Author: www.newsworldbird.com

The death of Pope Francis last week has triggered solemn mourning in cathedrals—and speculative murmurs in corners of the internet where history, anxiety, and memes collide. A pattern, they say, is emerging: Pope Pius X died in 1914, just as World War I began. Pope Pius XI died in 1939, on the eve of World War II. Now, as the world simmers with conflicts from Ukraine to Gaza, and with tensions rising in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, Pope Francis has passed. The timing, to some, feels… ominous.
But here’s the thing: timing is not causality. The idea that papal deaths somehow signal or foreshadow world wars is compelling as a narrative—especially in a social media age where historical trivia morphs easily into eschatological prophecy. But it falls into a classic logical trap: post hoc ergo propter hoc—after this, therefore because of this.
It’s the same fallacy that leads people to think carrying a rabbit’s foot prevents bad luck, or that a stock market crash is inevitable every time a comet appears. In truth, correlation does not imply causation. Popes do not cause wars, nor do their deaths catalyse international conflict. History is messy, multicausal, and rarely as narratively tidy as a meme might suggest.
The Pius X – World War I Theory
On social media platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), a particularly viral claim draws a dotted line between the death of Pope Pius X and the start of World War I. Pius X died on 20 August 1914, barely three weeks after Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Online historians note that he had been gravely ill but reportedly heartbroken by the news of war engulfing Europe—a narrative that adds a touch of spiritual gravitas to a bloody, imperialist brawl. But the implication that his death somehow unlocked the gates of global war is a leap of logic, not fact. The war was already underway; the Pope died with it—not before it.
The Pius XI – World War II Theory
Similarly, Pope Pius XI’s death in February 1939—mere months before Hitler invaded Poland—is often held up as another prophetic papal exit. His successor, Pius XII, would become the wartime Pope, navigating the Vatican through neutrality, moral ambiguity, and post-war reckoning. But again, this connection is exaggerated. The world was already on the brink. Hitler had annexed Austria, occupied the Sudetenland, and torn up treaties like confetti at a fascist wedding. The Pope’s death didn’t cause the war; it merely coincided with a crescendo of fascist momentum that had been building for years.
Why the Pattern Feels Real
Still, we’re not entirely irrational to search for patterns. Humans are pattern-seeking creatures, especially in moments of uncertainty. The deaths of Pius X and Pius XI did coincide with inflection points in world history—not because the papacy drives global violence, but because the papacy, like everything else, exists within history’s tides.
And now, in 2025, the world is once again on edge. But this is not because Pope Francis died. Rather, his death occurred amid an already unstable international order—one defined by decentralised conflict, climate-driven migration, economic disruption, and an ongoing epistemic crisis where truth is contested and institutions are under siege.
The Danger of Drawing Lines Too Neatly
The allure of connecting papal deaths with world crises also reflects a deeper psychological need: the desire for meaning. In a world that feels chaotic, the illusion of pattern offers comfort. If history follows cycles, perhaps we can predict—and avoid—disaster. But this thinking can lead us astray.
Assigning too much significance to such correlations distracts us from real drivers of conflict: ethno-nationalism, unchecked militarism, authoritarian revival, resource scarcity, and digital disinformation. These are the forces shaping the world today—not Vatican funerals or papal conclaves.
A Reminder of Continuity, Not Crisis
What the death of a Pope does signify is a moment of reflection for a major global institution—one that still carries moral and symbolic weight for over a billion people. The transition of papal power often marks the end of an era, a shift in tone, sometimes in theology or diplomacy. But it is not a doomsday clock. It is a bell tolling in a world already noisy with real alarms.
So, as the College of Cardinals convenes in Rome to elect the next spiritual leader of the Catholic Church, it is not history’s hidden codes we should decipher, but the open wounds of our time. The threats we face—geopolitical, environmental, ideological—are not prophetic mysteries. They are human-made. And they require human solutions.
Still, if you see someone quietly lighting candles and looking nervously at a world map after a papal death, don’t scoff. Just gently remind them: history doesn’t repeat—it only rhymes. And not all rhymes are omens. Some are just echoes.

