 "FirstUp: Army Chief to visit Pahalgam's Baisaran, Trump in Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral… The headlines today")
Today will be a busy day.
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi is set to hold a security meeting today and will visit Baisaran Valley, following the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
US President Donald Trump will leave for Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral.
Also, Pope Francis’ coffin will be sealed during a religious ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Former US Congressman George Santos will be sentenced today in a case involving several fraud charges.
In Alabama, James Osgood is due to be executed today. He was convicted for the rape and murder of his girlfriend’s cousin.
Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, is expected to appear in court today on federal charges.
Today also marks the anniversary of the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015. The 7.8-magnitude quake killed almost 9,000 people, left many more injured, and destroyed more than 600,000 buildings in Kathmandu and surrounding areas.
Let’s take a look at these events in detail:
Army Chief General to visit Kashmir
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi is set to visit Baisaran Valley today and take part in a security review meeting following the terror attack in Pahalgam .
On Tuesday, four terrorists opened fire at a resort in Pahalgam, a popular destination in south Kashmir. Many tourists were present when the attack took place.
The incident has shocked the nation and led to widespread condemnation both in India and overseas.
As a response, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 with immediate effect. The Integrated Check Post at Attari has also been closed without delay.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsDonald Trump in Rome
US President Donald Trump will leave Washington today and head to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral.
He is expected to return on Saturday evening once the ceremony concludes. This will be Trump’s first overseas visit since returning to the White House on January 20.
“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Pope Francis died on Monday morning at the age of 88, following a stroke and heart failure, the Vatican said.
The Pope, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years, requested to be buried outside the Vatican, at Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Sealing of Pope Francis’ coffin
The coffin of Pope Francis, the first Latin American head of the Catholic Church, will be sealed today during a special liturgical ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica .
This will take place ahead of the papal funeral scheduled for the morning of Saturday, April 26.
The ceremony, called the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin, will be led by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.
Several Cardinals and senior Holy See officials are expected to attend the event.
The ceremony marks the end of the public viewing period in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Following the funeral Mass at St. Peter’s, Francis’ coffin will be moved to the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome for burial.
Sentencing of ex-congressman George Santos
Former US congressman George Santos will be sentenced today after pleading guilty to several fraud charges.
In a letter shared ahead of the hearing, Santos said he feels “profoundly sorry” for his actions, but argued that the seven-year sentence recommended by prosecutors is “ridiculous” and too severe.
Prosecutors claimed in their own statement last week that Santos has shown no real remorse, contrary to what his lawyers have argued while pushing for a lighter sentence of two years.
Santos admitted to deceiving donors and using the identities of nearly a dozen people to help finance his congressional campaign. He also argued that his “colourful” online posts are being unfairly used against him.
Federal arraignment for Luigi Mangione
Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, will be arraigned today on federal charges.
Mangione, 26, is already facing murder and weapons charges under New York state law, which does not allow the death penalty. The federal charges do not introduce new offences but raise the stakes, as Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state-level charges.
The federal indictment, based on a grand jury’s findings, includes charges of murder, stalking and firearms offences. If found guilty of the firearms charge, Mangione could face the death penalty, which federal prosecutors intend to pursue.
Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance wing, was shot and killed on December 4 outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel where the company was holding an investor event.
Execution of James Osgood
James Osgood is scheduled to be executed in Alabama today for the rape and murder of his girlfriend’s cousin, a crime described by a prosecutor as a “twisted fantasy.”
The execution will take place by lethal injection at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
Osgood confessed to police that he and his girlfriend, Tonya Vandyke, attacked 44-year-old Tracy Lynn Wilemon in her bedroom on October 13, 2010.
In the lead-up to his execution, Osgood dropped all legal appeals, dismissed his lawyer, and told the judge he was prepared to be executed for the crime.
While he initially denied involvement, Osgood later confessed, saying he remembered “seeing the fear in her eyes.” He later asked the judge to impose the death sentence.
10th anniversary of deadly Nepal Earthquake
On April 25, 2015, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.8 in magnitude struck Nepal, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The quake left the country reeling and caused fears of a major humanitarian crisis across the Himalayan region.
Around 9,000 people lost their lives, with thousands more injured. More than 600,000 buildings in Kathmandu and nearby towns were either damaged or destroyed, according to Britannica.
The tremors were felt far beyond Nepal, shaking parts of central and eastern Nepal, northern India’s Ganges River plain, northwestern Bangladesh, southern Tibet and western Bhutan.
The disaster was caused by thrust faulting along the Indus-Yarlung suture zone, a narrow east-west stretch running the length of the Himalayas, where tectonic compression led to intense fracturing.
In the immediate aftermath, the Nepalese government declared a state of emergency. The country’s army was deployed to aid in rescue and relief efforts, with nearly the entire force engaged in the response.
With inputs from agencies
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