National:

The first-ever image of a black hole was released by astronomers on April 10. Previously thought to be unseeable, the black hole in the image is comparable to a ring of orange and red light with a black center. This particular black hole is a few billion times larger than the sun, radiates energy extending about 5,000 light years and is located in the Messier 87 galaxy of the Virgo constellation. This finding has been communicated in news conferences around the world, including one in Washington, D.C.

From a prediction released by eMarketer on April 10, Snapchat will likely see a decline in users for the first time this year. The user losses are attributed to an update last year that many Snapchat users were not in favor of. Additionally, the target age group of the app is a small range of young users compared to the broader target age ranges of other social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. If eMarketer’s prediction holds true, there could be another decrease in Snapchat stock value similar to the one that occurred in August 2019 after Snapchat reported a dip in users for the first time ever.

International:

Following the brutal attack in Christchurch, New Zealand, lawmakers officially passed a law to ban most semiautomatic weapons. A few days after the tragedy, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern initiated an interim ban against semi-automatic weapons, while lawmakers focused on finding a more permanent solution. The solution came to fruition on April 10 as 119 of Parliament’s 120 lawmakers voted in favor of the ban, making the temporary restriction a permanent law.

The Scala Sancta, or better known as the Holy Stairs, in Rome will not be covered by a typical wooden casing for the first time in 300 years. While the stairs require restoration, they will be in their bare, marble form for about two months. Believed to be the stairs that Jesus ascended for his trial before Pontius Pilate, it is a common tradition among Roman Catholics and visitors to climb the stairs on their knees. Once the stairs are restored, the wooden casing will be placed on the steps again.