Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, died at 88, the Vatican announced Monday, ending a 12-year papacy marked by progressive reforms and global outreach. The announcement came after Francis’ recent hospitalization for double pneumonia.

“With profound sadness, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell said on Vatican television. Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, died at his Vatican residence, Casa Santa Marta, following a serious health decline. He was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Feb. 14 for breathing difficulties and discharged last month, though he remained frail.

Elected in 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, Francis was the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Southern Hemisphere. His papacy focused on compassion for the poor, interfaith dialogue, and environmental advocacy. Despite health challenges, he made a surprise appearance at Easter Sunday blessings in St. Peter’s Square.

His death initiates a mourning period, followed by a papal funeral and a conclave to elect his successor. Bells tolled across Rome as tributes poured in for the transformative leader.

Klaus Schwab resigns as head of World Economic Forum with immediate effect!

Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has resigned as chair of its board of trustees, the organization confirmed Monday, marking the end of his 54-year leadership of the globalist institution known for its annual Davos meetings.

Schwab, 87, announced his immediate departure, stating, “I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect.” The German academic, who founded the WEF in 1971, said the forum must “recover our sense of mission” after recent turmoil. The WEF, headquartered in Geneva, hosts world leaders and CEOs to discuss global issues but has faced criticism as an elitist gathering.

No timeline was provided for a successor, though the WEF anticipates completing the transition by January 2027. Schwab, who popularized the “global village” concept, plans to focus on writing his memoirs. His exit follows internal challenges, including allegations of workplace misconduct, which the WEF denied after an external investigation.

Schwab’s resignation raises questions about the future direction of the influential forum amid growing skepticism of globalist agendas.

Alito and Thomas drop SCORCHING dissent over Supreme Court’s block on Trump’s deportations

The Supreme Court temporarily halted the Trump administration’s plan to deport Venezuelan migrants suspected of Tren de Aragua gang ties, prompting a sharp dissent from Justice Samuel Alito. The late-night order, issued around 1 a.m. Saturday, bars removals from Texas’ Bluebonnet Detention Center until further notice.

Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, criticized the decision as “hastily and prematurely granted unprecedented emergency relief.” In a five-page dissent, he argued the court lacked jurisdiction and acted without hearing the government’s side, stating, “The Court issued unprecedented and legally questionable relief … without giving the lower courts a chance to rule.”

The American Civil Liberties Union, representing the migrants, urged the court to intervene, citing imminent deportations to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison without due process. The ruling follows a fast-moving legal battle after lower courts declined to block the deportations under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act.

The Trump administration has asked the court to reconsider, arguing the order is overly broad. The justices may act again once the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules.

Van Hollen FURIOUSLY back-peddles after cocktails with “Maryland Father” (MS-13 Gangster)

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., emphasized defending due process after meeting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported to El Salvador, during a Sunday interview on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I am not defending the man. I’m defending the rights of this man to due process,” Van Hollen said, addressing criticism over his trip to El Salvador to meet Garcia, who was deported despite a 2019 court order prohibiting his removal. The Trump administration admitted in court that Garcia was wrongfully detained and deported.

Van Hollen criticized attempts to link Garcia to MS-13, citing Judge Xinis’ ruling that no evidence connects Garcia to gang or terrorist activity. “They should put up or shut up in court,” he said, urging the administration to present facts judicially, not on social media.

Garcia’s wife, who had a 2021 protection order against him, supports his return. Van Hollen stressed that denying Garcia’s rights threatens everyone’s constitutional protections, saying, “The place to litigate that is in the courts.”