Pope Francis’ last public appearance sends a deep message

By
Monica Pop
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The Catholic world is mourning the passing of the first pope from Latin America, Pope Francis, whose liberal views on the church felt like a fresh breeze for millions of believers.

His passing was announced by Vatican in the early hours of April 21, Easter Sunday.

Pope Francis had made his last public appearance just hours prior.

Since February, Pope Francis experienced health issues and his health deteriorated. He was admitted to the Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he stayed for over a month, longest during his 12 years of papacy. His cause of death was listed as a heart failure.

This year, for the first time since he was elected a pope in 2013, Pope Francis missed most Holly Week events, including the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum, the Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Holy Thursday foot-washing ritual.

On Easter Sunday, Pope Francis delivered the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the crowd and to the world. Due to his health condition, the address was delivered by a high-ranking archbishop on his behalf while Cardinal Angelo Comastri presided over the Mass in front of tens of thousands.

In his final address, shared by Vatican, Pope Francis wrote, “I would like us to renew our hope that peace is possible! From the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Resurrection, where this year Easter is being celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox on the same day, may the light of peace radiate throughout the Holy Land and the entire world.”

He then expressed his closeness to “the sufferings of Christians in Palestine and Israel, and to all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people.”

He appealed to the warring parties to “call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace!”

Pope Francis called for peace in Ukraine, and prayed for a final peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He urged the Church to keep the Christians of the beloved Middle East in its thoughts and prayers, and sought for a solution for the people of Yemen.

Wikipedia

His message resonated deeply with every Christian who wishes the same.

Pope Francis’ body has been moved to St Peter’s Basilica, where it will lie in state for three days ahead of his funeral on Saturday which is expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of believers and world leaders.

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Man who goes swimming shortly after getting a tattoo dies

By
Monica Pop
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A 31-year-old man ignored the advice about avoiding swimming at least two weeks after getting a tattoo, resulting in his death.

Namely, the unidentified man decided to take a swim at the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, which is full of saltwater, just days following inking.

Sadly, his wound from the tattoo of a religious cross on his right calf was still fresh and became contaminated with a flesh-eating bacteria.

Doctors said he had a serious bacterial infection caused by Vibrio vulnificus which torn chunks of his skin.

BMJ Case reports via Daily Mail.

Doctors put him on life support for two weeks and battled to fight through the septic shock, a condition that occurs when an infection provokes the immune system to turn against the body’s own organs.

According to reports, the man was vulnerable because his immune system was compromised due to cirrhosis of the liver, a pre-existing health condition he was diagnosed with.

BMJ Case Reports said the man had a habit of consuming six 340ml (12 fl oz) bottles of beer daily.

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Experts argue that he was at higher risk of catching such infection because of the issues with his liver.

Patients diagnosed with chronic liver disease have low amounts of neutrophils – important white blood cells that help to fight bugs, according to the Daily Mail.

Exposing open wounds to water, whether saltwater or pool water, can increase the chances of contracting skin infections.

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Patel set to release documents tied to FBI’s Trump-Russia collusion investigation

By
Monica Pop
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Following a declassification executive order from President Donald Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel has delivered nearly 700 pages of declassified documents from the bureau’s “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation to Congress.

The documents have been exclusively obtained by Just the News.

The investigation centered around false allegations of Trump-Russia collusion in 2016 and beyond.

Donald Trump attempted to declassify the FBI’s Russiagate scandal records during the final days of his first term’s presidency but his attempt was blocked by his own Justice Department in January 2021.

“I have determined that all of the materials referenced in the Presidential Memorandum of January 19, 2021 … are no longer classified,” he said when he announced the order.

REUTERS via NewYork Post

However, the DOJ under Garland and the FBI under Wray blocked the implementation of Trump’s declassification order.

“I have determined that all of the materials referenced in the Presidential Memorandum of January 19, 2021 … are no longer classified,” Trump declared in the March 2025 order titled “Immediate Declassification of Materials Related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation.”

Despite a number of sections being heavily redacted, Patel’s declassified documents to Congress provide rare insight into the FBI’s internal procedures, debates, and decisions during the early phases of the Trump–Russia collusion investigation.

This step is a confirmation for Trump supporters that the investigation against him was biased and illegitimate since its inception.

Critics, however, see the declassification as a political theater and bringing back an old narrative that has already been proven false by independent investigations and court rulings.

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A number of Democrats and analysts brought up the question of appropriate balance between government transparency and the protection of sensitive law enforcement methodologies, according to The Archivist.

Reports by Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz and Special Counsel John Durham spotted critical errors with the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane probe into Trump–Russia collusion. They claimed it relied on unverified claims from the Steele dossier, and ignored key facts.

