​ Trump attacks Pope over criticism of Iran war. 22 minutes ago. Rob Greenall. Donald Trump has launched an unusual and scathing attack on Pope Leo over his opposition to US immigration policy and the war in Iran.. The US president accused the pontiff of being “WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy” in a Truth Social post, later telling reporters he was “not a big fan”.. Pope Leo has been a staunch critic of the war, calling Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilisation “unacceptable” and calling for him to find an “off-ramp” to end the conflict.. He has also questioned whether Trump’s hard-line immigration policy was in line with the pro-life stance of the Catholic Church.. Trump’s remarks came as the pontiff embarked on an 11-day trip to Africa, his second major foreign trip since being elected last year.. The US president wrote in Sunday’s post that Pope Leo “should get his act together” and said he was “weak on nuclear weapons”, apparently referring to Tehran’s attempts to become a nuclear power, cited as one of the reasons for the US and Israel going to war with Iran.. He also suggested that the pontiff was elected “because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump”.. “If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”. Asked by reporters later to explain the post, he said: “I don’t think he’s doing a very good job, he likes crime, I guess.”. Trump added: “He’s a very liberal person, and he’s a man who doesn’t believe in stopping crime, he’s a man who doesn’t believe we should be toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon so they can blow up the world.”. EPA. The remarks drew immediate criticism from Catholics, with one expert comparing the comments to the Pope’s relationship with fascist dictators in World War Two.. “Not even Hitler or Mussolini attacked the Pope so directly and publicly,” said Massimo Faggioli, quoted by Reuters.. The Pope has used numerous public addresses to denounce global conflicts and urge de-escalation in the Middle East.. When Trump threatened Iran, saying that “a whole civilisation will die tonight”, he responded by saying the statement was “truly unacceptable”.. In his Easter address, the pontiff said without mentioning any countries directly that people were growing accustomed to violence and indifferent to thousands of deaths.. “Let those who have weapons lay them down. Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace,” he said.. More on this story. Have the American Pope and the American administration fallen out?. Pope Leo offers his strongest criticism of Trump yet. Pope prioritises world’s fastest-growing Catholic region in major Africa tour. Pope Leo XIV. Donald Trump. United States. Iran war  

​ Ghanaian footballer killed after armed attackers open fire at team bus. 30 minutes ago. Hafsa Khalil. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images. Ghanaian footballer Dominic Frimpong has died after suspected armed robbers opened fire at the bus carrying his team Berekum Chelsea back from a fixture.. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) expressed its “profound shock and deep sorrow”, and shared its “heartfelt condolences” to the 20-year-old’s family, teammates and all who work for the team.. “Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league,” it added.. According to Berekum Chelsea, the team bus was returning from a Ghana Premier League fixture on Sunday, when they came under attack by “masked men wielding guns and assault rifles”.. The team – who were on the road after an away game against Samartex in Samreboi – were ambushed by the men who “blocked the road to prevent” their passage, the club added.. “[The men] started shooting at our bus as the driver tried to reverse,” it said. “The players and staff fled into nearby bushes to take cover.”. The suspects have yet to be caught as investigations into the incident continue.. “We urge that all necessary measures be taken to ensure justice is served,” the GFA said, adding it is in contact with relevant authorities and the club.. The association also said it will be reviewing and strengthening security arrangements for clubs travelling for competitions within Ghana to “prevent such tragic occurrences in the future”.. Frimpong had joined Berekum Chelsea on loan from Aduana FC in January, according to local media reports.. The forward was set to stay at the team until the end of the premier league season. He had scored two goals in 13 appearances.. The prophet and the mysterious death of Charmain Speirs. Women secretly filmed, then ridiculed and abused online. ‘The gravest crime against humanity’: What does the UN vote on slavery mean?. Getty Images/BBC. Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica. BBC Africa podcasts. Focus on Africa. This Is Africa. Ghana. Africa  

​ Crowds gather ahead of iconic Indian singer’s funeral. 4 hours ago. Nikita Yadav. Reuters. Tributes are continuing to be paid to India’s legendary singer Asha Bhosle, who has died at the age of 92.. The two-time Grammy nominee, whose career spanned nearly eight decades and thousands of recordings, died in Mumbai on Sunday after being admitted to hospital following a heart attack.. Her last rites will take place on Monday evening at Shivaji Park in Mumbai city, with full state honours.. Her death has prompted an outpouring of grief from across India and beyond, with political leaders, musicians, actors and fans remembering her as one of the defining voices of Indian cinema.. Since Sunday evening, crowds have been gathering outside Bhosle’s home in Mumbai, to pay their last respects to the singer.. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Bhosle was “one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known, while President Draupadi Murmu said her death was “an irreparable loss to music lovers”.. Leading figures from the film industry and sport, including Shah Rukh Khan and Sachin Tendulkar, also paid tribute, reflecting the breadth of her influence across generations.. Khan wrote that Bhosle was “a talent that will outlive many” and that her “voice has been one of the pillars of Indian cinema and will continue to resonate world over for centuries to come”.. Cricketer Tendulkar, who knew her personally, said “Asha Tai [Marathi for elder sister] was family” and that “through her eternal songs, she will remain timeless”.. A passionate cricket fan, Bhosle was also honoured on the field. During an Indian Premier League match on Sunday, Mumbai Indians players wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence.. Composer AR Rahman wrote that “she lives forever through her voice and aura -what an artist”.. Singer Shreya Ghosal recalled growing up “listening to her, learning from her, and being in awe of her effortless versatility”, adding that she made “every note feel alive, every emotion feel personal”.. Singer-actor Farhan Akhtar said it was “impossible to talk about playback singing without mentioning Asha Bhosle”, calling her voice, joy and energy “irreplaceable”.. The tributes reflect the scale of her influence. With a voice that moved easily from romantic ballads to high-energy numbers, she became the go-to singer for composers across genres and generations.. Her strong presence in Bollywood inspired the 1997 Cornershop hit Brimful of Asha.. On Sunday, Tjinder Singh of Cornershop band said that “few have reached the ability to be loved in so many languages and dialects, and even fewer have reached so many with the astonishment of heart that her songs gave us”.. AFP via Getty Images. Born in 1933 into a family of musicians, she began singing as a child alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father’s death.. Her personal life was marked by early challenges. She married at 16, in a relationship that later broke down.. Through the ye  

