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Sunday, May 3, 2026

Maine 18-year-old charged in death of paddleboarder ruled competent to stand trial

May 03, 2026
Maine 18-year-old charged in death of paddleboarder ruled competent to stand trial

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A judge has ruled an 18-year-old man charged with murder in the killing of apaddleboarderin Maine is competent to stand trial.

Associated Press

The death of Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart, 48, of St. George, last year shocked the community around Crawford Pond in rural Union, Maine. Authorities charged Deven Young of Frankfort, Maine, with murder in Stewart's death in July, about two weeks after Stewart's body was discovered.

The court system has thus far treated Young as a juvenile. Prosecutors in the state want to charge Young, who was 17 at the time of Stewart's death and is 18 now, as anadult. First, he needed to be deemed competent to stand trial, and a judge ruled this week that he is.

"The court finds that the defendant is competent to proceed based on the court’s finding that the juvenile has a rational, as well as a factual, understanding of the proceedings and a sufficient present ability to consult with legal counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding," wrote Maine District Court Judge Eric J. Walker on Wednesday.

Young is due back in court on May 7. Police have said a medical examiner determined Stewart's cause of death was strangulation and blunt force trauma.

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Jeremy Pratt, an attorney for Young, declined to comment on Thursday. Prosecutors in the case also declined to comment Thursday.

Authorities have not publicly stated a possible motive in the case. Court documents about the case, which were briefly made public before being removed from the state's courts website, contained little detail other than stating that Young “did intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another human being, namely Sunshine Stewart.”

Audio recordings by the Waldo County Sheriff's Office that were obtained by news agencies earlier this year provided details about Young's history of violent behavior and mental health challenges prior to Stewart's death. The Portland Press Heraldreportedthat Young had been waiting for behavioral health services from the state.

Stewart went missing at Crawford Pond, where she was paddleboarding, on July 2 and her body was found the next day. The pond is a popular summertime attraction for swimming, boating and fishing. Stewart lived about 21 miles (34 kilometers) from the pond in the Tenants Harbor neighborhood in St. George.

Stewart's friends and familycelebratedher life with a maritime service last August. The memorial included a procession of boats, some decked out with flowers, in Tenants Harbor.

On the boats were pictures of Stewart smiling and a large sign that read, “Shine On.” Over the years, Stewart worked as a fisherman, boat captain, biologist, carpenter and bartender, friends have said.

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Driver charged over Wimbledon school crash that killed two girls

May 03, 2026
Driver charged over Wimbledon school crash that killed two girls

A driver of aLand Roverwho crashed into a school in South Londonand killed two girlshas been charged.

The Independent US

Claire Freemantle, 49, has been charged with causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving after two eight-year-old girls were killed when a 4×4 crashed into at The Study Prep school inWimbledon, south London, in July 2023.

SchoolgirlsNuria Sajjad and Selena Lau diedin the incident as the school was celebrating the last day of the summer term.

Freemantle’s lawyers have said she will plead not guilty to the charges when she appears at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 16 June.

The charges come after the girls’ families criticised the Metropolitan Police for its investigation into the crash, with the force saying in June 2024 that the driver had suffered an epileptic seizure and would face no criminal charges.

Freemantle was rearrested and released under investigation in January last year.

Schoolgirls Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died in the incident at The Study Prep school (Family handout)

Her lawyers said there are “serious questions to be answered” over why the decision not to charge her was reversed in a statement issued after she was charged.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently investigating officers for alleged racism in their handling of the case.

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The watchdog previously said it was probing allegations that officers provided “false and misleading information” to the families following complaints about the standard of the investigation.

Confirming the watchdog’s investigation, IOPC director Amanda Rowe said in April: “The complaints relate to concerns about the standard of the investigation, including its management and direction, the conduct of the investigation team, and their engagement with the victims.

“We are also investigating allegations that Met officers provided false and misleading information to those affected and whether the officers’ treatment of those affected was influenced by their race.