Durham noted that “FBI ignored the fact that at no time before, during, or after Crossfire Hurricane were investigators able to corroborate a single substantive allegation in the Steele dossier reporting.”

The Steele dossier was funded by Clinton’s 2016 campaign, raising concerns about political bias.

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The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey shares why they have some regrets about coming out as non-binary

By
Monica Pop
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Bella Ramsey, the star of The Last of Us, came out as non-binary in 2023 during the film’s promotion. Now, two years after revealing they are genderfluid, Ramsey has some regrets.

Back then, Ramsey told The New York Times that they loved being mistaken for a boy by strangers.

“I guess my gender has always been very fluid,” she said. “Someone would call me ‘she’ or ‘her’ and I wouldn’t think about it, but I knew that if someone called me ‘he’ it was a bit exciting.”

Bella Ramsey, the star of The Last of Us, came out as non-binary in 2023.
Bella Ramsey / Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Asked by the Guardian how they feel of the way they shared the news with the public, Ramsey said, “Part of me looks back and I wish that I didn’t, because I didn’t want it to become a headline and a big thing.”

They added: “And obviously it was going to, and I didn’t really understand that at the time. And I wasn’t really prepared for that. But on the other hand, people have said to me that it’s been very helpful for them seeing some representation.

“So it’s been a mixed bag, but overall, I think it was a good thing, just for me living more freely, without feeling like I’m keeping a secret.”

The Last of Us season 2 Official Teaser Trailer/ Max

The British actor explained they don’t want the topic of their gender to be in the focus.

“I guess I’m just quite chill with it. And I want everyone else to be as chill with it basically,” she said.

She said she didn’t really care of the pronouns people use when they refer to them. “I’m very much just a person,” she said. “Being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like, but in terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less.”

The Last of Us, season 2/ HBO

The topic of Bella Ramsey declaring to be non-binary resurfaced when she decided to deactivate her Instagram account last week.

They said they found inspiration in Kit Harrington and Jesse Eisenberg.

“Those are the two actors who I just thought were the coolest people to ever walk the earth, and neither of them had social media,” Ramsey said.

“I remember them just being so normal and funny and interesting. They were famous because they were great at something, not because they were celebrities. They never pushed themselves out there and made themselves more famous.”

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Major alert for defaulted student loans: A new policy shift impacts more than 5 million people

By
Monica Pop
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Payments on student loans were paused during Donald Trump’s first presidency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic when a huge number of businesses closed and triggered massive job losses.

However, the Education Department announced Monday it will resume involuntary repayment of federal student loans that are in default.

They expect this decision to affect over 5.3 million people starting as soon as next month.

During Biden’s presidency, he sought to offer forgiveness of the loans but faced opposition from the courts. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled his plan to forgive the loans as unconstitutional due to lack of congressional approval.

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The main issue with the decision by the Education Department is the short notice borrowers will receive, with only two weeks’ time to prepare.

“Beginning May 5, the department will begin involuntary collection through the Treasury Department’s offset program, which withholds payments from the government — including tax refunds, federal salaries and other benefits — from people with past-due debts to the government,” the Education Department announced.

According to UNILAND, “Loans go into default when borrowers do not make payments for nine months.” Once they report this on the credit scores, it can go to collections.

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At the time being, less than 40 percent of student loan borrowers are up to date on their loans.

The rest makes the borrowers in default and additional 4 million borrowers who are 91 to 180 days late on their loan payments.

“American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.

“The Biden Administration misled borrowers: the executive branch does not have the constitutional authority to wipe debt away, nor do the loan balances simply disappear.”

“Going forward, the Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Treasury, will shepherd the student loan program responsibly and according to the law, which means helping borrowers return to repayment — both for the sake of their own financial health and our nation’s economic outlook.”

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Natalia Abrams, the president of the Student Debt Crisis Center believes the government should intervene and help those who have student loans the way it assisted investors, banks, and automakers during past “bailouts.”

Further, she argued that the Department of Education’s move against borrowers in default might bypass a federal program called Income-Driven Repayment. This program allows borrowers to make payments based on their income. At the time the Department of Education released their decision on resuming involuntary repayment of federal student loans, the program received and processed applications.

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Pope Francis’ final words before passing aged 88

By
Monica Pop
-

Pope Francis “returned to the home of the Father.”

He died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, served as the 266th pope.

“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.

“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 God, One and Tribune.″

Vatican revealed the cause of Pope Francis’ death was a stroke and a heart failure. The pontiff suffered health issues since February, when he was admitted to the hospital where he stayed for 38 days, longest during his 12 years of service.

