3rd pick in 2007) Stephen Curry: 37 (7th pick in 2009) Russell Westbrook: 36 (4th pick in 2008) James Harden: 35 (3rd pick in 2009) ❷ The Getting Old Guys (2010-14 Drafts): The longevity of the generation before them and the rapid rise of the generation behind them has limited this generation's championship window to only a few years. Can this group of players, who are getting older themselves, reclaim their era? ‌ Jimmy Butler: 35 (30th pick in 2011) Kawhi Leonard: 33 (15th pick in 2011) Rudy Gobert: 32 (27th pick in 2013) Giannis Antetokounmpo: 30 (15th pick in 2013) Nikola Jokić: 30 (41st pick in 2014) ❸ The New Guys (2015-19 Drafts): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell are the best players on the three title favorites, while Luka Dončić and Jalen Brunson lead two legit contenders. All five are between 26 and 28 years old — the precipice of a player's prime, traditionally speaking. Does the NBA belong to them now? ‌ Jalen Brunson: 28 (33rd pick in 2018) Donovan Mitchell: 28 (13th pick in 2017) Jayson Tatum: 27 (3rd pick in 2017) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 26 (11th pick in 2018) Luka Dončić: 26 (3rd pick in 2018) ❹ The Next Guys (2020-24 Drafts): Over the coming weeks, someone from the NBA's 25-and-under group will alter our opinion of their trajectory. Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton did it last year when they led their teams to the conference finals. Who will be the story this time? ‌ Tyrese Haliburton: 25 (12th pick in 2020) Evan Mobley: 23 (3rd pick in 2021) Anthony Edwards: 23 (1st pick in 2020) Cade Cunningham: 23 (1st pick in 2021) Paolo Banchero: 22 (1st pick in 2022) 🏆 TROPHY CASE THE NCAA WINTER CHAMPIONS Oklahoma celebrates winning the women's gymnastics championship on Saturday in Fort Worth. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) The NCAA's winter season concluded over the weekend, with gymnastics becoming the 10th and final sport to crown its Division I champions. ‌ Gymnastics: Michigan (men) won its first title since 2014 behind Olympic medalists Fred Richard and Paul Juda, while Oklahoma (women) won its third title in four years and seventh overall. ‌Basketball: Florida (men) won its first championship since going back-to-back in 2006-07, while UConn (women) won its first since capturing four straight from 2013-16 and record 12th overall. ‌Ice Hockey: Western Michigan (men) won its first-ever championship in its Frozen Four debut, while Wisconsin (women) won its record eighth title. Texas is back on top. (Mollie Handkins/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) Swimming & Diving: Texas (men) won its record 16th title in its first season under Michael Phelps' longtime coach, Bob Bowman; Virginia (women) captured its fifth straight title behind Olympic medalists Alex and Gretchen Walsh. ‌ Wrestling (men only): Penn State's dynasty continues. The Nittany Lions have now won four straight championships and 12 of the last 14 overall. ‌ Indoor Track & Field: USC (men) won its first title since 1972, while Oregon (women) won its first title of the decade after winning seven in the 2010s. Notre Dame fencer Magda Skarbonkiewicz was crowned champion in women's saber. (Alysa Rubin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) Fencing (co-ed): Notre Dame won its fourth title in the past five years, and 10th since the championship became co-ed in 1990. Only Penn State (13) has more in that time. ‌ Skiing (co-ed): Utah won its fourth title in the last five years, and 15th since the championship became co-ed in 1983. No other school has more than 10 in that time. ‌ Rifle (co-ed): West Virginia is back in the winner's circle with its first title since 2017 and 20th overall. Alaska (11) is the only other school with more than four. ‌ Bowling (women only): Youngstown State beat defending champion Jacksonville State to win its first bowling title, which has been an NCAA sanctioned championship since 2004. 