“We have now served notices advising four serving officers, whose ranks are commander, detective chief inspector, detective sergeant and detective constable, and a former detective inspector, that their conduct is being investigated at the level of gross misconduct.

“Two detective constables are being investigated at misconduct level.

“Our investigation is ongoing and should any further conduct issues be identified then officers will be served notices.

“All officers served notices will be interviewed in due course.

“The serving of notices does not mean that proceedings will necessarily follow.”

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Starmer issues extraordinary warning over ‘political infighting’ and urges rivals not to oust him

May 03, 2026
Starmer issues extraordinary warning over ‘political infighting’ and urges rivals not to oust him

SirKeir Starmerhas issued an extraordinary warning to Labour over “political infighting” and urged his rivals not to oust him as speculationover his future as prime minister intensifies.

The Independent US

TheLabourleader called on the party to be more "united" as it braces for what are expected to be disastrous election results across England, Scotland and Wales this weekwhich could place his position in peril.

He warned his party against repeating the mistake of the last Conservative government and "descending into political infighting". Three Conservative prime ministers were ousted by their own party between 2019 and 2022.

As the row escalated, transport secretary Heidi Alexander hit out at those within her party who want a leadership contest, saying they should “give their heads a gentle wobble” and that voters did not want the party to become a “self-indulgent debating society”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, former deputy leader Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting (Getty)

The PM’s fightback follows reportsAndy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, is formulating a plan for a swift return toWestminster, potentially "within weeks," from where he could challenge Sir Keir, while others within Sir Keir’s own cabinet have leadership campaigns ready to go.

The Labour leader has been forced to spend much of the last month in the run up to these elections battling the fallout from his handling of the Lord Mandelson scandal.

Labour is forecast to lose up to 1,850 council seats across England on Thursday, in what would be a bloodbath for the party, and rack up terrible results in its former fiefdoms of Wales and Scotland.

Mr Burnham has reportedly identified a path back to Westminster - and a possible challenge to Keir Starmer - after the PM and his allies previously blocked him, through a by-election where a sitting Labour MP would be prepared to step aside.

He was dramatically prevented from standing for Parliament earlier this year by Labour’s powerful ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), but it is thought that would also no longer be a hurdle.

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Meanwhile, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, and Angela Rayner, Sir Keir’s former deputy, are thought to have the backing of the more than 81 MPs needed to trigger a leadership contest.

Setting out his case in The Observer, Sir Keir told his party: “We have a choice. We could sink into the politics of grievance and division. Or we could rise to this moment – together – in a national effort that matches the scale of the threats and turbulence we face.

“I am talking about a national mission to become a stronger, more resilient, and more united nation, allowing us to take control of our future, raise our sights, and reach towards something better.

“When the nation rallied together to deal with Covid, the last government could have channelled that spirit to build a better nation.

“But instead, they descended into political infighting and let the country slump back to the old status quo. Not this time.”

He continued: “This government will reshape our nation. Over the coming weeks, through the King’s speech and beyond, we will set out our agenda of radical reform – with activist, interventionist government building a stronger and fairer country.”

Doubling down on his plans to forge closer ties with Europe, theprime ministersaid: “Recovery depends on rebuilding the strength of our economy to make us more resilient to these kinds of shocks in future.

“That means deepening our economic relationship with the EU.

“The world has changed since 2016. And Brexit today looks quite different. It has damaged our economy and there’s no doubt in my mind where the national interest lies.

“Britain must be at the heart of a stronger Europe on defence, on security, on energy, and on our economy. I will be at the European Political Community summit today to take this forward.”

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Austrian police detain suspect in case of rat poison found in baby food jars on supermarket shelves

May 03, 2026
Austrian police detain suspect in case of rat poison found in baby food jars on supermarket shelves

VIENNA (AP) — Police in eastern Austria say a 39-year-old suspect has been arrested after rat poison turned up in some HiPP baby food jars on supermarket shelves in central Europe.

Associated Press

HiPP, which recalled some of its baby food jars in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic afterthe case came to lightlast month, said in a statement Saturday it was “greatly relieved” by the arrest, and would provide a further updates as verified details come in.

