International
Pope Francis’ funeral to take place Saturday

From LifeSiteNews
By Michael Haynes, Snr. Vatican Correspondent
The rounds of voting to elect a new pope, the Church’s law stipulates that this must begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope dies.
Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, the Vatican has announced, following the public veneration of his body in the days prior.
In an announcement issued Tuesday morning, the office of papal liturgical ceremonies gave details about Pope Francis’ funeral and the public paying respect to his remains.
On Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Rome time, the funeral for the deceased pontiff will take place in St. Peter’s Square. It will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re who is Dean of the College of Cardinals. Following this, the pope’s remains will be transferred inside the basilica, and from there will be taken to the Basilica of St Mary Major’s, where he is to be buried in accord with his wishes.
Prior to that, the pope’s remains will be on public display in St. Peter’s Basilica, for members of the faithful to pay their respects. He will be taken from the Casa Santa Martha guesthouse to the Vatican Basilica on Wednesday morning, and there displayed in front of the high altar for all to see.
Many thousands of pilgrims were due to be in Rome this weekend for the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis. However, following the pope’s death on Monday morning, the ceremony has been postponed, with no replacement date yet being given. For many, though, their journey to Rome will still take place but with the sombre rites of a simplified papal funeral instead of the joyous ceremony of a canonization.
The announcement of the pope’s funeral arrangements came during the course of the first of the General Congregations for the College of Cardinals, which began at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning. [To read LifeSiteNews’ full explainer on the process following a pope’s death, see here]
Cardinals not already in Rome will have to hastily travel to the city, in order to take part in the congregations as well as the funeral.
The second of the General Congregations will take place tomorrow afternoon, after the cardinals join in the solemn rite of translation of the pope’s body into the Vatican. As part of the Holy See’s formal mourning period of nine days, the Novendiali, a Mass will be offered every afternoon at 5 p.m. The first day of the Novendiali is April 26, the date given for Francis’ funeral.
As for the start of the conclave itself and the rounds of voting to elect a new pope, the Church’s law stipulates that this must begin between 15 and 20 days after the pope dies. In this case, that would mean starting around May 6 at the earliest, and May 11 at the latest.
Crime
UK finally admits clear evidence linking Pakistanis and child grooming gangs

Quick Hit:
After years of denial and political cover-ups, the UK government has formally acknowledged a disturbing link between Pakistani-heritage men and child grooming gangs. A scathing new review has prompted Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reverse course and launch a full national inquiry into the widespread abuse.
Key Details:
- The Casey Review found “clear evidence” of Pakistani men’s overrepresentation in grooming gangs and accused authorities of ignoring the abuse to avoid accusations of racism.
- Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed over 800 historic child sex abuse cases will be reopened and prosecuted where possible.
- The Labour Party and Prime Minister Starmer were previously opposed to a national inquiry, with critics calling this reversal a politically motivated “smokescreen.”
Diving Deeper:
The British government has finally acknowledged a link between Pakistani-heritage men and the grooming gang epidemic that has plagued communities across England for decades. The admission comes following the release of a damning public review led by Baroness Louise Casey, which uncovered years of institutional failure, racial sensitivity, and political cowardice.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper presented the findings in Parliament, confirming that the Casey Review had “identified clear evidence of over-representation among suspects of Asian and Pakistani-heritage men.” She condemned the systematic rape of vulnerable girls—some as young as 10—and the authorities’ “unforgivable” failure to act.
“The sexual exploitation of children by grooming gangs is one of the most horrific crimes,” Cooper said, noting that too many warnings had been ignored over the last 15 years. She announced that the government would adopt all of Baroness Casey’s recommendations and reopen more than 800 historic cases.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who previously dismissed calls for a national inquiry as “far-right misinformation,” abruptly changed course over the weekend and agreed to a full inquiry with legal authority to compel testimony. This reversal followed mounting pressure from campaigners like Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, Elon Musk, and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage.
Labour MP Sarah Champion, once ousted for raising alarms about Pakistani grooming gangs in her Rotherham constituency, welcomed the inquiry. “There’s a real sense justice has not been handed out fairly,” she said, accusing officials of failing victims for fear of “causing offense.”
The Casey review also pointed to illegal immigration as a contributing factor and called for mandatory ethnicity data collection in child exploitation cases. Critics argue that authorities in Labour-run areas turned a blind eye to the abuse—some allegedly in exchange for votes—treating white working-class girls as expendable while shielding perpetrators.
Former detective and grooming whistleblower Maggie Oliver expressed skepticism, warning that unless the inquiry is led by Baroness Casey, it risks becoming another whitewash. “This is about gross criminal neglect at the top of policing, at the top of government, at the top of social services,” Oliver said.
While the inquiry marks a long-overdue step toward accountability, some warn it may be politically perilous for Starmer. As former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, he held a central role when many of these abuses first surfaced. And with many of the cover-ups tied to Labour councils, the fallout could deepen public distrust in the party.
Business
Trump family announces Trump Mobile: Made in America, for America

MxM News
Quick Hit:
On the 10-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s iconic campaign launch, the Trump family announced the debut of Trump Mobile, a new wireless company offering American-built smartphones, 5G coverage, and a values-driven alternative to Big Tech carriers.
Key Details:
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Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump introduced Trump Mobile’s flagship service Monday, calling it a “transformational” alternative aimed at “our nation’s hardest-working people.”
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The “47 Plan,” priced at $47.45/month, offers unlimited talk, text, and data, free international calls to U.S. military families, telehealth, roadside assistance, and no credit checks.
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Trump Mobile’s customer support is fully U.S.-based and live 24/7—“not automated,” the company says—while a new American-made “T1 Phone” is slated for release in August.
Diving Deeper:
Marking ten years since President Donald Trump descended the golden escalator to launch his first campaign, the Trump Organization on Monday announced its boldest private sector move yet: Trump Mobile.
Flanked by company executives, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump unveiled the new cellular service, touting it as a patriotic, people-first alternative to legacy providers. “We’re building on the movement to put America first,” Trump Jr. said in a statement. “We will deliver the highest levels of quality and service.”
The cornerstone of Trump Mobile is the 47 Plan. Offered for $47.45/month, the plan includes unlimited data, full 5G coverage across all three major carriers, and a suite of benefits tailored to middle-class families, truckers, veterans, and anyone tired of paying premiums to companies that don’t share their values.
Among the key perks: 24/7 American-based customer service (with “real people,” not bots), comprehensive device protection, roadside assistance through Drive America, and telehealth services including mental health support and prescription delivery. Most notably, the plan includes free international calling to over 100 countries—an effort the Trump family says honors U.S. military families stationed abroad.
“We’re especially proud to offer free long-distance calling to our military members and their families,” said Eric Trump. “Those serving overseas should always be able to stay connected to the people they love back home.”
Unlike traditional providers, Trump Mobile advertises no contracts and no credit checks, appealing to a demographic long underserved by mainstream telecom giants. “Hard-working Americans deserve a wireless service that’s affordable, reflects their values, and delivers reliable quality they can count on,” Eric Trump added.
The company is also preparing to launch the T1 Phone in August—a sleek, gold smartphone “engineered for performance” and “proudly designed and built in the United States.” With that, the Trump Organization is not just entering the mobile market—it’s staking a claim as a direct competitor to Apple and Samsung.
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