US Catholics express unease over Trump's public disputes with Pope Leo
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Donald Trump's ongoing public disagreements with Pope Leo are causing concern among some American Catholics, a significant voting demographic. Trump has criticized Pope Leo on various issues, including Iran and immigration, and recently called the pontiff "weak." Pope Leo, born in Chicago, has stated his moral obligation to speak against war. Some Catholics, like 88-year-old Jim Supp, expressed anger over Trump's questioning of the Pope's theological views and a deleted AI-generated image that appeared to depict Trump as a Christ-like figure, which 68-year-old John O’Brian considered "blasphemy." Pope Leo has also warned about AI abuse without directly referencing Trump's post. Traditionally, US presidents have avoided strong criticism of popes to maintain support from American Catholics. However, Trump has not followed this tradition, despite winning the 2024 election with a majority of Catholic votes. The Middle East conflict has been a point of contention, with Pope Leo condemning Trump's threat to attack Iranian civilization as "unacceptable," to which Trump responded by calling the pontiff "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy." This public sparring could pose a vulnerability for Republicans in the upcoming midterms. Anthony Clark, a policy fellow, acknowledged Trump's good intentions but noted his imprudence in approaching controversial topics. Others, like 22-year-old Carolina Herrera, respected Pope Leo for standing his ground against the administration. Whi
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Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has arrived in Warsaw to join the squad for Wednesday's international friendly against Poland. Ndidi, along with Moses Simon and Akor Adams, was named in the squad for the June international window. The team, led by coach Eric Chelle, arrived in the Polish capital on Monday and held their first training session. According to media officer Promise Efoghe, 18 players are in camp, with 16 participating in the session. Other players include goalkeepers Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho, and Arthur Okonkwo, as well as Paul Onuachu, Terem Moffi, Tochukwu Nnadi, Emmanuel Fernandez, Semi Ajayi, Rafiu Durosinmi, Zaidu Sanusi, Igho Ogbu, Raphael Onyedika, Frank Onyeka, Bruno Onyemaechi, and Abdullahi Ibrahim. After the Poland match, the Super Eagles will travel to Portugal to face the Selecao in their final World Cup tune-up game. Coach Chelle expressed optimism for the upcoming game, emphasizing the team's winning culture, despite the players being in a holiday mood. He also noted the absence of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Alhassan Yusuf, and Samuel Chukwueze for the friendlies.
Must ReadThe Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience OSPRE and CONCORD, a non-profit organization, have called for enhanced interfaith collaboration and collective action to combat insecurity and social division in Nigeria. This appeal was made during a strategic interfaith roundtable in Abuja, themed "Safeguarding Nigeria’s Religious Pluralism: Faith, Dialogue and National Cohesion." The event gathered faith leaders, peacebuilding experts, community organizers, policymakers, and civil society actors to discuss narratives surrounding religion and violence in Nigeria and explore ways to strengthen social cohesion. Participants emphasized the need for constructive engagement and coordinated responses to the drivers of insecurity and social fragmentation. Mr. Chris Ngwodo, Director-General of OSPRE, urged a nationwide commitment to protecting vulnerable rural communities and stressed that sustainable peace requires inclusive strategies addressing root causes like governance failures, injustice, and underdevelopment. Ms. Fatima Madaki, Director of Integrative Missions and Dialogue at CONCORD, highlighted the importance of balanced, locally driven engagement amidst international scrutiny of religious freedom issues, referencing Nigeria's designation as a "Country of Particular Concern" by the United States Government. She warned that misinformation and external narratives could exacerbate mistrust, emphasizing that Nigeria's strength lies in its diversity and ability to coexist. O
Must ReadThe Nigerian capital market has successfully transitioned to a T+1 settlement cycle, becoming the first market in Africa to implement this shortened framework. This move is designed to enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and improve global competitiveness. Emomotimi Agama, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, described it as a defining moment, noting Nigeria's rapid progress from T+2 to T+1 in six months. He stated that this reform aligns Nigeria's capital market with global best practices, improving post-trade efficiency, reducing counterparty risk, and strengthening investor confidence. Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of NGX Group, called the transition a key step in the market's transformation, reinforcing confidence in institutions and demonstrating a commitment to a more efficient market. Temi Popoola, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group, emphasized that this is part of a broader journey to build a deeper, more liquid, and globally competitive market. Shehu Shantali, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of CSCS Plc, highlighted that the new cycle enhances transaction speed, improves liquidity, and reduces settlement exposure, representing a strategic upgrade to market infrastructure. The transition followed six months of coordinated preparations involving various market participants.
Must ReadWorkers of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC have begun an indefinite nationwide strike, closing the commission's offices on Monday due to unresolved welfare and administrative grievances. Operational staff are exempt from the industrial action while discussions are ongoing. Negotiations between staff representatives and management regarding institutional governance, staff welfare, promotions, and training opportunities failed to reach an agreement, leading to the strike. The workers are demanding a review of the current cost-of-collection structure, specifically the one percent allocation to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which they claim has weakened the upstream regulator's operational and financial capacity. They also accuse the commission of an operator-style regulatory approach, causing overlapping responsibilities. Other demands include wages reflecting the oil and gas industry's remuneration structures and addressing concerns about staff development, career progression, and capacity building, particularly the commission's preference for local over overseas training programs. The NUPRC confirmed the strike but stated it has not impacted oil and gas facilities or production, with top management meeting unions to resolve the issue.