The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, under the direction of prosecutors, said a probe was launched after poison turned up in a baby food jar purchased at a supermarket in the city of Eisenstadt on April 18.

It said the suspect was being questioned, and that no further details would be immediately provided. The Burgenland public prosecutor’s office has announced an investigation into suspected “intentional endangerment of the public.”

The Austrian Press Agency reported that an expert report on the toxicity of the poison was pending. A total of five tampered baby food jars were seized before they could be consumed, APA reported.

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Authorities said previously they believe the tampering occurred in 190-gram (6.7-ounce) jars of baby food made with carrots and potatoes for 5-month-olds that were sold from SPAR supermarkets in Austria.

HiPP responded by recalling all of itsbaby food jarssold at SPAR supermarkets — which include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt stores — in Austria as a precaution. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed all of the brand’s baby jars from sale.

The company said the recall was not due to any product or quality defect on its part, and said the jars left its facility in “perfect condition.”

Police said a customer at the time of the discovery had reported that a jar appeared to have been tampered with, but no one had consumed the baby food.

Pfaffenhofen, Germany-based HiPP said it has been a “victim of extortion,” adding that an unspecified “blackmailer” sent a message to a shared mailbox in the case, prompting it to immediately inform police.

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Influencer Julia McGuire Announces Birth of First Baby: 'In Our Own Little Bubble'

May 03, 2026
Influencer Julia McGuire Announces Birth of First Baby: 'In Our Own Little Bubble'

Julia McGuire and her husband, Jackie, welcomed their first baby together

People Julia McGuire Announces Birth of First BabyCredit: Julia McGuire/Instagram

NEED TO KNOW

  • Julia announced her son's birth in a Friday, May 1, Instagram post

  • The couple first announced her pregnancy in October 2025, and has not revealed their son's name yet

Style influencer Julia McGuire has welcomed her first baby with her husband Jackie.

TheWinter Housealum, 33, announced the birth of her son in anInstagrampost shared on Friday, May 1. "In our own little 🫧🫧🫧," she wrote in the caption. "Will share more soon but for now soaking in every moment as a family of 3 🤍."

In the photos, the baby's face is mostly obscured as he snuggles up to Julia, who can be seen breastfeeding in one of the photos. In the last slide, a post-pregnancy plate of sushi is visible. Julia has yet to share her son's name, or the exact day he was born.

"Heading home!!!! 🥰 first of many family ootds," Julia captioned a briefInstagramvideo of her and Jackie heading home from the hospital, as he held the baby in his car seat carrier. "P.s. we see ALL the messages and are so beyond grateful and emotional over all over the love and support. Be back soon!"

The couple initially announced Julia's pregnancy in October 2025. "Can't put into words the amount of love and excitement we have felt these past few weeks telling our family and friends 💙🩷 now take a guess...boy or girl?!" she captioned theInstagram videopost at the time, which featured clips of the couple revealing Julia's positive pregnancy test to friends and family both in-person and over FaceTime.

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Julia confirmed after her36-week ultrasoundthat she was having a boy. "Just had our 36 week scan and last ultrasound seeing the baby!" she wrote in the caption at the time. "All looks good 🩵 we have a long, very active little boy coming into the world so soon."

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

When she announced her pregnancy, McGuire shared that her due date was April 26.

McGuire, a model turned fashion influencer, appeared on the first season of Bravo'sWinter Housein 2021. She has since founded a clothing brand, JL27.

Read the original article onPeople

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Saturday, May 2, 2026

An American pope, a presidential clash and what it means in the pews

May 02, 2026
An American pope, a presidential clash and what it means in the pews

VILLANOVA, PA – It's been nearly 1,000 years since King Henry IV stoodbarefoot in the Italian snowto beg forgiveness after clashes with Pope Gregory VII and over two centuries sinceNapoleon imprisoned Pope Pius VIIin France. Now, anew battle is underwaybetween a pope and a world leader, this time in America.

