(NEW YORK) — With Pope Francis’s funeral drawing more than 200,000 expected attendees on Saturday, interest in the papal succession process has intensified. It’s driving viewers to the film “Conclave” — based on the Robert Harris novel of the same name.
The Oscar-winning 2024 movie, which explores the secretive process of selecting a new pope, has seen a surge in viewership following the pontiff’s death. Speaking to ABC News on Friday, Harris compared himself to “one of those people who writes a Christmas hit and then it just keeps coming round and round again.”
Harris described the papal conclave as “the most extraordinary event, centuries old, steeped in mystique and secrecy… a psychological contest that produces the leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.”
Drawing from historical precedent, Harris noted the unpredictable nature of papal selection.
“Anyone who thinks they can predict the outcome of a conclave is a fool,” he said, explaining that frontrunners often face challenges.
He cited the 2005 conclave that saw Cardinal Ratzinger become Pope Benedict as an example, where there was “an attempt to block him.” During that conclave, the liberal candidate who was expected to challenge Ratzinger “failed in the early ballots. This led that candidate’s supporters to back Cardinal Bergoglio, who lost on that occasion but was elected as Pope Francis in 2013.
“The moment I came across that story, I realized here are three characters now: the conservative, the liberal whose time has passed, and the outsider who people are ready to rally behind,” Harris explained.
The voting process requires a two-thirds majority, with two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon.
“It’s in those times [between votes] that almost inevitably, they talk about what is happening,” Harris said, offering rare insight into the deliberation process.
He noted that these breaks for lunch and evening provide crucial opportunities for “wheeling and dealing.”
Harris, who conducted extensive research, including conversations with cardinals who participated in previous conclaves. “Conclave” follows the dean of the College of Cardinals, played by Ralph Fiennes in the movie.
“A decent man but who is having doubts, and he has to struggle with his own spiritual doubts as he has to organize this huge election,” Harris said.
The author believes the current speculation about the next pope’s identity will likely miss the mark, noting that Pope Francis was “completely off the radar at the last conclave, and nobody tipped him as the likely winner, even though he’d been the runner up the previous conclave.”
Harris observed that the media often lags behind actual developments behind the closed doors of the conclave, saying reporters outside are “always predicting the man who’s just been knocked out.”
“I hope they get a better sense of how a conclave operates,” Harris said of viewers discovering his work. He emphasized that his portrayal aimed to be “more sympathetic than a lot of media portrayals of the Catholic Church.”
(LONDON) — A car bomb in Moscow has killed a senior Russian military officer, Russian officials said.
A statement from the Russian Investigative Committee said that “Lt. General Yaroslav Moskalik, the deputy head of Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, was killed in an explosion,” after an IED that was allegedly planted in a parked car detonated.
A team of investigators are now at the site of the explosion, Russian officials confirmed.
ABC News has seen video of the moment the parked vehicle explodes as a person can be seen walking toward the vehicle.
The footage is seemingly from a CCTV camera overlooking the parking lot of what appears to be an apartment complex.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(ROME) — Pope Francis, who led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years, died on Monday morning at the age of 88.
Francis’ life and time as pope, which was noted for humility and outreach efforts to people of disparate backgrounds and faiths, will be remembered during a funeral service taking place on Saturday, the Vatican said.
Here’s what to know about Francis’ funeral and how to tune in.
Where and when is Pope Francis’ funeral?
Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern) and will be held in St. Peter’s Square or in the Basilica, depending on the weather, in Vatican City.
The pope’s body will be placed in a cypress-wood coffin before the funeral and then placed in two other coffins that fit inside one another, each made of different types of wood, at his burial site.
Where to watch the pope’s funeral There are several ways to watch Pope Francis’ funeral. ABC News Live coverage of the funeral will begin on Saturday at 3:30 a.m. ET and will air on ABC stations as well as streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
Additionally, ABC News Digital will live blog the latest from the funeral as it happens and provide analysis and coverage of the biggest takeaways from the event.
Who will attend Pope Francis’ funeral?
As of Thursday, 130 foreign delegations have confirmed they are attending Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday morning, the Vatican press office said.
That number includes “approximately” 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prince William are among those expected to attend.
