April 23, 2025: Pope Francis Lies in State at St. Peter’s Basilica Ahead of Funeral, NJ Wildfire Triples, US–China Talks Restart

On April 23, 2025, more than 20,000 mourners queued outside St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City as Pope Francis’s coffin lay in state ahead of his funeral on April 26. We explain the ritual of “lying in state,” what it signifies for Catholics worldwide, and share footage from the solemn vigil. In New Jersey, the Jones Road wildfire near Ocean County has exploded to over 12,500 acres, tripling in size in under 24 hours, and air quality alerts are in effect across parts of New Jersey and New York due to heavy smoke. Finally, global markets rallied as investors picked up on signs that the U.S. and China are ready to restart trade negotiations, reversing weeks of tariff tensions. Click to watch the full analysis of these critical developments and what they mean for you.