Israel-Lebanon ceasefire falters; Trump clashes with Pope over Iran

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, but it's already

showing cracks. Plus, the President and the Pope now openly clashing over war, faith,

and nuclear weapons. And terror-free funds are coming, but they won't come easy.

The stories that matter clear and credible from across the country to around the world.

These are your unbiased updates from straight-hero news.

Good morning. I'm Craig DeGrali. This morning, a new ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon

is already under strain, with Lebanese officials accusing Israel of violating the deal just

hours after it began. Smoke rising from at least one village in southern Lebanon early

today. The Lebanese Army says Israeli forces carried out what it calls a number of acts

of aggression after the truth took effect at midnight.

Israel, meanwhile, says it will continue to hold positions inside Lebanon during the

ceasefire. Hezbollah argues that gives Lebanon the right to respond, but says it will hold

its fire as long as Israel does. Despite the tension, thousands of displaced families

are returning home as the cleanup from the war begins. The ceasefire could shape broader

talks tied to the war with Iran, involving the United States. Lebanon has been a sticking

point. Israeli strikes continued there, even after a separate U.S.-Israel ceasefire with

Tehran. The U.S. and Israel said Lebanon was not included. Iran says it was.

President Donald Trump said Thursday the war could be nearing an end.

I don't want to be a wise guy. I don't want to speak too soon, but we do very well.

You notice that? Do we do it very well? I will say the war in Iran is going along swimmingly.

We can do whatever we want.

And it should be ending pretty soon. It was perfect. I mean, it's perfect.

On Capitol Hill, an effort to force an end to the war fell short. The vote was extremely

close. The House rejected the resolution 213 to 214. Republican Thomas Massing voted

with Democrats in support. Main Democrat Jared Golden broke ranks to oppose it. Three Republicans

did not vote.

The feud between the Vatican and the White House is now out in the open with Pope Leo taking

direct aim at global leaders and President Trump firing back. The Pope, speaking during

a peace mass in Cameroon, delivered some of his strongest language yet on war and power.

He warned against leaders who used religion to justify violence and said the world is

being ravaged by tyrants. Quote, woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name

of God for their own military, economic, and political gain, dragging that which is sacred

into darkness and filth. The remarks did not name Trump, but land in the middle of a growing

clash over the war in Iran. He went on to say, quote, the world is being ravaged by

a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.

That's about the Pope on Thursday, Trump pushed back, insisting there is no clash.

I'm not fighting with it. The Pope made a statement. He says, Iran can have a nuclear weapon.

I say Iran can not have a nuclear weapon. And if the Pope looked at the 42,000 people

that were killed over the last two or three months, as a protester with no weapons, no

nothing, I mean, you take a look at that. So I can disagree with the Pope. I have a right

to disagree with the Pope. You heard there the president saying the Pope supports Iran

having a nuclear weapon. The Pope has never said that. In fact, he has a history of speaking

out against nuclear weapons. And the tension is now heading closer to home. The Trump administration

is ending an $11 million federal contract with Catholic charities in Miami, a program

that houses and cares for unaccompanied migrant children. Church leaders say the program

will shut down within months, ending a decades-long partnership with the federal government.

Acting ICE director Todd Lyons, who has led the agency through President Trump's ramped

up immigration crackdown, is stepping down. Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullin

announced Thursday that Lyons will leave his role at the end of May. Mullin praised his

work, saying, quote, thanks to his leadership, American communities are safer. No reason was

given for the departure. Though Lyons is expected to move into the private sector. The president

appointed Lyons acting director in March of 2025 after reassigning Caleb Vitello. Lyons

has led the agency during a major expansion of immigration enforcement under Trump. It

is not yet clear who will replace him. Quietly, in the middle of the night, the U.S. House

passed a short-term extension of a controversial surveillance program used by American intelligence

agencies. In the early morning hours, lawmakers approved a stopgap measure to keep the Foreign

Intelligence Surveillance Act or FISA from expiring on Monday. The bill buys time until

April 30th, as Congress remains divided over Section 702, the provision that allows the

government to collect communications of foreigners overseas, including messages involving Americans

without a warrant. President Trump has pushed for a clean extension with no changes, but

that effort stalled with about 20 Republicans joining most Democrats to block it earlier.

The Senate still needs to approve the short-term extension before the deadline. Businesses

that paid tariffs under President Trump could soon begin getting their money back, but

they will have to go get it. The check is not in the mail. The federal government is launching

a new online system next week to process tariff refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled

those duties were illegal. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the portal called Cape

opens Monday, allowing companies to file claims electronically. The ruling could put the

government on the hook from more than $100 billion in refunds tied to tariffs imposed under

emergency powers. CBP confirmed in a court filing that the system will begin accepting applications

on April 20, but the refunds are not automatic. Businesses must apply, document what they paid,

and wait for approval. Only certain tariffs qualify, including those still open or finalized

within the past 80 days. Only importers of record or brokers who paid on their behalf can file.

Consumers who paid higher prices are not eligible. Approved claims could be paid within 60 to 90 days.

Finally this morning, they've been around the moon and back, and now the Artemis II crew is

talking about what that experience was really like. Millions watched as the Orion capsule splashed

down in the Pacific last Friday, with Navy crews pulling Reed Weisman, Victor Glover, Christina

Cook, and Jeremy Hansen to safety. The crew traveled farther than any astronauts in American

history, and they say the experience forged a bond will last a lifetime.

Like this was an unbelievable adventure, and it was made possible by this crew and the support of

each other throughout the whole thing. And I've said it so many times, we are just we are bonded

forever. I mean, that's the closest for humans can be and not be a family. We're all kind of

struck by these things that make us feel small, and that the sense I had was the sense of

fragility and feeling small, infinitesimally small. But yet, this very powerful feeling as a

human being, like as a group. Christina Cook says two moments stuck with her first, seeing

Earth from deep space, small and distant as they circled the moon. And second, the return home.

Reentry was so intense, she says the Orion capsule became a blazing fireball, almost impossible

to look at as a tour back through the atmosphere. You know, I watched one of these group interviews,

it was really, really good. You can tell those four astronauts really like each other, and that they

have this camaraderie. They're very, very authentic, and their friends, and oh, by the way,

they are really, really good at their jobs. America is so proud of them. All right, before we head

out, here's what we're tracking today. It's opinion day at the Supreme Court. This morning will be

watching for any major rulings, including the much anticipated one on the Voting Rights Act.

Later, President Trump speaks at a turning point USA event in Phoenix labeled the Build the Red

Wall event. And tonight in Lexington, Massachusetts, this is fun, a reenactment of Paul Revere's

Rye, marking the moment that helps spark the American Revolution. You know the one, the British

are coming, the British are coming. Hey, we're the fastest, fairest few minutes of news.

Watch unbiased updates any time at essayn.com or on the app. You can also listen to us on Spotify.

Those who are unbiased updates for this Friday, we'll see you back here on Monday. For all of us

here at Strader on News, I'm Craig DeGrali. Have a great day and a wonderful weekend.