The funeral, known as Missa poenitentialis, is also attended by cardinals, clergy, representatives of world organizations and diplomats, along with huge crowds of the faithful.
Where will Pope Francis be buried?
After the funeral mass on Saturday, Francis will be buried outside the Vatican in St. Mary Major, a basilica in Rome. Francis will be the first pope in more than five centuries to be buried there.
Displaced Palestinians crowd with outstretched hands and containers to receive hot meals distributed by aid organizations at the Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza City, Gaza on April 24, 2025. The ongoing blockade and military assaults by Israel have deepened the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, leaving thousands in urgent need of food assistance. (Photo by Mahmoud Issa/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(GAZA) — Israeli authorities have blocked supplies — including food, medicine and fuel — from entering the Gaza Strip for more than 50 days.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main UN agency operating in Gaza, said they have run out of flour supplies in the region as of April 24 in a situational update. UNRWA has described the current state on the ground as the worst humanitarian crisis since the war began on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after a Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel left more than 1,200 Israelis dead.
With the blockade of supplies in place, Gaza’s population of approximately 2.1 million people faces a crisis of starvation, disease and despair.
“Food, safe water, shelter, and medical care have become increasingly scarce,” UNRWA said in the update, stating prices for basic goods are soaring while bakeries shut down, and hospitals run out of critical medicine and generator fuel.
Children are bearing the brunt of this man-made disaster, aid agencies said.
“My son suffers from malnutrition,” Mona Al-Raqab, mother to 5-year-old Osama Al-Raqab, told ABC News. “There’s nothing available. No eggs, no milk, no food supplies. Meat, poultry — the things that give us strength and energy to keep going.”
Roseline Bolline, a spokesperson for UNICEF, said Osama’s story is becoming common in Gaza given the current state on the ground.
“He is not the only case. There are thousands of children in his situation suffering very badly,” Bolline told ABC News. “This is a horrible, horrific and unbearable — to watch a child suffer like that.”
Hospital admissions for acute malnutrition have surged in recent months, Bolline said.
“In February, there were 2,027 children admitted for acute malnutrition. In March, that number jumped to 3,669. This is an incredible increase,” she said. “Families are going hungry, suffering to provide food for their children. The prices of products have doubled, and many key types of food have disappeared from markets. We are extremely concerned,” Bolline added.
“Food prices have increased by between 29% to as much as 1,400% above pre-ceasefire levels, with many essential items like dairy, eggs, fruits and meat no longer available on the market,” the UN secretary general spokesperson said at a press briefing Thursday in New York.
The situation inside Gaza’s hospitals is also dire, according to humanitarian agencies.
The blockade has prevented critical medical supplies and fuel to power hospital generators from entering Gaza while the Israel Defense Forces have continued bombing areas across the strip since the collapse of the ceasefire in mid-March.
Fifty people were killed, and 152 people were injured over a 24-hour period from April 23 to April 24 in Gaza, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said in a release Thursday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “pressure on Hamas will continue” in remarks at a Holocaust Remembrance Day rally in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening.
Dr. Ahmed Al Farra, head of the pediatric and obstetrics department at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, said the blockade is hurting civilians the most.
“We are talking about pregnant women and children,” he said. “We are facing a lot of suffering from malnutrition in both categories. According to the World Health Organization, Gaza is currently at the fifth degree of starvation — the worst on the global scale.”
Al Farra described a cascade of medical crises stemming from the lack of access to nutrition and healthcare.
“We are talking about the shortage of milk — normal formula and special formula. Pregnant women are delivering premature, underweight babies. This is catastrophic,” Al Farra said. “People are surviving on expired canned goods that often cause food poisoning. You can’t live on that for a year and a half.”
Despite the conditions, UNRWA staff — numbering around 12,000 local Palestinian workers in Gaza — continue to provide essential services.
They deliver 2,600 cubic meters of water and collect 220 tons of waste daily, according to an UNRWA situational update on April 24.
Six out of 22 UNRWA health centers are operational in Gaza as of April 20, the update from the organization said.
Medical teams are also working in 39 medical points across the strip, the organization added.
UNRWA insists that “nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people” and calls for a renewed ceasefire, the dignified release of the remaining hostages, and unimpeded access for humanitarian and commercial supplies.
