Pope Francis briefly met with Vice President JD Vance today before giving the traditional Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, which marked his highest-profile appearance yet since being discharged from hospital.

The Pope had a brief private meeting with Vance, a devout Catholic, which “provided an opportunity to exchange Easter greetings,” according to the Vatican.

The pope gifted the vice president a tie, rosaries and three chocolate Easter eggs for Vance’s three children, video released by EWTN TV, a Catholic television network, showed.

“So good to see you … You’ve not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health,” the vice president can be heard saying to the Pope during their meeting. “I pray for you every day.”

A statement from the vice president’s office later expressed gratitude “for the hospitality the Vatican has extended to his family.”

Recent tensions: Today’s meeting followed discussions between the vice president and senior Vatican officials yesterday, during which an “exchange of opinions” took place concerning migrants, refugees and prisoners, according to a Vatican statement.

The vice president’s office described the meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin as having centered on “their shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trump’s commitment to restoring world peace.”

Just before he was hospitalized in mid-February, Francis issued a rebuke of the Trump administration’s immigration policy and refuted the vice president’s use of a theological concept, the “ordo amoris” (“order of love” or “order of charity”), to defend the administration’s approach.

And after Catholic bishops criticized the Trump administration’s actions earlier this year, Vance suggested they were motivated by their “bottom line,” as the Catholic Church receives government money to help resettle immigrants.

Parolin told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica ahead of yesterday’s talks with Vance that the Trump administration is “very different from what we are used to and, especially in the West, from what we have relied on for many years.”

This post has been updated with additional details on the meeting.

CNN
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Pope Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing earlier today, appearing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in front of delighted crowds in what marks his highest-profile appearance since being discharged from the hospital after falling ill with double pneumonia. The 88-year-old pontiff has not led the main Holy Week and Easter services but has made brief appearances, including spending 30 minutes at a prison in Rome on Thursday and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening.

Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

Tuesday marks 55 years since millions of Americans from coast to coast came together to celebrate the first Earth Day. Over the subsequent decades, Earth Day has spread around the globe as more and more countries call for environmental regulations to protect the planet’s air, water, forests and wildlife from industrial pollution and greenhouse gases that are harming our climate.

But as other industrialized nations make strides to reduce emissions, the US appears to be shifting into reverse. On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump signed actions to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty in which nearly 200 countries agreed to work together to limit global warming.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have been slashing federal workers and eviscerating weather and climate research programs — all at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher for the planet and humanity’s ability to adapt to the changing climate and the increasing cost of climate-related disasters.

1️⃣ Rising temperatures: The Earth just recorded its 10 hottest years over the last decade. And last year was confirmed to be the hottest since records began 175 years ago, beating the previous record set in 2023. While scientists say that doesn’t mean that we’ve permanently crossed global limits set under the Paris Agreement, we are getting close.

2️⃣ Not a pretty picture: A striking new visualization made by a climate scientist shows the increase in daily global temperatures between 1940 and the end of 2024 compared to the period before humans began burning huge amounts of planet-heating fossil fuels. As the data spirals outwards, it becomes redder and redder as global temperatures ramp up.

3️⃣ Stronger hurricanes: Record-breaking ocean temperatures fueled by planet-warming pollution have turbocharged dozens of Atlantic hurricanes in recent years, making them more potent and dangerous. And this year’s upcoming hurricane season, which spans from June through November, is shaping up to be another busy one.

4️⃣ Predictions of extreme weather events may get worse: Coordinated twice-daily weather balloon launches make up the backbone of weather forecasts across the globe. But due to staffing shortages brought on by the Trump administration, the National Weather Service has cut weather balloon launches at eight sites across the US. Here’s what that could mean for critical weather reports, particularly during severe weather events, like tornadoes, ice storms and hurricanes.

5️⃣ Hope springs eternal: Despite the increasing din of climate-related alarm bells, there are reasons to be hopeful. CNN’s chief Climate correspondent Bill Weir has spent years looking at our warming planet and searching for the most promising solutions and most resilient communities. This is what he found.

• Supreme Court temporarily pauses deportations under Alien Enemies Act
• Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of violating brief Easter truce
• Dozens of ‘high-water incidents’ reported as ‘historical weather event’ unfolds in Oklahoma
• ‘50501’ protesters denounce Trump administration in nationwide rallies while supporting impacted communities
• Half of US states have reported measles cases this year

Monday
The White House will host its annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn, complete with about 30,000 real eggs — despite a national egg shortage due to a bird flu outbreak. The American Egg Board, which donated the 2,500 cartons, said in a statement that the eggs “will be in sizes small and medium, which are not meant for the retail and grocery channels.” Attendees of the event may also notice something different from egg rolls past: prominent corporate sponsorships from companies like YouTube, Meta and Amazon that underscore the close relationships the leaders of those companies have sought to cultivate with the Trump administration.

