Passing Of Pope Francis, Hegseth On The Hot Seat, Harvard Sues Trump, Student Loan Plans

Today on America in the Morning Pope Francis Passes Away The world continues to react to the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, as his life and legacy is debated among papal experts, historians and millions of Catholics around the world. John Stolnis has more. Concerns Grow For Pete Hegseth As pressure mounts on the Secretary of Defense following three firings of key staffers due to alleged leaks, and concerns after news accounts that he used Signal chats to relay sensitive military information to people including his wife, President Trump says he is standing by Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports. Harvard Sues Trump Administration Harvard University announced it is suing the Trump administration over a funding freeze surrounding what President Trump calls antisemitism. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports. Student Loan Plans With nearly 60 percent of the nearly 43 million borrowers behind on payments, the Department of Education is poised to resume collections on defaulted federal student loans. Details from correspondent Lisa Dwyer. Abortion Restarted In Wyoming As a lawsuit works its way through the courts, abortions are resuming in Wyoming. Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports. Menendez Wife Guilty The wife of former US Senator Bob Menendez could soon be joining her husband behind bars, convicted in a bribery scheme. Correspondent Julie Walker reports. Remembering Pope Francis Pope Francis, the 88-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on Easter Monday. History’s first Latin American Pontiff died of a stroke that led his heart to fail, and had been dealing with health issues since February when he was hospitalized with double pneumonia. Benztown Audio produced a tribute in memory of Pope Francis. Worldwide Tributes For Pope Francis Tributes from around the world have been pouring in for Pope Francis, from holy sites in Jerusalem, to churches in India, South America, at New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and from President Trump, who announced that he would be leading the US delegation to attend the Pontiff’s funeral. Correspondent Charles deLedesma has that part of the story. What Happens Next At The Vatican The funeral for Pope Francis will follow centuries of Catholic tradition, but will also be very simplistic. Severe Weather A large swath of the Midwest from Texas to Arkansas and Missouri to Illinois is recovering from a string of deadly Easter weekend tornadoes and severe flash flooding. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports. Vance Arrives In India Vice President J.D. Vance, who visited with Pope Francis over the weekend before he passed away, has arrived in New Delhi where he is holding talks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Noem Robbed It’s happened in places like restaurants before where a person could have their wallet stolen or their purse taken, even in Washington, DC. However, as Lisa Dwyer reports, it’s both unusual and shocking when the pilfered purse belongs to the Secretary of Homeland Security, who was being guarded at the time by members of the Secret Service. SCOTUS Hears Obamacare Case Despite a legal challenge, it appears the justices of the US Supreme Court are lining up to uphold a key piece of the Affordable Care Act after a Monday hearing. Correspondent Ed Donahue reports. Finally Following the passing of Pope Francis, there have been some movies that have looked into the process of choosing a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Kevin Carr has details. It’s a long-standing tradition at the White House that dates all the way back to 1878, including the President and First Lady, pomp and circumstance, lots of kids, and the Easter bunny. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports on the annual White House Easter Egg roll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices