Trump draws criticism with AI image of himself as the pope ahead of the papal conclave.

U.S. President Donald Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed as pope as the mourning of Pope Francis continues and just days before the conclave to elect his successor is set to begin. Trump’s action drew rebukes from a group representing Catholic bishops in New York and among Italians.

The image, shared Friday night on Trump’s Truth Social site and later reposted by the White House on its official X account, raised eyebrows on social media and at the Vatican, which is still in the period of nine days of official mourning following Francis’ death on April 21. Catholic cardinals have been celebrating daily Masses in his memory and are due to open the conclave to elect his successor on Wednesday.

The death of a pope and election of another is a matter of utmost solemnity for Catholics, for whom the pope is Christ’s vicar on Earth. That is all the more true in Italy, where the papacy is held in high esteem even by nonreligious Italians.

The image featuring Trump in a white cassock and pointed miter, or bishop’s hat, was the topic of several questions during the Vatican’s daily conclave briefing Saturday. Italian and Spanish news reports lamented its poor taste and said it was offensive, given that the period of official mourning is still underway.

Anthony Albanese secured a historic second term as Australia's Prime Minister, becoming the first leader in two decades to achieve consecutive terms.

Woman dies when a bomb she is carrying explodes in the Greek city of Thessaloniki, police say

Russian drone attack wounds 47 in Ukraine’s second city of #Kharkiv. Ukraine and Russia are at odds over competing ceasefire proposals, as Moscow accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of threatening the safety of dignitaries attending Victory Day celebrations after he dismissed Russia’s unilateral 72-hour ceasefire.

Zelenskyy instead renewed calls for a more substantial 30-day pause in hostilities, as the U.S. had initially proposed. He said the proposed ceasefire could start anytime as a meaningful step toward ending the three-year war. “Let’s be honest — you can’t agree on anything serious in three, five, or seven days,” he said.

Zelenskyy said that Moscow’s announcement of a 72-hour ceasefire next week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World War II is merely an attempt to create a “soft atmosphere” ahead of Russia’s annual celebrations. “It looks unserious,” he said, “so that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s guests on Red Square feel comfortable and safe.”
Ukraine won’t guarantee safety for visitors to Russia

He said that Ukraine cannot provide security assurances to foreign officials planning to visit Russia around May 9, warning that Moscow could stage provocations and later attempt to blame Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said that some governments had approached Kyiv seeking safety reassurance while their delegations are in Russia.

“Our position is very simple: we cannot take responsibility for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” he said. “They are the ones providing your security, and we will not be offering any guarantees.”

Zelenskyy said he had instructed Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to advise against visiting Russia during this period. “We must tell those who approach us: we do not recommend visiting the Russian Federation from a security standpoint. And if you choose to do so, don’t ask us — it’s your personal decision.”

The Ukrainian leader reiterated that Kyiv’s military actions will remain “mirror-like,” responding to Russia’s moves. He acknowledged that implementing a complete front-line ceasefire without robust international monitoring remains nearly impossible, but emphasized that the 30-day window offers a credible start.

He confirmed ongoing efforts to convene the next round of negotiations with the U.S. He also expressed hope that it could happen in Ukraine, saying it was a “positive sign” that such a gathering is under discussion despite recent personnel changes in Washington.
Russia wants Ukraine to ‘de-escalate’

In response to Zelenskyy’s comments, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that he had “unequivocally threatened the world leaders who are planning to arrive in Moscow on May 9.”

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Saturday that nobody could guarantee Kyiv’s safety if Ukraine attacked Moscow celebrations on May 9.

“In the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, no one will guarantee that May 10 will come in Kyiv,” he wrote on Telegram.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia expects Kyiv to take steps to de-escalate before Victory Day.

“We will, of course, expect (from) Kyiv not ambiguous, but final statements, and most importantly, actions aimed at de-escalating the conflict during the holidays,” Peskov told journalists.

Russia’s ceasefire proposals, he said, were meant to “test Kyiv’s readiness to find ways for long-term sustainable peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
Russia and Ukraine exchange drone strikes

A Russian drone strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, wounded 47 people, officials said, and prompted another appeal from Zelenskyy for more decisive support from the country’s allies.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said drones hit 12 locations across the city late Friday, hitting residential buildings, civilian infrastructure and vehicles.

The Kharkiv Prosecutor’s Office said that Russian forces used drones with thermobaric warheads. In a statement on Telegram, it said thermobaric weapons create a powerful blast wave and a hot cloud of smoke, causing large-scale destruction. The prosecutor said its use may indicate a deliberate violation of international humanitarian law.

