The U. S. Defense Shake-Up and Pope Francis' Legacy

Washington DC, USATue Apr 22 2025
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The Pentagon is on the hunt for a new defense chief. The current one, Pete Hegseth, is in hot water. He shared secret military plans in a group chat on his personal phone. This isn't the first time he's been in trouble for this. It's a big deal because it puts lives at risk. Other top officials are also in trouble. Some have even quit or been kicked out. The White House first said it was all fake news. But now, it seems like they're looking for a replacement. Pope Francis passed away recently. He was the first pope from Latin America. He was known for his work with the poor and his support for migrants and the environment. He also tried to be more accepting of LGBTQ+ people. But some people think he didn't do enough to change the church. His body will be on display in St. Peter's Basilica. His funeral is this Saturday. Leaders from around the world will be there. Including Trump. The Supreme Court is looking at a big case about schools. It's about whether schools should let parents opt out of classes that go against their religion. The case is about a school in Maryland. They approved books with LGBTQ+ characters. Some parents didn't like it. The school board said it was too hard to let kids opt out of these classes. The Supreme Court might rule in favor of the parents who want to opt out. There's a big health issue affecting women. About 40% of women have dense breast tissue. This makes it harder to spot cancer. New rules say mammogram reports must include info about breast density. But follow-up tests like MRIs can be expensive and have risks. It's not an easy decision for women to make. Doctors say screening MRIs find more cancers than mammograms and ultrasounds. But it's not always clear what to do. The White House had its annual Easter egg roll. It's a tradition that goes back to the 1800s. This year, they had corporate sponsors for the first time. The money goes to a nonprofit that helps the White House. Thousands of kids and families showed up for the event. It was a big deal, as always.