USA TODAY TOPSHOT - Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd from the main balcony of St. Peter's basilica for the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Easter celebrations, at St Peter's square in the Vatican on April 5, 2026. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images)

It's thewar of words between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.And for dozens of U.S. Catholics interviewed by the USA TODAY Network across the nation, it's Leo who has the upper hand in the crusade. A year into his historic papacy he has given them hope for the future of the Catholic Church.

At Villanova, where Leo graduated in 1977, Catholic convert Jacob Adams, 25, said outside the campus' St. Thomas Church that young people don’t have much appetite for war. Hence, they appreciate Leo's strong words in defiance ofTrump's recent comments about destroying “a whole civilization”in the Iran war.

“Right or left, there are people calling for peace,” said Adams, a former evangelical who supported Trump in 2020 and 2024. “I like what (Leo) is doing to hold (Trump) accountable.”

With the pontiff about to finish year one in his papacy, the USA TODAY Network spoke with Catholics nationwide about their views of Leo and found their responses overwhelmingly upbeat. Many say Leo is palpably different fromPope Francis, with an everyman affability they believe is helping fuel a global resurgence in Catholicism - especially among the young.

The pope’s firm push for peace amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has rankled the president, igniting sparks at times that have tested the loyalties of conservative Catholics. The rhetoric has also pulled others into the fray, including Vice PresidentJD Vanceand theU.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops.

At one point, Trumpcalled Leo weak on crime and "terrible on foreign policy,"though he later said hewasn't fighting with the pontiff.For his part, Vance, a Catholic convert, urged the pope to"be careful"when talking about theology.

While Leo’s statements have triggered some backlash, his forcefulness hasn’t diminished his standing. “It hasn’t undermined his credibility because most feel it comes from a place of pastoral sincerity,” said John Cavadini, director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Leo’s statements, he said, reflect gravitas and precision, leaving little room for misinterpretation or divisiveness.

“He’s got a kind of presence that I find edifying and elevating,” said Cavadini, a professor of theology. “His articulations tend to be unifying. They’re not stated in ways that are alienating or dismissive.”

As parishioners poured from churches across the country on April 26, those who spoke with USA TODAY agreed that Leo has deftly handled the discord, leaning into the gospel to strike a moral rather than political tone.

Pope Leo XIV meets U.S Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican, May 19, 2025.

“He’s done a beautiful job of showing us how to respond in nonviolent ways to very harmful and degrading language,” said Margaret Sebern, 74, a retired nursing professor who attended Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Many view the pope as a unifying and revitalizing force who, like Francis, has advocated for the world’s marginalized while treading cautiously around more prickly Catholic issues such asordination of womenand the blessing ofsame-sex unions. They praised Leo’s support of immigrants and refugees in the United States and noted his appointments of bishops reflecting such backgrounds in California, Florida and Louisiana. Gallup International’s 2025end-of-year surveyfoundPope Leo XIVits most positively viewed leader by far. In the United States, a survey conductedin Novemberfound more than two-thirds of American Catholic voters hold a favorable opinion of the pope, while a poll conducted this month byReuters/Ipsosshowed 60% of Americans overall approve of Leo.  For U.S. Catholics, the pope’s relatability is heightened by a sense that Leo, a Chicago native who loves Peeps and theWhite Sox, is one of them. The pope is no longer an obscure Vatican figure but a homegrown reality.