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NEW DELHI: Over 20 people, mainly tourists, were killed on Tuesday in a terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley area of Pahalgam, located in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police told news agency AFP.
The gunshots were reportedly heard in the Valley, a popular tourist destination often referred to as “mini-Switzerland,” prompting the immediate deployment of security forces to the area.
The site is accessible only on foot or horseback, making the rescue and response efforts more challenging.
The officials said that authorities pressed a chopper into service for the evacuation of the injured, adding some of the wounded were brought down from the meadows by local people on their ponies.
Officials have confirmed injuries among tourists, though the extent is yet to be fully determined.
A doctor at the Pahalgam hospital told PTI that 12 injured tourists were admitted there and the condition of all of them was stable.
Hours after the attack, PM Modi, who is on a visit to Saudi Arabia, spoke Union home minister Amit Shah and asked him to take all suitable measures. The PM also asked the home minister to visit the site.
Condemning the attack on tourists, PM Modi said those behind the “heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! “
“I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” PM Modi wrote on X.
Amit Shah said that “those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared”.
“Anguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. My thoughts are with the family members of the deceased. Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared, and we will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences,” Shah wrote.
President Droupadi Murmu said attacking “innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable”.
“The terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir is shocking and painful. It is a dastardly and inhuman act which must be condemned unequivocally. Attacking innocent citizens, in this case tourists, is utterly appalling and unpardonable. My heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their dear ones and my prayers for the quick recovery of the injured,” the President wrote on X.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply anguished by the news of terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir)”.
“This dastardly attack on innocent civilians is an act of cowardice and highly reprehensible. My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families,” Singh said.
Reacting to the attacks, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said he was “shocked beyond belief” and expressed sympathies to the families of the deceased.
“I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman & worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased. I’ve spoken to my colleague Sakina Itoo & she has moved to the hospital to oversee arrangements for the injured. I’ll be flying back to Srinagar immediately,” he wrote on X.
Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha also condemned the attack and said search operations were under way.
” I strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished. Spoke to the DGP & Security officials. Army and J&K Police teams have rushed to the area and launched search operations,” he said.
Sinha said he has directed the district administration and the health officials to provide immediate medical attention to those admitted at Pahalgam.
BJP leader Ravinder Raina claimed that Pakistani terrorists were behind the brutal killings of the tourists.
He said that the entire area has been cordoned off and that terrorists and those helping them would be punished.
“Pakistani terrorists have carried out a cowardly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. Cowardly Pakistani terrorists cannot face the brave soldiers of the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and our paramilitary forces. These cowardly terrorists have targeted unarmed innocent tourists who had come to visit Kashmir,” Raina said.
He further added: “Some tourists have been admitted to the local hospital in an injured condition. The entire area has been cordoned off by the Army and police. The terrorists who are guilty of this attack and those who are helping them will be punished.”
Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the attack on tourists, saying a “thorough investigation is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice and examine potential security lapses”.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which tragically killed one and injured several. Such violence is unacceptable and must be denounced. Historically, Kashmir has welcomed tourists warmly, making this rare incident deeply concerning,” she wrote on X.
Mufti futher said: “A thorough investigation is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice and examine potential security lapses. Ensuring visitor safety is paramount, and steps must be taken to prevent future attacks. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi said the whole country “is united against terrorism” and lashed out at the central government for “making hollow claims of the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir”.
“The news of the death of tourists and injuries to many in the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir is extremely condemnable and heartbreaking. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. The whole country is united against terrorism,” Rahul said.
He further wrote: “Instead of making hollow claims of the situation being normal in Jammu and Kashmir, the government should now take accountability and take concrete steps so that such barbaric incidents do not happen in the future and innocent Indians do not lose their lives like this.”
24/7 Emergency Help Desk for Tourists – Police Control Room Anantnag: 9596777669; 01932225870. Whatsapp: 9419051940

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NEW DELHI: Panic gripped Pahalgam in South Kashmir on Tuesday after terrorists attacked a popular tourist spot, leaving more than 20 people feared dead, according to AFP.
The attack occurred around 3 PM when terrorists descended from the mountains of Baisaran Valley and opened fire on tourists in the area, which is often called ‘mini Switzerland’ for its scenic green meadows.
Videos circulating online showed security forces and police rushing to the scene, with several people lying injured or motionless on the ground.
‘Loved ones lie in pools of blood’
Cries for help echoed across the Baisaran meadows, as panicked women were seen weeping and frantically searching for their loved ones amid pool of blood.
One woman, who did not reveal her identity, pleaded for urgent help to move the injured to the hospital.
“Bhaiyya, please save my husband,” she cried, her voice shaking with desperation, reported news agency PTI.
‘My husband was shot in the head’
Ambulances were rushed in to assist the victims. At Pahalgam hospital, medical staff confirmed 12 tourists were receiving treatment, adding that all were in stable condition.
“My husband was shot in the head while seven others were also injured in the attack,” a woman survivor told PTI over phone call.
The incident occurs during a period of increased tourism in Kashmir following years of unrest. The 38-day Amarnath pilgrimage is due to commence on July 3.
‘Attackers emerged from the dense pine forest’
Officials deployed a helicopter to evacuate the wounded, whilst local residents assisted in transporting some injured individuals from the meadows using ponies.
Early PTI reports indicated that the attackers emerged from the dense pine forest surrounding Baisaran, a location previously favoured by Bollywood productions in the 1980s.
Military, CRPF and local police forces rushed to Baisaran meadows upon receiving news of the attack, according to a senior police official.
Security forces have initiated a comprehensive counter-terrorism operation, deploying personnel in all directions to locate the perpetrators.
‘Tourists evacuated following attack’
The previously bustling Pahalgam resort became vacant as tourists evacuated the area following the attack, concerned for their safety.
Baisaran serves as a significant tourist destination in Pahalgam and provides camping facilities for trekkers heading towards Tulian Lake.
The site is accessible via pony rides from Pahalgam, offering visitors views of the town and Lidder Valley during the journey.
The Amarnath shrine pilgrimage attracts thousands of devotees who travel via two routes: the traditional 48-km Pahalgam path in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
‘Strongly condemn cowardly terror attack’
Taking to X, PM Modi said, “I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected.”
“Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” he wrote on X.
Earlier, chief minister Omar Abdullah confirmed that authorities are still determining the number of casualties. “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” he said on X.
“I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased,” CM Abdullah said.
“These cowardly terrorists have targeted unarmed, innocent tourists who had come to visit Kashmir. Some tourists have been admitted to the local hospital in an injured condition,” he added.
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha condemned the terror attack at the tourist destination of Pahalgam, promising to ensure accountability.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished,” the LG posted on X.

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Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has expressed deep disappointment over the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman’s directive to remove his name from the North Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
The former cricketer did not hold back his emotions, calling the situation “heartbreaking” and a “complete disgrace to the sport.”
“It pains me deeply to say this, but I sometimes regret having played cricket. It’s heartbreaking to see individuals with little to no understanding of the game now in positions to teach and lead. It’s a complete disgrace to the sport,” he told IANS.
Azharuddin, who served as HCA president from September 2019 to September 2023, said he intends to take legal action and urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to step in.

“I am determined to pursue legal action against this injustice, and I urge the BCCI to intervene and take appropriate action. This issue isn’t isolated – Sunrisers Hyderabad also had a dispute with the association over passes, highlighting a pattern of mismanagement and conflict,” the former skipper said.

