By COLLEEN BARRY

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis spends part of his days at his desk working and concelebrates Mass daily in his private chapel, the Vatican said Tuesday, in signs of continued improvements during his convalescence at the Vatican after beating life-threatening double pneumonia.

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“The pope is continuing physical and respiratory therapy, with the expected results, which means his voice is also improving,” the Vatican said. “There is obviously also time for work, which the pope does partly sitting at a desk.”

That included clearing the path to canonization for the first saints to hail from Venezuela and Papua New Guinea, as well as an archbishop killed during the massacres of Armenians in 1915.

The decrees were approved last Friday in coordination with the curia, or Vatican hierarchy, from Santa Marta, the Vatican hotel where the 88-year-old pope’s apartment is located.

Announced on Monday, they relate to the canonization of Peter To Rot, a layman from Papua New Guinea who was declared a martyr for the faith after he died in prison in World War II, Venezuelan religious founder Blessed María del Monte Carmelo and Archbishop Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, who was executed during the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 along with 13 priests when they refused to renounce their faith.

Maloyan was among an estimated 1.5 million people killed in the events, which are widely viewed by scholars at the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

Blessed María del Monte Carmelo, born Carmen Elena Rendíles Martínez, founded the Congregation of the Handmaids of Jesus. The miracle attributed to her intercession involved a young woman in Caracas who was cured of a heart condition.

Pope’s condition

The Vatican, which has reduced its updates on the pope’s health to twice weekly, said he remains in a good mood and continues to receive greetings of affection from the faithful.

Postcards of Pope Francis are sold outside St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

An X-ray this week shows a “slight improvement” in a lingering lung infection, the Vatican said. Doctors have said that the pope has recovered from the pneumonia, but that a fungal infection in his airways would take months to clear under pharmaceutical treatment.

Francis hasn’t had any official visitors since returning on March 23 to the Vatican, although the doctor who coordinated his hospital treatment at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, visited him last Wednesday and intends to make weekly visits to monitor his recovery. He is being attended at the Vatican by his regular medical team.

New audio message

Doctors have ordered two months of rest to fully recover and to avoid large gatherings. The Vatican hasn’t yet said whether the pope would be able to participate in any celebration during Holy Week leading up to Easter on April 20. On Wednesday, the Vatican will mark the 20th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s death with a Mass.

Alfieri said that the pope was near death during an acute respiratory crisis eight days after his Feb. 14 hospitalization, and that both the pope and his primary medical caregiver consented to “decisive” measures despite the risks that it posed to his organs.

The Vatican on Tuesday also released an audio message from the pope released before his hospitalization. Speaking in Spanish, the pope said he “would like for us to look less at screens, and look each other in the eyes more! Something’s wrong if we spend more time on our cell phones, than with people.”

He urged people to use “technology to unite, not to divide,” including to help the poor, the sick and the disabled, and to help care for the planet.

The pope was last seen upon his release from the hospital, appearing frail and his voice weak as he greeted well-wishers from a Gemelli hospital balcony. The Vatican previously released an audio recording of the pope in a wan voice thanking the faithful for their prayers, and a photograph of the pope concelebrating Mass inside his private chapel in the hospital, pictured from behind.

By SARAH PARVINI, AP Technology Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administration can broker an agreement with ByteDance, the social media app’s China-based parent company.

Speaking with reporters on Air Force One late Sunday, Trump said that “there’s tremendous interest in Tiktok.” He added that he would “like to see TikTok remain alive.” The president’s comments came less than one week before an April deadline requiring ByteDance to divest or face a ban in the United States.

“We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump said.

Trump also said that the administration is “dealing with China” who “also want it because they may have something to do with it.” Last week, Trump said he would consider a reduction in tariffs on China if that country’s government approves a sale of TikTok’s operations in the U.S.

Questions about the fate of the popular video sharing app have continued to linger since a law requiring ByteDance’s divestment took effect on Jan. 19. After taking office, Trump gave TikTok a 75-day reprieve by signing an executive order that delayed enforcement of the statute until April 5.

During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last year’s presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.

“I won the young vote by 36 points. Republicans generally don’t do very well with the young vote,” he said Sunday. “I think a lot of it could have been TikTok.”

Trump has said that the deadline on a TikTok deal could be extended further if needed. He previously proposed terms in which the U.S. would have a 50% stake in a joint venture. The administration hasn’t provided details on what that type of deal would entail.