🏟️ CO-TENANTS DOUBLE DUTY: ONE ARENA, TWO PLAYOFF TEAMS (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports) 11 venues are shared by NBA and NHL teams, but only two are hosting playoff games in both leagues this year: Crypto.com Arena* (Lakers, Kings) and Ball Arena (Nuggets, Avalanche). ‌ Madison Square Garden (Knicks), TD Garden (Celtics) and Little Caesars Arena (Pistons) will host NBA playoff games, but not NHL playoff games. American Airlines Center (Stars), Capital One Arena (Capitals) and Scotiabank Arena (Maple Leafs) will host NHL playoff games, but not NBA playoff games. 0-for-2: Wells Fargo Center (76ers and Flyers), United Center (Bulls and Blackhawks) and Delta Center (Jazz and Utah Hockey Club) won't host any playoff games after both co-tenants missed the postseason. ‌ *34 years later… The Lakers and Kings are hosting Game 1 playoff games in the same building for the first time since 1991, when Magic Johnson and Wayne Gretzky shared the spotlight at the Great Western Forum. 📊 STATS DU JOUR BY THE NUMBERS (Eakin Howard/Getty Images) 🥎 13,207 spectators ‌ Stanford smashed the NCAA softball single-game attendance record on Saturday with 13,207 spectators at "The Big Swing" game against Cal. The Cardinal are playing in the university's football stadium this season while their new $50 million softball stadium is being built. 🏒 60 assists ‌ Colorado's Cale Makar became the third-fastest defenseman in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to reach 60 career assists (79 games), trailing only Bobby Orr (69) and Al MacInnis (71). Decent company, I guess. ‌ 🏀 0 counting stats ‌ Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma did a whole lot of nothing in Saturday's loss to the Pacers, recording 0 points (0-5 FG, 0-2 FT), 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals and 0 blocks in 21 minutes. Silver lining: He also had 0 turnovers! ‌ 🏎️ 99 points ‌ Oscar Piastri won Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to secure his third victory of the season and move into first place in the drivers' championship for the first time in his career. Piastri (99 points) is 10 points ahead of Mercedes teammate Lando Norris (89), who is two points ahead of Red Bull's four-time defending champion Max Verstappen (87). ‌ ⛳️ 3rd career start ‌ Ingrid Lindblad held off the field on Sunday to win the LA Championship in only her third career LPGA start. "I said, if I win, I'm gonna bump myself up to first class tomorrow," the former LSU star joked Saturday. "But there are no seats in first class tomorrow." 📺 BOSTON STRONG WATCHLIST: MARATHON MONDAY Runners cross the finish line during last year’s Marathon. (Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) Today is the third Monday in April, which in Boston means just one thing (well, two, actually): a world-famous marathon and a late-morning Sox game. ‌ Double feature: Patriots' Day begins with the 129th running of the Boston Marathon* (9am ET, ESPN2), followed by Red Sox vs. White Sox in a rare pre-noon start (11:10am, MLB). The idea is that after the game, fans can walk across the street to watch the final mile of the race. ‌ More to watch: ‌ 🏀 NBA Playoffs: Pistons (0-1) at Knicks (7:30pm, TNT); Clippers (0-1) at Nuggets (10pm, TNT) … Two of the best first-round matchups. 🏒 NHL Playoffs: Canadiens at Capitals (7pm, ESPN); Blues (0-1) at Jets (7:30pm, ESPN2); Avalanche (1-0) at Stars (9:30pm, ESPN); Oilers at Kings (10pm, ESPN2) ⚾️ MLB: Padres at Tigers (6:40pm, FS1) … San Diego (MLB-best 16-6) and Detroit (13-9) are both currently in first place. ⚽️ Premier League: Tottenham vs. Nottingham Forest (3pm, USA) … A win would move Forest into third place. *Chasing history: Kenya's Hellen Obiri is attempting to become the first woman this century to three-peat in Boston. She won in 2023 with a time of 2:21:38 and repeated in 2024 with a time of 2:22:27.

