US diplomat Marco Rubio meets Pope Leo XIV amid White House-Vatican tensions
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited the Vatican for talks with Pope Leo XIV, against a backdrop of heightened tensions between the White House and the Vatican. This visit follows criticism from President Trump regarding Pope Leo's anti-war stance. Rubio, a devout Catholic, aimed to de-escalate the rift ahead of his private audience with the Pope, which was to be followed by discussions with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. The US ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch, indicated it would likely be a "frank conversation." Parolin noted that Washington initiated the meeting and that they would discuss recent events, as well as international issues including Latin America, Cuba, and Lebanon. Relations between the Trump administration and the Holy See have deteriorated since Pope Leo's election a year ago. Trump had previously criticized the Pope on social media, calling him "WEAK on crime, and terrible for foreign policy," after Leo called for peace in the Middle East and condemned Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization. Rubio stated that the trip was planned before the clash and that there was "a lot to talk about with the Vatican," particularly religious freedom. Despite attempts at peace-making, Trump again criticized the Pope, alleging that Leo believes it is "OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon." Pope Leo responded by emphasizing the Catholic Church's mission to "preach peace" and the Gospel, stating that the Church has long opposed all nuclear wea
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Brazilian forward Luiz Henrique stated that the national team must channel the pressure of the upcoming World Cup into motivation. Brazil, a five-time World Cup winner, last lifted the trophy in 2002. Henrique, 25, who plays for Russia’s Zenit, is considered a key attacking option for head coach Carlo Ancelotti, especially as the team faces multiple injuries to players like Eder Militao, Estevao, and Rodrygo. Henrique expressed his readiness to play and give his best if selected by Ancelotti, who is expected to name his final squad on May 18. He praised Ancelotti, appointed in May last year, for helping players evolve and instilling calm. Henrique also mentioned his desire to play alongside Neymar, who hopes to be called up despite a serious knee injury that has kept him from playing for Brazil since 2023.
Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, stated that effective security in Nigeria relies on strong collaboration between the police and communities. Speaking at the 42nd anniversary of the Police Community Relations Committee PCRC in Abuja, Disu, represented by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, described the PCRC as a crucial pillar of community-oriented policing. He emphasized that security is a shared responsibility, thriving when citizens and law enforcement work together. Disu highlighted the PCRC's role in building trust, providing support during crises, and advocating for safer neighborhoods over the years. He noted that the future of policing and national security depends on deeper collaboration, smarter engagement, and stronger community participation, affirming the Nigeria Police Force's commitment to a proactive, intelligence-driven, technology-enabled, and community-rooted policing model. Disu called for renewed commitment to community engagement and public trust to build peaceful communities, urging the PCRC to embrace new ideas, technologies, and partnerships. The National Chairman of the PCRC, Alhaji Mogaji Olaniyan, commended the Nigeria Police Force's support and mentioned the committee's expansion beyond Nigeria to countries like the UK, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, Qatar, the US, and Saudi Arabia. Olaniyan also noted the PCRC's support for police officers and their families, with over 6,000 officers benefiting from welfare packages
The National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office NASSCO announced that more than 12.3 million Nigerians have been linked to the National Social Register NSR using their National Identification Numbers NINs. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and credibility in social intervention programs. Dr. Funmi Olotu, National Coordinator of NASSCO, shared this during a stakeholder engagement in Abuja, emphasizing that integrating NINs into the NSR improves data integrity, eliminates duplication, and ensures interventions reach the intended beneficiaries. This aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to build a more accountable social protection system. The NSR currently covers over 20 million households and more than 77 million individuals across Nigeria. Olotu noted significant progress, with over 9.7 million household records updated and 11.5 million NINs successfully validated across 37 states and 774 Local Government Areas. She stressed the critical role of local governments in the successful implementation of these programs due to their proximity to communities. Olubunmi Olusanya, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, highlighted the NSR as a key pillar in Nigeria’s poverty reduction efforts. He warned that without full NIN integration, many vulnerable Nigerians risk exclusion from government interventions and underscored the importance of local government authorities in ensuring the program's credibility an
The House of Representatives has formed an ad-hoc committee to investigate outstanding debts owed to the Federal Government by state actors, private entities, and Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Oluwole Oke, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, will chair the committee. The committee's mandate includes identifying debtors, assessing current recovery efforts, and recommending strategies for fund recovery. This initiative follows a motion highlighting Nigeria's increasing debt burden, which reached N153.29tn by September 30, 2025, with debt servicing consuming 47.85% of government revenue in the first nine months of 2025. Lawmakers expressed concern that insufficient attention has been given to recovering funds owed to the government, exacerbating fiscal challenges. The investigation aims to address the revenue crisis and the unlawful retention of public funds, which negatively impacts the economy amid rising debt obligations and infrastructure deficits. The committee is expected to submit its report within four weeks.