AP The Morning Wire by Jennifer Baik - March 31, 2024 - In his Easter address, the pope called for a cease-fire in Gaza and a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap

 

By Jennifer Baik March 31, 2024

Good morning and welcome to the Sunday edition of Morning Wire, where we give you the weekend rundown to get ready for the week ahead. Today, controversy over Transgender Day of Visibility and volunteers seek the fate of the Lost Alaskans.   But first, the pope overcomes health concerns for Easter Mass.   UP FIRST Pope Francis asperses holy water as he celebrates Easter mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) In his Easter address, the pope called for a cease-fire in Gaza and a Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap Rallying from a winter-long bout of respiratory problems, Pope Francis led some 30,000 people in Easter celebrations Sunday and made a strong appeal for a cease-fire in Gaza and a prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine.    “Peace is never made with weapons, but with outstretched hands and open hearts,” Francis said. Read more.

ADVERTISEMENT TOP STORIES President Joe Biden waves as he arrives in Air Force One in Hagerstown, Md.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The Trump camp and the White House clash over Biden’s recognition of ‘Transgender Day of Visibility’ President Joe Biden is facing criticism from Donald Trump’s campaign and religious conservatives for acknowledging March 31 — which corresponds with Easter Sunday this year — as “Transgender Day of Visibility.” Read more.   Volunteers uncover the fate of thousands of Lost Alaskans sent to an Oregon psychiatric hospital a century ago Between 1904 and the 1960s, thousands of Alaskans were committed to Morningside Hospital about 2,500 miles away in Portland, Oregon. Many never left. For the last 15 years, a group of volunteers has been working to identify these Lost Alaskans and bring closure to their families. Read more.

ADVERTISEMENT IN OTHER NEWS Britain's King Charles III waves as he leaves after attending the Easter Matins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England. (Hollie Adams/Pool Photo via AP) READ Royal appearance: King Charles’ Easter service appearance provides a glimpse of the monarch after his cancer diagnosis  Data breach: AT&T notifies users of data breach and resets millions of passcodes  Mall shooting: Shooting outside downtown Indianapolis mall wounds 7 youths, police say  Israel-Hamas war: An Israeli airstrike hits a Gaza hospital tent camp, killing 2 Palestinians and hurting journalists  Baltimore bridge: In Key Bridge collapse, Baltimore lost a piece of its cultural identity  Hostage situation: A man suspected of holding 4 hostages for hours in a Dutch nightclub has been arrested  Unsettling bookbinding: Harvard says it has removed human skin from the binding of a 19th century book  Minimum wage: New $20 minimum wage for fast food workers in California is set to start Monday  Horse betting: China’s gambling hub of Macao holds its final horse race, ending a tradition of over 40 years  Gmail’s anniversary: Gmail revolutionized email 20 years ago. People thought it was Google’s April Fool’s Day joke  Pet policy: A big airline is relaxing its pet policy to let owners bring their companion and a rolling carry-on  Today in History: On March 31, 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain expelled Jews from Spain, except those willing to convert to Christianity  WATCH Oklahoma bridge: Barge collides with bridge in Oklahoma  NYPD funeral: Funeral held for slain New York City police Officer Jonathan Diller  Satellite launch: SpaceX launches Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit  Horseback chase: Shoplifter chased by police on horseback in New Mexico  April eclipse: How visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses  Raining marshmallows: Children race to collect marshmallows dropped from a helicopter at a suburban Detroit park  Liam Cunningham: The ‘3 Body Problem’ star says the earth has bigger problems than aliens  ADVERTISEMENT

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