He further added that the situation has become personal, especially after he was barred from contesting the HCA elections.
“What’s unfolding is beyond comprehension, and it hurts me on a personal level. I was not allowed to contest the HCA elections, simply because I exposed the corruption within the system. That truth made me a target,” he said.
The decision to remove Azharuddin’s name from the stadium stand was taken by Justice (Retd) V. Eswaraiah, the HCA’s ethics officer, following a petition filed by Lords Cricket Club — a member unit of the state association.
The petition alleged that Azharuddin, during his tenure as HCA president, misused his position by taking arbitrary decisions. It pointed specifically to an Apex Council meeting in December 2019, just a month after he took office, where a resolution was passed to name the North Stand after him. According to HCA rules, such resolutions require approval from the General Body, which was reportedly not obtained.

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US stocks and dollar plunge as Trump attacks Fed chair Powell

US stocks and the dollar plunged again as President Donald Trump intensified his attacks on the US central bank boss calling him “a major loser” for not lowering interest rates.

In a social media post, Trump called on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates “pre-emptively” to help boost the economy, saying Powell had been consistently too slow to respond to economic developments.

“There can be a SLOWING of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW,” he wrote.

Trump’s criticism of Powell’s handling of the US economy comes as his own plans for tariffs have driven a stock market sell-off and raised fears of economic recession.

The president’s intensifying clash with Powell, whom he named to lead the Fed during his first term, has added to the market turmoil.

The S&P 500, which tracks 500 of the biggest US companies, fell roughly 2.4% on Monday. It has lost roughly 12% of its value since the start of the year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.4% and has dropped about 10% so far this year, while the Nasdaq fell more than 2.5% and is down roughly 18% since January.

However, on Tuesday, trading on most major stock indexes in the Asia-Pacific region was subdued. Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed around 0.1% lower, and the ASX 200 in Sydney closed around 0.3% lower. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed about 0.3% higher.

In European early trading, the UK’s FTSE 100 stock exchange was marginally lower by about 0.05%, while Germany’s Dax was down around 0.5% and France’s CAC was down 0.6%.

Though the US dollar and US government bonds are typically considered safe assets in times of market turmoil, they have not escaped the recent turbulence.

The dollar index – which measures the strength of the dollar against a set of currencies including the euro – on Monday fell to its lowest level since 2022.

Interest rates on US government debt also continued to rise on Tuesday, as investors demanded higher returns for holding Treasuries.

Meanwhile, the price of gold hit a new all-time record high, breaking the $3,500 (£2,613) per ounce mark as investors seek out so-called “safe haven” assets.

The precious metal is viewed as a safer place to put money during times of economic uncertainty.

Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said as well as tariffs, gold’s appeal had also increased due there being “no long-term resolution in sight for conflicts around the world, particularly in Ukraine and Gaza”.

“There are also concerns about the risk that geo-political tensions escalate as opportunities in the Arctic are eyed by the US and Russia,” she added.

Trump’s criticism of Powell dates back to his first term in office, when he also reportedly discussed firing him. Since winning the election, he has urged Powell to lower borrowing costs.

The latest criticism follows Powell’s warnings that Trump’s import taxes were likely to drive up prices and slow the economy.

Trump last week called publicly for Powell to be fired, writing on social media on Thursday: “Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough.”

Such a move would be controversial – and legally questionable – given a tradition of independence at the bank.

Powell last year told reporters he did not believe the president had the legal authority to remove him.

But one of Trump’s top economic advisers confirmed that officials were studying the option on Friday, when the stock market in the US was closed for trading.

‘When the US sneezed, the world caught a cold’

Trump’s latest comments come as top economic policymakers are gathering in Washington for the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.

Christopher Meissner, a professor of economics at University of California, Davis, and who formerly worked with the IMF, told the BBC’s Today programme that before the 1970s there was “significant” political pressure on the Federal Reserve from time to time.

“However, the past 30 or 40 years what we’ve learned is that central bank independence is the key to financial stability and low inflation. And I think this is a major reversal and we have to watch out for it,” he added.

“The independence of central banks is seen as critical to ensure long-term price stability, ringfencing policymakers from short-term political pressures,” added Ms Streeter, of Hargreaves Lansdown.

The IMF will publish its latest growth forecasts for individual countries later, and last week it said these projections would include “notable markdowns”.

Mr Meissner said: “They used to say ‘When the US sneezed, the rest of the world caught a cold’. It’ll be really curious to see if that continues.

“However, I think people are expecting a pretty significant downturn in the US in the coming months… and that can’t be good for the rest of the world.”

Ms Streeter said that Trump’s policies had damaged the reputation of the US, which is “no longer being seen as a calmer port in a storm”.

“Yields on 10–year US Treasuries have held onto their recent rise above 4.4%. It’s another sign of unease about the direction of the US economy, amid worries that policies playing out could keep inflation higher and slow growth, and flags the anxiety rattling through the markets right now,” she added.

Follow the twists and turns of Trump’s second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher’s weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.

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I felt BBC wanted me to leave Match of the Day, says Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker has said he believes the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day as he was negotiating a new contract last year.

The presenter and the BBC jointly announced in November that he would be stepping down from the flagship football programme, although he will still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage.

Asked by the BBC’s Amol Rajan why he would choose to leave given his successful tenure, Lineker said: “Well, perhaps they want me to leave. There was the sense of that.”

The BBC didn’t comment on that suggestion, but at the time Lineker’s exit was announced, the corporation’s director of sport described him as a “world-class presenter”.

However, the BBC noted in the same statement that Match of the Day “continually evolves for changing viewing habits”.

A new trio of presenters – Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan – was announced in January.

Reflecting on his departure from Match of the Day, Lineker told Rajan: “It’s time. I’ve done it for a long time, it’s been brilliant.”

However, asked why he’d want to leave when the ratings were still high and it was a job Lineker still enjoyed, the former footballer said he “had the sense” the BBC had wanted him to step down.

“I always wanted one more contract, and I was umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to do three years [more],” Lineker explained.

But, he continued, the matter of how long to sign for was complicated by the cycle of broadcasting rights for matches.

“In the end, I think there was a feeling that, because it was a new rights period, it was a chance to change the programme,” he said.

