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Two popes . . . Francis and John Paul II . . . their deaths separated by almost exactly twenty years. Both world-renowned figures and similar in personal approach . . . but the two were different, as well. I had the honor of covering both.  

The news of the death of Pope Francis came just as I was returning to London from a long Easter weekend in the States. While Francis had been seriously ill, he also seemed to be on the mend, so his quick and quiet death at his modest apartment in the Santa Marta guesthouse caught many by surprise. A planned "catnap" by me at home turned into a quick dash to our UK studio. 

In a series of "live shots," I talked about a man who seemed so familiar to all. They called him the "People’s Pope." And no wonder. The first from the Americas. For 12 years a champion of the downtrodden, victims of war, hunger and poverty. Taking on big global issues like inequality and global warming. Tangling, with degrees of success, with issues inside the Roman Catholic Church like sex abuse and the roles of women and gays. All with a personal, humble and humorous touch.   

FOX NEWS TO AIR SPECIAL LIVE COVERAGE OF POPE FRANCIS' FUNERAL ON SATURDAY

And at the same time, in my mind, there were memories of the passing of Pope John Paul II. I was there in Vatican City on a chilly night in April 2005, reporting with the Fox News team. The pope was literally on his deathbed in his Apostolic Palace apartment overlooking St. Peter’s Square, where tens of thousands had gathered in a mass vigil. And then the lights went out.

We detailed, too, that night, the life of this man who had captured the spirit of the world. A strong voice for freedom and democracy. Who had played a big role in bringing down communism in his homeland of Poland and elsewhere. John Paul II tried to bring the world together as he kept church rulings in line. I had covered him for 26 years, starting as a "cub" producer at his conclave in 1978.

After both deaths, the same words were used by Vatican officials to describe the "trip" the Popes took on those fateful days: "He has returned to the house of his father."

The passing of a pope is just the beginning of a lengthy process when the Vatican turns over the keys to the church of 1.3 billion global followers to a new leader. A massive ceremony-laden funeral is then followed by the drama of the selection of a new pope, the conclave with its black smoke for no decision . . . white smoke for a new Pope. And then their inauguration. 

The cardinals who gathered in the wake of the passing of John Paul II chose Pope Benedict XVI a more conservative and more elderly leader than they’d picked before. He would only serve for eight years. His resignation (he died in 2022) paved the way for another conclave, which chose the Argentinian Pope Francis. 

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

Both John Paul II and Francis were thought to be long-shot outsiders. Speculation is now building about the choice to be made in the upcoming papal "election." Will it return the papacy to Italian dominance or spread its reach to a new country and continent? Will the new pope revive a more conservative approach to the church or stay in the modern spirit of Francis?

The coming days will tell.

Many of us carry our own reminders of those who have passed. In my case, literally. In 2005, a Vatican insider gave me rosary beads blessed by John Paul II. I’ve kept them with me on all my sometimes-rough travels since. From Afghanistan and Iraq . . . to the Mideast and Ukraine.

I also keep with me the memory of my late mother. She was a big fan of the Polish pontiff. She died of Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS, which ravages the body. Similar to some of the effects of Parkinson’s disease that contributed to John Paul II’s death. 

Born of humble stock, I know Mom would also have liked the simple faith of Pope Francis. And how he passed. There are some who say he held off his "departure" until the Monday after the events of Easter, so as not to spoil that most holy day in the Roman Catholic calendar.    

Just like some in my family think, my mother held off her passing until the day after my April birthday. Considerate of others to the end.

Rest in Peace Francis.  Although I’m sure you’ll have a lot of catching up to do with all your friends "upstairs"!

President Donald Trump apparently pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Gaza during their latest conversation. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he told Netanyahu "You’ve got to be good to Gaza" because the people there "are suffering."

"There's a very big need for food and medicine, and we're taking care of it," Trump told reporters. Trump also noted that Netanyahu "felt well" about the push to get more aid into Gaza.

WITH TRUMP'S BACKING ISRAEL PUSHES DEEPER INTO GAZA AS PRESSURE BUILDS FOR HOSTAGE DEAL

This message seems to mark a departure from the more aggressive stance he has taken in the past. Before he returned to office, Trump warned Hamas there would be "hell to pay" if the hostages were not released. In February, when Netanyahu visited the White House, Trump suggested that the U.S. take over the Strip and turn it into a "riviera." 

A few days after Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, Trump said Israel should "let all hell break out" if Hamas failed to release all remaining hostages by the U.S. president’s noon deadline. Hamas did not free the hostages, but Israel held off on resuming the war until March 18. Before ground operations restarted, 33 hostages were freed. 

TRUMP: WE'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET THE HOSTAGES OUT OF GAZA

Aid trucks have not entered Gaza since March 2, and there has been international uproar over the growing crisis inside the Strip. While Trump is seemingly pushing Netanyahu to change his approach to Gaza, Israel has said it would not let aid enter the Strip until the remaining hostages are released.

There is concern and frustration in Israel over allegations that aid has gone to Hamas terrorists instead of the people of Gaza. In November 2024, the Associated Press reported that prices in Gaza skyrocketed after nearly 100 trucks of food and humanitarian aid were looted by armed men. 

While speaking to the United Nations Security Council, freed Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi said his captors often had boxes of supplies with U.N. logos on them in the tunnels. Sharabi, who weighed just 97 pounds when he was released, said the hostages were starved while "Hamas eats link kings."

The Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli agency, said that when the hostage deal was in place, 25,200 trucks entered Gaza carrying 447,538 tons of humanitarian aid.

Pope Francis, 88, was recently diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia, and as concerned Catholics around the world pray for the Holy Father, the Vatican revealed last week that he will remain hospitalized for treatment.

The popes of the last 100 years have seen their fair share of political divides and controversy, from pontiffs breaking centuries-old practices to backlash over the Vatican's response to Hilter's regime to the teachings of God's love and grace and traveling the world to reach the sick and lonely; 

Before Pope Francis was elected by the College of Cardinals in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger, led the Catholic Church from 2005-2013.

POPE FRANCIS GOT OUT OF BED TO EAT BREAKFAST ON 7TH DAY IN HOSPITAL: VATICAN

Ratzinger was born in Bavaria, Germany. Upon witnessing horrific acts during the Nazi regime, he desired to commit to the church at a young age. Ratzinger and his family experienced abuse and punishment at the hands of the Nazi Party. Despite his resolute disdain for the regime, at 14 years old he was required by law to join the Hitler Youth, a paramilitary organization.

During his enrollment in the seminary, Ratzinger was drafted into World War II, putting his theological teachings on hold. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war by Americans for several months. Upon his release, he left the military and was ordained in 1951 alongside his brother.

Ratzinger was elected pope in 2005 and, during his papacy he preached a message of God's eternal love, encouraged Catholics to remain faithful to God, and implored the presence of love, joy and truth in life.

Citing health concerns, Benedict, in 2013, was the first pontiff to resign the papacy in 600 years.

He died at 95 years old in 2022.

POPE FRANCIS WILL REMAIN IN HOSPITAL, VATICAN SAYS

Pope John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła, was elected pope on Oct. 16, 1978. He was the first Polish pontiff.

Wojtyła took the regnal name after his predecessor, Pope John Paul I, who passed away only a month into his reign as the sovereign of Vatican City.

