On Easter, Pope Leo urges world leaders to end wars, renounce conquest

By Joshua McElwee

Pope Leo XIV leads the Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican

VATICAN CITY, April 5 (Reuters) - Pope Leo urged global leaders in his Easter message on Sunday to end the conflicts raging across ‌the world and abandon any schemes for power, conquest or domination.

The pope, ‌who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the Iran war, lamented in a special message ​to the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square that people "are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent".

"Let those who have weapons lay them down!" the first U.S. pope exhorted. "Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace!"

Leo ‌did not mention any specific ⁠conflicts in the message, known as the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing. It was unusually brief and direct.

The pope said ⁠that the story of Easter, when the Bible says Jesus rose from the dead three days after not resisting his execution by crucifixion, shows that Christ was "entirely nonviolent".

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"On this ​day of ​celebration, let us abandon every desire for ​conflict, domination, and power, and implore ‌the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars," Leo urged.

Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has been forcefully decrying the world's violent conflicts in recent weeks and ramping up his criticism of the Iran war.

In a sermon for the Easter vigil on Saturday night, he urged people not ‌to feel numbed by the scope of the ​conflicts raging across the world but to work ​for peace.

The pope made a rare direct ​appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, urging him to find ‌an "off-ramp" to end the Iran war.

In ​his address from the ​balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Sunday to the Square below, decorated with thousands of brightly coloured flowers for the holiday, Leo offered brief Easter ​greetings in ten languages, ‌including Latin, Arabic and Chinese.

The pope also announced he would return to ​the Basilica on April 11 to host a prayer vigil for peace.

(Reporting ​by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

byNito

in

April 05, 2026

On Easter, Pope Leo urges world leaders to end wars, renounce conquest

By Joshua McElwee Pope Leo XIV leads the Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican VATICAN CITY...

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Congo says it will receive third-country deportees under new deal with US

KINSHASA, April 5 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo will receive third-country ‌nationals deported from the United States ‌under a new deal with the Trump ​administration, the government in Kinshasa said in a statement on Sunday.

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* The government said it will receive deportees starting ‌inApril, but ⁠did not say how many it had agreed to take. * ⁠The arrangement will be paid for by the United States,with no cost ​to the ​Congolese government, ​the statement said. * ‌Facilities have been prepared near the capital Kinshasa toaccommodate the deportees, it said. * The United States has sent third-country deportees toseveral African countries including Ghana, ‌Cameroon, EquatorialGuinea and Eswatini, ​drawing criticism from ​legal experts ​andrights groups. * The agreement coincides ‌with an effort by ​the Trumpadministration ​to implement a peace deal between Congo andRwanda and an agreement ​ensuring U.S. ‌access to Congolesecritical minerals.

(Writing by ​Nellie Peyton; Editing by Hugh Lawson ​and Ros Russell)

byNito

in

April 05, 2026

Congo says it will receive third-country deportees under new deal with US

KINSHASA, April 5 (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo will receive third-country ‌nationals deported from the Unite...

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Crystal Hefner Shares Photos From Her and Husband James Ward’s Destination Wedding in Cook Islands

Crystal Hefnerhas shared photos from her destination wedding to her second husband,James Ward.

On Saturday, April 4, theOnly Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myselfauthor, 39, posteda carousel of photosshot during her wedding in the Cook Islands on Thursday, April 2. The photos showcased Hefner' long-sleeved "Margo" wedding gown from designerOksana Mukha, which was covered in over 5,400 Swarovski crystals.

Hefner revealed toPeoplethat she picked out the lace "Margot" wedding gown because it felt like "a Disney princess dress."

Another shotincluded a close look at Hefner' stunning diamond wedding ring, which was accentuated by a flower crown that she wore during the ceremony.

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The couple confirmed that Hefner walked down the aisle to a local band playing the Māori love song, "Akaipoipo Taua," while the newlyweds' first dance was toIke Dweck's track "Safe With Me."

Hefner and Ward opted for a "simple, elegant, and ocean-inspired" ceremony to match their scenic Cook Islands location.

"We chose the Cook Islands because of how remote it is," the bride toldPeople. "There are no big chain hotels, which makes it feel incredibly peaceful and authentic. It's also home to one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world. Since James and I both love the ocean and nature it felt like the perfect place for us to start this chapter of our lives."

Ward beamed that he was over the moon about tying the knot with his bride.

"Crystal's heart, specifically for me and all non-human living things, is a thing to behold," he said. "All creatures, great and small are bestowed a generosity and kindness, the likes of which I've never seen. She's the classiest, brainiest, most adventure-seeking partner I could have ever hoped to find. My life is now better in every way, and I feel like the luckiest guy alive that I get to spend my life with her."

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The newlyweds opted to stay in the Cook Islands for their honeymoon.

As for what's next for the couple, Hefner hinted, "[We hope for] more travel, more adventures in nature, and continuing to build a life centered around love, animals, the ocean, and meaningful experiences together."

"We're excited to keep exploring the world together, spending time in nature, and building a life that reflects the things we both love," she added.

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Hefner confirmedher nuptials were imminenton Thursday when she shared a "wedding day" video of Ward picking her up in his arms. She also offered a sneak preview of their beachside wedding location, where stones had been arranged in the shape of a heart.

"Baby where the hell is my husband… probably waiting for me to walk down the aisle 🥹💍 Today is the day," she captioned the post.

Us Weeklyexclusively reportedin March 2025 that Ward proposed to Hefner near their home in Hawaii with a six-carat, vintage mine-cut diamond set on a whisper-thin band.

"It truly feels like a full-circle moment. James completely surprised me. He had a hidden staircase and a winding trail cleared to reveal a handcrafted deck perched above a dramatic cliffside overlooking the ocean," Hefner toldUs.

She continued, "It was the exact spot where we'd had a quiet picnic together a year ago — a place that became 'ours.' I had no idea he was secretly turning it into something permanent and symbolic. I thought we were just going for a walk, but when I saw the flowers, the handwritten notes, and the sea stretching endlessly in front of us, I knew something extraordinary was about to happen."

Crystal was previously married to late Playboy founderHugh Hefnerfrom 2012 until his death in 2017. (Hugh had been married twice before, toMildred Williamsfrom 1949 to 1959 and toKimberley Conradfrom 1989 to 2010. ThePlayboymagnate was a father of four children.)

byNito

in

April 05, 2026

Crystal Hefner Shares Photos From Her and Husband James Ward’s Destination Wedding in Cook Islands

Crystal Hefnerhas shared photos from her destination wedding to her second husband,James Ward. On Saturday, ...

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