Technologies

Pope Francis Is Laid to Rest: Here’s What Comes Next as Conclave Begins May 7

The cardinals — at least, those under 80 years old — vote for as long as it takes to elect Pope Francis’ successor.

After a week of global mourning for Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at age 88, was laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. The service marked a poignant moment in Catholic history, drawing dignitaries from around the world to the Vatican. Representatives from 123 countries, including 61 heads of state and 42 government officials, attended the solemn Mass, reflecting the global impact of Francis’ papacy.

The papacy of Pope Francis was notable for the progressive reforms he brought to the Roman Catholic Church. He appointed more than half of the current College of Cardinals and attempted to foster more positive attitudes toward members of the LGBT community and migrants worldwide.

A simpler service

The pope’s funeral was less elaborate than those of other popes according to his own wishes. Francis simplified papal funeral rites last year, permitting his burial outside the Vatican, and emphasizing his role as a bishop rather than as pope (the pope is also the Bishop of Rome).

Previous popes were buried in three coffins: one of cypress, one of lead and one of oak. Francis requested to be buried in a single wooden, zinc-lined coffin and to not be placed in an elevated bier as other popes were.

During the funeral, the coffin was taken from St Peter’s Basilica and placed on a dais in St Peter’s Square, where Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re led the service. After the service, the coffin returned to St Peter’s Basilica before being carried across the River Tiber and to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major for burial.

Most popes are buried in St. Peter’s Basilica or its grottoes, but Francis chose the St. Mary Major Basilica to reflect his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the People of Rome).

Pope Francis’ funeral Mass is the first of nine Masses held daily at St. Peter’s until May 4. This is an ancient tradition of the Catholic Church that observes nine consecutive days of mourning. A different group of mourners will participate each day, though the Eucharistic celebrations are open to everyone.

Who attended Pope Francis’ funeral?

Hundreds of people, including world leaders and royals, attended the pope’s funeral.

Notable attendees included King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, the King and Queen of Jordan and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway. Prince William of the United Kingdom attended in place of his father, King Charles III.

From the United States, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were present. which marked Trump’s first foreign trip in his second term. Former president Joe Biden, a devout Catholic, and former fifirst lady Jill Biden also attended the funeral.

The conclave begins May 7

The cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will begin voting on May 7 for a successor in an assembly known as a conclave. Only cardinals younger than 80 years old are allowed to vote in a papal election, meaning 135 of the 252 existing cardinals are eligible to participate.

The conclave can take days or even weeks to conclude. Two-thirds of the cardinals’ votes are required to elect the next pope. The conclave occurs behind closed doors and the vote tally is never made public.

Although in the 13th century, it reportedly took three years to choose a pope, modern conclaves have been much shorter. Pope Francis was elected in 2013 on the fifth ballot on the second day of the conclave.

Read more: Where to Watch Conclave, the Vatican Thriller About Electing a New Pope

Who are the contenders?

Several cardinals are considered potential strong candidates for the papacy. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy is noted for his diplomatic efforts and alignment with Pope Francis’ vision. Cardinal Luis Tagle from the Philippines is also a prominent figure, recognized for his advocacy for social justice and poverty alleviation. And Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana is being discussed as a possible first African pope in the modern era.

Look for the white smoke

After the cardinals vote and their ballots are counted, the ballots are burned, and chemicals are added to the flames to produce black smoke if there’s no majority. When a new pope has been selected, chemicals will be added to the flames to produce white smoke. Crowds gather in St. Peter’s Square to watch for the results.

If you’re fascinated by the process, you can watch a dramatized version of the events in the 2024 film Conclave.

In the movie, Ralph Fiennes stars as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who spearheads the election of the next pope while investigating rumors about potential candidates. The film is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris and is fictional — though it does represent some of the events of how actual papal conclaves take place. In March, the film won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.

You can stream Conclave on Amazon Prime Video, or rent it for $6 on Apple TV, Fandango at Home, YouTube or Google Play Movies.

For those interested in following the developments of the real conclave, live updates and analyses will be available through major news organizations and the Vatican’s official channels.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, April 29

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 29.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword is an easy one. Usually, I’m thrown off when the puzzle pulls a meta-question, and wants you to fill in circled letters to solve an extra clue, but this one, 2-Down, was super-simple. But a couple other clues required some more thinking — unless you’re super familiar with the population ranking of Caribbean nations (8-Across). Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: The «A» of MoMA
Answer: ART

4A clue: Like steak tartare and carpaccio
Answer: RAW

5A clue: Attire for wizards and judges
Answer: ROBES

7A clue: Warm shade of yellowish-orange
Answer: AMBER

8A clue: Most populous country in the Caribbean
Answer: HAITI

9A clue: Messy room, so to speak
Answer: STY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Noted features of bakeries and candle shops
Answer: AROMAS

2D clue: What a magician might pull out of the [circled letters]
Answer: RABBIT

3D clue: «I tawt I taw a puddy tat!» speaker
Answer: TWEETY

5D clue: «Go team!»
Answer: RAH

6D clue: ___ Lanka
Answer: SRI

How to play more Mini Crosswords

The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.

Technologies

Tariffs Are Raising Prices. Here’s How You Can Still Save On Tech

Higher prices don’t mean fewer options. Here’s how you can save on high-end electronics, despite the tariffs.

Over the past month, the global electronics market has experienced significant upheaval, and it’s probably only going to get worse. The Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs — up to 145% on Chinese imports — have disrupted supply chains and driven up prices on a wide array of consumer electronics.

Even with exemptions for smartphones and laptops, the threat of additional levies has led to price hikes across the board, from power banks and e-readers to toasters, microwaves and gaming consoles.