Netanyahu and his government say the blockade is part of a strategy to put pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages being held in Gaza.
Fifty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, with 24 of them believed to still be alive. The other 34 are confirmed dead, but their bodies remain in Gaza.
The UN has called for the end of the blockade.
“Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that the total blockage of aid and any other supplies — now nearing two months — has led to the depletion of essentials such as fresh food and tents and to the near-exhaustion of other critical supplies for Palestinian civilians,” the UN secretary general spokesperson said at a press briefing on Thursday.
“Children are going hungry. Patients remain untreated. People are dying. It is time to lift those restrictions immediately,” the spokesperson added.
Black smoke streamed from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney to signal that cardinals failed to select a new Pope in their first round of voting in Rome, Italy on April 18, 2005. (Eric VANDEVILLE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
(ROME) — There have been 266 popes in the Catholic Church’s roughly 2,000-year history, which spans three millennia. With the death of Pope Francis, a series of formal events was immediately set into motion to elect the Church’s next Supreme Pontiff.
That storied process is a mix of tradition, pageantry and practical necessity, one that has undergone many changes over the centuries but that has remained largely the same in modern history.
It begins, and ends, with what’s known as the conclave.
With all eyes now on the Vatican, here’s a look at the conclave and its role in electing the next head of the Catholic Church.
What is the conclave?
Simply put, a conclave is the assembly of cardinals that elects a pope. The word itself comes from the Latin “com” and “clavis,” meaning “together” and “key,” respectively – highlighting the absolute, behind-closed-doors secrecy with which the cardinals conduct their discussions and balloting.
The conclave assembles during the interregnum, which is the time period that begins upon the pontiff’s passing and ends with the election of his successor, and generally convenes between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death. The same period of time, during which the papacy is vacant, is also known as the sede vacante, Latin for “vacant seat.”
A pope’s body usually lies in state for three to five days to allow sufficient time for mourners to pay their respects. The funeral mass and burial must take place between the fourth and sixth day after the pope’s death. Out of respect for the late pope, formal decisions and conversations about the conclave do not begin until after the funeral, but it is safe to say that behind the scenes the cardinal electors and those who quietly would like to be pope have already started to discuss what type of pope the cardinals think best for the role.
What’s a cardinal?
Cardinals are the highest-ranking clergy of the Catholic Church, after the pope. Originally, cardinals were the princes of the papal court. They often came from the powerful families of the Papal States. They wear red as a sign of their willingness to shed their blood for the pope and the Church.
Only the pope can make a clergy member a cardinal and, once appointed, they typically hold that title and position for life. As cardinals, they serve as advisors to the pope regardless of where they reside and often hold elevated positions within the Vatican.
Any member of Catholic clergy can be a cardinal but the appointment is traditionally reserved for high-ranking clergy such as bishops and archbishops. The pope reserves the right to make any member of the church a cardinal, including laity. Francis expanded the College of Cardinals beyond the large dioceses and archdioceses to create geographic and cultural diversity and to better represent the makeup of the laity and where the church is growing.
Selecting a pope as part of the conclave is considered a cardinal’s highest duty. Those who do so are known as cardinal electors.
How many cardinals are in the conclave?
It varies. While all cardinals are summoned to the Vatican upon the pope’s death, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to participate in the conclave. Those aged 80 and older can decline the summons if they wish, since they aren’t allowed to be conclave members.
There are currently 252 cardinals worldwide. The preparatory meetings they have daily during the interregnum are collectively known as the General Congregation. Of the total number of cardinals, 135 are eligible to enter the conclave as cardinal electors. This will be the largest number of cardinals to participate in a conclave.
Who’s in charge of the Vatican during the sede vacante?
The camerlengo, or chamberlain, of the Church runs things during the conclave, including overseeing the conclave itself.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, 77, the senior Vatican official who announced Pope Francis’ death on Monday, April 21, will serve as the interim manager of the Vatican until a new pope is elected, according to Church officials. Pope Francis appointed Farrell as camerlengo in 2019.
Who’s eligible to be elected pope?
