Global National: Dec. 31

A decade after resigning as Pope, former Pontiff Benedict died Saturday just days after the public was told the 95-year-old’s health was declining. In his first public comments, his successor Pope Francis called him a “gift to the world” and described him as “noble and kind.” The Pope will preside over his funeral on Thursday, to be held in Saint Peter’s Square. Reaction to the former Pope’s death is pouring in, but there are mixed feelings about Benedict, who was extremely conservative in his views. His leadership also happened when the Catholic church had a reckoning over abuse. Eric Sorensen takes a look back at this life. Tributes are pouring in for TV pioneer Barbara Walters. She died Friday at the age of 93. Walters was a fearless interviewer known for asking tough questions to very famous people. Jennifer Johnson looks back at the extraordinary career of Barbara Walters. Many people around the world are celebrating the new year with loved ones, but those in Ukraine are doing so under the shadow of Russia’s war. Another wave of Russian missiles struck the country on New Year’s Eve, damaging residential areas and killing at least one person in Kyiv. As Ukrainians enter another year of Moscow’s invasion, Sean O’Shea has more.