Wednesday
April 23 is the 20th anniversary of the uploading of the first video clip to YouTube. The 19-second video, titled “Me at the zoo,” features Jawed Karim — one of YouTube’s co-founders.

It’s also the 7th birthday of Prince Louis of Wales, who is fourth in line to the British throne.

Thursday
The US and Ukraine are expected to sign a proposed minerals deal between the two countries. President Donald Trump confirmed the date in response to a reporter’s question during an Oval Office meeting last week. Ukraine’s economy minister also posted on X that the country had signed a memorandum with the US. An earlier iteration of the deal went unsigned following a public argument between Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February.

Friday
Disgraced former Rep. George Santos will be sentenced after pleading guilty in August to aggravated identity theft and wire fraud charges stemming from fraudulent activity during his 2022 midterm campaign. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of more than seven years in prison. Santos also owes more than $373,000 in restitution as part of his plea deal.

Saturday
Scores of journalists, celebrities and politicians are expected to attend the annual White House Correspondents’ dinner, with two notable exceptions: comedian Amber Ruffin, who had been tapped to headline this year’s annual fundraising dinner, and President Trump, who skipped the dinner during his first four years in office. The White House Correspondents’ Association announced its decision to change format last month, opting for no comedian performance, and said it would instead celebrate the First Amendment and the free press.

One Thing: 🎧 College funding fallout
In this episode of the “One Thing” podcast, CNN’s David Rind speaks to two incoming freshmen about how they feel after choosing Harvard and Columbia amid President Donald Trump’s funding fights. Listen here.

win the Masters tournament on Sunday, April 13. With his dramatic playoff victory, the 35-year-old became just the sixth player in history to complete the career grand slam. He joins Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only men to win all four majors.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1666″ width=”2500″/>

shooting on campus killed two people and wounded five others, according to local police. Officers shot the suspected gunman.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2702″ width=”4053″ loading=’lazy’/>

Israel’s renewed assault on Gaza has displaced more than 500,000 Palestinians in less than a month, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza says that renewed attacks on Gaza have killed nearly 1,700 Palestinians since March 18.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1680″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

A 38-year-old man has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, terrorism and other crimes after police say his homemade Molotov cocktail attack forced Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family to flee the mansion. Cody Balmer did not enter a plea during his arraignment hearing on Monday.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

Ballistic missiles ripped through the busy center of Sumy, officials said, killing at least 35 people and striking terror into residents who were out enjoying Palm Sunday and attending morning church services. It was the deadliest attack of the conflict this year.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

Vice President JD Vance fumbled the base of it during an event at the White House on Monday, April 14.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1786″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

Powell said President Donald Trump’s significant policy changes are unlike anything seen in modern history, putting the Federal Reserve in uncharted waters. The next day, Trump ratcheted up his criticism of Powell, calling for his “termination” for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2667″ width=”4000″ loading=’lazy’/>

Blue Origin’s all-female, suborbital space tourism mission on Monday, April 14. The flight lasted about 10 minutes.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”3750″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

surprise appearance at the Coachella music festival in Indio, California, on Saturday, April 12.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”2441″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

meets with US President Donald Trump in the White House Oval Office on Monday, April 14. Sitting on the couch, from left, are US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Monday’s visit cemented Bukele’s status as one of the closest foreign partners of the new Trump administration, which has alienated some traditional US allies in its early days.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in what was a play-in game for the postseason.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1666″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft on Monday, April 14. The three-time All-American becomes the sixth UConn player taken No. 1 overall, joining Breanna Stewart (2016), Maya Moore (2011), Tina Charles (2010), Diana Taurasi (2004) and Sue Bird (2002). She is the sixth player to win a national title and be drafted first overall in the same year.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1667″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

a house exploded in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 13. The explosion leveled one house and severely damaged another, according to the Austin Fire Department. The Travis County Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the incident, authorities said.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1666″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

Russian missile strike in nearby Sumy on Sunday.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1685″ width=”2500″ loading=’lazy’/>

See last week in 40 photos.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=’this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)’ onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1625″ width=”2500″/>

The week in 30 photos

Check out more images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

In theaters
“The Accountant 2” stars Ben Affleck in the follow-up to the original 2016 action film. This sequel seems to lean a bit into the action/comedy genre as Affleck’s Christian Wolff — a forensic accountant with autism who worked for the mob — teams up with his brother Braxton (Jon Bernthal) to avenge the murder of his old friend from the Treasury Department, played by J.K. Simmons. “The Accountant 2” opens Friday.

Nearly 50 years after Cheech and Chong had their breakout hit “Up in Smoke,” a new documentary details the duo’s careers and lasting impact on American pop culture. “Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie” rolls into theaters on Friday. (Cue War’s “Low Rider.”)

At a glance …
In basketball, the NBA Playoffs officially tipped off with a sizzling four-game slate on Saturday. In the night’s finale, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to a heavy defeat in front of their home fans, losing 117-95 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their Western Conference best-of-seven series. Both teams will return to the court for Game 2 on Tuesday. Elsewhere, the New York Knicks stunned the Detroit Pistons 123-112, the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-110 in overtime and the Indiana Pacers topped the Milwaukee Bucks 117-98.

