In this week's episode of "That Wasn't on My 2026 Bingo Card", President Donald Trump lashed out at Pope Leo after his criticism of the US war against Iran, and Iranian leader Masoud Pezeshkian came to the pontiff's defence.
Mr Trump on Sunday called Chicago-born Pope Leo "weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy" - am I alone in being unaware that popes are supposed to fight crime? - and in an interview with CBS, he advised him to avoid getting involved in politics.
In response, Mr Pezeshkian condemned Mr Trump's "insult".
The Pope has criticised Washington over the war in Iran, and last week chastised Mr Trump for threatening to end Iranian civilisation if Tehran failed to reach a deal with the US. "God does not bless any conflict," Pope Leo said in recent days, in a riposte to the Trump administration continuing to embed Christian themes into its messaging on the war.
Vice President JD Vance, a devout Catholic, has toed the administration line, saying at an event in Georgia this week that Pope Leo should "be careful when he talks about matters of theology". And folks, he said that with a straight face.
The papal-presidential spat comes after lacklustre US-Iran talks in Islamabad at the weekend, the failure of which fortunately did not lead to a resumption of the conflict – even though the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.
Matters in the crucial waterway weren't helped much when Mr Trump announced that the US would initiate its own blockade, the purpose and duration of which have yet to be fully understood. A Chinese tanker under US sanctions appeared on Tuesday to try to make a run through the blockade, but eventually turned back.
While the ceasefire holds with Iran, the region is waiting to see whether it will eventually extend to Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of people and displaced more than a million.
Israeli and Lebanese representatives met this week in Washington for US-brokered peace talks. Sources told our UN correspondent Adla Massoud before the talks that Lebanon's goal was a ceasefire followed by further negotiations, but the halt in fighting didn't end up materialising.
Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social that Israel and Lebanon would be speaking today, and an Israeli minister later echoed this, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would speak with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. But reports say Lebanese officials aren't aware of any planned discussion.
Still, hopes are high a ceasefire is possible, with all sides in the talks in Washington agreeing to pursue further negotiations. And while no new talks between the US and Iran have been scheduled, Mr Trump said yesterday that the war is "very close to over".
Eye on the White House
Trump administration offers $10m reward for information on Kataib Hezbollah chief
The US on Tuesday said it was offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on Kataib Hezbollah chief Ahmad Al Hamidawi.
In a statement, the Rewards for Justice programme accused Mr Al Hamidawi of directing attacks on US diplomatic missions by Kataib Hezbollah, which is based in Iraq.
Kataib Hezbollah was designated a foreign terrorist organisation in 2009. In February 2020, the State Department designated Mr Al Hamidawi a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
What's Washington talking about?
Waltz on UN The US ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, appeared before the Senate yesterday to defend the Trump administration's critical approach towards the world body. Mr Waltz said the US has made a "number of strides" in reforming the UN, which he accused of pushing "costly ideological agendas". He said that if American taxpayer money is going to support the UN, it "must work for American interests". Democrats on the panel pushed back, with Senator Tim Kaine saying the administration's words and actions against enemies and allies alike have made the world ask: "Is this America first, or America alone?"
Vance and Turning Point Mr Vance this week attended an event at the University of Georgia hosted by conservative activist group Turning Point USA – although only about a quarter of the seats were full, according to a reporter at the event. Powerful advocacy organisation Turning Point received a boost in popularity after its founder, Charlie Kirk, was killed during an event in Utah last year. Mr Kirk's wife Erika has since taken over leadership of the organisation and she was set to appear alongside Mr Vance at the Georgia event, but pulled out at the last minute citing security concerns. Critics say it was really because of low ticket uptake. She might have also wanted to avoid any drama. During Mr Vance's speech, hecklers in the audience shouted, "You're killing children" and "Jesus Christ does not support genocide".
DoorDash Grandma Mr Trump had a McDonald's order delivered to the White House this week by Sharon Simmons of Arkansas, who wore a red "DoorDash Grandma" T-shirt. He chatted with Ms Simmons and reporters about his no tax on tips policy outside the Oval Office, promoting his economic successes before the midterms. Ms Simmons said she took the delivery job to help pay for her husband's cancer treatment and claimed the policy had saved her thousands of dollars – although I'm left wondering why, in the richest country in the world, an elderly woman should have to work a delivery gig to pay for her spouse's probably exorbitantly expensive health bills in the first place.
Spotlight:
Why getting to a World Cup venue in the US could be as hard as getting a ticket
For football fans around the world, the idea of attending a World Cup match may start with a crowded city square, before a short train ride or walk through busy streets towards the stadium.
But when the 2026 Fifa World Cup arrives in the US this summer, international supporters could discover that one of the biggest challenges is not finding a ticket for the tournament, but figuring out how to reach a game.
In Massachusetts, Fifa has called Gillette Stadium, which will host group-stage matches including England v Ghana and Iraq v Norway, “Boston Stadium". It is actually in a small town 50km to the south-west, and a journey there can take an hour on a good day.
“A lot of folks will think it’s in Boston … it’s concerning,” Jonathan Berk, an urbanist and the founder of housing advocacy group re:Main, tells The National.
Read more from Joshua Longmore
Only in America
Iran-linked AI Lego video account removed by US-based YouTube
Explosive Media, one of several groups using artificial intelligence to create pro-Iran videos with the look and feel of The Lego Movie, said that YouTube has suspended its account.
"Our YouTube channel just got taken down again for 'violent content'," the group posted on X. "Seriously! Are our Lego-style animations actually violent?"
The anti-US videos created by Explosive Media have received a great deal of shares and engagement, particularly amid the war with Iran.
The group's content started to appear in 2025, and consisted largely of political commentary delivered by a young Iranian.
Read more
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