Wojtyła's election by the College of Cardinals marked the first time a non-Italian would serve as pope in over 400 years. At 58 years old, Wojtyła was one of the youngest popes in history.

Wojtyla studied theology in Rome and served as the archbishop of Krakow. Through his 26-year pontificate, John Paul II traveled to 129 countries, becoming the most traveled pope in history.

POPE FRANCIS DIAGNOSED WITH BILATERAL PNEUMONIA, VATICAN SAYS

During his papacy, John Paul II preached service, the responsibility for peace and the protection of life. In 1981, a lone gunman, Mehmet Ali Ağca, attempted to assassinate the pope in St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. He was struck twice while riding in an open car and seriously wounded. He was rushed to Gemelli Hospital in Rome and treated for his injuries.

John Paul II later visited Ağca in prison and forgave the shooter in person.

In 2005, John Paul died in his apartment in the Vatican at 84 years old. He was canonized as a saint in 2014.

Pope John Paul I, born Albino Luciani, was elected as pope on Aug. 26, 1978. His reign as the sovereign of Vatican City was brief, as he died 33 days later.

He was ordained in 1935, appointed bishop in 1958 and created archbishop of Venice in 1969. He is often referred to as "the Smiling Pope."

Pope Paul VI was born Giovanni Battista Montini in Brescia, Italy. He was elected as pontiff in 1963 after being appointed archbishop of Milan.

During his papacy, Montini concluded three sessions of the Second Vatican Council, a significant renewal of the Catholic Church. The official documents marked a milestone in the church and condemned antisemitism. 

WARTIME LETTER SHOWS POPE PIUS XII MAY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT HOLOCAUST EARLIER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT

Montini traveled to the Holy Land in the Middle East, India, Uganda, the Philippines and parts of the United States during his reign.

In 2018, Pope Paul VI was canonized as a saint. He was recognized as a strong leader, and his efforts to build stronger bonds among other religions are cited as just one of the reasons for his canonization.

Pope Paul VI died in 1978 at 80 years old.

Pope John XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, was born into a family of 13 children in Sotto il Monte, Italy.

In 1892, Roncalli entered the seminary. He was ordained in 1904, and was named a cardinal and the patriarch of Venice in 1953.

CATHOLIC CHURCH BEATIFIES POLISH FAMILY WHO SHELTERED JEWS DURING WWII: ‘PAID THE HIGHEST PRICE OF MARTYRDOM’

As pontiff, Roncalli convened the Second Vatican Council, which modernized the Catholic Church by renewing liturgy and theology and developing better relationships with other religions.

Pope John XXIII died of cancer in 1963 and was canonized as a saint along with John Paul II in 2014.

Pope Pius XII, born Eugenio Pacelli, was an Italian cardinal before being elected pope on his 63rd birthday in 1939.

Pope Pius XI named Pacelli a cardinal after a one-day conclave among the College of Cardinals in 1929.

Pacelli was pope during World War II and through the Holocaust. Correspondence from Vatican archives shows Pacelli received word of the atrocities happening against Jewish people in Germany, and he often received pleas to help Jews.

POPE: VATICAN NEXT YEAR TO OPEN ARCHIVES ON WARTIME PIUS XII

Pope Pius XII has been intensely criticized for what has been called his lack of support for Jews during World War II, but the Vatican has remained steadfast in his defense.

Pius XII died in 1958 at 82 years old.

Pope Pius XI, born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was ordained a priest in 1879. He was named a cardinal and archbishop of Milan in 1921 by Pope Benedict XV and elected pope in 1922.

Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator, came to power in 1922. The Lateran Treaty signed by Mussolini and the papacy acknowledged papal sovereignty over the Vatican City, making the state a neutral territory and the pope politically independent.

Pius XI died in 1939 at 81 years old.

Among his historical achievements as both the first pontiff from the Global South and the first born outside of Europe in over a millennia, Pope Francis is remembered in the days following his death as "the People’s Pope".

The political characteristics of his sometimes controversial papacy were dedicated to environmental protection, supporting overlooked Catholic communities and compounding equality in the church.

"[The People’s Pope] is absolutely the best way to describe him," Jana Bennett, professor and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

Theology experts, Catholics and critics around the world are mourning the loss of Pope Francis, 88, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, and dissecting his papacy.

Pope Francis died on Monday, April 21, 2025, after battling bilateral pneumonia in the months preceding his death.

"Even as pope, he wanted to be treated as an ordinary person," Bennett said. "I think it’s evident in the way that he wants to be buried."

Pope Francis selected the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a cherished familiar holy place, as his final resting place just days after being elected pope in 2013. Separate from the leaders of the Holy See before him, Pope Francis chose one coffin versus three, made of wood, to be laid out as faithful pay their respects.

THEOLOGIAN ON ‘CONCLAVE’ ACCURACY, EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT SECRETIVE EVENT AFTER POPE FRANCIS' DEATH

The former pontiff released declarations and documents throughout his papacy which pointed to advancements for the betterment of both everyday Catholics and non-Catholics. He urged the faithful to have hope and seek mercy all the time, especially through the sacrament of confession.

"He believed that everybody should be hopeful," Bennett said. "That we should hope in God and that there is always hope available, even in the darkest of times, for new life and for something new on the horizon."

She added that Pope Francis preached a path forward, even for the most egregious sinners.

"I saw the way he interacted," Bennett told Fox News Digital. "Even in the Popemobile he would try to bless people and talk with them. It was about the way he responded to common people."

POPE FRANCIS TO LIE IN STATE, MOURNERS WELCOME: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PONTIFF'S FUNERAL

"I think that you can't understand Pope Francis' papacy without attending to the very direct one-on-one way that he would reach out to people," she said. "From the little baby that he would bless in the square to people with disabilities. He granted audiences with just a range of people; both people who were the most impoverished to people among the most powerful."

During his 12-year papacy, Pope Francis met with many world leaders, including President Donald Trump, Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"I think to him, everyone is deserving of a blessing," Bennett said.

Among vocational and merciful acts of service, Pope Francis would wash and kiss the feet of men, women and children, including those of prison inmates, during an annual Holy Thursday ritual.

POPE FRANCIS EMPHASIZED CATHOLICISM GLOBALLY, REACHED BEYOND US, EUROPE INTO IMPOVERISHED NATIONS

"He changed the way we think about service to others and service to all and who is worthy of being served by a pope and respected by a pope," Bennett said.

Pope Francis was the first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, well-known for his call for engagement with the impoverished, love of creation and the Church.

"I think all of those things showed up in Pope Francis’ papacy," Bennett said.

Born in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis applied his world leadership to underscore care and concern for people at the margins, specifically in areas that lacked an abundance of clergy.

"He also had a strong awareness of the global nature of the church," Bennett said. "He had a way of responding to people from different countries, different continents. He was a very sharp politician. He was especially aware of the financial corruption at the Vatican, and he was able to respond to that."

Pope Francis instituted reforms to ensure charitable and reputable business practices at the Vatican Bank.

"He surrounded himself with advisors," Bennett said.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met face-to-face for the first time since their infamous Oval Office spat in February. They were attending Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome, though it is unclear exactly when they met.

