Canadians cast votes for their next prime minister today in a pivotal election. What seemed certain to be repudiation of the unpopular leftist policies of Justin Trudeau has turned into a potential continuation of Liberal rule thanks to the even greater unpopularity of Donald Trump. Our Canadian correspondent Abraham Blondeau has our feature story this morning about what’s at stake for Canada.

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The pope, and what he represented, laid to rest: The Catholic Church did its best to laud the legacy of Pope Francis at his funeral on Saturday. Instead, it likely symbolizes the closure of a short era of liberal Vatican leadership.

• The ceremony was simpler and shorter than past papal funerals, reflecting Francis’s identity as a “people’s pope,” a humble “pastor and disciple of Christ” rather than a worldly power.
• It also had significantly less public interest compared to the last one, that of Pope John Paul II: crowds in Rome about a quarter the size, viewing attendance down about 83 percent, far smaller international representation and a fraction of the global media coverage.
• Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, delivered a homily praising Francis as a “pope among the people,” driven by “the conviction that the church is a home for all, a home with the doors always open. [A] church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or conditions, and healing their wounds.” He highlighted Francis’s advocacy for migrants and the marginalized.
• Re went out of his way to criticize President Trump: “Build bridges, not walls was an exhortation [Francis] repeated many times.”
• In a controversial moment, Roger Mahony, former Los Angeles archbishop, closed the coffin lid, despite his 2013 removal for mishandling clerical abuse cases.

It was hoped that the Catholic Church’s global influence would expand thanks to Pope Francis’s inclusivity. In many ways, the opposite has happened, especially in Europe. However, in a tumultuous world, interest in the church is rising among those looking for stability, conservatism and tradition. It seems the comparatively tepid response to Francis’s papacy sets the stage for the upcoming conclave (expected May 6–12) to elect a successor who can lead the church in a different direction, in step with the times.

On the sidelines of the funeral, wheeling and dealing: The pope’s funeral served as a platform for significant diplomatic interactions. A notable 15-minute meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in St. Peter’s Basilica, described as “very productive,” marked their first face-to-face meeting since a tense February White House encounter. Discussions focused on the Russia-Ukraine War, with Zelenskyy calling the meeting “potentially historic” and the “most positive conversation” he’d ever had with Trump. Afterward, President Trump issued one of his most critical statements of Putin. Will it mark a turn in his view of the war?

The fact that the meeting took place in St. Peter’s Basilica has many people chattering about how the Catholic Church still carries significant political influence. We will see what emerges from this specific meeting—it is difficult to predict just where these negotiations will end up. Still, biblical prophecy tells us that the Vatican’s role in world affairs is certain to increase.

Among a global military spending spree, Germany is moving fastest: Global military spending hit $2.7 trillion last year—a new record, SIPRI reports. Our In Brief details the notable figures. Of course, we see this headline all the time these days, as global spending keeps mushrooming. But this time it is a nearly 10 percent jump.

Probably the most remarkable part of this data is how fast Germany is ascending the military spending rankings. It rocketed from being the world’s seventh-biggest spender to being its fourth-biggest—after America, China and Russia. The fact that it made this leap even as so many countries are boosting their spending is truly stunning. Yet it should come as no surprise considering Germany’s role in end-time biblical prophecy.

IN OTHER NEWS

Does this man not have enough on his plate? Apparently President Trump feels confident his diplomatic efforts are going well enough that it is time to restart peace talks with North Korea, aiming to reduce tensions and address nuclear concerns.

More evidence nuclear talks with Iran are delusional: Even as it discusses a nuclear deal with the U.S., Iran continues to expand and fortify its nuclear facilities, Peter van Halteren reports.

An explosion rocked Iran’s Shahid Rajaei port on the Persian Gulf on Saturday, killing at least 40 people and injuring an estimated 1,000. Reportedly it was caused by an ingredient in missile fuel being stored at the port, though Iranian authorities deny this. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei suggested the explosion may have been from sabotage. That is probably false, but with Israel’s recent success like last year’s pagers operation against Hezbollah, it is too early to rule out.

Deadly attack in Canada: A man with a history of mental health issues drove his car into a crowd of Filipinos on Sunday, killing 11 people and injuring at least 20, Mihailo Zekic reports.

China seizes island in the Philippines: On Saturday, China’s coast guard seized Sandy Cay, a disputed reef near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the South China Sea, escalating tensions with the Philippines over territorial claims.

Japan won’t side with U.S.: Japan will not participate in an anti-China trade alliance with the U.S. Our In Brief reports: “China is Japan’s largest trading partner and a crucial source of raw materials.”

How dependent are American consumers on Chinese stuff? Trump is trying to break us from all the cheap Chinese-made goods—but it won’t happen easily. Check out this startling graphic from the New York Times showing the profusion of common household goods that come from China.