Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hit back at critics Monday over new reports that he shared secret U.S. military attack plans with his wife, brother and lawyer in real time on the Signal app.

The embattled Pentagon chief called the explosive story a smear concocted by “disgruntled employees,” suggesting three ousted top aides might be ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In the wake of Pope Francis’ death, Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez called on followers to remain hopeful.

“The Lord brought him home,” Perez said while standing next to a portrait of Francis in a video posted to X Monday. “We call all our faithful, all of his sheep, to pray for him and to pray for the repose of ...Read more

A selloff in U.S. assets deepened as President Donald Trump stepped up criticism of Jerome Powell on social media, with stocks, the dollar and longer-dated Treasuries sliding amid concerns about the Federal Reserve’s future independence.

Trump’s assurances that tariff talks were progressing did little to stop the rout. The S&P 500 and other...Read more

NEW YORK — Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued another round of funding threats against New York state Monday — while once again rollling back a supposed deadline for the end of congestion pricing.

In a letter to Gov. Hochul Monday, Duffy set his third in a row of seemingly toothless deadlines, telling the state to ...Read more

An early Monday morning launch was the first of two on the Space Coast with planned booster landings that could bring sonic booms to Central Florida.

First up was a Falcon 9 on the CRS-32 resupply mission to the International Space Station that launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A at 4:15 a.m.

The first-stage booster made its ...Read more

Vice President JD Vance on Monday led an American chorus of tributes to the late Pope Francis after being one of the last people to meet with the ailing pontiff before his death.

Vance, an adult convert to Roman Catholicism, said he was gratified to have the chance to become the last world leader to meet with Francis in his final hours.

“My ...Read more

Pope Francis died at age 88 on Monday, April 21, a day after his last public appearance during Easter festivities. He became pope in 2013.

In 2015, the pope made his first trip to Cuba and the United States as part of his 10-day itinerary in which he traveled around both nations in recognition of the two countries renewing ties.

Here is a look...Read more

Defying the courts can bring significant consequences. Past presidents have sent the military when Southern governors refused to integrate schools.

But what if the refuser is the president?

“The president is in charge of the military,” said Michael Meyerson, a constitutional law professor at the University of Baltimore. “He’s the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — California residents are now eligible to buy naloxone — the generic drug for Narcan, a drug used to treat opioid overdoses — for $24 through the state's prescription website CalRx brand, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said in a release Monday.

"Life-saving medications shouldn't come with a life-altering price tag. CalRx is about...Read more

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is holding talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday as the South Asian nation looks to strike an early trade deal with Washington that spares it from President Donald Trump’s additional tariff hikes.

Vance arrived at Modi’s private residence in the capital just before 7 p.m. local ...Read more

BOSTON — Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, who recently retired as Archbishop of Boston, will attend Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican but will not vote for the next pope.

O’Malley, who turns 81 in June, lost his coveted voting rights once he turned 80, an aide close to O’Malley tells the Boston Herald.

“He will not be in the ...Read more

Pope Francis never visited California or his holy namesake’s city by the bay, but in many ways, the heart of his message made a tremendous imprint here.

The first pope from Latin America preached about the humanity of immigrants and protecting the environment and famously — and surprisingly — stated about gay people “who am I to judge?�...Read more

DETROIT — The death of Pope Francis on Monday left many Michigan Catholics remembering his message to help the poor and the most vulnerable, while others said he left a complex legacy with conflicting messages on church teaching.

Part of the pope's legacy could be seen in Detroit, where Jesuit priests built a nonprofit that began with ...Read more

DENVER — In a middle school cafeteria in southeast Denver, a smattering of residents and Mayor Mike Johnston discussed the future of the city over slices of pizza.

“At Hampden and Locust, it’s like you take your life in your hands when you’re trying to cross those streets,” said Sandra Prodan, a Southmoor Park resident. “That needs ...Read more

DENVER — Three months after Colorado’s first-of-its-kind sperm donor regulations went into effect, state lawmakers are weighing whether to unwind some of those requirements amid concerns that the new rules have chilled donations for would-be parents who need them.

But the proposal, House Bill 1259, is opposed by the former legislator who ...Read more

ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp will sign into law a revamp of Georgia’s legal system on Monday, capping a yearslong effort to limit lawsuits and bring down jury awards. But whether the overhaul will also bring down rising insurance rates remains unclear.

The governor and his supporters have long promised that the sweeping changes, which ...Read more

Pope Francis, whose papacy blended tradition with pushes for inclusion and reform, died on April, 21, 2025 – Easter Monday – at the age of 88.

Here we spotlight five stories from The Conversation’s archive about his roots, faith, leadership and legacy.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio became a pope of many firsts: the first modern ...Read more

President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb immigration are coming at a precarious time for the U.S. labor market, threatening to choke off a key growth engine just as tariffs are poised to drag down economic activity.

Crossings of undocumented migrants essentially came to a halt last month after surging to unprecedented levels in the aftermath ...Read more