Neither Ukrainian nor White House officials gave many details on the meeting; however, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the leaders had "a very productive discussion."

ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP 'BAD FOR BOTH SIDES'

Zelenskyy later tweeted that the meeting was "very symbolic" and could potentially be "historic."

In February, Zelenskyy abruptly left the White House after getting into an argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Zelenskyy later told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier on "Special Report" that the incident was "bad for both sides."

This meeting comes as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine appear to be at a standstill with Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin making competing demands.

"A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war," Trump wrote on Truth Social after arriving in Rome on Saturday.

TRUMP SAYS 'INFLAMMATORY' ZELENSKYY STATEMENT ON CRIMEA PROLONGS WAR WITH RUSSIA

Trump has criticized both leaders in separate posts on Truth Social. On Thursday, Trump demanded Putin "stop" strikes on Kyiv and said he was "not happy" with the Kremlin for continuing attacks on Ukraine. The day before, on Wednesday, Trump blasted Zelenskyy after he said that Ukraine would not recognize Russian control over Crimea, which Putin invaded in 2014.

Putin so far has rejected several U.S. proposals for a peace deal, but the White House remains optimistic about Trump’s ability to end the war.

TRUMP TELLS PUTIN 'STOP' AFTER DEADLY RUSSIAN STRIKES ON KYIV

"This war is endable. Both sides just have to agree to it," Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday. He also said there were "good meetings over the weekend," which were presumably focused on ending the conflict.

Trump has said that he is sticking to his own "deadline" for achieving peace and added that he believes there is "a very good chance of getting [a deal] done."

Pope Francis’ emphasis on reaching out to the "peripheries" of the Catholic Church and world will result in the most diverse collection of church leaders in history gathering to select the new pope. 

According to Mary FioRito, an expert on papal elections and a senior fellow at the Catholic Association, this could very well result in the next pope having a very different set of priorities than the late pontiff. 

Francis has selected about 80% of the 135 church leaders – called cardinals – who will vote for the next pope in the upcoming papal conclave.

The result will be that instead of being dominated by European or even Western cardinals, the conclave will have large contingents from regions like Africa and Asia.

WHAT IS THE PAPAL CONCLAVE: INSIDE THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE

"This will be the most diverse conclave in the history of the church," FioRito said.

But this diversity could spell a departure from some of the defining focuses of Francis’ pontificate, such as his emphasis on "synodality," that is, gatherings of small groups from around the world to discuss questions of theology and church practice.

FioRito sees this next conclave, which she said will likely begin May 5, as a question of whether the next pope will be a man who continues Francis’ legacy or shifts the church’s focus to problems like persecution and poverty, which are major issues in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan and India.

In Nigeria alone, where about half of the population is Christian, 3,100 Christians were killed and 2,830 were kidnapped in 2024, according a report by international religious freedom watchdog Open Doors. 

BISHOP BARRON REACTS TO DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS, PRAISES PAPACY MARKED BY 'MERCY AND EVANGELIZATION'

In this sense, FioRito predicted that the African cardinals, who now form a significant voting bloc in the conclave, will play a major role in selecting the next pope.

She explained that the African church has a very different set of priorities, which have been shaped in large part by the realities of rapid growth coupled with intense persecution.

"We're concerned about things like climate change, and they're concerned about not being locked in a church and set on fire," she explained. "They're not sitting around at these tables for 10 discussing great ideas. They just want to make sure their kid gets to school without getting shot and they can pay their rent this month."

With that will come a desire to select a pope who will respect the African church as an equal and who will stand against "ideological colonization" from the West with concepts like climate change, abortion and gender ideology.

TRUMP, WORLD LEADERS REACT TO THE DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS

"The cardinals in Africa are very sensitive to this kind of ideological colonization where they're not being colonized in the traditional way, but the ideas of the West are coming in and attempting to change African culture with Western ideas without listening to the people first," she said.

With this in mind, FioRito pointed to Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő, who at 71 is young enough to be selected and is seen by many as a "John Paul II-type personality." He is respected by both the Pope Francis synodality camps as well as the African bishops.

Another candidate, FioRito said, who could possibly "bridge the gap" between the different worlds is American-born Cardinal Robert Prevost, who currently serves as the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. However, FioRito noted that Prevost may be less likely if cardinals "don't want to see so much of the world's power concentrated in the United States."

FioRito also predicted issues of modernity versus tradition, which have spelled some of the most significant controversies during Francis’ pontificate in the West, will also play a factor.

WHO COULD BE THE NEXT POPE?

She said that amid a general decline in faith in the West, there has been a palpable shift in young people embracing more traditional forms of worship in the church, such as the traditional Latin Mass.

"That's where the 20-somethings are going to Mass," she said. "In a world where there's so much crassness and vulgarity, you have something here that's timeless and just kind of transports you to another world."

Despite this, she said the issue of the traditional Latin Mass is more of a "niche liturgical issue that I don't think is going to have much impact."

FioRito noted that, unlike political elections, the selection of the next pope is less about a set of issues or policies, but instead is more about the man himself.

5 WAYS POPE FRANCIS IMPACTED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

"I wouldn't phrase it in terms of issues, as if we're talking about the economy or migration. We're looking at individual men and asking ourselves, who can serve the church best at this moment and who is the person best equipped to take on this international role?" she said.

"The holy father's role is to be a center of unity for the church in preaching the message and the gospel," FioRito went on. "So, it's looking at individual people, their strengths, their weaknesses, their backgrounds, what limitations they might have. And then really, in a very prayerful way, asking, what does the church need now in a new pope?"

"My sense of it," she went on, "I think the cardinals need to be looking at the church today globally and not just in their own backyards, but globally and saying, ‘Who is the man who can best take the church forward into this new era?'" 

Iran and the U.S. began negotiations in Oman on Saturday over Tehran's advancing nuclear program, and the talks will likely depend on the Islamic Republic's enrichment of uranium.

According to Iranian state media, the talks began on Saturday in Oman's capital of Muscat. But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff offered no immediate details on the talks.

Araghchi arrived on Friday in Oman and met with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who had mediated the two earlier rounds of talks in Muscat and Rome. Araghchi was seen heading to the talks late Saturday morning.

TRUMP SAYS HE'LL BE 'LEADING THE PACK' TO WAR WITH IRAN IF DEAL PROSPECTS WHITHER AWAY

Witkoff arrived on Saturday for the talks that were expected to begin in the coming hours.

The negotiations seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the U.S. lifting some economic sanctions it has imposed on the Islamic Republic.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal is not reached. Iranian officials warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

Iran's nuclear deal in 2015 with foreign nations limited Tehran's program before Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018, leading to years of conflict and tensions.

Trump reiterated that he hoped negotiations would lead to a new nuclear deal, although he still suggested the possibility of a military strike if a deal was not reached.

"The Iran situation is coming out very well," Trump said on Air Force One as he traveled to Rome for Pope Francis' funeral. "We've had a lot of talks with them and I think we're going to have a deal. I'd much rather have a deal than the other alternative. That would be good for humanity."

FETTERMAN CALLS FOR BOMBING IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES: 'WASTE THAT S---'

"There are some people that want to make a different kind of a deal — a much nastier deal — and I don’t want that to happen to Iran if we can avoid it," he added.

