News Wrap: Pope warns of 'tyrants' spending billions on wars

Amna Nawaz:

Pope Leo is warning of a world ravaged by a handful of tyrants who spend billions on war. His comments came during a visit to Cameroon, where the government has mired in a longstanding conflict with separatist fighters.

But his message also comes amid ongoing tensions with the Trump administration over its war in Iran, which the pontiff has openly criticized. Today, the pope took particular aim at those using Christian theology to justify violence.

Pope Leo XIV:

Woe to those who manipulate religion in the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.

Amna Nawaz:

His remarks follow criticism by Vice President J.D. Vance that Leo should -- quote -- "be careful" when he talks about matters of theology.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has frequently invoked Scripture to justify America's military efforts in Iran.

In Virginia, police say that former Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife last night before killing himself.

Kevin Davis, Fairfax County, Virginia, Police Chief:

This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce.

Amna Nawaz:

Authorities said Mr. Fairfax was facing a court-ordered deadline to move out of his family's home and that the couple's two teenage children were in the house during the shooting. Fairfax was once a rising star in the state's Democratic Party, nearly succeeding governor Ralph Northam in 2019. His political career was derailed by sexual assault allegations, which he denied.

President Trump nominated Erica Schwartz to be the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She served as deputy surgeon general during Trump's first term and was directly involved in the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her nomination comes after a year of leadership shakeups at the agency and a number of controversial policy changes overseen by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Those include an overhaul of childhood vaccine recommendations. Schwartz will need Senate confirmation before taking on the role.

In the meantime, Secretary Kennedy spent the day defending his health agenda in two appearances before lawmakers. Speaking before the House Ways and Means Committee, Kennedy justified a 12 percent cut to his department's budget. Republicans on the committee praised him as a breath of fresh air. But Democrats challenged him on a number of fronts, including vaccines.

Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA):

A deadly measles outbreak in Texas killed an unvaccinated 6-year-old, the first such death in a decade. Do you agree with the majority of doctors that the measles vaccine could have saved that child's life in Texas?

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.:

It's possible, certainly.

Amna Nawaz:

At one point, the longtime vaccine skeptic conceded that a vaccine could have prevented a deadly case of the measles, but otherwise he largely held his ground. Today's hearings were the first of seven appearances for Kennedy over the coming week.

The Senate voted today to lift a federal ban on mining upstream from Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Man:

The yeas are 50. The nays are 49. And the joint resolution is passed.

Amna Nawaz:

The Republican-led measure now goes to the president for his signature. It's a major win for a Chilean company which wants to mine nickel and copper from forests near the U.S.-Canada border. Environmentalists warn it will contaminate the ecosystem of lakes and bogs, one beloved by Minnesotans and one Native American tribes rely on for fishing and rice harvesting.

The mining project still needs state permits and could face court challenges before construction begins.

Officials on the Northern Marianas say some communities may not have power or water for weeks after a monster typhoon tore through the Pacific islands this week. Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the strongest tropical cyclone this year, left roads impassable for repair crews.

Back stateside, Wisconsin is under a state of emergency after days of heavy rains submerged streets and stranded cars, leading to multiple water rescues.

David Robson, Tow Truck Driver:

The water is up here to me. You know what I'm saying? And I'm 5'11''. So the water is up here to me.

Amna Nawaz:

Flood watches and warnings remain in effect across much of Wisconsin and neighboring Michigan through tonight. Elsewhere, hail hammered parts of nearly a dozen states, including Iowa, and a possible tornado tore through Clinton, Missouri, toppling homes and power lines.

In the meantime across, much of the Southern and Eastern U.S., mid-spring will feel like the height of summer well into the weekend. An abnormal heat wave is shattering records in places like New York City and Washington, D.C.

Russia launched its deadliest attack on Ukraine this year, killing at least 16 people overnight and today. Huge fires erupted in the capital of Kyiv after an hours-long aerial barrage. More than 100 people were injured. Russia's Defense Ministry said it was in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on targets inside Russia.

It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been visiting European nations seeking more air defense systems to block these attacks.

On Wall Street today, stocks ticked higher as investors search for clues on when the Iran war will end. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 115 points on the day. The Nasdaq closed at another new record, adding around 80 points. The S&P 500 posted its 11th gain in the last 12 sessions.

And a British scholar has solved a mystery around where exactly Shakespeare bought his only home in London. King's College Professor Lucy Munro says this 17th century property plan found in London's city archives shows the exact location of the house he bought in 1613.

The home was already marked by this sign saying that Shakespeare purchased lodgings near this site. Turns out the house was not near, but right there after all. It's believed the property was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666.

The discovery raises new questions about how Shakespeare spent his final years before his death in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616.