​ Britney Spears goes into rehab after driving under the influence arrest. 55 minutes ago. Ian YoungsCulture reporter. Getty Images. Britney Spears has gone into rehab, a month after she was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.. The singer voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility, her representative told multiple US media outlets on Sunday.. Following her arrest on 4 March, the star’s representative called the incident “completely inexcusable” and said her loved ones would “come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being”.. Her entry into treatment comes three weeks before the 44-year-old is due to appear in court in California to face the DUI charge.. Last month, Spears was reported to authorities for driving her BMW “erratically at a high rate of speed” on a motorway, California Highway Patrol said.. She “showed signs of impairment” and submitted to a series of field sobriety tests after she was pulled over.. Afterwards, her representative told the BBC: “Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.. “Hopefully, she can get the help and support she needs during this difficult time.. “Her boys are going to be spending time with her. Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue needed plan to set her up for success for well being.”. Spears is one of the most successful pop stars of all time, with hits such as Baby One More Time, Toxic, Everytime, Gimme More, Womanizer, and Stronger.. For 13 years until 2021, Spears was in a conservatorship – a legal guardianship that saw her finances and personal life controlled by her father.. He has said it was necessary because her life was “in shambles and she was in physical, emotional, mental and financial distress”.. “Through the conservatorship, Britney has been able to return to a path towards stability in all of these phases of her life. The mission has been successful and it is now time for Britney to re-take control of her life.”. Britney Spears arrested in California on suspicion of driving under the influence. Britney Spears said she was used. Kevin Federline says she needs help. Britney says she’ll never return to music industry. Britney Spears. Music  

​ Carney on verge of Liberal majority government as votes cast in three by-elections. 59 minutes ago. Max Matzaand. Jessica Murphy,Canada digital editor, Toronto. Reuters. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals could soon have a slim majority in the House of Commons if the party is able to make gains in three by-elections being held on Monday.. The outcome of the races – two in the Toronto area and one near Montreal – could solidify his hold on power, staving off a federal election until as late as 2029 and giving his party the ability to pass legislation without relying on support from opposition benches.. Liberals currently hold 171 of the 343 seats in the House, one shy of a technical majority.. The likely power shift comes a year after Carney became prime minister and follows a series of defections by opposition members of parliament to the Liberals.. The Liberals are widely expected to win the two Toronto ridings, or constituencies, of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale.. The seats were previously held by former defence minister Bill Blair – now Canada’s ambassador to the UK – and Chrystia Freeland, who served as deputy prime minister under Justin Trudeau and is now an adviser to Ukraine.. The race in Terrebonne, a Montreal suburb, is considered a toss-up between the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois.. The Liberal candidate won by a single vote in last year’s federal election in April. In February, Canada’s top court nullified the result over a clerical error involving a postal ballot by the federal election agency, Elections Canada.. Wins in Toronto will be enough for Carney to clinch a narrow majority. But the prime minister has already been able to shore up his bench with five defectors – four former Conservatives and one member of the left-wing New Democratic Party.. While it’s not unusual for legislators to occasionally defect in Canadian politics, the recent rate of party-switching was “extraordinary”, said Semra Sevi, who teaches political science at the University of Toronto.. “Carney has built a big tent, attracting members of parliament who would not normally be associated with the Liberal party,” Sevi told the BBC.. “The complication, however, is that the tent may now be so big that there isn’t a lot of ideological coherence in it.”. Carney has been forced to defend the most recent floor-crosser, Marilyn Gladu, who was once seen as more socially conservative and who is “personally pro-life”, though she said she supports access to abortion services.. Gladu has said she will vote in line with the Liberals on such issues, and Carney has said the party’s “values” have not changed.. Polls suggest the Liberals are about 10 to 15 points ahead of the Conservatives, the official opposition, with Carney himself maintaining strong support among Canadians.. The Liberals have taken a more politically conservative shift under Carney, especially compared to Trudeau, making the party more attractive to right-of-centre MPs.. He has