Canon law says any unmarried, baptized male Catholic, clergy or not, is eligible to be pope. That said, only cardinals have been elected for the last 600-plus years, so being considered for the position in this case is very much the result of whom you know.
All likely or potential papal candidates are collectively known as “papabile.” Politics and personalities aside, one of the paramount considerations when determining papabile is a candidate’s age.
The ideal papal candidate is between 60 and 70 years old, with the ideal time in office considered to be from 10 to 12 years. If too young a pope is elected, he could end up overseeing and influencing church doctrine for decades, since only death or resignation would end their time in the office. Conversely, if too old a candidate is elected they may have little time to make an impact.
John Paul II, at 58, was young when elected and Francis, at 76, was considered old.
How secret are the conclave’s discussions?
In a word? Very. Balloting takes place in the Sistine Chapel amid a level of security that wouldn’t be out of place in a government situation room. Recording technology of any kind is forbidden, with technicians checking to ensure there are no secretly installed bugs or other like devices inside the Sistine Chapel or adjacent areas. Any handwritten notes cardinals may take during the proceedings are burned after each morning and afternoon session, along with that session’s ballots.
During the conclave, the cardinals reside in private rooms in the Domus Marthae Sanctae, aka Saint Martha’s House – essentially a hotel in the Vatican with dining facilities that typically houses visiting clergy and laity. Conclave members are sworn to absolute secrecy and have minimal contact with the outside world: Televisions, radios, phones, cameras, computers, newspapers and magazines are banned, and no written or verbal correspondence with anyone outside the conclave is allowed. Likewise, the Sistine Chapel, Domus Marthae Sanctae and other areas are off limits during the conclave to everyone other than cardinals and those people who have specific business there, such as service staff, support personnel and physicians.
Also, don’t expect a cardinal to share any inside scoop after balloting is complete and the new pope is elected. That expectation of secrecy continues indefinitely, with only the pope himself possessing the authority to make exceptions.
What is the actual voting process like?
Though wreathed in centuries of elaborate ceremony and tradition, the balloting process itself is straightforward. Each conclave member writes his choice on a paper ballot slip, folds it once in half and carries it held aloft between two fingers as he walks to the altar and deposits it in an special urn placed there that is used only for that purpose. In order to make the balloting secret, conclave members are instructed to write their votes “as far as possible in handwriting that cannot be identified as his.”
Any conclave member who cannot make it in person to the Sistine Chapel due to illness or infirmity will cast their ballot from their room in the Domus Marthae Sanctae, where they’re collected, placed in a lockbox and carried to the Sistine Chapel.
The votes are then counted by three scrutineers who affirm what is written on each ballot and then announce it to the conclave, so the cardinals can record the votes themselves. If the number of ballots cast is different than the number of cardinal electors, those ballots are discarded and burned and a new vote taken.
The candidate who first secures two-thirds of the votes is elected pope.
How long does it take to elect a pope?
A pope could be elected as soon as the first ballot, or the process could continue indefinitely. That said, since 1831 no conclave has lasted more than four days.
Up to four rounds of voting can typically take place in a day. If no clear choice has emerged after three days, balloting is suspended for 24 hours to allow cardinal electors time to reflect. Another seven rounds of balloting then takes place, followed by another break, and so on.
If no pope is elected after 33 or 34 votes – generally about 13 days – then a new rule introduced by Pope Benedict XVI decrees that the two leading candidates as determined by previous ballots engage in a runoff vote. The candidates themselves, if members of the conclave, cannot vote in the runoff but are present for it. Whichever candidate receives the necessary two-thirds majority of the votes is the new pope.
How does the conclave signal that they’ve elected a new pope?
Of all the ceremonies associated with electing a new pope, the one most familiar to the general public is the smoke that emanates from a stovepipe chimney atop the Sistine Chapel after every round of balloting.
Black smoke – fumata nera in Italian – indicates an inconclusive vote, while white smoke – fumata bianca – will signify that a new pope has been elected. Along with the white smoke, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica will ring to proclaim the event to the world.
However, that ceremonial smoke isn’t created by the burning of the ballots, as commonly believed – that’s done in a stove that dates back to the 1922 conclave and is set up for the occasion in the Sistine Chapel. The smoke that wafts from the chimney is created using chemical pellets that are burned in another stove that’s connected to the stovepipe chimney, which is temporarily erected atop the Sistine Chapel just for that purpose.