The funeral for Pope Francis, who was 88 years old when he died on April 21, is expected to be widely attended by not only the faithful, who are expected to travel worldwide for the event, but also by world leaders. 

Some 130 delegations confirmed they will travel to Rome for the funeral at St. Peter's Basilica, including roughly 50 heads of state and at least another 10 world leaders.

President Donald Trump will travel with his wife, first lady Melania Trump, who is a Roman Catholic, for the funeral in a show of respect despite the fact the president and the pope at times butted heads. 

Neither Vice President JD Vance, who visited the pope on the eve of his death, nor his wife, Usha, are expected to be at the funeral. 

Former President Joe Biden is expected to be in attendance, according to Italian media reports.

TRUMP WILL ATTEND POPE FRANCIS' FUNERAL IN ROME DESPITE CONTENTIOUS PAST: 'LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE!'

Just as his father, now-King Charles III, represented the late Queen Elizabeth II at the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, the eldest son and next in line for the throne, Prince William, will attend the funeral on Saturday.

His family is not expected to be with him, though Prime Minister Kier Starmer is expected to attend the pontiff’s funeral.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reportedly canceled travel plans to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan so she could attend the pope’s funeral. 

In a tribute to Pope Francis posted on social media the day he died, Meloni said, "I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased, not even during times of trial and suffering."

MILEI, POPE FRANCIS EMBRACE IN ROME DESPITE PAST INSULTS

Javier Milei, president of Pope Francis’ native country of Argentina, confirmed he would make the journey to pay his respects to the man of whom he was often critical.

In a statement issued after the pope's death, Milei said, "Despite differences that seem minor today, having been able to know him in his goodness and wisdom was a true honor for me."

Ireland, a Catholic nation, will be represented by both President Michael Higgins and Prime Minister Martin for the pontiff’s funeral.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed he will attend Pope Francis’ funeral at St. Peter’s Basilica, and in a tribute to the pontiff, he said, "We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine. Our state will be represented in Rome at the farewell ceremony this coming Saturday."

Zelenskyy last visited the pope in October 2024.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed she will attend the pope’s funeral in what will mark the first event she and Trump have attended since he took office.

Many other world leaders are expected to attend, though notably leaders from adversarial nations like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as leaders of nations the pope was critical of over human rights concerns, like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, will not be in attendance on Saturday.

Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local Rome time (4:00 a.m. ET) and more than 200,000 people are expected to attend the deceased Vicar of Christ’s services.

Thousands of mourners have taken to the Vatican this week to pay their final respects to Pope Francis following his death on Monday.

The funeral Mass will be held on the parvis of St. Peter’s Basilica, and His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the Catholic rites and blessings.

Mass will begin with an Entrance Antiphon, typically sung or recited by clergy and mourners.

FOX NEWS TO AIR SPECIAL LIVE COVERAGE OF POPE FRANCIS' FUNERAL ON SATURDAY

Then, the congregation will acknowledge their sins with the Penitential Act followed by the Collect, or opening prayer.

Cardinal Battista will then extend the First Reading, a reading from the Acts of the Apostles, to the congregation of worshipers.

The Responsorial Psalm "The Lord is my Shepherd," or "Psalm 23," is to be sung. The Second Reading, a reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, typically recited by an instituted lector at a pope’s funeral, will be heard among parishioners.

The Acclamation and the Gospel will follow.

Cardinal Battista will give the Homily, a reflection, which includes prayer for Pope Francis, the faithful departed and the congregation. The dean of the Roman Catholic Church's College of Cardinals will consecrate the Body and Blood of Christ and invite the faithful to receive Holy Communion following the Communion Rite, or the Our Father prayer.

THEOLOGIAN ON ‘CONCLAVE’ ACCURACY, EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT SECRETIVE EVENT AFTER POPE FRANCIS' DEATH

Requiem Aeternam, a chant often heard among funeral-goers, is to be recited during Communion, followed by a prayer.

Cardinal Battista will offer a final Commendation and Farewell including the Prayer of the Church in Rome and the Prayer of Eastern Churches.

The funeral liturgy "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" will be sung or chanted by the congregation, and Mass will conclude with the Canticle of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pope Francis will be buried in a wooden casket at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a place he often visited with flowers during his 12-year papacy.

POPE FRANCIS EMPHASIZED CATHOLICISM GLOBALLY, REACHED BEYOND US, EUROPE INTO IMPOVERISHED NATIONS

The Novendiali, an ancient and customary nine-day period of prayer, remembrance and mourning, will begin on the day of Pope Francis’ funeral on the parvis of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Pope Francis’ Holy Mass led by His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will commence the nine Masses in memory of the deceased pontiff.

While the Masses are open to public audiences, they are specifically held for employees and faithful of Vatican City.

The schedule is as follows, according to the Vatican:

POPE FRANCIS TO LIE IN STATE, MOURNERS WELCOME: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PONTIFF'S FUNERAL

Indian and Pakistani soldiers briefly exchanged fire along their highly militarized frontier in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, Indian officials said Friday, as tensions soared between the nuclear-armed rivals following a deadly attack on tourists.

India has described the massacre in which gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian, as a "terror attack" and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan denied any connection to the attack near the resort town of Pahalgam in India-controlled Kashmir. It was claimed by a previously unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.

INDIA VOWS TO HUNT TERRORISTS ‘TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH’ AS TENSIONS WITH PAKISTAN RISE AFTER KASHMIR ATTACK

With the region on edge, three Indian army officials said that Pakistani soldiers fired at an Indian position in Kashmir late Thursday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with departmental policy, said Indian soldiers retaliated and no casualties were reported.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the report.

Tensions rise

Tuesday’s attack in Kashmir was the worst assault in years targeting civilians in the restive region. Since then, tensions have risen dangerously between India and Pakistan, which have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, which is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.

On Wednesday, India suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty that has withstood two wars between the countries and closed their only functional land border crossing. A day later, India revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals with effect from Sunday.

Pakistan responded angrily that it has nothing to do with the attack, and canceled visas issued to Indian nationals, closed its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines and suspended all trade with India. Nationals from both sides began heading back to their home countries through the Wagah border near Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Friday.

Islamabad also warned that any Indian attempt to stop or divert the flow of water would be considered an "act of war." The suspension of the water treaty could lead to water shortages at a time when parts of Pakistan are already struggling with drought and declining rainfall.

Pakistan has also warned it could suspend the Simla Agreement — in what would be a major and worrying step. The peace treaty signed after the 1971 India-Pakistan war established the Line of Control, a highly militarized de facto border that divides Kashmir between the countries.

The United Nations has urged India and Pakistan "to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that the situation and the developments we’ve seen do not deteriorate any further."

"Any issues between Pakistan and India, we believe can be and should be resolved peacefully, through meaningful, mutual engagement," the statement said Friday.

India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir. New Delhi describes all militancy there as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.

Residents and police in southern Kashmir said Indian soldiers detonated explosives in the family homes of two suspected militants they accused of being involved in Tuesday’s attack. In the past, Indian troops have demolished homes as a way to punish militancy in Kashmir.

Authorities say they are investigating two local men and two Pakistani nationals for their alleged involvement in the attack. Officials have not elaborated or shared any evidence.

