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Pope Francis’ tomb opens to visitors at Roman basilica, as 200K attend special Mass at St Peter’s Square

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The tomb of Pope Francis opened for visitors at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome on Sunday, a day after world leaders and a crowd of hundreds of thousands attended the funeral of the late leader of the Catholic Church. 

Roman Catholic faithful are filing past the simple white tomb in St. Mary Major Basilica. Many are administering the sign of the cross or snapping photos on their cell phones, as ushers urge them to keep moving to accommodate the thousands who flocked to the Rome basilica to see the tomb, forming a long line outside. The tomb was opened on the second of nine days of official mourning for Francis, after which a conclave will be held to elect the next pope.

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A single white rose was placed on the tomb that said «Franciscus» – the pope’s name in Latin. A light cast its warm glow over the tomb and a reproduction of the late pontiff’s pectoral cross on the wall above it. 

The wait time is about an hour, according to SkyTV. Some visitors arrived before dawn so that they could get in at 7 a.m. when the tomb first opened.

An estimated 200,000 people also attended a special Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state. 

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WORLD LEADERS AND MOURNERS OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH GATHER IN VATICAN CITY FOR POPE FRANCIS’ FUNERAL

Parolin – a close collaborator of Francis – delivered a much-anticipated homily. He is considered No. 2 at the Vatican and is one of the possible contenders to be the next pope.

«The shepherd whom the Lord gave to his people, Pope Francis, has ended his earthly life and has left us,» Parolin said in his homily. «The grief at his departure, the sense of sadness that assails us, the turmoil we feel in our hearts, the sense of bewilderment: we are experiencing all of this, like the apostles grieving over the death of Jesus. Yet, the Gospel tells us that it is precisely in these moments of darkness that the Lord comes to us with the light of the resurrection, to illuminate our hearts.»

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Parolin emphasized that God’s mercy was a central focus of the late Argentinian pope. 

«He reminded us that ‘mercy’ is the very name of God, and, therefore, no one can put a limit on his merciful love with which he wants to raise us up and make us new people. It is important to welcome as a precious treasure this principle on which Pope Francis insisted so much. And – allow me to say – our affection for him, which is being manifested in this time, must not remain a mere emotion of the moment; we must welcome his legacy and make it part of our lives, opening ourselves to God’s mercy and also being merciful to one another,» Parolin said. «Mercy takes us back to the heart of faith.»

Parolin added, «Only mercy heals and creates a new world, putting out the fires of distrust, hatred and violence: this is the great teaching of Pope Francis.» 

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Among those in attendance were many young people who originally came to Rome for what was supposed to be the canonization of the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, during special holy days devoted to teenagers. 

About 80,000 youths had registered to attend the Jubilee. Many groups of youths, some in scouting uniforms, attended Francis’ funeral on Saturday and again filled St. Peter’s Square for the special Mass on Sunday.

5 QUOTES FROM CARDINAL ROBERT SARAH, A FAVORITE AMONG CONSERVATIVES TO SUCCEED POPE FRANCIS

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Boy Scouts participating in the Jubilee of Teenagers attended a mass presided over by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, on Sunday, April 27, 2025.  (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

«The joy of Easter, which sustains us in this time of trial and sadness, is something that can almost be touched in this square today; you can see it etched above all in your faces, dear children and young people who have come from all over the world to celebrate the Jubilee,» Parolin said. «You come from so many places: from all of the dioceses of Italy, from Europe, from the United States to Latin America, from Africa to Asia, from the United Arab Emirates… With you here, the whole world is truly present!»

No date has yet been set for the conclave, but it is expected to start between May 5 and May 10. 

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Pope Francis chose his place of burial in St. Mary Major Basilica, near an icon of the Madonna that he revered, because it reflects his «humble, simple and essential» life, the archbishop who administers the basilica said Friday.

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Cardinals who traveled to Rome for Francis’ funeral will be meeting regularly this week ahead of the conclave as they start to chart a way forward for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. 

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At 4 p.m. on Sunday, the cardinals will go to pray at Francis’ tomb.

Italian media reported that former President Joe Biden met privately with Parolin on Saturday. In 2015, the two met when Biden sought the comfort of the cardinal after the death of his son Beau.

Fox News’ Courtney Walsh-Annesi and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Education Secretary Linda McMahon touts Columbia University’s $200M settlement ‘template’

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Columbia University’s $200 million-plus discrimination settlement with the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a culture of accountability, Education Secretary Linda McMahon shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

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President Donald Trump’s administration is celebrating what it considers a «historic settlement» with the university that has become the epicenter of protests rejecting the war in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. 