When is the pope’s identity publicly revealed?
Assuming the elected cardinal accepts the office, the new pope’s identity is revealed within an hour of the final ballot.
Before he’s presented to the public, the new pope is also asked by what name he will be known. While popes have the option of keeping their baptismal name, every pope for the last 470 years has chosen to change his name, usually to honor a predecessor and to signal their intention to emulate his example. Pope Francis was a notable exception, instead choosing his name to honor St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric now celebrated in the church as the patron saint of animals and the environment.
The new pope is then attired in temporary vestments prepared in various sizes for the occasion and awaits his formal introduction by the senior cardinal deacon, who stands on the balcony on the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica, overlooking St. Peter’s Square, and declares in Latin: “Nuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus papam” – “I announce to you a great joy: We have a pope.”
The new pope then emerges onto the balcony to present himself to the world and deliver his first blessing to the crowd gathered below in St. Peter’s Square.
Although the elected pope immediately has full authority and jurisdiction, a ceremonial mass to install the new pope is held about a week after his election, either in St. Peter’s Square or St. Peter’s Basilica, with cardinals, bishops and other international dignitaries present. Up until the middle of the last century the installation was a coronation with a three-tiered crown.
When does the conclave end?
As soon as the new pontiff has assented to his election, the conclave is over, though the assembled cardinals will remain at the Vatican until the attendant ceremonies are over. In 2013, Francis asked the cardinals to stay in the conclave for an extra day to pray with him.
ABC News’ Phoebe Natanson contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — An alleged leader of violence during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 has been living in an exclusive enclave on Long Island as a beekeeper. He was arrested Thursday and accused of concealing his role in horrific violence and human rights violations by making false statements in his applications for a visa, green card and for U.S. citizenship, according to the Justice Department.
Faustin Nsabumukunzi is charged with visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud for allegedly lying on his application for a green card and for U.S. citizenship.
Nsabumukunzi was arrested at his home in Bridgehampton and pleaded not guilty Thursday in Islip federal court. He was released on $250,000 bond with home detention and GPS monitoring and will be allowed to keep working as a gardener for a private equity entrepreneur on Long Island who signed his bond.
“As alleged, Nsabumukunzi repeatedly lied to conceal his involvement in the horrific Rwandan genocide while seeking to become a lawful permanent resident and citizen of the United States,” said United States Attorney John Durham. “For over two decades, he got away with those lies and lived in the United States with an undeserved clean slate, a luxury that his victims will never have, but thanks to the tenacious efforts of our investigators and prosecutors, the defendant finally will be held accountable for his brutal actions.”
According to officials, Nsabumukunzi served as a local leader with the title of “Sector Councilor” in Rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began. Between April 1994 and July 1994, members of the majority Hutu population persecuted the minority Tutsis, committing acts of violence, including murder, rape and sexual violence. During the three-month genocide, an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus died.
According to the indictment, Nsabumukunzi used his leadership position as Sector Councilor to oversee the violence and killings of Tutsis in his local sector of Kibirizi and directed groups of armed Hutus to kill Tutsis. He set up roadblocks during the genocide to detain and kill Tutsis and participated in killings and violence, according to court documents.
Nsabumukunzi allegedly ordered a group of armed Hutus to locations where Tutsis were sheltering, and the Hutus killed them. Nsabumukunzi also allegedly facilitated the rape of Tutsi women by verbally encouraging Hutu men to do so. According to court filings, Nsabumukunzi has been convicted of genocide in absentia by a Rwandan court.
The suspect applied for refugee resettlement in the United States in August 2003 and then applied for and received a green card in November 2007. He later applied for naturalization in 2009 and 2015. Nsabumukunzi allegedly lied to United States immigration officials to gain admission to the United States as a refugee, by falsely denying in the applications under penalty of perjury that he ever engaged in genocide, federal prosecutors said.
He allegedly repeated those lies in his subsequent applications for a green card and for naturalization. Nsabumukunzi has lived and worked in the United States since 2003.
If convicted, Nsabumukunzi faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.