How Trump Is Helping Price Gougers Exploit His Tariffs The day after President Donald Trump announced his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs, pricing guru Craig Zawada held an urgent summit for his clients. The global economy was roiling with anxiety, and stocks were in a tailspin, but Zawada had a more hopeful message to impart: For the businesses deploying his company’s “smart pricing” software, this was a rare opportunity. https://www.levernews.com/how-trump-is-helping-price-gougers-exploit-his-tariffs/? ps:I can't believe I'm gonna say it once again, It just gets better and better!!!!!

The Vanilla Enigma: How a Canaanite Tomb Rewrote Spice History World’s first use of Vanilla found at Tel Megiddo https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/the-vanilla-enigma-how-a-canaanite-tomb-rewrote-spice-history/? 10 Great Biblical Artifacts at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem Artifacts and the Bible https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-artifacts/artifacts-and-the-bible/10-great-biblical-artifacts-at-the-bible-lands-museum-jerusalem/? Who Was Thecla? The early Christian saint, rebel, and protagonist of the Acts of Thecla https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/who-was-thecla/?

Abrego Garcia Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and detained in the country’s notorious CECOT prison, has been moved to another detention center. Sen. Chris Van Hollen met with Abrego Garcia last week and said he was traumatized by his incarceration. “He said he was not afraid of the other prisoners in his immediate cell but that he was traumatized by being at CECOT and fearful of many of the prisoners in other cell blocks who called out to him and taunted him in various ways,” the Maryland Democrat told reporters after landing back in the US. Although the Supreme Court said the Trump administration must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, so far it has refused to do so. Harvard Harvard University’s battle with the Trump administration may have escalated over a letter it should never have received. According to a report in The New York Times, the letter outlined a slew of demands, which, if not followed, would result in a loss of federal funding. When Harvard responded by refusing to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies, audit the viewpoints of students, faculty and staff and alter rules for on-campus protests, the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal grants. The Department of Homeland Security canceled two federal grants worth $2.7 million and threatened to strip Harvard of its ability to enroll international students. The IRS is also making plans to rescind the university’s tax-exempt status. However, two people familiar with the matter say the letter was “unauthorized” and shouldn't have been sent. “Even assuming the Administration now wishes to take back its litany of breathtakingly intrusive demands, it appears to have doubled down on those demands through its deeds in recent days. Actions speak louder than words,” a Harvard spokesperson said in a statement.

Israel The Israeli military now says “professional failures” led to the deadly March 23 attack on first responders in southern Gaza. An ambulance crew in Rafah disappeared that day, prompting the dispatch of a convoy of emergency vehicles. The fate of those emergency workers would also remain a mystery for over a week until rescue teams were allowed into the area and discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of the 15 first responders and their crushed emergency vehicles. The Israel Defense Forces originally claimed the convoy was moving suspiciously, without headlights or flashing lights, toward Israeli troops and that members of the emergency teams were militants. But a video found on one of the bodies showed the convoy’s lights were on, their vehicles were clearly marked, and the rescuers were wearing reflective emergency responder uniforms when the Israeli troops opened fire. The latest Israeli probe identified several failures during the incident, as well as breaches of orders and a failure to fully report what happened.

Pete Hegseth Last month, a national security scandal involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top officials rocked the Trump administration. Those officials were caught discussing a US military attack on Houthis in Yemen in a group chat on Signal, a conversation that inadvertently included a journalist. Despite sharing highly confidential — and likely classified — information on a commercially available app with a member of the media, none of those involved were punished for their actions. That chat is still under investigation. Now, it seems that wasn’t the only time such material was posted on the app. Hegseth reportedly created a second Signal group chat during his confirmation hearing and continued using it after he was confirmed. And he allegedly shared the same sensitive details about the airstrikes in the second group chat, which contained at least 12 people, including his wife Jennifer, a former Fox News producer; his brother Phil; and lawyer Tim Parlatore, three people familiar with the chat told CNN.