TikTok and ByteDance have not publicly commented on the talks. It’s also unclear if ByteDance has changed its position on selling TikTok, which it said early last year it does not plan to do.

What will happen on April 5?

If TikTok is not sold to an approved buyer by April 5, the original law that bans it nationwide would once again go into effect. However, the deadline for the executive order doesn’t appear to be set in stone and the president has reiterated it could be extended further if needed.

Trump’s order came a few days after the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a federal law that required ByteDance to divest or be banned in January. The day after the ruling, TikTok went dark for U.S. users and came back online after Trump vowed to stall the ban.

During his first term, Trump tried to ban TikTok on national security grounds, which was halted by the courts before his administration negotiated a sale of the platform that eventually failed to materialize. He changed his position on the popular app during last year’s presidential election and has credited the platform with helping him win more young voters.

The decision to keep TikTok alive through an executive order has received some scrutiny, but it has not faced a legal challenge in court.

Who wants to buy TikTok?

Although it’s unclear if ByteDance plans to sell TikTok, several potential bidders have come forward in the past few months.

Aides for Vice President JD Vance, who was tapped to oversee a potential deal, have reached out to some parties, such as the artificial intelligence startup Perplexity AI, to get additional details about their bids, according to a person familiar with the matter. In January, Perplexity AI presented ByteDance with a merger proposal that would combine Perplexity’s business with TikTok’s U.S. operation.

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Other potential bidders include a consortium organized by billionaire businessman Frank McCourt, which recently recruited Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian as a strategic adviser. Investors in the consortium say they’ve offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash for TikTok’s U.S. platform. And if successful, they plan to redesign the popular app with blockchain technology they say will provide users with more control over their online data.

Jesse Tinsley, the founder of the payroll firm Employer.com, says he too has organized a consortium, which includes the CEO of the video game platform Roblox, and is offering ByteDance more than $30 billion for TikTok.

Trump said in January that Microsoft was also eyeing the popular app. Other interested parties include Trump’s former Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin and Rumble, the video site popular with some conservatives and far-right groups. In a post on X last March, Rumble said it was ready to join a consortium of parties interested in purchasing TikTok and serving as a tech partner for the company.

Carlton Carl passed away on March 25, 2025, in Austin. 

Born on September 20, 1945, in Houston, Carlton was the younger of the two Carl Boys, born to Claudia Phyllis (Richardson) and Urbane Smith Carl. Both Carlton and his older brother Colin attended the Kincaid school and excelled academically, graduating at the top of their respective classes. By this early age, Carlton had already established his love of journalism and started a lifelong relationship with Molly Ivins, the future famed columnist who would be his trusted friend and collaborator for decades to come.

Carlton continued his education in New York City, earning a bachelor’s degree at Columbia, then his master’s from the university’s prestigious journalism school. In 1968, he was awarded a Ford Foundation scholarship, serving first as an intern at the Texas Legislature, then in Democratic Governor Preston Smith’s office. These jobs melded his passion for truth-telling and journalism with an appreciation of the necessity for political action—specifically, capital “D” Democratic action—and soon enough he found himself as Governor Smith’s assistant press secretary, quickly ascending to the role of press secretary in his mid-twenties, becoming the youngest such public servant in the country. He then worked on, and sometimes ran, campaigns for multiple legends in the party, including Price Daniel Jr., Bob Bullock, and a young drinking buddy in Austin by the name of Ann Richards.

Carlton Carl (left) with Elliott Naishtat at the Observer’s 70th anniversary party in December 2024 (Kyle Prier)

In 1983, Carlton was offered an opportunity that pried him out of Texas and straight into the heart of American politics. As press secretary to close friend and U.S. House Representative John Bryant, a Dallas-area Democrat, Carlton began two decades of work in Washington, D.C.

In 1997, Carlton switched offices but not passions when he joined the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA, later known as the American Association for Justice). ATLA was a feared lobbying force in D.C., championing civil redress for workers and consumers. Carlton was vice president of communications, policy, and strategy. Among many victories in that position, Carlton was integral to the astonishing success of “Trial Lawyers Care,” the association’s initiative to offer pro bono legal services to the families of victims of the 9/11 attacks.