“I think it was their preference that I didn’t do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people. So it’s slightly unusual that I would do the FA Cup and the World Cup, but to be honest, it’s a scenario that suits me perfectly.”

Lineker added that he was pleased his football podcasts had been picked up by BBC Sounds as part of a deal with the corporation.

BBC suspension

Lineker was also asked about comments he posted on social media in March 2023, criticising the then-government’s immigration policy.

The remarks led to his suspension from the BBC, prompting other sports presenters to down tools in solidarity, something Lineker said he felt “moved” by.

Reflecting on his tweets, Lineker said he did not regret taking the position he did, but that he would not do it again because of the “damage” it did to the BBC.

“I don’t regret saying them publicly, because I was right – what I said, it was accurate – so not at all in that sense.

“Would I, in hindsight, do it again? No I wouldn’t, because of all the nonsense that came with it… It was a ridiculous overreaction that was just a reply to someone that was being very rude. And I wasn’t particularly rude back.”

He continued: “But I wouldn’t do it again because of all the kerfuffle that followed, and I love the BBC, and I didn’t like the damage that it did to the BBC… But do I regret it and do I think it was the wrong thing to do? No.”

The row erupted when Lineker called a government asylum policy “immeasurably cruel”, and said a video promoting it used language that was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”.

The home secretary at the time, Suella Braverman, who appeared in the video, called his criticism “offensive” and “lazy”, while Downing Street said it was “not acceptable”.

Lineker’s post reignited the debate about the BBC’s impartiality guidance on social media and how it applied to presenters.

While staff working in news and current affairs are expected to remain impartial on social platforms, there had been questions over how much the rules extended to BBC personalities in other areas such as entertainment and sport.

Lineker argued that the previous set of rules “were for people in news and current affairs”.

“They have subsequently changed,” he acknowledged. “But that left people like me, who has always given his honest opinions about things, then they suddenly changed them and you have to go, ‘Oh, I’ve got to be impartial now’. It doesn’t make any sense.”

He added: “I’ve always been strong on humanitarian issues and always will be, and that’s me.”

Lineker said that, following his tweets, “the goalposts were massively moved because it was never an issue until, suddenly, this point”.

The BBC updated its social media guidance in 2023 following a review that was commissioned in the wake of the fallout over Lineker’s tweets.

The corporation said presenters of flagship programmes, such as Match of the Day, “carry a particular responsibility to respect the BBC’s impartiality, because of their profile on the BBC”.

Asked if he understood that his comments gave ammunition to the BBC’s critics, Lineker said: “Yes of course, I understand that, but does it make it wrong what I did? I don’t think so. Would I do it if I knew what would’ve happened and transpired? Of course I wouldn’t.”

Gaza doc

Lineker hit the headlines again recently when he, along with 500 other high-profile figures, signed an open later urging the BBC to reinstate a documentary about Gaza to iPlayer.

The documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, was pulled from the streaming service in February after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

Lineker told Rajan he would “100%” support the documentary being made available again, arguing: “I think you let people make their own minds up. We’re adults. We’re allowed to see things like that. It’s incredibly moving.”

He added that, although the 13-year-old was narrating the programme, the script had “not been written by [the child], it’s been written by the people who produced the show”.

“I think [the BBC] just capitulated to lobbying that they get a lot,” he said.

After concerns were raised, the BBC took down the programme while it carried out further due diligence. The matter is currently still being investigated by the corporation.

The BBC said it had identified serious flaws in the making of the documentary. The BBC board said the mistakes were “significant and damaging”.

Gambling in sport

In the wide-ranging interview, which will be broadcast on Tuesday, Lineker also discussed his footballing career, his son’s leukemia battle as a baby, and his views on gambling sponsorship in sports.

Lineker said the football industry should rethink its responsibility when it comes to taking money from gambling firms.

“I know people [for whom] it becomes an addiction, it can completely destroy their lives,” he said.

“There’s talk about taking [logos] off the shirts, but you see it on the boards around the ground everywhere.

“I think football needs a long, hard look at itself about that, I really do.”

On top of his presenting roles, Lineker is also the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which make the successful The Rest is History series and its spin-offs about Politics, Football, Entertainment and Money.

The 64-year-old indicated to Rajan his next career move “won’t be more telly”, adding: “I think I’ll step back from that now.

“I think I’ll probably focus more on the podcast world, because it’s such a fun business and it’s just been so incredible.”

Amol Rajan Interviews: Gary Lineker is on BBC iPlayer now and will air on BBC Two at 19:00 BST on Tuesday.

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Toilet use based on biological sex, says Phillipson

Trans women should use toilets according to their biological sex, the equalities minister has said.

In response to the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that a woman is legally defined by biological sex, Bridget Phillipson stopped short of saying trans women should use the men’s toilets.

But she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The ruling was clear that provisions and services should be accessed on the basis of biological sex.”

Pushed further for clarification on whether a trans woman should use the men’s or women’s toilets she repeated: “The ruling is clear.”

Meanwhile, in his first comments on the ruling, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it was a “welcome step forward”.

Phillipson said the law on trans women accessing single-sex spaces on the basis of biological sex “would apply right across the board”.

But she stressed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) “will be setting out additional guidance and a statutory code of practice, because we need to make sure that everyone has the ability to access services that are safe and appropriate, and respect their privacy and dignity”.

In particular, there needed to be “appropriate and available services for all people, including trans people” when it came to settings such as hospitals and changing rooms.

Pressed on what the ruling meant for trans women looking to use a toilet today, she responded: “The ruling was clear that provisions and services should be accessed on the basis of biological sex.

“But I know that many businesses large and small will ensure that they have appropriate provision in place, for example many businesses have moved towards unisex provision or separate cubicles that can be used by anyone.”

The EHRC has already suggested trans people should use their “powers of advocacy” to campaign for so-called third spaces that are gender neutral to avoid these sorts of dilemmas.

Phillipson, who is also education secretary, said many places had unisex toilets or individual cubicles.