"He left home three years ago. We haven’t seen him since and nothing was ever recovered from this house despite multiple raids," said Afroza, the aunt of one of the local men accused, Asif Sheikh. The blast partially damaged the house in Monghama village that she shares with Sheikh's parents and two sisters, including blowing out its windows. It also shattered windowpanes of several other homes.

"Even if he had done the attack, why blow up the house of a poor family," Afroza, who like many women in Kashmir uses only one name, said as she wailed.

A police official and two residents in Guree village said a house there was also targeted by soldiers. The official insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with media while the two villagers feared reprisals from authorities.

Protesters take to the streets

Also Friday, hundreds of people rallied in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, to denounce the suspension of the water-sharing treaty.

The demonstrators chanted slogans against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and burned his effigy before dispersing peacefully. Similar small rallies were also held elsewhere.

Pakistan’s Senate condemned the attack, while passing a resolution denouncing New Delhi’s attempt to link Islamabad to it and the suspension of the water treaty.

Hundreds of demonstrators also took to streets in India’s capital of New Delhi, where most markets were shut in protest against the killings. They demanded action against Pakistan.

"Now our patience has run out," protester Surekha Sharma said. "Now we want revenge for this."

President Donald Trump’s patience is being tested by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched a barrage of airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 100 more this week, one day ahead of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s fourth visit to Moscow.

Trump told reporters Friday he believes it is "possible" and even "very probable" his administration will negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. 

"I think, in the end, we're going to end up with a lot of good deals, including tariff deals and trade deals. We're going to make our country rich," Trump said ahead of his departure for Rome. "We're going to try and get out of war so that we can save 5,000 people a week. That's what my aim is."

TRUMP'S 'STOP' MESSAGE TO PUTIN ECHOES BIDEN'S 'DON'T' FROM 2022

Trump repeated that he has no deadline for a deal, only that one must be ironed out "as fast as possible."

He made his comments one week after the U.S. threatened to abandon talks if Russia and Ukraine didn’t soon reach a deal and one day after Trump issued a direct message to Putin on social media to "stop" bombing Ukraine. 

"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal DONE," he wrote. 

Trump also conceded that his repeated claims from the campaign trail that he would have the war in Ukraine stopped within 24 hours of taking office were not based on realistic goals but were "figurative."

"I said that as an exaggeration," he told reporters, again blaming the war on his predecessor, President Biden.

But it appears Trump’s verbal warnings to Putin have fallen on deaf ears, similar to the results of Biden’s verbal warnings. Trump has repeatedly accused Biden of being partly at fault for the war, though he has not explained why. 

Former Moscow CIA Station Chief Dan Hoffman said he and other security experts repeatedly warned that, under the Biden administration, Ukraine was not sufficiently armed to adequately take on Russia. 

"After failing to deter Putin's invasion, the Biden administration just kept Ukraine in the fight but didn't give Ukraine a chance to punch back fast enough or hard enough," he said.

"There are three options," Hoffman added, explaining how the U.S. can use its position as leverage over Moscow. "One, entice Russia. That's what Trump is trying to do with trade deals and eliminating sanctions. And Putin has kind of plowed through that by rejecting confidence-building ceasefire deals.

TRUMP INSISTS UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT MISTRUST IN PUTIN LEAVES EXPERTS SKEPTICAL

"The second option is to make Putin pay on the battlefield so that he feels so much pain he has to stop the invasion," he added. "We convince Putin that we're going to rearm Ukraine by saying, 'We've offered you a great deal. You don't want the deal, we're going to arm the Ukrainians.

"The third option is to just walk away and let Europe fend for themselves and support Ukraine as much as they can. We would run the risk that Russia would take more territory from Ukraine. That would be a victory for Russia and its allies – China, North Korea and Iran.

"Let them do it, and then you'll pay the price everywhere else in the world," Hoffman warned, referring to China's threats against Taiwan. "Americans don't like to fight wars. OK, we don't like to lose wars either."

NATO CHIEF SENDS MESSAGE TO RUSSIA: YOU 'ARE NOT WINNING THIS’

An official with knowledge of the talks told Fox News Digital Friday that "Ambassador Witkoff is in Russia to meet with President Putin as part of President Trump's efforts to make peace. 

"It's long past time for the death and destruction to stop, to move past the failed strategies of the past and for an end to this devastating conflict," the official added without commenting on the "substance of negotiations."

A report by Axios this week suggested the White House had extended a "final offer" to Ukraine and Russia that called on Kyiv to recognize Russia's occupation of nearly all the Luhansk region and the occupied areas of the Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

It also said the U.S. would agree to recognize Crimea, which Putin illegally seized from Ukraine in 2014, as now legally a part of Russia, and that Washington would lift sanctions. 

Neither the White House nor the National Security Council responded to Fox News Digital’s repeated questions about whether there will be consequences for Putin should he fail to enter into an agreement with Ukraine.

The administration also did not comment on why it believes Putin wants to enter into an agreement with the U.S. when security officials have repeatedly warned otherwise. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already said he will not acknowledge Crimea as a part of Russia but rather as Ukrainian land illegally occupied by Russia.

Zelenskyy also on Thursday posted a 2018 "Crimea declaration" by Trump's first-term Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, which said, "No country can change the borders of another by force" in a move to signify Trump’s apparent position change that now favors Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin is "ready to reach a deal" to end the war in Ukraine, which has been raging for more than three years.

In an excerpt of an interview that is set to air in full on Sunday, Lavrov told CBS News that he agreed with President Donald Trump's assertion that talks between Ukraine and Russia were "moving in the right direction." 

TRUMP TELLS PUTIN 'STOP' AFTER DEADLY RUSSIAN STRIKES ON KYIV

Lavrov’s comments came after Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and demanded he halt the deadly strikes in Ukraine. 

"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal DONE," Trump wrote.

However, Lavrov also told CBS News that there were "some specific points, elements of the deal, which need to be fine-tuned," but did not explain what was being negotiated.

Lavrov also apparently made it clear to CBS News that Russia would not give up Crimea, which the country seized from Ukraine in 2014. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week that his country would not recognize Russian control of Crimea, as it would go against Ukraine’s constitution. Trump slammed Zelenskyy over the "inflammatory" remark and said in a post on Truth Social that the comment was "very harmful" to peace efforts.

"It’s inflammatory statements like Zelenskyy’s that make it so difficult to settle this war," Trump wrote. In the same post, he said it was time for Russia and Ukraine to "get it done" and reach an agreement.

TRUMP INSISTS UKRAINE-RUSSIA PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT MISTRUST IN PUTIN LEAVES EXPERTS SKEPTICAL

Putin has yet to agree to a U.S. proposal to stop the war, and it remains unclear what exactly would get him to sign a deal. However, the Trump administration is still optimistic about its efforts to end the deadly conflict.

When speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said that he thinks both Ukraine and Russia "want peace right now" and that "they’re ready to do something." He then asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to weigh in on the status of the peace negotiations.

"This war is endable. Both sides just have to agree to it," Rubio told reporters. He also said there were "good meetings over the weekend," which were presumably focused on ending the conflict.

Rubio added that the results of Russia’s deadly strikes on Ukraine should remind the world why it’s so important to see peace in the region.