White smoke rises from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel indicating that the College of Cardinals have elected a new Pope during their fourth vote on the second day of their secret conclave on May 8, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. White smoke was seen over the Vatican early this evening as the Conclave of Cardinals took just two days to elect Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo (Leone) XIV, as the 267th Supreme Pontiff after the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican on May 8, 2025. People gather with US flags at St Peter's square with the St Peter's Basilica in the background on the day Pope Leo XIV leads the Regina Caeli prayer, in the Vatican, on May 11, 2025. A bird flies by as Pope Leo XIV on his popemobile tours St. Peter's Square at the Vatican prior to the inaugural Mass of his pontifcate, Sunday, May 18, 2025. Pope Leo XIV greets people as he holds his first general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican on May 21, 2025. Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby on the day of his first general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on May 21, 2025. Pope Leo XIV arrives to lead a prayer vigil, ahead of Pentecost Sunday, in St. PeterÕs square at the Vatican on June 7, 2025. Pope Leo XIV wears a Chicago White Sox cap, on the day of his general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican on June 11, 2025. Pope Leo XIV holds a monstrance at the start of a procession following a mass outside Saint John Lateran archbasilica in Rome, on June 22, 2025. U.S. pilgrims gesture on the day of general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican on July 30, 2025. Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives before leading a mass in the Tor Vergata district of Rome, as part of Jubilee of Youth, on Aug.t 3, 2025. The Nuns hold an amigurumi doll depicting the pope, ahead of a general audience held by Pope Leo XIV in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican on Aug. 13, 2025. Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful at the end of the weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Aug. 27, 2025. Pope Leo XIV sits on a BMW motorbike on the day of his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sept. 3, 2025. Pope Leo blows a candle as he marks his 70th birthday with with cardinals, Christian representatives and dignitaries after a commemoration for the Martyrs and Witnesses of Faith of the 21st century at the Basilica of St. Paul in Rome, Italy Sept.14, 2025. Former Kansas City Royals player Mike Sweeney and his wife Shara present Pope Leo XIV with a special baseball jersey and a personalised baseball bat, during the general audience at Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican on Oct. 1, 2025. Pope Leo XIV blesses a child on the day of the Mass for the Jubilee of the Missionary World and Jubilee of Migrants in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Oct. 5, 2025. Pope Leo XIV greets the pilgrims from Croatia at St Peter's Square in The Vatican on Oct. 7, 2025. Pope Leo XIV greets people at the end of the meeting with the participants at the Jubilee of Consacrated Life in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican on Oct. 10, 2025. Pope Leo XIV presides over a Prayer Vigil and Rosary for Peace, in Saint Peter square at the Vatican on Oct. 11, 2025. Pope Leo reacts as he stands with a purebred Arabian horse named Proton given as a gift by Andrzej Michalski, owner and founder of the Michalski Stud Farm in Kolobrzeg-Budzistowo, in Poland, at the Vatican Oct. 15, 2025. Pope Leo XIV walks on the day he celebrates a Mass for the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, Italy Nov. 9, 2025. Pope Leo XIV, alongside Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I (R), is seen as he departs to travel to a farewell ceremony at AtatŸrk Airport on Nov. 30, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey. Pope Leo XIV is making his first foreign trip on a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon. During his trip, the Pope is scheduled to meet with faithful from local Catholic communities, as well as political and religious leaders, drawing attention to regional issues. Pope Leo XIV gestures as he arrives to hold an audience for the Jubilee in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, Dec. 20, 2025. Pope Leo XIV waves to faithfull as he arrives aboard the popemobile ahead of addressing the Urbi et Orbi message and blessing to the city and the world as part of Christmas celebrations, at St Peter's square in the Vatican on Dec. 25, 2025. Pope Leo XIV holds a general audience in St. PeterÕs Square at the Vatican on Dec. 31, 2025. Pope Leo XIV performs the Pope Leo XIV holds a candle as he arrives to lead the Easter Vigil in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on April 4, 2026. Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful from the popemobile after delivering his Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world) message, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 5, 2026. Pope Leo XIV meets Harlem Globetrotters during the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 8, 2026. Imam Al-Mahdi scouts hold portraits of Pope Leo XIV as they wait for his arrival in Beirut's southern suburbs, a packed residential area known as Dahiyeh, which is also a Hezbollah bastion, on Nov. 30, 2025. Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lebanon with a message of peace for the crisis-hit nation, still reeling from a war between Israel and Hezbollah and the conflict's lingering aftereffects.