“Go into your local cafe, a local family cafe – [the] chances are that they’ll have one cubicle that’s self-contained that can be used by anyone,” she added.

The Equality Act 2010 allows for single-sex spaces and services without it being considered discriminatory, such as when a user may reasonably object to another person being of the opposite sex.

Campaign group For Women Scotland, which brought the case, warned that interpreting “sex” as gender identity under the law would have implications for the running of single-sex spaces and services, such as hospital wards, prisons, refuges and support groups.

The decision by the Supreme Court found the biological interpretation of sex was required for single-sex spaces – which can include changing rooms, hostels and medical services – to “function coherently”.

However, single-sex spaces could exclude people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) – which give legal status to a transgender person’s gender identity – “if it is proportionate to do so”, the judges ruled.

Transgender people have said the ruling may erode the protections they have against discrimination in their reassigned gender – protections the judges said they had under other parts of the Equality Act.

Phillipson, who managed a women’s refuge before becoming an MP, said it was important that “women – especially those who have experienced male violence, sexual violence and trauma – are able to access safe, therapeutic spaces” while ensuring that “everyone in our society is treated with dignity and respect”.

She said these women-only spaces could now be “confident as to how they deliver services” as the Supreme Court had “set that beyond doubt”.

Sir Keir also welcomed the ruling, telling ITV West Country: “A woman is an adult female, and the court has made that absolutely clear.”

He said the ruling “gives real clarity” and would inform guidance.

“It’s a welcome step forward. It’s real clarity in an area where we did need clarity, I’m pleased it’s come about.”

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YANGON: A Myanmar ceasefire declared after last month’s devastating earthquake was due to expire on Tuesday, after aid groups and international mediators called for an extension to ease relief efforts.
The junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup sparking a many-sided civil war, said it would cease attacking its myriad armed opponents following the magnitude-7.7 quake which has killed more than 3,700.
Conflict monitors and residents in combat zones say fighting continued on both sides during the 20-day truce, declared to spur aid delivery in Myanmar’s central belt and due to expire at midnight (1730 GMT).
State media reported no ceasefire extension on Tuesday morning and a junta spokesman could not immediately be reached by AFP for comment.
The March 28 earthquake has left more than 60,000 people living in tent encampments and pushed two million people into “critical need of assistance and protection” according to the UN.
Despite continued fighting, humanitarian groups and regional powers have called for the pause on hostilities to be prolonged as aid efforts continue into their fourth week.
On Thursday junta chief Min Aung Hlaing flew to Bangkok to meet Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for rare backroom talks with the chair of the 10-country ASEAN bloc.
Anwar, whose country currently holds the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said he had also spoken to Myanmar’s opposition “National Unity Government” which promised a similar truce after the tremor.
Both sides agreed “they would do whatever is necessary to avoid any extension of the fighting”, Anwar told reporters after the meeting.

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PHOENIX: President Donald Trump added another endorsement in next year’s Republican primary for Arizona governor, saying Monday that he was backing US representative Andy Biggs in addition to his previously announced endorsement of housing developer Karrin Taylor Robson. Trump’s endorsement of Robson late last year angered some of his biggest allies in the state, who are suspicious of her longstanding ties to the Republican business establishment and preferred a candidate with deep roots in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.
A former chair of the US House’s hard-right Freedom Caucus and former state senate president, Biggs has long been a close ally to Trump and supported his false claims about the 2020 presidential election being stolen. Biggs represents a deep red district including cities like Queen Creek and Gilbert, and has ties to the party’s grassroots.
Biggs has had no problem with defying party leadership – such as when he and seven other House Republicans helped oust Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker in 2023.
“When Andy Biggs decided to run for Governor, quite unexpectedly, I had a problem – Two fantastic candidates, two terrific people, two wonderful champions, and it is therefore my Great Honor to give my complete and total endorsement to both,” Trump said Monday in a post on Truth Social.
In a failed 2022 race for governor, Robson was closely aligned with old guard Arizona conservatives. She campaigned with Republicans who had fallen from Trump’s good graces, including former governor Doug Ducey and former vice-president Mike Pence, while Trump campaigned for former television news anchor Kari Lake. Lake won the GOP primary and lost to current Democratic governor Katie Hobbs.
This time around, Robson has been looking to eliminate daylight between herself and the president, eagerly embracing him and his policies while touting herself as the Trump-endorsed candidate. In reaction to the dual endorsement, Robson expressed her gratitude to Trump for his support.
“I cannot wait to be in the governor’s office as a partner to his conservative, America First agenda,” she said in a statement. “Onward!” Sean Noble, general consultant with Biggs’ campaign, said the campaign is “thrilled” for the endorsement but also expected it to be for both candidates given Trump’s earlier support of Robson.
“Given that Robson had leaned so heavily on the endorsement as her very premise for being in the race, it does call into question whether she should stay in the race,” he said.
Trump is no stranger to dual endorsements. Since 2017, he’s supported multiple candidates vying for the same post in six races, including Robson and Biggs, according to analysis by The Associated Press. In the 2022 US Senate race in Missouri, he endorsed “Eric,” the first name of two GOP candidates vying for the nomination. A triple endorsement came in 2024 in the Missouri governor’s race when Trump backed Jay Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe and Bill Eigel.
The Democratic Governors Association called the dual endorsement as a “huge blow” to Robson. The winner of the GOP primary will face likely face Hobbs, who has no serious challenger for the Democratic nomination.

