Pope Leo XIV denounces war justification at Palm Sunday Mass

Pope Leo XIV says no one can use God to justify war and he's praying especially for Christians in the Middle East. He used his Palm Sunday homily to call Jesus the “king of peace” who rejects violence. He says God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has recently invoked his faith to cast the Iran war as a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes with military might. Leo will also bring back the Holy Thursday foot-washing ritual in the Lateran basilica. He will then lead major Good Friday and Easter liturgies.

AP News
‘Our assumptions are broken’: how fraudulent church data revealed AI’s threat to polling

Experts say paid participants are using automated tools to generate unreliable survey responses at scale

The Guardian
Pete Hegseth is imbuing violence with a religious righteousness

The defense secretary prayed for ‘overwhelming violence’ against enemies in Iran. He seems to delight in it

The Guardian
Church leaders criticise Christian owner of GB News over channel’s climate attacks

Exclusive: Paul Marshall also challenged over his own ‘misleading’ statements and £1.8bn of fossil fuel investments in his hedge fund

The Guardian
Hegseth prays at Pentagon service for ‘overwhelming violence’ against enemies

Remarks come after Hegseth calls for changes to military’s chaplain corps, which he said had been ‘watered down’

The Guardian
Democratic rising star extends ‘love’ after Hegseth pastor prays for his death

Senate nominee in Texas James Talarico says ‘Christian nationalism kills’ in response to Brooks Potteiger remark

The Guardian