Pope Francis Pope Francis, the first non-European pontiff in nearly 1,300 years and one of the oldest popes in the church’s history, has died, the Vatican announced. He was 88. Born in Buenos Aires, Francis was 16 when he decided to become a priest. He entered the seminary and after three years began training to become a Jesuit, a religious order known for its missionary work. At 36, he was appointed head of the Jesuit order in Argentina. Francis became the first Latin-American pontiff in 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI resigned. Benedict remained as pope emeritus until his death at 95 in 2022. Unlike his predecessor, who was admired by conservatives for railing against secular trends, Francis sought to modernize the church. A believer in humility, he eschewed the opulence of the office and turned down the opportunity to move into the luxurious papal apartments. Francis also championed the poor, migrants and the environment and he took a more compassionate approach to divorced and gay Catholics. His efforts, particularly concerning same-sex relationships and how to tackle the scourge of sexual abuse scandals, faced unprecedented resistance from ultra-conservatives.

April 21, 2025 by Lauren Jackson and Claire Fahy Good morning. Pope Francis has died at 88. Below, we look at his life and his influence on more than one billion Catholics. Pope Francis Damon Winter/The New York Times A groundbreaking pontificate Pope Francis, the Catholic church’s first Latin American pope, has died at 88. He rose from a humble childhood in Argentina to become the leader of the world’s largest and most powerful church. Francis died at about 7:30 a.m. Rome time, the Vatican announced. He had recently spent five weeks in a hospital for pneumonia. Still, he appeared yesterday in a wheelchair to bless tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for Easter Sunday. Last week, he went to a prison in Rome and told the inmates he wanted “to be close to you. I pray for you and your families.” Asked by reporters at the prison how he was doing, he said: “As best I can.” For 12 years, Francis led more than one billion Catholics and reshaped the faith to make it more inclusive. He clashed with traditionalists as he reached out to migrants, gay Catholics and victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. He sought to improve relations with Muslim clerics. He criticized the powerful for their role in climate change and called for an end to wars. He filled Catholic leadership with bishops who reflected the worldwide congregation. No matter the state of global politics, he never changed his approach. “Francis believed that the church’s future depended on going to the margins to embrace the faithful in the modern world rather than offering a cloister away from it,” our colleague Jason Horowitz writes. Read his obituary here. Below, we explore the pope’s life and influence. An extraordinary ascent Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio on a train in 2008. Pablo Leguizamon/Associated Press The boy who would become Pope Francis was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on Dec. 17, 1936. Bookish, intelligent and deeply religious, he also played basketball and loved to dance the tango. Just before his 17th birthday, he was rushing to meet his friends when he was moved to enter the Basilica of St. Joseph in Buenos Aires. He said that he “felt like someone grabbed me from inside” and that “right there I knew I had to be a priest.” Bergoglio was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1969. The Jesuit tradition emphasizes humility, helping the poor and respecting Indigenous peoples. As he rose through the ranks to become a cardinal, he practiced that humility: He cooked for himself and took the bus to work from his apartment. He also gained a reputation as a tough but effective manager. That reputation helped him become an unexpected pope. In 2013, Pope Benedict XVI suddenly resigned, becoming the first pope to do so in six centuries. The Vatican was in crisis, and cardinals wanted someone with firm management to steer the church. They elected Bergoglio, a surprising successor, who was far more progressive than the conservative Benedict. He took his papal name from St. Francis of Assisi, the humble friar who dedicated his life to piety and the poor. A makeover Pope Francis in Canada. Ian Willms for The New York Times Francis faced major challenges as he took office: The church was in the middle of a sex abuse scandal and fewer people were attending church. He attempted to address the issues plaguing the church and advocate for social justice. But he also continued to uphold divisive stances, such as the church’s strong opposition to abortion. He framed himself as an approachable figure. Still, his charm and easy smile belied his reputation inside the Vatican as a steely — his opponents said ruthless — administrator as he brought greater transparency to church finances and overhauled the Vatican’s bureaucracy. In moves to address the needs of the modern church, he expressed support for same-sex civil unions and allowed priests to bless gay couples even while the church continued to bar gay marriage. He said transgender people could be godparents and that their children could be baptized. Francis also expanded the church’s definition of sexual abuse to include adults — the first change to Vatican law since 1983 — explicitly acknowledging that adults, and not only children, could be victimized. His impatience with the status quo earned him enemies. He demoted conservatives in Vatican offices, restricted the use of the old Latin Mass and opened influential meetings of bishops to laypeople, including women. What’s next? Francis’s death launches a series of rituals and procedures. His papal ring will be destroyed and his rooms will be sealed; he will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica; and cardinals will be invited to Rome from across the world to attend the funeral and choose the new pope. The cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel for a conclave and vote by secret ballot. A two-thirds majority is needed to elect a new pope. Votes are repeated until enough support emerges for the top candidate. The cardinals face a decision: Will they follow Francis’s vision of a more progressive church or return to the traditionalist approach of his recent predecessors? Read his full obituary and what happens when a pope dies. The world responds Mourners are gathering, some crying, in St. Peter’s Square. On his last day of life, Francis met briefly with Vice President JD Vance. Vance said Francis “was obviously very ill” during their meeting. Emmanuel Macron described Francis as a leader who “wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest” in a post on social media. “This holy man of God was also very human,” Stephen Cottrell, the Anglican archbishop of York, said. “He was witty, lively, good to be with, and the warmth of his personality and interest in others shone out from him.” Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, said a “great man and a great pastor have left us. I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice and his teachings.” Soccer matches have been canceled in Italy following the pope’s death, Reuters reports. See the pope’s life in photos. For more: The face of Catholicism in the U.S. is changing: The number of Catholics has been buoyed by growing immigrant communities, while younger priests tend to be more conservative. In “Believing,” The Times is exploring how people experience religion and spirituality now. Sign up to receive the latest in your inbox. THE LATEST NEWS Signal Group Chat Pete Hegseth Doug Mills/The New York Times The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, shared sensitive information about strikes on Yemen in a second Signal group chat in March. This one included his wife, brother and personal lawyer. The attack details Hegseth shared on the group — which he created — were essentially the same as the information he sent to another Signal group chat, one that mistakenly included the editor of The Atlantic. Deportations Four Democratic lawmakers arrived in El Salvador to press for the release of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man who was wrongly deported to a Salvadoran prison. Senator Chris Van Hollen, who met with Abrego Garcia last week, accused the Trump administration of defying court orders to return him. Justice Samuel Alito dissented in the Supreme Court’s 1 a.m. order blocking the deportation of a group of Venezuelans, calling the decision premature. El Salvador’s president offered Venezuela a deal: He would free Venezuelans deported to his country by the U.S. if Venezuela released the same number of prisoners, including opposition figures. More on the Trump Administration The White House is assessing ideas to boost America’s birthrate, including a $5,000 baby bonus to be given to women after delivery. Trump raised about $240 million for his inauguration, more than double the record he set in 2017. More on Politics Public safety, congestion pricing and homelessness: The Times asked the Democrats running for New York mayor where they stand on these issues and more. See the answers. Republicans in half a dozen states, including Idaho and Michigan, have introduced resolutions urging the Supreme Court to reconsider same-sex marriage. The Supreme Court will consider tomorrow whether parents have a religious right to withdraw their children from classes in which books with L.G.B.T.Q. themes are discussed. Google A three-week hearing about how to fix Google’s monopoly in online search begins today. The government wants Google to sell its Chrome browser. The company would prefer to restrict deals that give its search engine prime placement on browsers and smartphones. Other Big Stories From a cellphone video taken by a paramedic moments before he and other rescue workers were killed by Israelis. via Associated Press Israel’s military said soldiers’ deadly attack on medics in Gaza last month had involved “professional failures” and that it would dismiss a commander. Giant waves battered Sydney and other places along Australia’s east coast, killing at least six people. After the end of a five-year pause in penalties, millions of student loan borrowers are behind on payments and watching their credit scores drop. Harvey Weinstein has complained about his treatment on Rikers Island. He has become an unlikely voice in the push to close the jail. Opinions In a satirical essay, Larry David imagines dinner with Hitler. Gail Collins and Bret Stephens discuss Democrats’ future and the Fed. Here is a column by David French on faith and fear. A subscription to match the variety of your interests. News. Games. Recipes. Product reviews. Sports reporting. A New York Times All Access subscription covers all of it and more. Subscribe today. MORNING READS Iris Legendre Soccer as sacred: “Like the religiously zealous, people subsume themselves in their fandom.” Read the latest essay from “Believing.” Ask Vanessa: “What do I wear to a spring outing with co-workers?” Smells like gentrification: When artisanal bakeries move into New York City neighborhoods, the perfume Bond No. 9 sometimes follows. Most clicked yesterday: Thousands of protesters across the U.S. rallied to condemn Trump. Trending online yesterday: “The Last of Us” viewers were reeling from last night’s twist. Read our recap. Metropolitan Diary: Musical chairs on the E train. Lives Lived: Max Romeo’s earliest reggae hits dripped with sexual innuendo, but he switched to a soulful, politically engaged message that provided a soundtrack to the class struggles of 1970s Jamaica. The singer died at 80. SPORTS N.B.A.: Golden State won decisively over Houston in Game 1. Read more about the postseason’s second day. N.H.L.: In the renewed Battle of Ontario, the Maple Leafs routed the Senators, 6-2. It was a win that could define the series. ARTS AND IDEAS Representative Jasmine Crockett, Democrat of Texas. Jason Andrew for The New York Times With Trump back in office, the bro culture that helped him get elected feels like the dominant culture. As liberals try to get their groove back, some Democrats are being encouraged to embrace a new attitude, one that is provocative and edgy (but not too much). Online, this approach has a name: “Dark woke.” More on culture Blaire Fleming Preston Gannaway for The New York Times She was a little-known college player. Then, she became a symbol of injustice. Read how the war over trans athletes tore a volleyball team apart. Ryan Coogler’s horror “Sinners” is a box office success — but it’s still a long way from being profitable. “Black Mirror” showed a dystopian near future. Some of it is here now. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times Make cheesy ham and potato soup with leftovers. Bird-watch on vacation. Stop using so much laundry detergent. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was boxlike. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch