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MELBOURNE: Australians began voting Tuesday at general elections as campaigning was overshadowed by the death of Pope Francis. Polling stations opened to voters who for a variety of reasons will be unable to vote on May 3. Around half the votes are expected to be cast before the election date.
Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton cancelled campaign events planned for Tuesday out of respect for the late pontiff.
Flags were flown at half staff from government buildings across the country where a 2021 census found 20% of the population were Catholics.
Albanese was raised as a Catholic but chose to be sworn in as prime minister when he was elected in 2022 by making a secular affirmation rather than by taking an oath on a Bible.
Albanese attended a Mass in honour of the pope in Melbourne’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday morning.
“I try not to talk about my faith in public,” Albanese told reporters.
“At times like this, I think what people do is they draw on who they are and certainly my Catholicism is just a part of me,” he added.
Albanese and Dutton, who leads the conservative Liberal Party, will meet in Sydney later Tuesday for the third televised leaders’ debate of the campaign.
A fourth debate is planned Sunday.
Dutton, who was raised by a Catholic father and Protestant mother and attended an Anglican school, planned to go to a church service in Sydney.
“I don’t think it’s a day for overt politicking at all. I think that the day is best spent reflecting,” Dutton told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“I don’t think there’s a place for the body blows of politics today. I think it’s a very different day from that,” Dutton added.
Albanese’s centre-left Labour Party is seeking a second three-year term.
The government held a narrow majority of 78 seats out of 151 in the House of Representatives where parties form administrations during its first term.
The lower chamber will shrink to 150 seats after the election due to redistributions.
The major parties are both predicting a close election result.

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BENGALURU: A road-rage incident involving a biker and an Indian Air Force (IAF) couple in east Bengaluru snowballed into a language controversy Monday with a Wing Commander, who was travelling in a car along with his wife, alleging he was abused in Kannada before being assaulted without any provocation.
The bleeding Wing Commander commented: “This is what Karnataka has become. I believed in Kannada, but seeing the truth of main heartland Karnataka, I could not believe it. God help us.”
Wing Commander Shiladitya Bose put out a video claiming he had shown restraint when attacked, he said, “God gave me the power not to retaliate.” His video triggered terse reactions with netizens slamming Kannada-speaking Bengalureans for targeting outsiders. Before the city got branded negatively, police arrested the biker, who maintained he was actually the one who was brutally attacked and not otherwise. When police analysed the video footage from various CCTV cameras, a shocking discovery unfolded: Bose is seen bashing up and tossing down the biker after the verbal duel turns physical.
Deputy commissioner of police (Bengaluru East) D Devaraj said: “We want to make it clear that this is not a case related to any language or region. From the facts and evidence collated, this is a clear cut case of road rage which we see every day in Bengaluru.”
The high-voltage drama unfolded around 6.20am Monday when Bose and his wife Madhumita Dutta, both residents of DRDO Phase-1 Township in CV Raman Nagar, were driving towards Old Madras Road as the former was leaving for the airport to go to Kolkata. Madhumita is a squadron leader, attached to ADA.
In her complaint to Baiyappanahalli police, Madhumita stated she was going to drop her husband when a rashly driven bike (KA53-EA528) almost hit her car.

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RAIPUR: A man from Sulesa village in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district beat his wife to death over a suspected theft. It was also revealed that he had been married ten times and nine of his wives left him due to his violent and abusive behaviour.
The 38-year-old Dhula Ram allegedly killed his tenth wife suspecting her to have stolen food items and a sari from a wedding ceremony. He then left the body hidden under the heap of dry leaves in the forest in Jashpur district in the state.
The man beat his wife to death after a confrontation in which he accused her of stealing rice, cooking oil, and clothing from a wedding. The incident took place in Pandrapath area, at Bagicha region and only came to light after the decaying body began to emit a foul odour five days later.
As per cops, the accused — Dhula Ram — had accompanied his wife, Basanti Bai, to a nearby wedding following which the incident occured. On Sunday afternoon, villagers noticed a foul smell emanating from a forested area near a drain.
Upon investigating, they discovered a severely decomposed and partially concealed corpse. The face was reportedly disfigured beyond recognition. Based on initial evidence and witness accounts, the accused was arrested shortly after.
According to police, Dhula Ram had grown increasingly suspicious and paranoid in his current marriage, fearing abandonment once again. This, compounded by the alleged theft, appears to have triggered the fatal assault, cops said.

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At midday on Monday, church bells across Italy began to toll. Pope Francis was dead.

Not even 24 hours had passed since he had made a surprise appearance on the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square, blessing the 35,000 people gathered to celebrate Easter at the Vatican.

The Pope was breathing on his own, without oxygen tubes, despite being told by his doctors to spend two months convalescing after 38 days in hospital with double pneumonia.

Over the past two weeks Francis had done what he had always done, received visitors and met people from every walk of life.

When he appeared on Easter Sunday, the crowd below erupted in cheers as he appeared; then it fell silent.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you a happy Easter,” he said, his voice heavy with effort.

They were to be his final words in public.

Follow latest updates here

“I think people could feel something – as if they could tell it was the last time they’d see him,” said Mauro, a Rome resident who was in St Peter’s Square for Easter Mass and had now returned to pay his respects.

“Usually everyone shouts ‘Long live the Pope!’… this time it was much quieter than usual, there was maybe more respect for his suffering.”

“He blessed us but his voice was a husk,” a man called Alberto told the BBC. “I think he was giving us his last goodbye.”

Doctors who treated Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital had prescribed a regimen of complete rest – but it was never likely that a typically active Pope who spent much of his papacy meeting people would keep to that.

Francis had already made it clear he wanted to be back in the Vatican in time for Easter, as soon as the specialists treating him explained that his health issues would not be resolved quickly.

For Christians, Easter is even more important than Christmas as it symbolises a core tenet of their faith – the resurrection of Christ, three days after his nailing to the cross.

Before he was discharged on 23 March, Francis waved to crowds from the hospital too, and then headed back to his quarters in the Casa Santa Marta guest house he had made his home.

His medical team said all he needed was oxygen, and convalescing there was better than hospital with all its infections.

Easter was just three weeks away and, as it approached, the Pope’s schedule became increasingly busy.

He met King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Casa San Marta and then appeared on the Vatican balcony for Palm Sunday four days later on 13 April, mingling with a crowd of 20,000 people in St Peter’s Square, against doctors’ advice.

But for the Pope, Easter was most important time of all.