In 2004, Carlton was tipped off to a “town for sale” about thirty miles southeast of Austin. He had always presumed he would, at some juncture, return to the area. So, he thought, maybe he should buy this quaint little venue: Martindale. Studying the possibilities with his old friend Joe Pinnelli, a prominent residential contractor in Austin, he decided to go for broke, funded by the proceeds from the sale of his D.C. townhome. Three years later—in 2007—he returned to Texas and embarked on a new career: small-town real estate owner. His newly refurbished home was adjacent to the downtown Martindale buildings he had been rehabilitating and stabilizing over the previous three years—all with the help of Pinnelli, his nephew Daniel, and scores of craftspeople from the area. Over 18 years, his dream of revitalizing Martindale was realized, with Carlton the owner and principal of the town’s renewal. He treasured the local history, championed the joyous celebration of American Independence every 4th of July, and supported as many local businesses and individuals as he could. Since Carlton could not imagine a town without a library, one of his longest standing tenants was the Martindale Library, which he was proud to support.

(Courtesy/Carl Family)

Carlton had barely assumed his duties in Martindale before he was approached by his old friends at the Texas Observer, the state’s longtime bastion of progressive and investigative journalism, about assuming the duties of CEO and publisher of that magazine, which he’d read since childhood. He steered the ship at the Observer for about two years before transitioning in 2010 to a role on the board of the magazine’s parent nonprofit, where he served until his death. He also assisted as an eagle-eyed proofreader of the Observer’s print issues, up through the March/April 2025 edition.

Carlton loved art, history, books, museums, and the color purple (not the movie, but probably that too), and he shared these loves with his family and friends. But his favorite sports teams? He had none. He didn’t even know who the teams were. He had heard of the Longhorns, and that was about it. Instead, he was a patriot, feminist, Democrat, journalist, bibliophile, philanthropist, entrepreneur, art enthusiast, history buff, and so much more. He was a staunch, steadfast, and generous supporter of his community and his family—their interests, pursuits, and passions. He genuinely enjoyed and facilitated quality family time with his brother, his nieces and nephew, grandniece and grandnephews. He will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to his friends, his work for justice and progressive causes, and the positive influence he had on others. He will be greatly missed. 

Longtime friends Molly Ivins and Carlton Carl dance at the 1971 governor’s inaugural ball. (Courtesy/Carlton Carl)

Carlton is survived by his nephew and nieces, Daniel (Coleen), Rebecca, Eleanor, and Elisabeth Carl, his grand-nephews and grand-niece, Amoni, Jude, Zev, Zia, Porter, Theodore, and Emet, and his sister-in-law, Glenda Carl. He is also survived by the multitude of close friends across the country and the good folks of Martindale, with whom he has shared the last 18 years, breathing new life into a community that had been very much asleep for the previous quarter-century.

Carlton was preceded in death by his parents, Urbane and Claudia Carl, and his brother Colin (CJ) Carl.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Texas Observer or the Martindale Library.

A celebration of his life and legacy will occur on May 17 in Martindale.  Details will be posted at BelieveinMartindale.com (forthcoming).

The post Carlton Carl, 1945-2025 appeared first on The Texas Observer.

By MICHAEL HILL

A Cornell University student facing deportation after his visa was revoked because of his campus activism said he decided to leave the United States.

Momodou Taal, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Gambia, had asked a federal court to halt his detention. But he posted on X late Monday that he didn’t believe a legal ruling in his favor would guarantee his safety or ability to speak out.

“I have lost faith I could walk the streets without being abducted,” Momodou Taal wrote from an unknown location. “Weighing up these options, I took the decision to leave on my own terms.”

The government says it revoked Taal’s student visa in March because of his involvement in “disruptive protests,” as well as for disregarding university policies and creating a hostile environment for Jewish students.

The Trump administration has attempted to remove noncitizens from the country for participating in campus protests that it deems antisemitic and sympathetic to the militant Palestinian group Hamas. Students say the government is targeting them for advocating for Palestinian rights.

Taal, a 31-year-old doctoral student in Africana studies at the Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York, was suspended last fall after a group of pro-Palestinian activists disrupted a campus career fair. He had been continuing his studies remotely this semester.

Taal filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration citing his right to free speech. The lawsuit was withdrawn Monday.

In his post, Taal didn’t say where he was writing from or where he intended to live next. He didn’t immediately respond to a text seeking comment.

“Everything I have tried to do has been in service of affirming the humanity of the Palestinian people, a struggle that will leave a lasting mark on me,” Taal wrote.

His attorney, Eric Lee, didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Lee posted on X: “What is America if people like Momodou are not welcome here?”