A Russian general was killed Friday in a car bombing outside of Moscow, according to Russia’s top criminal investigation agency.

The Investigative Committee said that Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, a deputy head of the main operational department in the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, was killed by an explosive device placed in his car in Balashikha.

The explosive device was rigged with shrapnel, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said. The perpetrator of the blast is unclear. 

The attack comes as White House envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow Friday for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Trump administration is trying to broker a deal to end the war in Ukraine.

UKRAINIAN OFFICIAL TAKES CREDIT AFTER RUSSIAN GENERAL IGOR KIRILLOV, WHO WAS KILLED BY EXPLOSIVE DEVICE IN MOSCOW

Images taken at the scene of the bombing showed a burned Volkswagen Golf car outside an apartment building in Balashikha.

The attack also happened following the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, who died on Dec. 17 in Moscow when a bomb hidden on an electric scooter parked outside his apartment building exploded as he left for his office. 

Russian authorities blamed Ukraine for the killing of Kirillov, and Ukraine's security agency acknowledged that it was behind that attack.

That bombing came one day after Ukrainian Security Services charged Kirillov with crimes. The explosive in that incident had the power of roughly 300 grams of TNT, according to Russian state news agency Tass.

Kirillov was charged by Ukraine with using banned chemical weapons on the battlefield. Several countries had also placed him under sanctions for his role in the war against Ukraine, the AP reported.

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Pritchett, Anders Hagstrom, Greg Wehner and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

The World Economic Forum – the globalist body that hosts its annual gathering of elites in Davos, Switzerland – is supporting an independent investigation into whistle-blower allegations brought against its founder, Klaus Schwab, Fox News Digital has confirmed. 

The whistleblower complaint was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, a day after Schwab, 87, stepped down as chairman and as a member of the Board of Trustees, effective immediately. 

According to the Journal, an anonymous whistleblower penned a letter to the board – which includes former Vice President Al Gore, Jordan's Queen Rania and European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde as members – alleging financial and ethical misconduct by Schwab and his wife, Hilde. The claims included that Schwab allegedly tapped subordinates to withdraw thousands of dollars from ATMs on his behalf and used WEF funds to pay for private, in-room massages at hotels. 

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM FOUNDER KLAUS SCHWAB STEPS DOWN FROM GLOBALIST BODY'S BOARD

The letter reportedly also alleged his wife, a former WEF staffer, arranged "token" meetings funded by the forum to rationalize luxury holiday travel on the organization's tab. 

A spokesperson for the Schwab family denied all allegations about luxury travel and withdrawing money, telling the Journal that Klaus Schwab would always pay the forum back for any massages charged to hotels while traveling. The spokesperson also told the Journal that the family plans to file a lawsuit against whoever was responsible for the whistle-blower letter and "anybody who spreads these mistruths." 

The Journal reported that the board convened an emergency meeting on Easter Sunday about the whistle-blower allegations to consider a course of action. 

"The Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum unanimously supported the Audit and Risk Committee’s decision to initiate an independent investigation following a whistleblower letter containing allegations against former Chairman Klaus Schwab," the WEF said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. "This decision was made after consultation with external legal counsel and in line with the Forum’s fiduciary responsibilities." 

"The investigation will be led by the Audit and Risk Committee with the support of independent legal experts," the statement continued. "The Committee will move expediently to determine its processes and parameters and will share its progress with the Board. While the Forum takes these allegations seriously, it emphasizes that they remain unproven, and will await the outcome of the investigation to comment further."

TRUMP'S DAVOS COMMENTS REIGNITE DEBANKING CONTROVERSY

"Under the interim chairmanship of Peter Brabeck-Letmathe and the continued leadership of President and CEO Børge Brende, the Forum remains fully committed to its mission and responsibilities." 

In announcing Schwab's departure on Monday, WEF said its board "acknowledged the outstanding achievements of the retired" Schwab. 

"He created the leading global platform for dialogue and progress, and the Board expressed its gratitude for his 55 years of relentless leadership at the helm of the Forum," the WEF said in a statement. "At a time when the world is undergoing rapid transformation, the need for inclusive dialogue to navigate complexity and shape the future has never been more critical. The Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum underlines the importance of remaining steadfast in its mission and values as a facilitator of progress. Building on its trusted role, the Forum will continue to bring together leaders from all sectors and regions to exchange insights and foster collaboration." 

The annual meeting in Davos for years has brought together top business executives, government leaders, academics, international organizations, cultural figures, sports legends and celebrities for conversations on world economic affairs. 

President Donald Trump addressed the Davos meeting remotely in January, just three days after his inauguration. 

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"What the world has witnessed in the past 72 hours is nothing less than a revolution of common sense," Trump said, speaking of his plan to begin a "Golden Age" for America. "Our country will soon be stronger, wealthier and more united than ever before, and the entire planet will be more peaceful and prosperous as a result of this incredible momentum and what we're doing and going to do." 

French police arrested a student Thursday after he allegedly killed another student and injured three others in a stabbing attack at his private Catholic school. 

The 15-year-old attacker was overpowered by teachers at the Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides High School in Nantes before police arrived, a law enforcement spokesperson told Reuters. 

"A knife attack took place this afternoon at a private school in Nantes," Education Minister Elisabeth Borne wrote on X. "I am going there with [Interior Minister] Bruno Retailleau to express my solidarity with the victims and my support for the educational community." 

The student stabbed four students with a knife during a lunch break, according to the Associated Press. 

AMSTERDAM KNIFE ATTACKER WHO INJURED 2 AMERICANS SUSPECTED OF HAVING ‘TERRORIST MOTIVE,’ PROSECUTORS SAY 

Police told Reuters that there was nothing to indicate a terrorist motive. 

Students at the school told French media at the scene that they had received an email from the assailant earlier in the day with unspecified grievances. 

FRENCH RIGHT-WING LEADER MARINE LE PEN FOUND GUILTY OF EMBEZZLING PUBLIC FUNDS, BARRED FROM RUNNING FOR OFFICE 

The attacker was dressed in all black clothing and wore a helmet and balaclava, Reuters also reported, citing local newspaper Ouest France. 

Photos taken near the school showed a heavy security presence Thursday. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

TEL AVIV – Israel came to a standstill as the entire country ground to a halt in memory of the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Israel’s official state ceremony, held under the banner "Out of the Depths: The Pain of Liberation and Growth," took place on Wednesday night, with a shadow still cast over the nation by the Oct. 7 massacre, the ongoing war against Hamas, and the 59 people, including Americans, still being held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew a connection between the Holocaust and the current threats facing Israel: "Eighty years ago, the Jewish people were defenseless. Today, we are no longer helpless. The State of Israel is strong, the IDF is strong, and we will do whatever is necessary to return our hostages and defeat our enemies," he said.

"No decision, no resolution can prevent us from settling the score with these despicable, terrible barbarians, who are as bad as the Nazis, who kidnapped, murdered and raped our loved ones," added Netanyahu, in reference to Hamas.

SKYROCKETING ANTISEMITISM IN CANADA SPARKS CONCERN FOR COUNTRY'S JEWS AHEAD OF ELECTION

President Donald Trump issued a proclamation to mark the solemn occasion. "The price to humanity of the lives lost during the Shoah can never be fully grasped or understood. Yet, even in the wake of the Holocaust, a self-determined Jewish homeland rose from the ashes as the modern State of Israel," he noted.