(NEW YORK) — An alleged leader of violence during the Rwandan genocide in 1994 has been living in an exclusive enclave on Long Island, where he was arrested Thursday and accused of concealing his role in horrific violence and human rights violations by making false statements in his applications for a visa, green card and for U.S. citizenship, according to the Justice Department.
Faustin Nsabumukunzi is charged with visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud for allegedly lying on his application for a green card and for U.S. citizenship.
Nsabumukunzi was arrested at his home in Bridgehampton and was scheduled to appear later Thursday in Central Islip federal court.
“As alleged, Nsabumukunzi repeatedly lied to conceal his involvement in the horrific Rwandan genocide while seeking to become a lawful permanent resident and citizen of the United States,” said United States Attorney John Durham. “For over two decades, he got away with those lies and lived in the United States with an undeserved clean slate, a luxury that his victims will never have, but thanks to the tenacious efforts of our investigators and prosecutors, the defendant finally will be held accountable for his brutal actions.”
According to officials, Nsabumukunzi served as a local leader with the title of “Sector Councilor” in Rwanda in 1994 when the genocide began. Between April 1994 and July 1994, members of the majority Hutu population persecuted the minority Tutsis, committing acts of violence, including murder, rape and sexual violence. During the three-month genocide, an estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus died.
According to the indictment, Nsabumukunzi used his leadership position as Sector Councilor to oversee the violence and killings of Tutsis in his local sector of Kibirizi and directed groups of armed Hutus to kill Tutsis. He set up roadblocks during the genocide to detain and kill Tutsis and participated in killings and violence, according to court documents.
Nsabumukunzi allegedly ordered a group of armed Hutus to locations where Tutsis were sheltering, and the Hutus killed them. Nsabumukunzi also allegedly facilitated the rape of Tutsi women by verbally encouraging Hutu men to do so. According to court filings, Nsabumukunzi has been convicted of genocide in absentia by a Rwandan court.
The suspect applied for refugee resettlement in the United States in August 2003 and then applied for and received a green card in November 2007. He later applied for naturalization in 2009 and 2015. Nsabumukunzi allegedly lied to United States immigration officials to gain admission to the United States as a refugee, by falsely denying in the applications under penalty of perjury that he ever engaged in genocide, federal prosecutors said.
He allegedly repeated those lies in his subsequent applications for a green card and for naturalization. Nsabumukunzi has lived and worked in the United States since 2003.
If convicted, Nsabumukunzi faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.
(LONDON) — At least nine people were killed and dozens more were injured in an overnight Russian attack on several districts and residential areas in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday, prompting President Donald Trump to issue a directive to Russian President Vladimir Putin: “Vladimir, STOP!”
“I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing,” Trump said on social media on Thursday. “Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who is traveling in South Africa, said Thursday he would cancel part of his planned visit and return to Ukraine earlier than expected.
“It is extremely important that everyone around the world sees and understands what is really happening,” he said. “Nearly 70 missiles, including ballistic ones. And about 150 attack drones.”
The Russian attack came amid intensifying negotiations to end the war, with White House officials pressuring Zelenskyy and Ukraine to accept a potential peace plan that may include ceding land to Russia, according to a senior Ukrainian official. Trump on Wednesday accused Zelenskyy of prolonging “the ‘killing field.'”
At least 70 people were injured overnight, including 42 who were hospitalized, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Zelenskyy a few hours later said more than 80 people had been injured.
Six children were among the injured, the emergency service said.
“Overnight, Russia held a massive attack on Ukraine,”the Ministry of Defense said. “Cruise missiles, drones, ballistic weapons — yet another strike on peaceful cities and Ukrainian homes.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the strike, saying the Russian “military continues to fulfill its tasks, which are set by the supreme commander-in-chief.” He added that military orders from Moscow include striking “military and near-military targets.”
Rescue operations were continuing early on Thursday in the capital, where first responders were digging through the rubble of residential buildings for survivors, defense officials said.
“These attacks are yet another confirmation — Russia is not seeking peace. It continues to kill Ukrainians,” the ministry said on social media.
Outside of Kyiv, Russia also targeted the Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions overnight into Thursday, the ministry said.
