Man taken into police custody after 6-hour SWAT standoff in La Jolla
LA JOLLA, Calif. – At approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, a man was taken into police custody after authorities received reports of an individual holding a gun and threatening suicide in a neighborhood on Via Casa Alta near Mt. Soledad in La Jolla.
The man was inside a car and reportedly refused to exit the vehicle. According to ABC 10News, a SWAT Primary Response Team arrived at the scene at 10:35 a.m. The road between La Jolla Scenic S Drive and Upper Hillside Drive was closed. The San Diego Police Department issued shelter-in-place orders in this area.
The suspect’s apprehension came after a six-hour standoff with the SWAT team. According to Times of San Diego, the suspect surrendered and gave up the weapon to authorities by 4:15 p.m. Via Casa Alta was reopened by 4:23 p.m.
Shelter-in-place orders affected local schools including La Jolla Elementary School, Muirlands Middle School, and La Jolla High School. The orders were lifted at 2 p.m.
UC San Diego signs letter for freedom of speech with 150 other universities
WASHINGTON – Over 170 university presidents and chancellors signed a letter released by the American Association of Colleges and Universities defending freedom of speech in higher education and rebuking the Trump administration’s recent cuts to university funding.
The letter, titled “A Call for Constructive Engagement,” claims that these actions by the Trump administration threaten higher education in the United States.
“As leaders of America’s colleges, universities, and scholarly societies, we speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the letter read. “We must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.”
The letter continues by stating the importance of a higher education system free from government interference.
“The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society,” the letter continued. “We call for constructive engagement that improves our institutions and serves our republic.”
UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla is one of the letter’s signatories, along with Dr. Michael Drake, president of the University of California, and the chancellors of every other UC campus.
San Diego homeowners receive notice on Waste Management Fee, protest vote attached
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – This past week, the City of San Diego mailed a Notice on Public Hearing to over 230,000 single-family and multi-family resident property owners who are eligible to cast a protest vote on a proposed monthly Waste Management Fee.
Every residential property owner in San Diego has the right to protest the proposed fee, according to the notice. To do so, property owners must send in a written statement of opposition to the Office of the City Clerk. If more than 50% of homeowners do so, the city cannot enact the fee, per state law.
In February, the City of San Diego proposed the Waste Management Fee, which will implement city-provided “solid waste management services.” If the fee passes, residents will be charged for trash pickup based on their bins’ capacity, starting July 1. The highest fee is anticipated to be $47.59 for 95-gallon bins. The fee will also cover the replacement of residential recycling, trash, and organic containers for every property eligible for city-provided trash collection services, starting October 2025.
The City Council will hold a public hearing on June 9 at 2 p.m. to formally consider the proposed fee and hear oral testimonies from citizens wishing to express their opinions.
Pope Francis dies at 88
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, at age 88 after 12 years as head of the Catholic Church.
Francis was the first Latin American Pope and the first Jesuit to ascend to the papacy. He was known for being an advocate for the poor during his time as Pope, establishing a legacy that reshaped many elements of the Catholic Church.
Francis’ funeral mass was held on April 26 at 10 a.m. local time, and he was buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome following the service.
The Vatican has not announced the official start date for the papal conclave. However, rules set by the church require all serving cardinals under the age of 80 to meet to elect a new pope within 15 to 20 days of the Pope’s death.
Canadian federal elections near
OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian federal election will take place on April 28. Prime Minister Mark Carney, the leader of the Liberal Party, is currently projected to win. Carney’s opponent is Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party. The Conservative Party trails the Liberal Party by 3%, according to a Nanos poll from April 27.
When snap elections were initially called in March, the Liberal Party was expected to lose, but President Donald Trump’s imposition of global tariffs and remarks about wanting to make Canada the 51st U.S. state has resulted in the party’s turnaround.
Carney took office on March 14, replacing former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He previously headed the Bank of Canada from 2008-13 and later the Bank of England.
Poilievre’s campaign promotes populism and emphasizes the slogan “Canada First.”
The party that wins a majority in the House of Commons will have its party leader selected as the prime minister. The separatist Quebec party, Bloc Québécois, and the progressive party, the New Democrats, are also expected to win seats.
Tensions between India and Pakistan surge amidst shooting
KASHMIR, India – On April 22, gunmen opened fire on a tourist area in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing 26 tourists and wounding 17 others. India blamed the attack on Pakistan, following a Telegram post by the Pakistan-based group The Resistance Front, who claimed responsibility for the attack. Four days later, TRF retracted its claim, stating that the post was the result of a cyberattack. Following the shooting, India’s foreign secretary announced reactionary measures against the state, including revoking the visas of Pakistani nationals, cutting the number of Pakistani diplomats, closing the main land border between the countries, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, a long-standing water distribution agreement.
“The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,” said Vikram Misri, India’s foreign secretary.
In retaliation against India’s measures, Pakistan halted all trade with India, banned Indian flights, and similarly expelled Indian diplomats and suspended visas for Indian nationals.
A search for the gunmen is ongoing. Pakistani officials denied any involvement in the attack.
