VATICAN CITY, March 23–24 — Pope Leo sharply condemned aerial bombardments as indiscriminate and said they “should have been banned forever,” in remarks delivered on March 23 during a meeting with executives and staff of Italy’s ITA Airways. The pope, the first U.S.-born pontiff, did not explicitly name the parties involved but framed his remarks against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, now in its fourth week. He said: “No one should have to fear that threats of death and destruction might come from the sky,” calling the continued use of airpower “not progress; it is regression.” The pope has repeatedly urged a ceasefire in the conflict and on the previous day described the war as a “scandal to the whole human family.” ITA Airways, controlled by Germany’s Lufthansa and the successor to Alitalia, is the carrier that typically transports the pope for foreign trips. Reuters and other outlets carried the comments on March 23–24.

Mel Schilling, the Australian psychologist and relationship expert best known for her role on Married At First Sight in Australia and the U.K., has died at 54, her husband announced on March 24, 2026. Gareth Brisbane said in an Instagram statement that Schilling “passed away peacefully… surrounded by love,” and that in her final moments she mustered the strength to whisper a message to him and their 10‑year‑old daughter, Maddie. Schilling had publicly chronicled a cancer diagnosis first revealed in December 2023 after a tumour was found and removed. She underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to film MAFS; scans later detected nodules in her lungs and, over Christmas 2025, the disease metastasised to the left side of her brain. In early March she announced her condition was terminal and urged followers to seek checks for worrying symptoms. Broadcasters and colleagues, including Channel 4 and fellow MAFS experts, paid tribute and described a career that saw Schilling become a prominent and candid advocate on relationships and, in recent months, a vocal voice on bowel cancer awareness.

A Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport plane carrying security forces crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo province on March 23, Colombian officials said. The armed forces reported 66 dead, four missing and dozens injured; 57 survivors were evacuated to regional hospitals, some flown to Bogotá. Authorities gave varying counts of those aboard during early reporting but the military said the aircraft was carrying troops and crew on a routine internal movement. Officials said the aircraft struck terrain about 1.5-2 kilometres from the runway, clipped trees, caught fire and detonated some ammunition it was transporting. Local residents were first on scene, ferrying wounded on motorcycles until military and medical teams arrived; access to the remote jungle site slowed rescue operations. Defence Minister Pedro Sánchez and the armed forces said there were no immediate indications of hostile action and opened an investigation into the cause. President Gustavo Petro used the accident to press for accelerated modernisation of military equipment. Lockheed Martin expressed condolences and offered assistance in the inquiry.

Late on the night of March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express regional jet (Flight 8646), a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle while landing on Runway 4 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The collision, at about 11:40 p.m. ET, killed the plane’s pilot and co‑pilot and injured dozens. Port Authority officials said 41 people were taken to hospitals, 32 were later released and nine remained in serious condition. Audio from air traffic control indicates the fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway — responding to a separate United Airlines report of an odor onboard — and that a controller then urgently ordered the vehicle to stop seconds before impact. Flightradar24 data placed groundspeed at roughly 24 mph (39 kph) at the moment of collision. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a full investigation with FAA support; the Port Authority and Jazz Aviation are cooperating. LaGuardia was closed and subject to a ground stop until at least 2 p.m. Monday, triggering hundreds of cancellations and widespread travel disruption across the Northeast U.S.

The U.S. Senate on March 23–24 confirmed Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in a 54‑45 vote, making him the agency’s new leader as it remains partially shut down. Mullin replaces Kristi Noem and inherits a department with roughly 100,000 employees working without pay and airport screening delays after widespread Transportation Security Administration call‑outs. Two Democrats, John Fetterman and Martin Heinrich, joined Republicans to back Mullin; Sen. Rand Paul broke with his party and voted no. During confirmation hearings Mullin signaled a less confrontational approach on some practices, pledging greater use of judicial warrants in most domestic operations, while refusing to rule out other controversial tactics. In Oklahoma, Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed energy executive Alan Armstrong—former Williams Companies CEO—to fill Mullin’s Senate seat through year‑end. Armstrong, who must pledge not to run in November under state law, is a longtime Stitt donor and industry figure. U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern has already declared for the full term and has President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

The European Union and Australia have finalised and signed a long-delayed free trade agreement in Canberra after roughly eight years of negotiations, alongside a new security and defence partnership. The deal was announced on March 24 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who framed the pact as a response to rising global trade tensions, U.S. tariff pressure and the need to diversify away from reliance on China. The agreement removes more than 99% of tariffs on EU goods entering Australia, with the European Commission saying it could save EU exporters about €1 billion a year in duties and lift EU sales to Australia by as much as one-third over the next decade. Australian tariffs on wine, sparkling wine, fruit, vegetables, chocolates and many other products will fall to zero immediately or over time, while beef and sheep-meat access to the EU will be expanded through tariff-rate quotas. Australia will also keep using some product names such as prosecco domestically, while phasing them out for exports over 10 years. The EU and Australia said the package also covers critical minerals, services, investment, cyber and maritime security, and could open the way for Australia’s participation in Horizon Europe.