«I’m very pleased that we were able to bring those negotiations to a close and have an excellent working agreement now with Columbia. They knew they had an antisemitism problem,» McMahon said ahead of her remarks at the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The settlement not only combats antisemitism on college campuses, it takes measures to remove discriminatory hiring practices and enhance campus safety, the education secretary explained. 

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TRUMP SECURES $221M COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENT OVER ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon visits «Fox & Friends» at the Fox News Channel Studios March 7, 2025, in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)

«This agreement is going to be an excellent template for other universities to be able to use as well,» McMahon said. 

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COLUMBIA PROFESSORS DEMAND ANSWERS AS WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES NEGOTIATIONS WITH IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY

Several Jewish leaders have spoken to Fox News Digital about the «existential threat» they say Jewish New Yorkers are facing since 33-year-old socialist Zohran Mamdani became the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City.

During the primary campaign, Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the phrase «Globalize the intifada» and recognize Israel as a Jewish state triggered accusations he was antisemitic. 

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He has since said he would discourage others from using the phrase and has continuously affirmed his commitment to condemning the rise of antisemitism in New York City.

Anti-Semitic protesters occupy a building on the campus of Columbia University

Pro-Hamas slogans on sheets are hung inside Butler Library on the campus of Columbia University, where protesters occupied the building throughout the spring of 2025.  (Sam Nahins)

Yuval David, a Jewish advocate and advisor, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani, as mayor, would «enable, and more importantly, empower antisemitic protesters.»

In light of the Columbia University settlement, Fox News Digital asked McMahon if the Trump administration was worried about a surge in antisemitism on New York City college campuses if Mamdani is elected in November. 

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«We didn’t discuss that as part of what we were doing. We weren’t looking at a specific incident that might occur in the future,» McMahon explained.

Linda McMahon looks on

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testifies at a House Committee on Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing on the Department of Education on Capitol Hill May 21, 2025, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

But the education secretary said what is most important in Columbia University’s settlement is that it will «lay the groundwork, so regardless of what incidents may or may not occur, you’re prepared for it.»

McMahon said Columbia now has a «great working relationship» with the New York Police Department (NYPD). 

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The settlement includes Columbia’s commitment to «enforcing strict rules against disruptive protests, prohibiting masked protests and maintaining trained security officers and ongoing cooperation with the New York Police Department.»

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«They won’t hesitate to bring them in to make arrests,» McMahon warned. «There will be consequences. People will be expelled. They’ll be suspended. If there’s criminal activity, they can go to jail.

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«The accountability factor of this agreement is incredibly strong, and that’s the message we intend to send, that students on campus need to be in an environment for study.» 

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A un año de la cuestionada reelección de Nicolás Maduro, represión y elecciones municipales bajo sospecha

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A un año de la cuestionada reelección de Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela celebra este domingo unas elecciones municipales marcadas por la amenaza de una fuerte abstención y una nueva ola represiva denunciada por la líder opositora María Corina Machado desde la clandestinidad.

El país elegirá a 335 alcaldes y 2471 concejales, en un nuevo proceso electoral sometido a una profunda desconfianza. La sociedad venezolana mantiene aún abiertas las heridas que dejaron los polémicos comicios del 28 de julio de 2024 que proclamaron la continuidad del modelo chavista entre persistentes denuncias de fraude.

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Estas nuevas elecciones amenazan abrazar la misma apatía que caracterizó a las últimas elecciones regionales de fines de mayo, cuando solo votó el 42% del padrón electoral, según cifras oficiales. Para Machado, la abstención fue del 85%. Entonces, el oficialismo reivindicó una victoria aplastante.

Hoy el gobierno chavista se encuentra más aislado que nunca, en especial en la región, a pesar de su alianza estratégica con Rusia, China e Irán. “Lo paradójico es que Maduro presenta un mayor nivel de interlocución con la administración Trump que con sus pares progresistas iberoamericanos”, dijo a TN el opositor Jesús «Chuo» Torrealba, exsecretario general de la Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (MUD), antecesora de la mayoritaria Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD) que lidera Machado.

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De hecho, Maduro logró un canje de prisioneros con la Casa Blanca, pero fue excluido de la reciente cumbre de mandatarios progresistas celebrada en Santiago y que contó con la presencia de los presidentes de Chile, Gabriel Boric; de Brasil, Luiz Lula da Silva; de Colombia, Gustavo Petro; y de Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, así como del jefe de gobierno español, Pedro Sánchez.