“While the world hesitates with decisions, nearly every night in Ukraine turns into a nightmare, costing lives. Ukraine needs strengthened air defence. Strong and real decisions are needed from our partners — the United States, Europe, all our partners who seek peace,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Russia fired a total of 183 exploding drones and decoys overnight, Ukraine’s air force said. Of those, 77 were intercepted and a further 73 lost, likely having been electronically jammed. Russia also launched two ballistic missiles.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defences shot down 170 Ukrainian drones overnight. The ministry said eight cruise missiles and three guided missiles were also intercepted.

In southern Russia, five people, including two children, were injured in a drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to Mayor Andrey Kravchenko.

One lot of Seasonique birth control pills recalled due to missing pills.

#Health Canada has published a nation-wide recall notice for one lot of Seasonique birth control due to missing pills from packages.

Teva Canada Ltd., the manufacturer, recalled the prescription birth control pills after receiving a complaint that one of the packages was missing two pills, which the Friday recall notice notes may increase risks of pregnancy.

“Missing a pill could lead to undesired pregnancy and other side effects, including spotting and irregular bleeding,” the notice says.

The birth control pills are packaged in an extended-cycle tablet dispenser containing a 91-day (13-week) supply.

Eighty-four of them are light blue-green tablets that contain levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol, followed by seven yellow pills that contain ethinyl estradiol. The complaint said two of the light blue-green tablets were missing.

Taking them in the proper order is important for preventing pregnancy, the recall said. It is advised to return your product to the pharmacy where it was purchased for a replacement or a different product, in the event your product is missing any pills, and to contact your pharmacist if you are unsure.

“Do not skip any doses or stop taking Seasonique,” it reads.

The United States does not give up on the matter of settling the conflict in Ukraine but realizes that there are plenty of more important problems across the globe, acting National Security Adviser and Secretary of State Marco #Rubio said on the air with Fox News television.

"We're not going to give up on it," the official said. "But there does come a point when the President [of the US Donald Trump] has to decide, how much more time at the highest levels of our government do you dedicate," Rubio noted. "Even more important issues going on around the world, not that a war in Ukraine is not important, but I would say what's happening with China is more important in the long term," he added.

#Washington understands positions of Moscow and Kiev, Rubio said. "They're closer, but they're still far apart. And it's going to take a real breakthrough here very soon to make this possible, or I think the President is going to have to make a decision about how much more time we're going to dedicate to this," the official added.

Desperate children and adults in Gaza struggle to get food as Israel blocks aid.

#Gaza Strip — Screaming in anguish as the desperate crowd crushes them against a barrier, young children and adults frantically wave pots and pans at charity workers, begging for a portion of some of the last food aid left in Gaza: Rice.

The chaos at the community kitchen in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Friday was too overwhelming for Niveen Abu Arar. She tried and tried, but the 33-year-old mother of eight didn’t get to the front of the crowd in time. She left with her pot empty, and her eyes full of tears.

“Until when will life be like that? We’re slowly dying. We haven’t eaten bread for a month and a half. There is no flour. There is nothing,” said Abu Arar, whose ninth child, a 1-year-old boy, was killed in an Israeli strike near their home at the start of the war in 2023. “We don’t know what to do … We don’t have money. What do we get for them?”

She cradled a toddler in her lap as she spoke. With no milk to provide, she poured water into a baby bottle and pressed it into her youngest daughter’s mouth, hoping to stave off the baby’s hunger pangs.

With Israel blocking any form of aid — including food and medicine – into Gaza for the past two months, aid groups have warned that Gaza’s civilian population is facing starvation.

Israel has said that the blockade and its renewed military campaign aim to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages it still holds and to disarm. Aid groups stress that blocking humanitarian aid is a form of collective punishment and a violation of international law.

Israeli authorities didn’t immediately respond when asked about accusations that starvation was being used as a weapon of war, but in the past they have accused the Hamas militant group governing Gaza of stealing aid.

These airlines paused or cancelled Canada-U.S. flights in the wake of the trade war.

Some of Canada’s major airlines have made changes to their schedules, including pausing some flights between Canada and the United States and increasing domestic flights in the wake of lower demand to fly south, which may be tied to the tariff war between the two countries.
WestJet

WestJet said in an email on Friday that it has suspended these four summer U.S. destinations:

-New York to Calgary

-Orlando to Edmonton

-Austin to Vancouver

-Seattle to Kelowna

“Due to a downward shift in demand, WestJet has updated its summer schedule to help Canadians fly where they want to go,” WestJet said. “Our schedule is continuously being adjusted based on demand.”

