Headline
JUST IN: Pope Francis Is Dead
Pope Francis, head of the Catholic church, is dead.
In a statement, the Vatican said the pope “died on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta”.
He was 88 years of age.
Cardinal Farrell, camerlengo of the Catholic church, said the pope passed away at 7:35am.
“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Farrell said.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis Meets King Charles, Queen Camilla Despite Illness
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and True God.”
On Easter Sunday, the pope was pictured greeting crowds from the gallery of St Peter’s Basilica after celebrating mass with the faithful.
READ ALSO:Pope Francis Approves Blessings For Same-sex Couples
Pope Francis had been battling bilateral pneumonia and was discharged from hospital on March 23.
He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936.
Francis earned a chemical technician’s diploma before entering the Jesuit novitiate in March 1958.
He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969.
On March 13, 2013, Francis became pope aged 76, succeeding Benedict XVI, the first pope in 600 years to resign from office.
Headline
Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges
A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.
Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.
Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.
READ ALSO:Indian National Arraigned In Lagos Over Alleged N22m Supermarket Fraud
He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.
According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.
The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.
READ ALSO:NDLEA Intercepts Indian Lady With 72 Parcels Of Heroin ON n Chocolate Wraps
“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.
Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.
The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.
Headline
Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran
The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.
Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.
The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.
READ ALSO:Strait Of Hormuz: Pakistan Thanks Trump For Pausing ‘Project Freedom’
“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.
“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.
Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.
Headline
US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran
The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.
The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.
A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.
READ ALSO:US Restricts Entry Routes For Travellers From DRC, Uganda, South Sudan Over Ebola Outbreak
The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.
Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.
Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
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