Pope Francis worried about greeting crowd in St. Peter's Square but was thankful he did, report says

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Vatican News has reported that Pope Francis was thankful that he was able to greet throngs of people in St. Peter’s Square on Easter, a day before he died. Although the agency reported Tuesday that he initially had some doubts given his poor health. The Argentine pontiff had been recovering after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia. He died Monday at age 88. He made his last public appearance Sunday, delivering a blessing and looping around Vatican City’s famous square in his popemobile.

Yemen's Houthi rebels fire a missile toward northern Israel, a rare target for the group

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have launched a missile toward northern Israel, a rare target for the group as a monthlong intense U.S. airstrike campaign continues to target them. Sirens sounded in Haifa, Krayot and other areas west of the Sea of Galilee. The Israeli military that "an interceptor was launched toward the missile, and the missile was most likely successfully intercepted.” Those in the area could here booms in the predawn darkness on Wednesday. The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack, though it can take them hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults. The Houthis separately claimed shooting down another MQ-9 Reaper drone over Yemen.

Judge castigates Trump administration for 'bad faith' in Abrego Garcia's deportation case

A federal judge says the Trump administration is ignoring court orders, obstructing the legal process and acting in “bad faith” by refusing to provide information about the steps they have taken, if any, to free a mistakenly deported man from an El Salvador prison and return him to the U.S. Tuesday's order from U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis gives the Trump administration until Wednesday evening to explain exactly why officials think the information should be considered protected state secrets — and to provide facts backing up those legal claims. The U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration nearly two weeks ago to facilitate Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s return to Maryland.

Wall Street rallies and recovers Monday's losses as the dollar and US bond market steady

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks jumped in a widespread rally and more than made up for their sharp drops from the day before. The S&P 500 rose 2.5% Tuesday to erase Monday's loss, which came on worries about President Donald Trump’s trade war and his attacks on the head of the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.7%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 2.7%. Equifax, 3M and other companies reporting better profits than analysts expected helped lead the way. The value of the U.S. dollar also stabilized after sliding against the euro and other competitors, while longer-term Treasury yields held steadier in the bond market.

US Treasury secretary says trade war with China is not 'sustainable'

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a Tuesday speech that the ongoing tariffs showdown with China is unsustainable and expects a “de-escalation” in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. But in a private speech in Washington for JPMorgan Chase, Bessent also cautioned that talks between the United States and China had yet to formally start. President Donald Trump placed a 145% import tax on China, which countered with 125% tariffs on U.S. imports. Trump has placed tariffs on several dozen countries, causing the stock market to stumble and interest rates to increase on U.S. debt as investors worry about slower economic growth and higher inflationary pressures.

Militants kill at least 26 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Indian police say gunmen have killed at least 26 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Tuesday's attack appears to be a major shift in a regional conflict in which tourists have largely been spared from violence. Two senior police officers say at least four gunmen, whom they described as militants, fired at dozens of tourists from close range. The officers say at least three dozen people were wounded, with many of them reported to be in serious condition. The region's top elected official says the attack is “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.”

Supreme Court signals support for Maryland parents who object to LGBTQ books in public schools

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is signaling support for the religious rights of Maryland parents who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters. The court seemed likely Tuesday to find the Montgomery County school system could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to them. The court has repeatedly endorsed claims of religious discrimination in recent years. The school board introduced the storybooks in an effort to better reflect the district’s diversity. Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books.

Trump says he has 'no intention' of firing Federal Reserve chair

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he has no plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, just days after his statement that he would like to terminate the head of the U.S. central bank caused a stock market selloff. Trump told reporters, “I have no intention of firing him." The U.S. president had previously insinuated otherwise as he said he could fire Powell if he wanted to, having been frustrated by the Fed putting a pause on cuts to short-term interest rates.

A woman hugs the man who fatally shot her brother and 22 more in a racist attack at a Texas Walmart

In an El Paso courthouse not far from where a gunman killed 23 people at a Walmart in a 2019 attack targeting Hispanic shoppers, victims’ family members and survivors got their last chance to address him face-to-face in court this week. Among them was Yolanda Tinajero, who told Patrick Crusius about the devastation left behind by the killing of her brother. But she also told Crusius that she forgave him, and wished she could give him a hug. The judge allowed her to do just that. Crusius will serve multiple life sentences after pleading guilty to capital murder and 22 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Rubio unveils a massive overhaul of the State Department that would cut staff and bureaus

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio has unveiled a massive overhaul of the State Department. The plans revealed Tuesday would reduce staff in the U.S. by 15% while closing and consolidating more than 100 bureaus worldwide as part of the Trump administration’s “America First” mandate. The reorganization plan, announced by Rubio on social media and detailed in documents obtained by The Associated Press, is the latest effort by the White House to reimagine U.S. foreign policy. Plans include consolidating 734 bureaus and offices to 602 as well as transitioning 137 offices “to another location within the Department to increase efficiency."