The 129th running of the Boston Marathon will take place on Monday, the 250th anniversary of Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts.

Football season may be months away but the rumor mill never stops. The chatter about where former Green Bay Packers and (briefly) New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers may land picked up last week after Rodgers revealed that retirement from the NFL remains a possibility as he weighs his next step. The 41-year-old Super Bowl XLV winner has been heavily linked with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, but no formal decision has yet been made.

In related news, the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Los Angeles Rams, however, will honor Southern California firefighters by conducting their 2025 NFL draft operations from the Los Angeles Fire Department Air Operations headquarters to recognize first responders following the wildfires that swept across the Los Angeles area earlier this year.

And looking ahead to 2028, the Los Angeles Olympic Games will feature a mixed-gender team golf event. The new edition will consist of a 36-hole competition across two 18-hole rounds, with each team consisting of one male and one female player who have already qualified for the singles events. Only one pair per nation will be permitted to take part.

For more of your favorite sports, head on over to CNN Sports as well as Bleacher Report, which — like CNN — is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Looking for a challenge to start your week? Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 58% of readers who took the quiz got eight or more questions right and 12% got a perfect score. How will you fare?

The Muppets Sing Mr. Blue Sky | Dear Earth

‘Mr. Blue Sky’
We wish you nothing but blue skies as we celebrate Earth Day this week.
(Click here to view)

CNN
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Fatima Hassouna, a war documentarian who had covered the conflict in Gaza on the ground for 18 months and the subject of a new documentary to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival next month, was killed along with seven members of her family in an Israeli strike this week.

“If I die, I want a resounding death, I do not want me in urgent news, nor in a number with a group,” Hassouna wrote in a post on Instagram in August 2024. “I want a death that the world hears, an effect that remains for the extent of the ages, and immortal images that neither time nor space buries,” added the photojournalist.

The health ministry in Gaza told CNN on Friday that Hassouna’s parents survived the strike on Wednesday, but both suffered critical injuries and are in an intensive care unit.

The Palestinian Journalists’ Protection Center (PJPC) said it mourns the loss of Hassouna. It said that the strike that killed her targeted her family’s home on Al-Nafaq Street in Gaza City and also killed several of her family members. It described the attack as a “crime” against journalists and a violation of international law.

“Fatima’s powerful photos documenting life under siege were published globally, shedding light on the human toll of the war,” the center said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that the target was “a terrorist in Hamas’ Gaza City Brigade” and that steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians. “The terrorist planned and executed terror attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians,” the IDF said in a statement without providing further details.

Fatima’s cousin Hamza Hassouna recounted the strike to CNN Friday. “I was sitting when suddenly two rockets fell, one next to me and one in the living room. The house fell on us and everything was a disaster,” he said.

Hassouna posted her photos on Facebook and Instagram, where she had more than 35,000 followers. Her images documented the challenges of everyday life in Gaza and the threat of living under Israeli bombardment.

She was featured in Sepideh Farsi’s documentary film, Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk, which has been selected to be screened in the ACID section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in May 2025. A director’s statement describes the film as “a window, opened through a miraculous encounter with Fatima” into the “ongoing massacre of the Palestinians.”

Following the news of Hassouna’s death, the Iranian film director on Friday shared a photo on social media featuring herself on camera with Hassouna, who was smiling. “My last image of her is a smile. I cling to it today,” Farsi wrote alongside the picture.

Speaking to CNN Friday, Farsi said Hassouna was “a very bright and sunny person, had an amazing smile and was an optimistic person by nature.” The film director said she had worked with Hassouna for more than a year on the documentary and that they got to know each other very well.

Farsi said the last time she contacted Hassouna was one day before her death to give her “the happy news” about the documentary. “We both discussed her traveling to France in May to present the documentary in Cannes with me, since she is the main protagonist,” Farsi said.

“I thought it was a mistake when I heard about her death,” Farsi added. “I hope this documentary will shed light on her life in Gaza and serve as a tribute to her memory.”

According to the PJPC, the number of journalists who have died in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has risen to 212, an unprecedented toll according to numerous journalist groups. The organization called on the international community to open an immediate investigation into the incident and hold those responsible to account.

Hassouna’s neighbor, Um Aed Ajur, described Hassouna as proud of the work she was doing. She questioned the strike on her house, saying she and her family “have no connection” to any group. “We have been neighbors for 35 years and have never heard that they are connected to any (group),” she added.

Hassouna’s final post on her Facebook page was a series of photos of Gaza fishermen by the sea last Saturday, less than a week before she was killed. She posted the pictures with a short poem.

“From here you get to know the city. You enter it, but you don’t leave, because you won’t leave, and you can’t,” she wrote.

CNN’s Lauren Izso contributed reporting