"Sadly, our nation has borne witness to the worst outbreak of antisemitism on American soil in generations. Nearly every day following the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Jewish Americans were threatened on our streets and in our public square – a reminder that the poison of antisemitism tragically still exists," he added.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog vowed during the country's main remembrance event to never allow another genocide to be perpetrated against the Jewish people.

"From this mountain of memory, Yad Vashem, we declare: We will not forget, we will not forgive and we will not remain silent. Not in the face of Hamas, not in the face of Iran, and not in the face of those who wish us harm – whether with missiles, machetes, or lies," he said.

During the event, Holocaust survivor Gad Fartouk, 93, lit one of six memorial torches, before reciting a prayer: "May all the hostages come home soon. Amen."

Herzog on Thursday traveled to Poland to lead the March of the Living at the former Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. This year, 80 survivors aged 80 to 97, many of whom were liberated from Nazi death camps, were joined by an Israeli delegation of 10 freed hostages.

"We will never forget or forgive the horrors of the Holocaust. Yet every representative who has come here from the Oct. 7 delegation is a triumph of light for the Jewish people, and a reminder that the Jewish people will exist for eternity," said former captive Eli Sharabi, who is marching in memory of his brother Yossi, whose body is still being held in Gaza.

HAMAS TERROR GROUP REPORTEDLY BUCKLING UNDER FINANCIAL STRAIN AMID ISRAELI MILITARY GAINS AND GROWING UNREST

"The Jewish people sanctify life, not death. We come here with the hope that the covenant between the state and its citizens will be honored – that all the hostages will return, both the living to their homes and the fallen to a proper burial," he added.

Also participating were family members of those murdered or still held captive, as well as relatives who have lost loved ones during the 18-month-long war.

Among the other participants was Merrill Eisenhower Atwater, great-grandson of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the Allied push to liberate Europe. This year’s March paid special tribute to the Allied forces who liberated the Nazi camps 80 years ago.

Approximately 120,000 Holocaust survivors who immigrated to Israel remain alive, according to official data, with around 13,000 others having died in the past year. Some 2,500 survivors were impacted by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks, with most having been evacuated to safety from their homes.

A recent report titled "Vanishing Witnesses: An Urgent Analysis of the Declining Population of Holocaust Survivors," projects that just half of these survivors will be living in six years, with just 30%, or about 66,250, remaining in 2035. By 2040, just 22,080 survivors will remain.

Established in 1951, Yom Hashoah is observed annually in Israel on the 27th day of the Hebrew calendar month of Nissan, falling some time in April or May, with ceremonies, programs and survivor testimonies taking place across Jewish communities worldwide.

India is vowing to hunt down terrorists "to the ends of the earth" Thursday as tensions with Pakistan escalate in the wake of a shooting in India's Kashmir region that left 26 people dead.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a public rally that "India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, their handlers and their backers." 

"We will pursue them to the ends of the earth," he reportedly added. 

Tuesday's attack was the worst assault in years targeting civilians in the restive region that has seen an anti-India rebellion for more than three decades. Gunmen opened fire on mostly tourists who were visiting a popular scenic meadow, killing 26 and injuring 17, according to Reuters. 

INDIA DOWNGRADES TIES WITH PAKISTAN AFTER ATTACK ON KASHMIR TOURISTS 

The Indian government did not publicly produce any evidence connecting the attack to its neighbor, but said it had "cross-border" links to Pakistan. However, Pakistan denied any connection to the attack, which was claimed by a militant group that called itself the Kashmir Resistance. 

Indian authorities said Thursday that all visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be revoked with effect from Sunday, adding that all Pakistanis currently in India must leave before their visas expire based on the revised timeline. The country also announced other measures, including cutting the number of diplomatic staff and closing the only functional land border crossing between the countries. 

TRUMP EXTENDS ‘DEEPEST SYMPATHIES’ AFTER GUNMEN KILL 20 IN INDIA’S KASHMIR REGION 

In response, Pakistan closed its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines and suspended all trade with India including to and from any third country. 

Pakistan’s National Security Committee also condemned India’s "belligerent measures." It said that while Pakistan remained committed to peace, it would never allow anyone to "transgress its sovereignty, security, dignity and inalienable rights." 

President Donald Trump extended his "deepest sympathies" on Tuesday following the attack. 

"Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir," Trump wrote on his TRUTH Social account. "The United States stands strong with India against Terrorism. We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies. Our hearts are with you all!"  

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Since Israel's near annihilation of Hezbollah's terror leadership, and the backing of the Trump administration, whose special envoy to Lebanon has made clear the U.S. goal of limiting the power and influence of the Iran-terror proxy, the winds of change are slowly blowing over Beirut.

"Thanks to Hezbollah being weakened and defeated after the war with Israel, we are finally in a position to have this conversation about peace with Israel," Rami Naim, Lebanon affairs journalist and analyst for Jusoor News, told Fox News Digital. "In the past the intelligence investigated me and took me to jail because I said we want peace with Israel, but now I say it openly, yes, we want normalization, and yes, we want peace with Israel without fear." Naim was personally attacked by Hezbollah last year for his outspoken views.

The weakening of Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy, and the election of Joseph Aoun as Lebanon’s president in January 2025, represents a turning point in the country’s political trajectory. After more than two years of political deadlock, Aoun’s election was seen as a victory for the anti-Hezbollah camp, and has seemingly made the shift in public opinion regarding peace with Israel more palatable.

LEBANON'S NEW PRESIDENT STRIKES A NATIONALISTIC TONE AMID REGIONAL SHIFTS, FURTHER WEAKENING OF HEZBOLLAH

Touting the U.S. president, Naim said, "We believe Trump will put things back on track and work toward peace, aiming for a major peace deal between Lebanon and Israel, which will require increased pressure on Iran." 

Interviews conducted by Jussor, a pan-Arab media outlet, have highlighted that many Lebanese citizens are now willing to consider normalization with Israel. One Lebanese man, interviewed on camera with his face showing, shared his hope: "I believe a day will come when there will be normalization with Israel. It will take time, but it will happen eventually." 

Another interviewee echoed similar sentiments: "Israel wants peace. They don’t want war. They are cleaning things up so war doesn’t happen, and we want peace too. We’re exhausted."

Morgan Ortagus, U.S. deputy special envoy for Middle East Peace, has emphasized the necessity of disarming Hezbollah to stabilize Lebanon and pave the way for peace in the region. 

In an interview with Al Arabiya earlier this month, she described Hezbollah as a "cancer" within Lebanon that must be removed for the country to have any hope of recovery. She said, "When you have cancer, you don’t treat part of the cancer in your body and let the rest of it grow and fester; you cut the cancer out." Ortagus also criticized Iran for fueling regional instability and dragging Lebanon into conflicts it did not seek. She noted, "The government of Lebanon didn’t want to go to war with Israel. It was on Oct. 8, 2023, that Hezbollah and Iran decided to get into the war… people were forced into a war that nobody wanted to be in."

"We are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah," Ortagus said at a news conference in Beirut’s southeastern suburb of Baabda after a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the Associated Press reported.

