U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked global reactions following his remarks about Pope Leo XIV after the Pope’s recent anti-war message calling for peace in conflict-hit regions.

The controversy began after Pope Leo XIV delivered a strong appeal at the Vatican, urging world leaders to end ongoing wars and prioritise dialogue over violenceviolence.

ALSO READ: Melania Trump to Preside Over UN Council as Middle East Burns

The pontiff warned against the “idolatry of power” and called for global cooperation to restore peace.

Reacting to the message, Trump told reporters he is “not a big fan” of Pope Leo XIV, describing him as “very liberal” and questioning his views on crime and international security.

The U.S. President further criticised the Pope’s stance on global conflicts, suggesting his message overlooks serious security challenges linked to rising geopolitical tensions, including nuclear concerns.

In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump intensified his criticism, accusing the Pope of taking a weak position on foreign policy matters and suggesting political factors influenced his leadership position.

The comments have since triggered widespread debate across political and religious circles, adding to ongoing tensions between Washington and the Vatican over issues such as immigration policy, military action, and global diplomacy.

While both sides have previously denied any formal rift, the latest exchange has renewed global attention on their differing positions regarding war and peace efforts.

The Israeli military said on Thursday that Mohammed Wishah, an Al Jazeera journalist killed in a strike in Gaza on Wednesday, was a Hamas operative “operating under the guise of a journalist.”

According to Israeli forces, Wishah was “a key terrorist in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters” and had been planning attacks against soldiers in the area.

The military said he used his journalist identity to advance Hamas’ operations against Israel.

ALSO SEE: Israel Kills Iran Intel Chief, Tehran Threatens Retaliation

Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based broadcaster, strongly condemned the killing. In a statement, the network described the attack as a “heinous crime of targeting and killing” its correspondent and insisted the strike was deliberate, not accidental.

The channel vowed to pursue “all necessary legal action to prosecute those responsible for the killing of its correspondents and staff in Gaza.”

Media rights organization Reporters Without Borders also condemned the incident, stating that Wishah’s name now joins “more than 220 journalists killed in two and a half years by Israeli forces in Gaza, at least 70 of whom were killed while performing their duties.”

The killing occurred despite a US-backed ceasefire in Gaza that has been in effect since October 2025, highlighting ongoing tensions and frequent accusations of truce violations by both Israel and Hamas.

Al Jazeera listed Wishah among 11 of its journalists killed in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

Past incidents include the killing of Mohammad Salama in August 2025 and the deaths of four Al Jazeera staff and two freelancers outside Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City earlier that year, prompting widespread condemnation.

A leaked commission report has recommended that former Nepali Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli face prosecution in connection with the deadly youth uprising that toppled his government in September 2025.

The anti-corruption protests, triggered by a brief social media ban, escalated into nationwide unrest that left at least 77 people dead.

The demonstrations reflected long-standing public frustration over economic hardship and government negligence.

RELATED NEWS: Social Media Shutdown Sparks Mass Protest In Nepal’s Capital

Four-time Prime Minister and Marxist leader Oli, 74, was defeated in this month’s elections by 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, whose Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) promised to end corruption, remove ageing elites, and reform the economy.

The commission’s recommendations, revealed in a report leaked to Nepali media, were issued ahead of the swearing-in later on Thursday of newly elected members of parliament.

According to the report, it was decided to recommend that the Government of Nepal investigate, inquire, and prosecute the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The report also called for investigations into former Interior Minister Ramesh Lekhak and ex-police chief Chandra Kuber Khapung.

It stated that Lekhak bore “overall responsibility for home administration, security agencies, and maintaining law and order,” adding that both he and Oli “did not appear to have made any effort… to prevent further human casualties.”

While the report noted it was not established that there was an order to shoot, authorities failed to stop or control the firing, and even minors lost their lives due to “negligent conduct.”

Victims in 48 out of 63 autopsies died of bullet wounds, most being struck in the chest or head.

The September unrest saw parliament and government offices set ablaze, ultimately leading to Oli’s ouster. Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki formed the commission to investigate the violence.

Commission member Bigyan Raj Sharma revealed that over 200 people were questioned, producing a 900-page report supported by more than 8,000 pages of evidence.

The report’s release was highly anticipated by protesters demanding accountability.

The March 5 elections returned a new 275-seat lower house of parliament, with Shah’s RSP winning a commanding 182-seat majority.

New lawmakers are set to take their oaths on Thursday in the newly constructed parliament building.

Shah, popularly known as Balen, is expected to be sworn in as Prime Minister on Friday.