Thousands gather to pay their respects to Pope Francis

Pope Francis lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, where cardinals and mourners honor the Holy Father, who died Monday, April 21. Also, President Donald Trump suggests that a trade agreement with China is feasible, stating that his 145 % figure for China will significantly decrease. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, April 23, 2025.

Thousands gather to pay their respects as Pope Francis lies in state

Tens of thousands of people wait to pay their respects to Pope Francis as he lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Rome, on Wednesday, April 23. A procession of patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, canons, and other priests carried Francis’ casket from the Casa Santa Marta to the Basilica, as large crowds of devoted Catholics filled the streets.

A large crowd gathered to pay their respects to the late pontiff, prompting Vatican authorities to temporarily restrict public access to St. Peter’s Square due to concerns about overcrowding.

The basilica will remain open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, April 24. The public mourning period will conclude on Friday, April 25, at 7 p.m. local time.

This afternoon, a second general congregation is on the agenda. These gatherings occur daily among the college of cardinals, who manage the Vatican until they elect a new pope. They are responsible for organizing the funeral and preparing for the forthcoming conclave.

Pope Francis’ death on Monday, April 21, followed a series of declining health conditions. Earlier this year, he spent over a month in the hospital due to double pneumonia. Ultimately, he succumbed to a stroke that resulted in heart failure.

His funeral will take place Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time. Per his request, the Vatican will bury Francis at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which lies outside the Vatican walls.

Trump hints China tariffs will drop ‘substantially’

As the trade standoff between the United States and China continues, President Donald Trump has signaled that he will work with China to find some common ground on the levies.

Currently, China faces tariffs of 145% on exports to the United States, while Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of 125% on American products entering China.

On Tuesday, April 22, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly told investors, in a closed-door meeting, that the current tariffs are not sustainable and he expects “there will be a de-escalation” in the “very near future.” Trump expressed similar views during a Tuesday press conference at the White House.

“I’m sure 145% is very high, and it won’t be that high, it’s not going to be that high,” Trump said. “It’ll come down substantially, but it won’t be zero. It used to be zero. We were just destroyed. China was taking us for a ride, and … It’s not gonna happen.”

Trump seems unlikely to reverse his 10% tariffs on China and over 180 countries globally. However, the Trump administration has discussed with officials from Japan, India, South Korea, the European Union, Canada, Mexico and other nations.

The White House announced that it now has 18 written proposals for trade deals and has another 34 meetings with countries scheduled for this week. Wall Street finally reacted positively, with the Dow up by more than 1000 points and futures rising again this morning.

Musk to devote less time to DOGE as Tesla shares plummet

Elon Musk said he intends to reduce his involvement with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. During a conversation with Tesla investors on Tuesday, April 22, he mentioned that the time he commits to the cost-cutting task force will “drop significantly” in May.

The announcement comes as Tesla’s stock price plummeted more than 50% from its most recent high in December 2024. The company reported a 71% drop in profits and a 9% decline in revenue for the first quarter of this year.

Musk said he still plans to continue his involvement with DOGE throughout Trump’s term, but he told investors he will likely spend one to two days a week on government issues moving forward.

After Tuesday’s conference call with Musk, investors sent Tesla shares up by more than 5% in after-hours trading.

Judge seeks answers from Trump admin in deported man’s case

Another key legal deadline has arisen in the battle between the Trump administration and lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia. In March, the Trump administration mistakenly deported the Maryland man to El Salvador due to an administrative error.

However, the Trump administration has refused to bring him back, insisting that he’s a member of the gang MS-13. The president even posted pictures of Abrego Garcia’s tattoos on his Truth Social platform.

Abrego Garcia’s family insists that he is not a gang member. They and a group of Congress members continue to advocate for his return to the U.S.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has given the administration until Wednesday night, April 23, to respond to Garcia’s lawyers’ efforts regarding legal and factual information. She wrote that the government’s objections and mischaracterizations of court orders “reflect a willful and bad faith refusal to comply with discovery obligations.”

She ruled earlier this month that the administration must “facilitate” Garcia’s return. So far, that has not happened.

Uvalde City Council approves 2022 elementary school shooting settlement

Nearly three years after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, the city of Uvalde, Texas, has reached a settlement with the victims’ families.

An attorney representing the families of the Robb Elementary School victims confirmed that the Uvalde City Council approved the settlement by unanimous vote on Tuesday night, April 22. The council has yet to release the exact terms.

The families sought a financial settlement from the city’s insurance and urged Uvalde police to implement new fitness standards and enhance officer training.

City officials notified WOAI-TV that, as part of the agreement, the city will set up a memorial in the town square to honor the shooting victims.

That news outlet is also reporting that the state is considering allocating funds to support a permanent memorial for the Robb Elementary victims.

An investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives revealed “systemic failures and poor decision making” in how the police handled the response to the 2022 shooting. The investigators found that it took law enforcement 77 minutes to engage and neutralize the shooter.

NFL draft: Despite lack of hype, top-line prospects are game changers

The NFL draft will take place on Thursday, April 24, and rumors are flying as teams look to trade up to get their most coveted player.

Tennessee, however, has said it will not exchange the first overall pick and hopes to select a quarterback with that pick.

Most of the pre-draft focus has been on the high-profile players –– the quarterbacks, running backs and two-way star Travis Hunter.

However, the unsung heroes are the big linemen who make it all go. Several prospects slated to be drafted in the top 10 on Thursday haven’t quite been in the spotlight.

Straight Arrow News sports reporter Chris Francis looks at some of this year’s draft prospects, who are in line to be game changers, here.