While the new Switch 2 won’t be affected by the tariffs (for now), several of the new Nintendo console’s accessories, like the Pro and Joy-Con controllers, have already increased in price because of the tariffs. Anker has raised prices for many of its power banks. The tariffs will likely also increase the price of iPhones.

Read more: Buy or Wait Guide: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Prices and What to Do Now

Amid this economic turbulence, consumers are increasingly turning to refurbished tech as a cost-effective alternative to buying brand new. This sector is not only growing rapidly, it’s also becoming a mainstream choice for savvy shoppers looking to save. The global refurbished electronics market is expected to grow from $47 billion in 2023 to over $123 billion by 2033, according to one report.

If you’re in the market for a new phone, new laptop or any other tech product, you’re better off buying used than new right now. For folks looking to navigate this burgeoning market, there are several reputable platforms that offer high-quality refurbished electronics.

Where you can shop for refurbished tech

Not everyone wants to buy used products, especially when there are risks. A used electronic item might look fine from the outside, but there’s always the chance of hidden hardware issues, like a degraded battery or water damage. Plus, there are rarely ever warranties or return policies on used items. Not to mention, the products could be stolen.

So that’s why you want to buy refurbished, not just used. The difference is that a refurbished item is usually sold by a manufacturer, retailer or certified refurbisher and is inspected, tested, repaired and restored to full working condition. This isn’t like buying a used computer from someone on Facebook Marketplace. Instead, you get a cleaned and repackaged product with a warranty, just like a new product. If you want the assurances of a refurbished item, there are many options.

Apple Certified Refurbished
Apple’s in-house refurbishment program is widely considered the gold standard. Every device — whether it’s a MacBook, an iPhone, an iPad or even an Apple Vision Pro — comes with a new battery and outer shell, so cosmetically it’s indistinguishable from new. All products are rigorously tested, cleaned and repackaged in an official Apple box, along with cables and other accessories. You’ll also get a one-year limited warranty and the option to add AppleCare Plus, making this one of the safest ways to buy refurbished Apple gear.

Amazon Renewed Store
Amazon’s refurbished technology storefront offers a pretty sizable catalog with everything from smartphones and laptops to home appliances, headphones and even electric toothbrushes. All these devices are inspected and tested by qualified suppliers to meet certain performance benchmarks. Most products come with a minimum 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee, which allows you to return or replace the product if it doesn’t work as promised.

Best Buy Outlet
Best Buy’s certified refurbished store includes TVs, tablets, laptops, smartphones, kitchen gadgets, gaming gear and more. Many items are Geek Squad Certified, meaning they’ve been restored and tested by its in-house technicians. And if you’re more about an in-person experience, Best Buy offers local pickup for many of these refurbished items, along with standard warranties that vary by product.

eBay Refurbished
eBay may seem like the Wild West at times, but the company partners with certified refurbishers and brands like Samsung, Lenovo and Dell to offer items with up to 50% off retail pricing. You can also check out product grading, which varies from good to excellent, and you’ll receive a one- or two-year warranty, as well as 30-day returns.

Swappa
Swappa is a peer-to-peer marketplace, but with guardrails. Sellers can only list fully functional devices, and every item is manually reviewed before it goes live on the website. All you need to do is find your product and then check out the price, condition and age, and you can buy directly from the seller. All transactions are protected via PayPal, which can help you in case a purchase never shows up or you’re unhappy with a product and need a refund.

As tariffs continue to influence the tech industry, the refurbished market stands out as a great alternative for you to get the tech products you want at an affordable price and without compromising on quality. If you use any of these trusted platforms, you can mitigate the financial impact of tariffs and rising electronics prices, and also participate in more-sustainable consumption practices.

You can try secondhand but there are risks

A refurbished tech product might still be expensive. Enter the raw, unfiltered secondhand market: Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist and Nextdoor, to name just a few. These platforms are less about guarantees and more about opportunity. You can be smart and patient and scoop up a MacBook from a college student upgrading midsemester, or grab a highly discounted PS5 from someone cleaning house before a cross-country move. But there are trade-offs. No warranty. No refurbishment. No assurance it wasn’t dropped in a pool or «borrowed» indefinitely. You can still get some unbeatable prices with the right negotiation tactics.

These platforms are seeing increased tech activity, with anecdotal spikes in metro-area listings for iPads, AirPods and OLED TVs since tariff announcements started to dominate headlines. Some sellers are flipping open-box returns or reselling their own gear to upgrade in anticipation of price surges, which effectively creates a grassroots resale economy shaped by the current trade policy. Before you venture into the secondhand market, there are a few tips you should follow.

Meet in a public place and always test the item before handing over payment. You may want to handle the transaction quickly, but it’s best to ensure the item is in good condition. And doing it in public protects you (a bit) from getting ripped off.
Check battery health on phones and laptops. You can do this in the settings of the devices.
Verify serial numbers when possible to check warranty or theft status. There are websites that quickly allow you to use the IMEI of a phone to check whether it’s stolen. (IMEI stands for international mobile equipment identity, a 15-digit unique ID number.)
Use payment apps like Venmo or PayPal Goods & Services for added protection. Cash is great, because you can typically get a better discount, but you have to ensure that the product you’re buying is in good condition.

We don’t have the full picture of how tariffs will affect all the tech products in our lives, but as new devices become less affordable amid general economic uncertainty, buying used can be a smart choice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a refurbished iPad from Amazon or a gently used Nintendo Switch from OfferUp, sometimes pricing matters so much more than packaging. With the trade war showing no signs of cooling, the secondhand and refurbished tech ecosystem isn’t just a reaction. It’s a quiet rebellion we can all have a hand in.