Look back as Pope Leo marks his first year as pontiff

Catholic schoolteacher Elizabeth Baldacci, 55, has a framed newspaper article about Leo’s announcement as pope on her classroom wall. “It’s really fun and nice for the kids,” Baldacci said after Mass at Chicago’s Saint Mary of the Lake and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. “He’s more real to them because he’s from here, so he’s more human – like, ‘Wow, this man grew up in Chicago like I did.’”

At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, freshman Teresa Iannitello was among the students who packed into a cramped basement for free brunch after Sunday Mass at the school’s Newman Center ― a visual reminder thatGen Z is flocking to the faith. For many college-age Catholics, Leo’s election in the May 7-8, 2025, conclave was the first they were old enough to understand and follow.

“It was so funny to hear him speak the first couple weeks, hearing his voice,” said Iannitello, 19. “I remember thinking, 'oh my gosh ― he sounds like me.'”

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee freshman Teresa Iannitello talks about Pope Leo's first year at the Newman Center, 3001 N. Downer Ave. in Milwaukee, April 26, 2026.

At Manhattan’s St. Paul, Christopher Browner, 31, said “it’s been an exciting time to be an American Catholic, with an American pope. [It’s] something I never thought I would see in my lifetime.”

Robert L’Europa, a chiropractor and longtime parishioner attending Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, agreed, saying Leo’s papacy has given him reason for optimism. “It’s become more personal to me now,” he said.

Pope Leo 'bringing us back to true north'

In Washington, DC, Henry Huot was among the many who’d filled the pews for Mass beneath the massive, shimmering domes of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, North America’s largest Roman Catholic Church.

The Arlington, Virginia, retiree said he’s been glad to see Leo adhere to Francis’ teachings and priorities. “We need a voice like Pope Leo’s that will remind everyone, especially those on the world stage, that there are values that need to be upheld,” Huot said.

Catholic observers say Leo has indeed largely embraced Francis’ vision while charting his own path. Nicholas Hayes-Mota, a social ethicist and public theologian at California’s Santa Clara University, said Leo, like Francis, has embraced the collaborative practice ofsynodality, favoring “a church that moves by listening to its members rather than unilaterally.”

Pope Leo XIV gestures, on the day he holds a holy Mass at Malabo Stadium, on the last day of his apostolic journey, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, April 23, 2026. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

“It was clear that he was going to continue much of the substance of Francis’ papacy but with a different style and priorities,” Hayes-Mota said. As Francis did, Leo has stressed the church’s mission to care for the poor and marginalized, but he’s done so “more uncompromisingly than any of his predecessors. … He not only picked it up but carried it further.”

While maintaining continuity, Leo’s more deliberate leadership style and manner have served as a sort of rebalancing, Hayes-Mota said. Francis’ off-the-cuff nature often endeared him to people ― such as his viralselfieswith young Catholics or his well-known “who am I to judge?”remarkregarding gay priests ― but also alienated some put off by such spontaneity.

“One of the ongoing tensions in Francis’ papacy with traditional members of the church was a fear that he was changing too many things too fast,” Hayes-Mota said. “Leo has tried to extend olive branches to those alarmed by that, saying this is your church as well.”

At the basilica in Washington, that view was echoed by Brian Dimatteo, who was visiting from New Jersey. While Francis “took us a little bit away from biblical standing,” he said, Leo is “bringing us back to true north.”

At St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Jensen Beach, Florida, retired computer scientist Mark Gooley praised both the pope’srecent visitto several nations in Africa, where the church is rapidly expanding, and his rebuke ofGerman bishopswho’ve pushed for the church to formally bless same-sex unions.

“He does seem to be holding to church tradition,” said Gooley, 64. “He’s been firm with the German bishops. Africa is a big area of growth, and he’s been very sympathetic to Africans and their views. The Africans tend to be traditional.”

Others said they weren’t clear about the new pope’s stance beyond continuing Francis’ work. In Boca Raton, Florida, Eric Knight, a 27-year-old graduate student at Florida Atlantic University, sees Leo as “a continuity of Pope Francis, rather than a rupture… I’m still kind of waiting to see what’s distinctively Pope Leo and not just the greater church tradition.”