“While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s high representative for Foreign Affairs, said on social media. “This isn’t a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it. The real obstacle is not Ukraine but Russia, whose war aims have not changed.”
(LONDON) — At least nine people were killed and dozens more were injured in an overnight Russian attack on several districts and residential areas in Kyiv, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.
“Overnight, Russia held a massive attack on Ukraine,”the Ministry of Defense said. “Cruise missiles, drones, ballistic weapons — yet another strike on peaceful cities and Ukrainian homes.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who is traveling in South Africa, said Thursday he would cancel part of his planned visit and return to Ukraine earlier than expected.
“It is extremely important that everyone around the world sees and understands what is really happening,” he said. “Nearly 70 missiles, including ballistic ones. And about 150 attack drones.”
The Russian attack came amid intensifying negotiations to end the war, with White House officials pressuring Zelenskyy and Ukraine to accept a potential peace plan that may include ceding land to Russia, according to a senior Ukrainian official. President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Zelenskyy of prolonging “the ‘killing field.'”
At least 70 people were injured overnight, including 42 who were hospitalized, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. Zelenskyy a few hours later said more than 80 people had been injured.
Six children were among the injured, the emergency service said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the strike, saying the Russian “military continues to fulfill its tasks, which are set by the supreme commander-in-chief.” He added that military orders from Moscow include striking “military and near-military targets.”
Rescue operations were continuing early on Thursday in the capital, where first responders were digging through the rubble of residential buildings for survivors, defense officials said.
“These attacks are yet another confirmation — Russia is not seeking peace. It continues to kill Ukrainians,” the ministry said on social media.
Outside of Kyiv, Russia also targeted the Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia regions overnight into Thursday, the ministry said.
“While claiming to seek peace, Russia launched a deadly airstrike on Kyiv,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s high representative for Foreign Affairs, said on social media. “This isn’t a pursuit of peace, it’s a mockery of it. The real obstacle is not Ukraine but Russia, whose war aims have not changed.”
(GAZA) — Gaza’s small Catholic community is mourning the death of Pope Francis, who maintained daily contact with local church leaders throughout the ongoing conflict, the parish priest of the region’s only Catholic church told ABC News.
Father Gabriel Romanelli of Gaza City’s Holy Family Church said the pontiff called the parish “every day from the beginning of the war” — an effort the community greatly appreciated.
“He met the people. He remembered some people by voice,” he said.
Even as he expressed profound sadness at the pope’s passing, Romanelli found spiritual significance in its timing.
“There is a mix of feelings,” Romanelli told ABC News. “The first feeling is very sad … but at the same time, because he died on Easter, it’s a sign of the mercy of God. For us as Christians, it’s the feast of the resurrection of the Lord.”
Gaza has been devastated by the war that was sparked by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack. Since the conflict began, the Holy Family Church has helped to feed and shelter “thousands of families,” with support from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and Pope Francis, according to Romanelli.
There were approximately 1,300 Christians among Gaza’s 2 million Palestinian residents in 2022, according to a U.S. Department of State report, which cited “media reports and religious communities.”
“We lost many Christians. Five percent of our community have died during this war,” Romanelli said.
The parish is currently housing around 500 refugees, including “the majority” of Gaza’s minority Christian community but also some Muslims, “especially children with special needs,” Romanelli said.
During their frequent calls, Romanelli noted the pope’s deep concern for the welfare of Gaza’s civilians.
“He would call us to give us force, power, support, moral support and also, through the Latin Patriarchate, material support to help the civilians here,” Romanelli said.
The pope would also consistently urge them to take care of the children as he expressed gratitude for the church’s efforts to help the Christian community and all their neighbors, according to Romanelli. He said that message will be the pope’s legacy in the region.
“It’s necessary to continue to help the people,” Romanelli said. “After this war, the post-war period will be very hard. It’s necessary that people be strong in faith, strong in humanity. … We must smile and play with the children because it’s necessary to break the violence with a real peace message.”
Romanelli, who has served as a missionary in Gaza for six years, said the parish held a memorial service for the pope on Monday. Due to the ongoing conflict and closed borders, he said he will be unable to attend the pope’s funeral on Saturday, but hopes to follow the ceremonies online if conditions permit.
