5 Big News Stories Overnight - Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Vatican: Pope Leo Condemns Trump's Threats

Vatican News:

Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday condemned President Donald Trump’s threat to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure as he implored leaders to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing war.

Leo said Trump’s threat that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not strike a deal is “truly unacceptable.”

United Kingdom: Kanye West Banned

The Wall Street Journal reports:

The U.K. government has barred Kanye West from entering the country following a backlash over a planned performance at a London music festival and the rapper’s history of antisemitism.

Event organizer Festival Republic said it was canceling Wireless Festival, scheduled for July at north London’s Finsbury Park, after the decision by the U.K. Home Office to block West from visiting the country.

The scheduled performance by West drew widespread condemnation. West, who is promoting a new album, has been trying to repair his reputation after years of controversies, including racist slurs, calls for antisemitic violence and praise for Adolf Hitler.

The government’s move to block West’s permission to travel was made on the grounds that his presence in the U.K. wouldn’t be conducive to the public good, according to a person familiar with the decision.

PHOTO: Cosmopolitan CC: 3.0

CA: Gubernatorial Candidate Denies Allegations

CNN reports:

The campaign of Rep. Eric Swalwell, the California Democratic candidate for governor, on Tuesday sought to rebut claims made by several people on social media that multiple women plan to come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct involving staffers.

“This false, outrageous rumor is being spread 27 days before an election begins by flailing opponents who have sadly teamed up with MAGA conspiracy theorists because they know Eric Swalwell is the frontrunner in this race,” Swalwell campaign communications director Micah Beasley said in a statement.

He also said one prominent claim that women have remained silent because of non-disclosure agreements is false.

Iraq: U.S. Journalist Released

France 24 reports:

American journalist Shelly Kittleson, was kidnapped from a Baghdad streetcorner last week, has been released, an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.

Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly. He did not share her current whereabouts but said that prior to her release, she had been held in Baghdad.

The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier on Tuesday that it would release Kittleson.

The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister", Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in the future”.

Iranians Flood Streets in Defiance After Trump Threats

Fars News Agency

Nearly 40 days have passed since the US and Israeli regime launched their aggression against Iran, and every night, Iranians have taken to the streets to defend the values of the Islamic Revolution. But on Tuesday night, following threats from US President Donald Trump, crowds were noticeably larger, with demonstrators condemning US-Israeli attacks, thanking the armed forces for their missile responses, and demanding continued retaliation against aggressors.