Naim said that while the public may be ready for peace, it is the Lebanese political elite that must take action. "We need America to keep pressure on Lebanon’s corrupt politicians, who have enabled Hezbollah to rebuild its military capabilities… These politicians must publicly endorse peace. It’s not just activists and journalists who should be saying it. The decision-makers must step forward."

ISRAEL DEGRADES IRAN-BACKED HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS IN SPECTACULAR PAGER EXPLOSION OPERATION: EXPERTS

Naim’s call for international intervention underscores the continued importance of U.S. influence in Lebanon’s political direction. "We have suffered under the Biden and Obama administrations, as well as those who have made compromises and deals with Iran behind our backs, disregarding our interests," Naim said. 

"During Trump’s first term, there was significant pressure on Iran, which had posed aggression in the region. However, when Trump left the White House, Iran rebuilt its capabilities and grew stronger. Now, we have big hopes for Trump’s second term. His return to the White House would change the equation. What makes us optimistic about Trump is that he fulfills his promises and conducts negotiations from a position of strength, not weakness."

While there is growing support for peace with Israel, the issue of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon remains a significant hurdle. One man interviewed by Jussor News pointed out, "I believe the whole region is heading toward peace. But we have our demands – you can’t have 500,000 Palestinians living here, then the Israelis come make peace and normalization, and leave them all here with us." 

Another woman told Jussor: "We are for peace in Lebanon. Not fighting other people’s wars which are not in Lebanon’s interests. Neutrality, as our patriarch said: enough already. We shouldn’t be looking for excuses or saying, ‘We want to liberate Palestine’ while we keep destroying Lebanon. The Palestinians told us, ‘Relax, we don’t need anything from you.’"

"The Lebanese people are divided, but not into two equal parts," said Naim. "The majority of the Lebanese people today are supportive of normalization and peace with Israel. This is no longer a taboo in Lebanon. Lebanese citizens can say today, ‘I am supportive of peace and normalization because I have suffered from these failed wars. The Israelis want peace, and we want peace. We want to live in peace. So it’s a win-win situation.’"

The Trump administration is warning of "serious consequences" over Russia’s plans to open a naval base in war-torn Sudan. News of the development of the base has triggered an unusual warning from the State Department, Fox News Digital was told.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We encourage all countries, including Sudan, to avoid any transactions with Russia’s defense sector."

The Kremlin appears to be desperate to join the Horn of Africa global powers "naval club," with its approved plans for a base for warships and nuclear-powered submarines at Port Sudan. This is not far down the Indian Ocean coast from Djibouti, where there are U.S. and Chinese bases. With the new Syrian government likely to kick the Russians out of their base in Tartus, Port Sudan would be Russia’s only foreign naval base.

"Moscow views Sudan, because of its strategic location, as a logical place to expand Russia’s footprint into Africa, which Putin views as a key place of geopolitical confrontation with the United States and China," Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst, told Fox News Digital. 

WORLD FORGETS ‘CATASTROPHIC’ WAR IN SUDAN AS RUSSIA, IRAN, OTHERS REPORTEDLY FEED FIGHTING WITH ARMS

"Russia views the U.S. and China as its top adversaries, with whom Moscow may in the long-term have a kinetic conflict. Hence, Putin wants intelligence and military capabilities stationed close to the U.S. Djibouti base and Chinese facilities," she said.

"Given that the U.S. and China already have [a] naval presence off of the Horn of Africa," Koffler added, "Russia is looking at Port Sudan as a logistics hub for weapons transfers, storage of military hardware ammunition, all sorts of war-fighting capabilities."

"The potential Russian naval logistics facility in Sudan would support Russian power projection in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean," John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital. He added that "this issue has gained greater importance for Moscow, given the uncertainty over the future of its Tartus naval logistics facility."

A Russian naval base in the Indian Ocean has strategic military implications — it’s a relatively short sailing distance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, a choke point through which an estimated 12% of the world’s shipping passes, while 61% of global oil tanker traffic is also said to use the canal. Koffler said this poses a significant security threat. 

"If Russia perceives an impending escalation against Russia, let’s say in Ukraine — such as an impending deployment of NATO forces or draconian economic measures designed to tank [the] Russian economy — I would not rule out the possibility that Putin could authorize something disruptive to exploit the choke point and destabilize or disrupt global shipping, as a way of deterring Western actions threatening Russia."

The deal permitting Moscow to build a military base has been given the green light, although there are serious logistical challenges involved. "The agreement between Sudan and Russia was finalized in February, following a meeting between Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Yusef Sharif and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow," Koffler explained. 

US TROOPS IN STANDOFF IN AFRICAN NATIONS AS COLD WAR-LIKE TENSIONS TAKE HOLD ON CONTINENT

Hence the strongly worded comments to Fox News Digital from the State Department that "the United States is aware of the reported deal between Russia and the SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] on establishing a Russian naval facility on Sudan’s coast. We encourage all countries, including Sudan, to avoid any transactions with Russia’s defense sector, which could trigger serious consequences, potentially including sanctions on entities or individuals associated with those transactions.

"Moving forward with such a facility or any other form of security cooperation with Russia would further isolate Sudan, deepen the current conflict, and risk further regional destabilization. "

On the (very) dry land that is Sudan, the situation Monday around the city of Al Fasher and the neighboring massive Zamzam refugee camp in the Darfur region is "horrifying," U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Tom Fletcher posted.

The civil war in Sudan, between the government’s SAF and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has just passed its grisly second anniversary. Tens of thousands have been killed, and an estimated 13 million people have been uprooted from their homes. The U.N. describes it as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and UNICEF calls it "hell on earth."

"There can be no overstating the brutality and destructiveness of the RSF assault on Zamzam (refugee camp)," Sudan researcher Eric Reeves told Fox News Digital this week. "The camp that has existed since 2004 is no longer, even as it had grown to more than 500,000 people."

Ominously, Reeves added that "the real dying has only just begun. Nearly the entire population of Zamzam has fled, and in all directions the threat of RSF violence remains. This creates insecurity of a sort that prevents humanitarians from reaching these scattered people. Tremendous numbers will die either from RSF violence or the lack of food, water and shelter."

Another 30 were reported killed on Tuesday in a fresh RSF attack on Al Fasher. And just this past week, the RSF rebels announced they are setting up their own government. The State Department told Fox News Digital, "The United States is deeply concerned about the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and aligned actors’ declaration of a parallel government in Sudan. This attempt to establish a parallel government is unhelpful for the cause of peace and security and risks a de facto partition of the country."

"It will only further destabilize the country, threaten Sudan’s territorial integrity, and spread wider instability throughout the region. The United States has made clear that our interest is in the restoration of peace and an end to the threats the conflict in Sudan pose to regional stability. The best path to peace and stability is an immediate and durable cessation of hostilities so that the processes of establishing a civilian government and rebuilding the country can begin," the spokesperson said.

Caleb Weiss, editor of the FDD's Long War Journal and also a Defections Program Manager at the Bridgeway Foundation, put some of the blame for not ending the Sudanese war on the Biden administration. He told Fox News Digital that it "stopped short of seriously facilitating any sort of meaningful peace talks/mediation/or being tough on outside backers of various groups to really get them to be serious in previous negotiation attempts. This is where the Biden administration failed."