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WORLD NEWS

Leo’s Lead

Pope Leo XIV has opened his papacy with purpose.

In his first address, he called for “prayer and commitment” to spread “a great flame of faith and love” across the globe. He explained his papal name of choice honors Pope Leo XIII, who famously fought for workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution; now, Leo XIV says AI is today’s frontier for justice and human dignity. 

Over the weekend, Leo visited Pope Francis’ tomb, laid a white rose, and prayed quietly. He also stopped at a shrine and greeted locals in Genazzano (just outside Rome). 

Then, in his first Sunday message to crowds at St. Peter's Square, he declared, “Never again war!” and called for “a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, demanding hostages be freed and aid delivered. 

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Verse to consider whether you’re the newbie at work or you’ve been around for years… “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” 
Philippians 2:3-4 (CSB) (read full passage)

U.S. NEWS

Detainments & Deportations

Immigrant enforcement dialed up detainments last week: 

• In Tennessee, over 100 people were detained in a joint operation between ICE and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

• In Newark, NJ, Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested (and released hours later) after protesting a new federal immigration center he claims lacks permits.

• In Worcester, MA, local police pinned down a 16-year-old girl as ICE agents detained her mother. Both were arrested, sparking chaos as neighbors intervened.

Meanwhile, President Trump signed an executive order formally launching DHS’s new self-deportation program, stating migrants “can simply show up at an airport and receive a free flight out,” and warning that those who don’t will face “severe consequences.”

The White House also signaled that it’s considering suspending habeas corpus—the right to challenge unlawful detainment—under the Constitution’s exemption for times of “invasion.” Expect lawsuits.

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CHOOSE HUMILITY
When discussing divisive topics like immigration, remember that both your stance and how you take your stance reflect on Christ. Believing you’re right is not an excuse to be harsh, impatient, or unkind (James 3:9–10, 13).

“O Lord, let those who claim your name do no harm to it by their abrasiveness and impatience, but rather, speaking your precious truth in love, let them present your story winsomely that it might be well-loved, and that others might be drawn to your goodness, your beauty.” 
Every Moment Holy, Volume 3, page 376

SPONSORED

Aftermath

It’s been over a month since the 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar, and things are definitely not back to normal. 

More than 17 million people have been impacted by the quake, which struck near the city of Sagaing on March 28. Since then, nearly 4,000 lives have been lost, and many communities are still without adequate support. 

Around 80% of affected households still lack basics like food, shelter, and medical care.

Meanwhile, the country is still in the throes of a four-year-long civil war—a conflict that’s displaced more than 3 million people. Though major news coverage has quieted, aid groups say the damage and needs are “staggering.”

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BE DOERS
We’re asking the TPO Community to join us in partnering with World Concern, which has boots on the ground in Myanmar, providing temporary shelters, hygiene kits, emergency healthcare, support for mothers and newborns, life-saving nutrition, and more. 

TPO is matching the first $1,500—simply give through this link. 

“If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?” 
James 2:15-16 (CSB) (read full passage)

WORLD NEWS

Ceasefire-ish

An India-Pakistan ceasefire appears to be holding, despite a rocky start.

After four days of fast-escalating fighting, the nuclear-armed neighbors agreed to a “full and immediate” truce in the contested Kashmir region, brokered by the U.S. and three dozen other countries. But reports of shelling resumed just hours later… and again the next day. Neither side has admitted fault, each accusing the other of violations.

President Trump, who announced the deal, praised both nations and promised to “substantially” boost trade with India and Pakistan while pushing for a lasting solution in the contested region.

Meanwhile, 3,200 miles northwest, Ukraine is eyeing its own ceasefire. After talks with NATO leaders—and a call to the White House—President Zelenskyy said Kyiv is ready for an unconditional, 30-day truce with Russia, putting the peace-talks ball in the Kremlin’s court.

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CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
Join us in prayer for long-term peace, confident that God is able to spread across the globe the peace that he has given to those who trust him (Isaiah 26:3).

“Almighty God, from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed: Kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all people the true love of peace, and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth; that in tranquility your kingdom may go forward, till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Book of Common Prayer, page 654

The House is checking couch cushions for… $1.5T. GOP lawmakers are struggling to agree on how to fund their tax-and-spending bill—which would make 2017-era tax cuts permanent and eliminate taxes on certain income, like tips. Over the weekend, Trump suggested letting tax cuts expire on top earners ($2.5M+ individual, $5M+ couples), an idea unpopular with many Republicans.


President Trump has appointed Fox News host and former district attorney and judge Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for Washington after his first pick lost key Republican Senate support. Trump praised Pirro as “a powerful crusader for victims of crime”; critics call her unqualified. It’s unclear if Pirro, 73, will be nominated permanently (which requires Senate confirmation).


Rocky Top was slightly rocked when a rare 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Tennessee Saturday morning. No damage or injuries have been reported, but seismic activity was felt as far south as Atlanta. The ‘quake was the largest in the Southeast U.S. since a 4.6 magnitude earthquake rattled Fort Payne, Alabama, in 2003.


The State Department is chartering a group of South Africans to the U.S. as refugees. The flight follows President Trump’s executive order exempting Afrikaners—a white minority group that, per the White House, faces “government-sponsored, race-based discrimination”—from his previous order suspending the refugee admissions program. South Africa denies reports of discrimination and accuses the U.S. of undermining its "constitutional democracy.”


Maybe all the U.S. and China needed was a weekend away. Treasury Secretary Bessent said “substantial progress” was made after a weekend of discussions with his Chinese counterpart in Geneva, Switzerland. President Trump said discussions were about a “total reset” between the two countries, and Chinese state-run media called it “an important step toward resolving the dispute.”

WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP

The view from a crow's nest… off the coast of Antarctica.

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What We’re Pouring Over
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