FDA Bans 2 Artificial Food Dyes, Unveils Plan to Eliminate the RestThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a plan to remove artificial dyes from the United States’ food supply. The government is banning two synthetic colorings, Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B, which can currently be used to color hot dogs and sausages. The FDA is then going to work with companies to eliminate the other dyes by the end of 2026.

“For the last 50 years, American children have increasingly been living in a toxic soup of synthetic chemicals,” Dr. Marty Makary, commissioner of the FDA, said at a news conference in Washington. He cited a randomized trial that found that artificial dyes in the diet resulted in increased hyperactivity in 3-, 8-, and 9-year-olds.

Melissa Hockstad, president and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association, which represents food and drink manufacturers, said in a statement that additives have been studied and demonstrated to be safe. (More)

Newsom Says Democrats Lack Self-Reflection After 2024 DefeatCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom is urging his own party to confront its 2024 election losses with honest self-examination, warning that without serious introspection, Democrats are destined to fail again. Newsom said Democratic leaders have yet to engage in a deep exploration of why they lost the White House, failed to reclaim the House, and saw their Senate majority evaporate in November.

“We have not done a forensic of what just went wrong, period, full stop,” Newsom said during a sit-down interview with The Hill. “I don’t think it, I know it.”

The two-term governor, who is widely viewed as a possible 2028 presidential contender, said his party’s silence in the face of defeat reflects a broader crisis of identity and leadership. As Democrats look toward the 2026 midterms and the long lead-up to the 2028 presidential election, Newsom is concerned that without an honest audit of recent failures, the party may find itself locked out of power once again. (More)

Who Are Possible Contenders to Succeed Pope Francis?As Catholics around the world mourn the late Pope Francis ahead of his funeral on April 26, speculation has begun about a possible successor. While the process has historically often ended with an unexpected outcome, there are several possible contenders.

Behind the scenes, preparations for the next conclave—the papal election—have begun. The papal account on social media platform X, previously bearing the name of Pope Francis, has been changed to Apostolica Sedes Vacans, Latin for “the apostolic seat is empty.” When the most recent conclave convened to replace resigning Pope Benedict XVI, few predicted that Francis, then Jorge Mario Bergoglio, would be elected. An old Italian saying riffs on the historical difficulties that observers have had in predicting the new pope. “He who enters the conclave as pope, leaves it as a cardinal,” it states.

Nevertheless, there are some expected frontrunners in the race to become the leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. Here is a brief look at a few of the top contenders.