On the flip side, the Calgary-based airline said it has seen higher demand for domestic travel, particularly between Eastern and Western Canada.

In response, WestJet recently announced three new domestic routes.

Additionally, it added service between Halifax and Amsterdam, as well as Halifax and Barcelona.
Porter

Toronto-based Porter Airlines has also made changes to meet the increased domestic demand to travel within Canada.

Porter told that 80 per cent of total network capacity during the summer peak period is now dedicated to domestic flights. The figure is up from a previously planned 75 per cent.

“We are mindful of the overall sentiment as it relates to U.S. travel,” Porter said in an emailed statement . “Our goal is to fly where our customers want to travel, and this is a moment when Canada is at the top of many people’s list.”

While Porter hasn’t cancelled any U.S. routes, the airline told it is increasing flights in regions across Canada to meet the demand. It did not provide information on the specific routes.

However, the airline said it added service to Phoenix, San Diego and New York-LaGuardia, and introduced service between Montreal and New York-Newark. It also increased service to Las Vegas and Fort Lauderdale.

“While there may currently be instability with Canada-U.S. travel, we view New York as a key long-term market for Porter,” it wrote. “There is still an overall increase in U.S. travel on Porter flights ... this is a dynamic environment and what happens in the coming months is evolving.”
Air Canada

When asked whether it was changing its routes or flights, Air Canada told CTVNews.ca in an email Friday that it is “adjusting capacity” to U.S. sun destinations, using smaller aircraft and reducing routes in response to the changing market demand.

“We continue to monitor demand and will make adjustments accordingly,” wrote the country’s biggest air carrier. It also said it adjusted its non-stop Vancouver-Washington Dulles flights to connect in Toronto.

It said it has experienced “some softening in the transborder market,” with bookings on the cross-border market overall down about 10 per cent from April to September.

The Montreal-based airline reduced capacity for routes to U.S. leisure destinations such as Florida, Las Vegas and Arizona, Bloomberg reported March 28.
JetBlue

New York-based JetBlue said it has paused plans to introduce a summer seasonal service between Halifax and Boston “because bookings have not met expectations.”

“This is one of the necessary steps we are taking to manage our business through softer-than-expected travel demand this year and economic uncertainty,” JetBlue said in an email to CTVNews.ca Friday.

However, JetBlue added that it’s continuing to serve Vancouver, its only Canadian destination.

“All impacted customers will receive full refunds,” it wrote. “We’ll continue to evaluate the possibility of launching service to Halifax next summer.”

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State #Marco Rubio has been thrown into two top national security jobs at once as U.S. President Donald Trump presses forward with his top-to-bottom revamp of U.S. foreign policy, upending not only longstanding policies that the former Florida senator once supported but also the configuration of the executive branch.

Trump’s appointment of Rubio to temporarily replace Mike Waltz as national security adviser is the first major leadership shake-up of the nascent administration, but Waltz’s removal had been rumored for weeks -- ever since he created a Signal group chat and accidentally added a journalist to the conversation where top national security officials shared sensitive military plans.

So, just over 100 days into his tenure as America’s top diplomat, Rubio now becomes just the second person to hold both positions. He follows only the late Henry Kissinger, who served as both secretary of state and national security adviser for two years under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the 1970s.

Rubio -- a one-time Trump rival and hawkish conservative who was derided by the president as “Little Marco” during the 2016 presidential campaign -- has proven adept at aligning himself with Trump’s “America First” foreign policy positions. Rubio has largely eschewed his staunch advocacy of providing foreign aid and promoting democracy overseas since taking over the State Department, repeating a refrain that every policy or program should make America safer, stronger or more prosperous.
Rubio leads during Trump’s massive changes

Since being confirmed in a 99-0 Senate floor vote, Rubio has presided over a radical reorganization of the State Department. That includes the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and plans to cut U.S. jobs by 15 per cent while closing or consolidating more than 100 bureaus worldwide. He has also begun a major cull of the visa system, revoking hundreds, if not thousands, of visas issued to foreign students.

He has overseen the negotiation of agreements to send immigrants accused of crimes to third countries, most notably to El Salvador, in cases that are now being challenged in federal courts.

