Two major stories dominated Italian media. Following yesterday's massive turnout, over 100,000 faithful continued paying respects to Pope Francis, with authorities extending opening hours at St. Peter's Basilica. The Vatican revealed the Pope's tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore and announced Saturday's funeral procession will move "at walking pace," symbolically featuring migrants and homeless people—"the last"—reflecting Francis's priorities.
Meanwhile, Russia's bombardment of Kyiv escalated, with reports of 9 deaths in the morning rising to 12 by afternoon. Moscow issued explicit nuclear threats, stating it would "consider nuclear weapon use" if attacked by Western forces. Trump claimed to have "an agreement with Putin" while pressuring Zelensky to accept a deal or "lose everything."
Political maneuvering intensified around the funeral, with Netanyahu's condolences arriving three days late and Trump expressing desire to meet "all leaders" in Rome, including a possible meeting with von der Leyen about tariffs.