Last Thursday, as he had done many times previously and as he used to do in his native Argentina before becoming Pope, he made a visit to the Regina Coeli jail in Rome where he spent half an hour meeting prisoners and he was greeted by applause from staff and guards as he arrived in a wheelchair.

In previous years he had washed inmates’ feet, mirroring what Jesus is said to have done with his disciples the night before his death.

“This year I’m unable to do that, but I can and want to still be near you,” he said in a feeble voice to the dozens of prisoners who had come to see him, and who cheered him on as he toured the jail.

“We are so lucky. Those on the outside don’t get to see him and we do,” one man told Italian media.

As he was leaving the prison, Francis was asked by a journalist how he would experience Easter this year.

“Whichever way I can,” he replied.

And, on Sunday, he kept his promise.

He held a short meeting with US Vice-President JD Vance before appearing before the crowds in St Peter’s Square as the crowd below erupted in cheers.

He made his final blessing – the Urbi et Orbi address in Latin, meaning “to the city and to the world”. Then, Archbishop Diego Ravelli read out a speech written by the Pope as Francis sat silently beside him.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, he descended down to St Peter’s Square, where he was driven around in an open-top popemobile – the distinctive little white Mercedes-Benz used by popes to meet crowds.

A camera followed him around as he raised his arm to bless the faithful lining the sunny square, and a few babies were brought up closer to him. It was the last time the world saw him alive.

Watching Francis’s blessing on Sunday, Alberto from Rome felt he would not last much longer, although the Pope’s death still came as a shock.

“I didn’t feel happy seeing him, I could tell he was in pain,” he said. “But it was an honour to see him one last time.”

Francis died early on Monday in his beloved Casa Santa Marta – a residenceof 100-odd simple rooms, run by nuns and open to pilgrims and visitors.

A little over two hours later, the cardinal chamberlain, or camerlengo, stood in the Casa Santa Marta and made the news public.

The Vatican said on Monday evening he had died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure.

The Pope’s rooms were a far cry from the opulence of the Vatican quarters typically destined to pontiffs, which Francis had turned down at the start of his papacy saying he felt the need to “live among people”.

“If I lived by myself, maybe even a bit in isolation, it would be of no use to me,” he said back then.

In the coming days, cardinals from across the world will be staying at Casa Santa Marta as they gather in Rome for the conclave that will choose Francis’ successor.

Outside, in the bright sunshine in St Peter’s Square, people mingled with priests and friars under the imposing basilica.

A group of nuns clad in grey and white glared at a man who, headphones in, was dancing around the square. “No respect,” they tutted.

The same large screens that broadcast the Pope’s blessing for Easter now displayed a photo of Francis smiling and a notice that a special rosary was being held for him 12 hours after his death.

It would allow Catholics near and far to pray for their Pope – and thank him for celebrating one last Easter with them.

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Watch: ‘Our father has died’ – World mourns for Pope Francis

People across the world have responded to the death of Pope Francis, who has died aged 88.

The Pope’s death came less than 24 hours after he made an appearance at the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.

Mourners, from Jerusalem to Buenos Aires, have been paying their respects throughout Easter Monday.

More on this story here.

Video by Amy Walker.

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Francis was a vocal critic of the powerful, his influence felt far beyond faith

Over 12 profoundly consequential years for the Catholic Church, Pope Francis steered it into uncharted territory and did so in ways that will resonate long into the future.

The pontiff worked to soften the face of the Catholic Church for many, loosened the Vatican’s grip on power and intervened in some of the major social questions of our time.

Within Catholicism, he certainly had his critics; some traditionalists in particular were often enraged by actions they felt were a radical departure from Church teaching.

Despite him being a vocal pacifist and critic of actions by major nations that he perceived as harmful, there were also those who felt he should have been more progressive.

But from the moment he was elected in 2013, Pope Francis came with an informality and a smile that put the people he met at their ease. It was symbolic of a principle that guided his belief that the Church should reach people in their daily lives, wherever in the world they happened to be.

“At the beginning of my papacy I had the feeling that it would be brief: no more than three or four years, I thought,” Pope Francis said in his autobiography Hope, released in January 2025, a book that gives us insight into the Pope’s own reflections on his legacy.

One of his first acts as pope was to give up the papal apartment on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace, instead choosing to live in the same guesthouse in which he had stayed as a cardinal.

Some saw this as a sign he was giving up the ostentatious trappings of papacy, and of the humility he would certainly become known for – he had, after all, taken the name of a saint who championed the cause of the poor.

But the main reason for surrendering the papal apartment, as he later explained it, pointed to another of his characteristics: that he loved being around people.

To him, the apartment felt detached and a difficult place in which to welcome guests. At the guesthouse he was surrounded by clergy and rarely alone for long.

On foreign trips to more than 60 countries, in his audiences at the Vatican and during countless events, it was very clear that being close to people, and particularly the young, was his lifeblood.

Social issues and ‘imperfect Catholics’

Within Catholicism, he signalled a radical change in tone on some social issues.

“Everyone in the Church is invited, including people who are divorced, including people who are homosexual, including people who are transgender,” he wrote in his autobiography.

Given that the Church did not recognise divorce in its canon law and that previous popes had talked of homosexuality as a disorder not “a human fact”, as Pope Francis did, this was a departure that again concerned traditionalists.

But the Pope appeared to want the Church to explore and understand people’s every day struggles in a fresh light. He acknowledged his own journey in seeing things differently to the way he had done in the past.

Progressives welcomed the Pope’s compassion for what he called “imperfect Catholics”, but there was also a recognition more broadly that words of acceptance from a pontiff could have an effect on those outside the Church too.

“The first time that a group of transgender people came to the Vatican, they left in tears, moved because I had taken their hands, had kissed them… as if I had done something exceptional for them! But they are daughters of God,” he wrote in Hope.

Pope Francis roundly condemned countries that consider homosexuality a crime, and he talked of divorce sometimes being “morally necessary”, citing cases of domestic abuse.