☄️ 1 fun thing: Double meteor shower The Lyrids meteor shower seen over Germany in 2020. Photo: Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images Be on the lookout for shooting stars and fireballs this week: Two meteor showers will overlap through Saturday, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes. The Lyrids meteor shower peaks tonight into tomorrow. The other shower — the Eta Aquarids — started Saturday and is active until late May. Go deeper: Tips to spot shooting stars. A green comet likely is breaking apart and won’t be visible to the naked eye NEW YORK (AP) — A newly discovered green comet tracked by telescopes has likely broken apart as it swung by the sun, dashing hopes of a naked-eye spectacle. https://apnews.com/article/green-comet-swan-591463c7f93d21d09ee50ca5ca8c5f26?

👟 Boston reassures visiting marathoners Workers paint the starting line for the 129th Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Mass., last week. Photo: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images The 30,000+ runners in today's Boston Marathon include entrants from 128 countries, despite slumping U.S. tourism numbers amid tariff anger and border fears, AP reports. Why it matters: The Boston Marathon is the world's oldest and most prestigious annual 26.2-mile race. It's staged on the Massachusetts holiday of Patriots' Day — commemorating the battles of Lexington and Concord, which sparked the American Revolution 250 years ago. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu insisted Friday that international runners and other international visitors remain welcome. She said there's no evidence marathon travel has fallen off in the face of increased border scrutiny. "Regardless of what's happening at other levels, and particularly now at the federal level, in Boston we welcome everyone," Wu said at a public-safety briefing near the finish line. "We seek to be a home for everyone." The 129th edition of the race is full — with thousands turned away, and no indication that those registered are staying home, Boston Athletic Association CEO Jack Fleming said. Paula Roberts-Banks, a writer and photographer from Rosseau, Ontario, who has run Boston 12 times, wrote in Canadian Running magazine that she earned a coveted bib for this year's race — but decided not to run because she has "soured" on the U.S.: "It feels like a breakup." More on the marathon.