The news of his passing prompted an outpouring of grief from Catholics across the globe.

On Sunday, he greeted crowds at the Easter Sunday Service and gave his ‘Urbi et Orbi’ benediction from a balcony facing the Piazza.

He addressed the crowds with the words, “Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!”

He did not lead the Easter Mass outside in the piazza. Instead, he gave that responsibility to Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who is retired but was once in charge of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Following the Mass, he spent around 20 minutes on the loggia balcony above the basilica entrance.

Despite the health issues, Pope Francis remained active until the very last day. In September 2024, he visited Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore on his 12-day tour of south-east Asia and Oceania.

Wikipedia

He was known for his liberal views and stances. He showed tolerance for divorces and allowing priests to wed same-s** couples in some situations. His stance on ab**ion, however, remained firm, with him calling the act “an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense.”

Pope Francis’ death has prompted a nine-day period of mourning called Novemdiales.

Vatican released images of the pope’s body in an open casket dressed in a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary in his hands. His body will be taken to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning. The public can pay tribute to him until his funeral on April 26.

In accordance with his wishes, Pope Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

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Resurfaced video captures holocaust survivor challenging ICE director

By
Monica Pop
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Bernard Marks, a holocaust survivor, challenged US ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan in 2017 during a public forum on immigration. Now, the video of the confrontation have resurfaced.

Marks, who was 88 at the time, passed away a year later. However, his words pointing to President Donald Trump’s top immigration enforcer remain relevant today when the administration reinforces strict immigration policies.

Among the rest, Marks reminded Homan that history was not on the administration’s side.

“When I was a little boy in Poland, for no other reason but for being Jewish, I was hauled off by the Nazis,” Marks read from a piece of paper.

ABC10

He then opened up about his entire family being killed and him being the sole survivor. Marks was in two concentration camps, Auschwitz and Dachau. He was taken there at the age of just seven, when the Nazi occupied his hometown of Lodz, Poland. He stayed there until April 27, 1945, when American troops liberated the camp. When he was finally freed, Marks was 13 years old.

“And I am a survivor of Auschwitz and Dachau,” he continued his speech before turning to the organizer of the event, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, and warned him against working with Homan and Trump’s administration agenda regarding immigrants.

“I spent five and a half years in concentration camps, for one reason and one reason only: because we picked on people,” he said, CBS Sacramento reported.

ABC10

“And you, as the sheriff, who we elected as sheriff of this county, we did not elect you for sheriff of Washington, D.C. It’s about time you side with the people here.

“History is not on your side.”

Following the speech of this holocaust survivor who challenged ICE director, the audience erupted in cheers.

“I feel horrible when I see or hear that a father or a grandfather is being picked up. And just because they get a traffic ticket, according to ICE they’re criminal,” Marks added.

The words of this holocaust survivor resonate with many during these times when the government continues the uncontested deportation of large numbers of migrants under contentious wartime legislation.

He believed our country could do better. “I think the more of us who like to speak up, maybe we can have a better country. A country without hate,” he said.

The comments under the resurfaced video show great support for the bravery of Bernard Marks to speak up.

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Pope Francis’ shocking net worth at his time of death

By
Monica Pop
-

With the words that Pope Francis “returned to the home of the Father,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the passing of the first Latin American pontiff.

“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Cardinal Farrell continued.

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.

“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 God, One and Tribune.″

Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died early Monday morning at the age of 88. The news of his passing stirred emotions throughout the Catholic world.

He experienced ill health in recent months, suffering a respiratory infection and chronic bronchitis which later developed into pneumonia. In February, he was admitted to Gemelli Hospital where he had spent 38 days, the longest during his 12 years of papacy.

What left many stunned was the net worth of Pope Francis, revealed following his passing.

Reports suggest that he was worthy nearly $16 million at the time of his death despite not receiving salary since 2013, when introduced as the 266th pope.

Being a pope, Francis could choose to live in the Papal Palace, just like many of his predecessors, but instead, he chose a more modest accommodation, a smaller two-room suite within the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse.

Also, he was taking his meals in the communal dining room.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Pope Francis vowed to lead a simple life on the day of his election, and he honored that vow until the very end.

According to the Economic Times, the Catholic leader’s wealth accumulated from “royalties, donations, and access to a discretionary fund of $385,000 per year as head of the Roman Catholic Church.”

Pope Francis’ last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, just a day before his passing.

He blessed thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square. Before that, he met with US Vice President JD Vance.

Vance was among those who paid their tributes.

“I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him,” Vance posted on the social media.

“I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.”

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