However, there are those who suggest the Pope could have gone further to encourage change in Church teaching.

Homosexual “acts” remain a sin in Catholicism, marriage can still only be between a man and a woman, divorce is still not officially recognised and the Pope himself remained very firmly against gender reassignment and surrogacy.

Throughout his papacy, and long before that, Pope Francis also always remained firm in his own belief that women should not be priests.

He did however describe the Church as “female” and encouraged parishes around the world to find more leadership roles for women in ways that were consistent with the Catholic teaching that does not currently allow women to be ordained.

In 2021 Sister Raffaella Petrini was appointed secretary general of the papal state and under Pope Francis the Vatican did start an ongoing process of exploring whether women could take up the role of deacon, assisting in worship services.

Nevertheless, some reformists were left disappointed that more progress was not made regarding equality for women, in a faith where the majority of churchgoers are women.

During the latter part of his papacy, the Pope launched an ambitious three-year consultation process aimed at gauging the opinion of as many of the world’s more-than-a-billion Catholics as possible.

There were tens of thousands of listening sessions across the globe, meant to tease out the issues that Catholics most cared about. It transpired that roles for women and ways in which the Church could become more inclusive to LGBT+ Catholics were high on the list.

While the process itself did not lead to decisive action on either front, it did speak volumes about Pope Francis’ desire that his pontificate was rooted not in Rome and in clerics but in the lives of believers around the world.

A complex legacy

Throughout his papacy, there was a particular focus on reaching out to those on the economic and political margins, his words and actions encouraging his priests to be closer to the disadvantaged.

The issue of dignity for migrants was hugely important to him throughout his papacy, but so too was building bridges with other Christian denominations, other religions and those of no faith.

On occasions, to some Catholic traditionalists, the Pope’s outreach appeared inappropriate for someone of his position, like his visit to a centre for asylum seekers outside Rome in spring 2016 when he washed and kissed the feet of refugees that included Muslims, Hindus and Coptic Christians.

As well as becoming a passionate voice for migrants – once going to lay a wreath on the waters where many had died on their perilous journeys – he also linked the impact of climate change to poverty.

In speeches, including one to US Congress, and in one of his most important pieces of work, the decree Laudato Si, Pope Francis talked of environmental damage amounting to rich countries inflicting harm on poor ones.

Vehemently anti-war, the Pope frequently talked of conflict itself equating to failure.

He called the war in Gaza “terrorism” and from early on he implored that there be a ceasefire.

He met the families of the Israelis abducted by Hamas on 7 October 2023, but also spoke passionately about the plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, particularly children, and made daily calls to the Holy Family Church in Gaza City.

But sometimes a longing to build bridges was seen by some observers as getting in the way of Pope Francis taking a firm stance against wrongdoing.

In the eyes of many, he failed to unequivocally call out Russian aggression in Ukraine or tackle China’s surveillance and persecution of its Catholics.

From the very start of his papacy, he also faced huge tasks confronting misconduct much closer to home.

The scourge of corruption had long dogged the upper echelons of the Catholic Church. Early on, Pope Francis closed thousands of unauthorised Vatican bank accounts, and in the latter half of his time he introduced new rules on financial transparency.

It was in the way he dealt with the horrors of child sexual abuse by those associated with the Catholic Church that made it clear he knew it was something he would be judged by.

“From the very start of my papacy, I felt I was being called to take responsibility for all the evil committed by certain priests,” he wrote in Hope.

As an illustration of the scale of the problem that remains, in 2020 the Catholic Church released lists of living members of clergy in the US alone found to have been accused of sexual abuses – these included clergy linked to child pornography and rape. There were around 2,000.

“With shame and repentance, the Church must seek pardon for the terrible damage that those clergy have caused with their sexual abuse of children, a crime that causes deep wounds of pain,” he recently wrote.

Among other initiatives, Pope Francis introduced rules that meant members of the Church had a responsibility to report on abuse if they had knowledge of it, otherwise they risked being removed from their positions.

Though he made errors of judgement, on occasions publicly supporting clergy even though they were alleged to have failed to deal with abuse, Pope Francis was quick to apologise for his own mistakes and for the deep failings of the Church.

Both at the Vatican and abroad he would frequently meet with Church abuse victims. Saying “sorry” for abuse was the prime focus of some foreign trips.

A huge part of Pope Francis’ legacy is the way in which he changed the face of the upper echelons of the Catholic Church through his selection of new cardinals.

In fact, about 80% of the cardinals that will select the next pope were appointed by Pope Francis. What is striking about those selections is their diversity, with many coming from South America, Africa and Asia.

It was part of Pope Francis’ mission to consolidate a change in the centre of gravity of Catholicism away from Europe, where it was in decline, towards the places it was thriving, and to reflect that in Church leadership.

The posthumous outpouring of tributes to him from across the globe is perhaps one sign that shift is working.

Top picture credit: Reuters

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Iran accused Israel on Monday (April 21, 2025) of seeking to “undermine” ongoing talks with the United States on its nuclear programme, a key point of tension with the West.

“A kind of coalition is forming… to undermine and disrupt the diplomatic process,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei told reporters, saying Israel was behind the effort.

“Alongside it are a series of warmongering currents in the United States and figures from different factions,” the spokesman added.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump had dissuaded Israel from striking Iran’s nuclear sites in the short term.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel would never allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons.

Western powers and Israel, considered by experts the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East, have long accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons.

Iran has always denied the charge, insisting its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only.

In 2018, Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark nuclear deal signed three years earlier that eased sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

A year later, Iran began to gradually breach the terms of the deal, most notably by enriching uranium to high levels.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Tehran has enriched uranium to 60%, close to the 90% level needed to manufacture weapons, and continues to accumulate large stocks of fissile material.

The 2015 nuclear deal restricted it to 3.67 percent.

Iran and the United States, arch-foes since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, are set to meet for a third round of talks mediated by Oman.

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