Appealing to young Catholics

Jonathan Tan, a professor of Catholic studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, said while Leo lacks the flair and flamboyance of predecessors like Francis and PopeJohn Paul II, he’s revived hope for many U.S. Catholics who’ve lost faith in the political process and previously saw the church as detached from everyday realities.

In Worcester, Massachusetts, Celeste Mahaney, of nearby Charlton, echoed that point, saying she feels the pope is plugged in.

In Worcester, Massachusetts, Celeste Mahaney of nearby Charlton spoke about the first year of Pope Leo XIV.

“It’s nice to see our pope having a real interest in the day-to-day issues that affect people, not only in America but across the globe,” she said at Christ the King Church. “He really has a finger on the pulse.”

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In the greater Cincinnati area, interior decorator Abby Jahnigen said she believes Leo can fill “a God-sized hole” in the United States, bringing people back to the Catholic faith.

“He feels more casual and more approachable,” said Jahnigen, 46, as she left Mass at St. James of the Valley Church in Wyoming, Ohio. “He has, like, a ‘regular guy’ vibe.”

Some said that vibe has helped Leo appeal toyoung Catholics. One of them is Iris Le, a 14-year-old freshman at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, who was attending a Saturday evening Mass at Saints Simon and Jude Cathedral Church in north Phoenix with her mother, Kim Tran.

Fr. Tomas Zamora lives the Gospel before the Gospel reading while celebrating Mass at James of the Valley church in Wyoming, Ohio, on April 26, 2026.

"I believe he was the right choice," Iris said about the 70-year-old pope's selection. "He seems like he has a very good moral compass."

In Westerville, Ohio, a bleak, chilly Sunday morning had brought gray skies to what had been a welcome early spring for the greater Columbus region, but that didn’t keep Kristi Lethenstrom, 48, from attending early Mass at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.

The church’s young population has grown, she said, and as a kindergarten teacher personally invested in her community’s littlest parishioners, Lethenstrom enjoys Leo’s more youthful style of leadership. “I just think his message resonates more," she said.

At St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia, Kayleen Bodnar, 34, said she’s found the pope's leadership inspiring.

“I think for a lot of people my age, Catholicism had become very polarizing,” Bodnar said. “He’s doing a great job of bringing young people back to church with the way that he leads.”

Meanwhile, as he spoke outside Saint Anastasia Roman Catholic Church in Teaneck, New Jersey, retired engineer Jacque Alexandre said Francis' successor is reaching a cross-section of generations, genders and cultures.

The new pope “makes me feel the future of the Catholic Church is very bright,” said Alexandre, 71. “The younger generation are seeing a resurgence because they’re seeing what’s going on all over the world, and they see a relatability and relevance in Pope Leo.”

People attend the Easter Mass led by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, April 5, 2026. REUTERS/Remo Casilli TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Advocating for those on the margins

At St. Vincent de Paul Church, the only historically Black parish in the Diocese of Nashville, the seven-member women’s choir led parishioners through hymns infused with gospel sound. Deacon Bill Hill spoke about local Catholics’ role in school desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement, reflecting the church’s founding principle of social justice.

A floor below, a pantry brimmed with food donated by parishioners and nearby churches, a sign of the community engagement central to St. Vincent’s identity throughout a 94-year history that has seen nine popes come and go. Last year, St. Vincenthosted a “Know Your Rights” trainingwith an immigrant rights group and more recently helped organize a rally protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions.

With Leo exhibiting many of the same values they hold dear, church members say this moment is especially exciting. “It’s a reassurance,” said deacon Harry Guess. “I take from all of that that there is this hope for us to do the right thing and to help others do the right thing. But we won’t get there if we don’t say anything. And he is saying something.”

Tan, of Case Western Reserve, said Leo’s background as bishop in an impoverished rural area of northern Peru and his visits to Augustinian communities around the world “have made him more attuned to the life experiences of those living in the margins.”