Entre la apatía, una elevada inflación y denuncias de una nueva ola represiva

Las elecciones de este domingo se celebran en medio de una fuerte apatía, a pesar de los discursos optimistas del gobierno, en el poder dese hace más de 26 años.

Maduro anunció esta semana que la economía venezolana aumentó más del 6% en el segundo trimestre del año y dijo que el país lleva 17 trimestres continuos de crecimiento. “El año pasado crecimos nueve puntos, en 2023, 5,5; en 2022, que fue un cohete, crecimos 15. En el primer trimestre, nueve, y en este segundo trimestre por encima de seis”, dijo el gobernante.

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Nicolás Maduro vota en las elecciones regionales de mayo (Foto de archivo: REUTERS/Leonardo Fernández Viloria)

Pero la dolarizada economía perdió casi el 80% de su tamaño entre 2013 y 2020 y hoy es considerada una de las más pequeñas de la región. La presunta recuperación, según alertan economistas consultados por TN, parte de un piso muy bajo. El país logró sortear el desabastecimiento, pero los precios de los hoy bien abastecidos mercados se miden en moneda dura.

Además, Venezuela lidera el ránking mundial de inflación con un índice interanual de 172% en junio. El bolívar, la moneda nacional, acumula este año una devaluación de 56%. El salario mínimo se mantiene en dos dólares, aunque llega a 130 mensuales con bonos que reciben los trabajadores estatales.

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En ese marco de dificultades y bajo una fuerte oleada migratoria que sacó del país a más de 7 millones de venezolanos, la oposición denunció una nueva ola represiva.

“Alerta mundial. El régimen de Maduro desata brutal ola de represión: más de 20 desaparecidos y presos en 72 horas”, escribió María Corina Machado el martes en su cuenta de X. La líder opositora se encuentra en la clandestinidad tras denunciar un fraude masivo en las elecciones del 28 de julio de 2024, de las que este lunes se cumplirá un año.

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María Corina Machado se encuentra en la clandestinidad (Foto: REUTERS/Gaby Oraa)

María Corina Machado se encuentra en la clandestinidad (Foto: REUTERS/Gaby Oraa)

Según denuncian activistas, aún hay cientos de detenidos políticos en las cárceles venezolanas tras la represión de las protestas seguidas a las cuestionadas elecciones presidenciales.

La ONG Comité por la Libertad de los Presos Políticos denunció también “nuevas detenciones arbitrarias” en el país tras la liberación de un grupo de detenidos bajo la mediación del expresidente español José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero.

“Nos preocupa profundamente que, mientras algunas excarcelaciones se concretan, continúen ocurriendo nuevas detenciones arbitrarias, generando una dinámica perversa de puerta giratoria. La represión no se ha detenido y la persecución política sigue afectando a más familias venezolanas”, afirmó en un posteo en X.

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Según la entidad, “otros están a punto de cumplir un año en aislamiento absoluto, sin haber visto nunca a sus familias”. En esa situación está el gendarme catamarqueño Nahuel Gallo, detenido desde el 8 de diciembre pasado tras ingresar legalmente al país desde la frontera colombiana.

Qué está pasando con la oposición venezolana

En tanto, la oposición no logra ponerse de acuerdo en cómo enfrentar al chavismo.

La mayoritaria Plataforma Unitaria Democrática (PUD) de Machado decidió no participar en ninguna contienda electoral este año. No quiere avalar con su presencia el sistema electoral chavista, al que acusa de fraudulento y de robarle su triunfo en las presidenciales de 2024.

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Pero otro sector opositor sí decidió participar en los comicios. Hubo decenas de dirigentes que presentaron candidaturas en las elecciones regionales de mayo y otros estarán en las boletas este domingo.

En esa lista sobresalen tres: Adrián Romero, que irá por la reelección en Maracaibo, capital del petrolero estado Zulia con la coalición Gran Alianza; Gustavo Duque, actual alcalde del rico municipio caraqueño de Chacao por Fuerza Vecinal, y Jorge Barragán, que buscará ganar con el Partido Lápiz la municipalidad de la comuna capitalina de Libertador.

“Nuestro principal rival no es el (gobernante Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela) PSUV propiamente, nuestro principal rival es la desesperanza. Es levantarnos todos los días pensando que las cosas no van a cambiar y que ellos (el chavismo) ya ganaron”, afirmó Barragán, de 27 años.