✈️ New data: Top 10 airports Image: Airports Council International Here are the world's 10 busiest airports by total 2024 passengers, according to new Airports Council International (ACI) data: Atlanta (ATL) Dubai, UAE (DXB) Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Tokyo (HND) London Heathrow (LHR) Denver (DEN) Istanbul, Turkey (IST) Chicago O'Hare (ORD) New Delhi, India (DEL) Shanghai, China (PVG) Explore the data.

🐊 Fewer people moving to Florida Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios Domestic migration to Florida has taken a big hit, Axios Tampa's Yacob Reyes writes from a Redfin report. Why it matters: People once saw Florida as a cheaper alternative to New York City and the Bay Area. But that gap has narrowed. The big picture: Hurricanes, skyrocketing insurance premiums and steep HOA fees have made out-of-staters think twice about the Sunshine State. More companies now require employees to go into the office, which means fewer people can relocate, and some who moved during the pandemic have had to leave. 🧮 By the numbers: Tampa Bay had the biggest slowdown in domestic migration of the 50 most populous U.S. metros last year, according to the report. Three other Florida cities — Miami, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale — were among the top 10 metro areas where net domestic migration tanked the most in 2024.

🏛️ Mapped: Where feds work Data: Office of Personnel Management. Map: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios Federal workers are largely concentrated in and around our nation's capital — no surprise! — but also have strong showings in some Mountain West states, plus Alaska and Hawai'i, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes. Why it matters: Some states may be more vulnerable than others as the second Trump administration works to significantly trim the federal workforce. By the numbers: D.C. has the most federal civilian workers per 100,000 residents — followed by Maryland, Hawai'i and Virginia, according to the latest OPM data, which predate President Trump's federal jobs cuts. Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have the fewest. Go deeper: Kansas City's DOGE pain.

Turmoil engulfs Pentagon Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is battling major upheaval inside the Pentagon — including a new report on his use of Signal, and the defection of a one-time close ally. Why it matters: Hegseth — tested in battle, but never atop government before this — needs to quickly stabilize one of the world's most consequential buildings and bureaucracies. 🔭 Zoom in: In under a week, Hegseth's top leadership team has been overtaken by backstabbing reminiscent of President Trump's first term, Axios' Noah Bressner and Rebecca Falconer write. Former top Pentagon spokesperson John Ullyot — who left the department last week — wrote in a Politico opinion piece last night: "The last month has been a full-blown meltdown at the Pentagon — and it's becoming a real problem for the administration." (Ullyot says he resigned. A DOD official says Ullyot was pushed out.) A N.Y. Times report last night revealed Hegseth "shared detailed information about forthcoming strikes in Yemen on March 15 in a private Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer." The Pentagon says: "There was no classified information in any Signal chat." Three top officials — Dan Caldwell, Colin Carroll and Darin Selnick — were fired after being placed on leave during an apparent internal investigation into "unauthorized disclosures of national security information." Hegseth's chief of staff, Joe Kasper, left his job for another role at the Defense Department. Via X 👀 The intrigue: The three fired officials hit back at Hegseth's team Saturday, saying in a statement on X: "Unnamed Pentagon officials have slandered our character with baseless attacks on our way out the door." "At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of 'leaks' to begin with." Via X 🥊 Charlie Kirk — the influential MAGA podcaster, who has Trump's ear — tweeted last night: "Pete must stay." ps:Like I've said more than once, it just gets better and better with this administration!! But that's what you get when putting people in charge of organizations that they have no right to be in charge of and just bending over to a person that thinks he is a king!!!!!