That’s an important factor for people like Catherine and Bill Odell, of South Bend, Indiana, who were leaving late morning Mass at St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church. The couple said it’s important that the new pope is carrying on Francis’ legacy of environmental advocacy and addressing poverty.

“We’re in a country in which the poor are seen as kind of in the way,” said Bill Odell, 83. “I think he’s going to be a voice for the poor. He’s going to be a voice for the very people that Jesus talked to and about in the Sermon on the Mount. ... I hope he lives a long life.”

'He's exactly what we need'

Many Catholics are awaiting the imminent release of Leo’s first major encyclical, expected to address moral questions surrounding artificial intelligence, while Hayes-Mota of Santa Clara University is curious to see how Leo will address the complicated relationship between the United States and the Americas.

“He’s seen by many in the Latin American Catholic church as someone who understands them very well,” he said. “Especially given the tensions surrounding migration, and the geopolitical challenges raised by the Trump administration’sintervention in Venezuela, the question of how the U.S. relates to the Americas as a whole is an important one.”

Hayes-Mota said Leo has successfully straddled a line between conservatives unhappy with his views on immigration and war and progressives hoping to see quicker reforms.

“There will be frustrations and tensions, but so far he has remained a popular and less polarizing figure,” Hayes-Mota said. “There will be more opportunities for consensus-building and deescalating tensions, but so far he has managed to keep most of the church behind him, and that’s no easy task.”

But the quality most of those interviewed by the USA TODAY Network said they appreciated about Leo is his commitment to pursuing peace, especially as the conflict with Iran has raged on. The pope's firmpush to end hostilities, some said, has provided a counterbalance to Trump, even as their exchanges have fueled a divide believed to be the most contentious between the papacy and a secular leadersince medieval times.

“He’s exactly what we need,” said engineer Anthony Zamorro, who attended Mass with his two sons at Christ the King in Worcester. Though Zamorro leans politically conservative, he said, “we need someone who stands up for people and says war is bad for humanity. … If your pope isn’t speaking out against war, you don’t have a very good pope.”

Caroline Zengel, 44, who’d attended Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Knoxville, Tennessee, said the pope is “a strong, quiet presence for our church.”

“He’s outspoken when he needs to be, but he’s very wise when he speaks,” said Zengel, a stay-at-home mom and former nurse. “We’re neither Democrat nor Republican. We’re Catholic, and that’s what comes first. I think his statement that he’snot afraidof the Trump administration was so powerful, and I loved that.”

Lawyer Abigail Hemnes, 43, speaks about Pope Leo XIV outside the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.

In Boston’s South End, organs thrummed as incense filled the cavernous nave of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. As her 7-year-old daughter tugged at her dress after a 90-minute-long Mass, Boston lawyer Abigail Hemnes, 43, said she admired how Leo has responded to the situation.

“I really appreciate the way that Pope Leo has handled it, just staying true to the core beliefs of Catholicism, which is that Jesus lives in peace,” Hemnes said.

Boston musician Jon Ryan, 55, agreed.

“I feel like Pope Leo hasn’t really ‘taken the bait,’” Ryan said. “People want to politicize what the pope does. But the pope’s job is to evangelize the gospel and be a leader of the church, not to be a political figure. The Church and the pope are not Democrat or Republican.”

Besides, he said, those “little tiffs” have made people more aware of Leo ― “and that’s a good thing.”

Contributing: Keith Burbank, Treasure Coast News; Rayleigh Deaton, South Bend Tribune; Jose Gonzales, Arizona Republic; Hope Karnopp, Milwaukee-Journal-Sentinel; Amethyst Martinez, USA Today; Keenan Thomas, Knoxville News Sentinel; Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer; Emma Wozniak, Columbus Dispatch; Deena Yellin, The Record; Kinsey Crowley, USA Today; Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today; Sarah Perkel, USA Today; Jonny Williams, Providence Journal; Paris Barraza, USA Today, Shane Brennan, News Journal; Marissa Meador, Indianapolis Star; Eileen Zaffiro-Kean, Daytona Beach News-Journal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Pope Leo XIV, his first year, and clashes with President Donald Trump

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