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En su diálogo con TN, Jesús “Chuo” Torrealba se mostró crítico con Machado.

“A un año de la amplísima victoria en las presidenciales, la situación de la oposición venezolana es hoy de una precariedad inmensa”, dijo.

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Según afirmó, “el liderazgo de Machado fue muy golpeado por la represión y el hostigamiento del gobierno con la mayoría de sus activos en la clandestinidad, exiliados o presos. Este sector utiliza la abstención como recurso de protesta, pero sin ningún proyecto alternativo”, dijo.

Por otro lado, prosiguió Torrealba, “otro sector insiste en utilizar la organización de masas y la lucha electoral como instrumento para enfrentar al proyecto totalitario de Maduro. Es una situación de mucha confusión, sin un liderazgo claro y sin respuestas positivas de un electorado opositor que sigue sin responder ante la decepción que significó haber tenido una victoria electoral luego no reconocida”, profundizó.

“Eso ha generado mucha desconfianza en el voto como instrumento de cambio. El país mayoritariamente se opone al proyecto totalitario de Maduro, pero la dirección política opositora ha demostrado claramente ser insuficiente”, concluyó.

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Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, María Corina Machado

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Influential lawmaker demands ‘old guard must go,’ calls for ‘rebirth’ of Democratic Party

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Rep. Ro Khanna sounded off on the Democratic Party establishment in his address to the Voters of Tomorrow Summit for young progressives in Washington, D.C.

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«How can we trust government to do big things when government has been corrupted? My friends, for those who want a progressive future, for those who want a government that works to build security and opportunity for the working class, we must get rid of the big money in politics,» Khanna said in his address on Friday afternoon.  

The California Democrat then mentioned the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have become a major point of debate in Washington as some demand more information about the case.

PELOSI CONFIDENT ABOUT DEMS’ CHANCES TO WIN HOUSE, PREDICTS JEFFRIES WILL BE SPEAKER

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Rep. Ro Khanna. D-Calif., appears on «Meet the Press» in Washington D.C., Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024. (William B. Plowman/NBC via Getty Images)

«We must restore a government for the people, by the people, of the people. The release of the Epstein files is not a magic cure for trust, but it is a first step. It’s a first step to say we will have a new era of transparency,» he continued.

Khanna then bluntly called out his party’s establishment in his closing call to action.

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«I’ll end with this clear point: The old guard needs to go. The old ways have not been working. This party needs a new rebirth. This party needs a rebirth to stand for human rights,» he said. «This party needs a rebirth to stand for the working class. This party needs a rebirth to stand for people over the donor class.»

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to give virtual remarks at the summit on Friday, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi was also a major speaker at the event.

«We have no doubt that we will win the election with the House of Representatives,» Pelosi said during her speech. «No doubt.»

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I’M ONE OF THE VOTERS DEMOCRATS NEED TO WIN. 2028 IS THEIR ONLY CHANCE TO REGAIN OUR TRUST

Rep. Nancy Pelosi wearing a yellow jacket

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told the young audience at Friday’s Voters of Tomorrow Summit that she has «no doubt» that the Democratic Party will take back the House. (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)

«It’s important to be strong in the year in advance, because that’s when the troops line up. We have our messaging, we have our mobilization, we need the money to do it, but they go only next to a school to hold up the most important part: the candidate,» she continued. 

Younger Democrats, like freshman Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari and Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, took part in panels at the summit.

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Khanna’s address comes as the Democratic Party is striving to navigate the second Trump administration and adapt to the major shifts that occurred across voter demographics in the 2024 election, including among Generation Z. The 2026 election is being seen as an opportunity to get more information about Gen Z voters, as many voted for the first time in 2022 and 2024. 

Some in the party have encouraged a more moderate direction, while others have echoed Khanna’s populist sentiment.

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Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has frequently criticized the Trump administration. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)

«This party needs a rebirth to find our courage in standing up for immigrant rights instead of running away when people talk about immigration. This party needs more people like you in Congress than the current people we have in Congress,» Khanna added.

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«I’m here to say that a new Democratic Party, a reborn Democratic Party, a populist Democratic Party, a multiracial Democratic Party, a Democratic Party that centers the working and middle class, a Democratic Party that looks like the future is a Democratic Party that can lead us back to victory and lead us to a better America. It’s time to take back our party and then to take back our country,» he continued. 

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