“Marco Rubio, unbelievable,” Trump said Thursday before announcing on social media that Waltz would be nominated as ambassador to the United Nations and Rubio would take over as national security adviser in the interim. “When I have a problem, I call up Marco, he gets it solved.”

That’s a far cry from 2016, when Rubio and Trump were competing for the GOP presidential nomination and Rubio warned that Trump was a threat. After Trump won, the relationship remained contentious, but eight years later, Rubio was an enthusiastic Trump supporter who worked his Florida bona fides to get into the president’s inner circle.

Yet, even after Rubio was nominated to the top diplomatic job, doubts remained. Many pundits suggested he would last only a short time in office before Trump dismissed him in the same way he did his first-term secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who was fired by tweet in 2018 just 18 months into the job.

Yet Rubio has been resilient. And as of Thursday, he oversees both the State Department and the National Security Council, which is responsible for coordinating all executive branch foreign policy functions, ranging from diplomatic to military and intelligence operations.

Thomas Wright, an NSC official during the Biden administration who is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the national security adviser post alone is “more than a full-time job.”

“It is just very hard to comprehend the idea that you can do this job sort of part time,” Wright said.

He said he watched national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his deputy work 14-15 hour days, six to seven days a week: “I think they felt that they had to do that to do the job properly.”
Rubio says little so far on his additional role

Appearing Thursday night on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Rubio was not asked to weigh in on the president’s decision to tap him as national security adviser but did joke that he was barred from adding pope to his list of many jobs because he is married.

But as he marked the first 100 days of Trump’s latest term, Rubio applauded the president for his vision.

“I am honored by the trust President Trump placed in me and I am proud of the work the Department of State has done over the past hundred days to implement his agenda and put the American people first,” he wrote Wednesday in a State Department Substack post.

One of Rubio’s former Florida statehouse colleagues, Dan Gelber, a Democrat, said of Rubio’s increasing responsibilities that “Marco is probably, to a certain extent, one of the more reliable Cabinet officers, if not the most reliable.”

“And I can only believe those qualities are even more vital to his current confluence of positions and growing portfolio,” Gelber said. “He’s not a chaos guy, and I’ve always sort of wondered how he’s going to do in an administration where there seems to be so much chaos. And maybe that’s why he’s getting all these positions.”

Rubio’s dual-hatted role comes on top of him serving as acting administrator of the largely shut down USAID and as acting head of the National Archives. It puts him in a similar position to that of Trump’s longtime personal friend and golfing buddy Steve Witkoff.

As a special envoy, Witkoff is the lead U.S. negotiator in the Iran nuclear talks and in administration peace efforts for the Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine-Russia war.

In many ways, Rubio and Witkoff are following in the footsteps of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who had multiple roles in the first administration, ranging from the Middle East to Latin America and immigration.
How Rubio’s expanded duties are seen at the State Department

State Department officials appeared taken aback by Trump’s appointment of Rubio as acting national security adviser. Spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said at a briefing Thursday that she learned the news from a journalist who asked her a question about Trump’s post minutes after it appeared on social media.

Officials, however, have noted that Rubio in recent weeks has spent an increasingly large amount of time at the White House away from his posh seventh-floor State Department office in what is known as “Mahogany Row,” a corridor known for its wood paneling.

At the same time, these officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the personnel shift, said they did not expect Rubio’s duties as secretary of state to change significantly. He still plans to travel on diplomatic missions abroad and likely will delegate at least some of the NSC management to others, they said.

Cha-ching! Millions of dimes spill onto #Texas highway after truck rolls.Millions of coins spilled onto a Texas highway this week after a tractor-trailer hauling US$800,000 in dimes rolled over in an accident, authorities said.

The spillage led to the closure of a portion of the southbound lanes of U.S. 287 in Alvord for about half a day as workers got on their hands and knees to pick up the coins in addition to using brooms and shovels and large industrial vacuums.

The tractor-trailer rolled onto its side at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday after veering off the road and overcorrecting, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The highway reopened at about 7 p.m. that day, DPS said.

The driver and a passenger were transported to a hospital with injuries that were not life threatening, DPS said.

Alvord is located about 80 miles (130 kilometres) northwest of Dallas.

The tractor-trailer appears to be part of the fleet of trucks operated by Western Distributing Transportation Corporation, which has a division that moves cargo for the government in armored vehicles with armed personnel. A person answering the phone at the company Thursday said they had no comment.

The U.S. Mint says on its website that it’s the nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coins. A message left with the agency on Thursday was not immediately returned.