Cardinals elect Robert Francis Prevost, first American pope to lead Catholic church

From The Center Square

The College of Cardinals elected a new pope Thursday, the first from America in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

Robert Francis Prevost, native of Chicago with dual citizenship in Peru, was announced as the church’s 267th pontiff by Dominique Mamberti, the senior cardinal deacon. They appeared on the St. Peter’s balcony just after 7 p.m. local time overlooking St. Peter’s Square where crowds had gathered following the signal of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney.

He took the name Pope Leo XIV.

Leo has been an archbishop in Peru. He was chosen in 2023 by Pope Francis to lead the office vetting bishop nominations.

The pope serves as the leader of the church for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. His selection came from 133 Cardinals in the papal conclave sequestered since Wednesday.

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” President Donald Trump said on Truth Social. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

About 53 million Catholic adults live in the U.S., about 19% of the U.S. population. Catholics are the second-largest faith group in the U.S., a nation founded by protestants. Protestants, who are non-Catholic Christians, make up about 40% of the U.S. population, including Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Pentecostals, according to a 2025 Pew Research Center report.

Pope Francis died in April. He had served as pope since 2013, and his official cause of death was a cerebral stroke that led to a coma, though he has had ongoing health issues for months. The pope’s health had been waning over several years, and in the months before he passed, he was hospitalized for double pneumonia.

Brett Rowland

Investigative Reporter

Related Topics:#BrettRowland #TheCenterSquare CardinalRobertFancisPrevost PopeLeoXIV

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Trump warns Russia not to give Iran nukes after US bombing run

Published on June 23, 2025

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Calvin Freiburger

Former Russian President Medvedev suggested other countries could give Iran nukes; Donald Trump warned him not to use the ‘N word’ so ‘casually.’

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Monday after the latter suggested that other nations might supply Iran with nuclear weapons in the wake of America’s surprise weekend strike against the Iranian nuclear program.

Business Insider reports that Medvedev, who now serves as an advisor to current Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemned the U.S. operation to bomb Iran’s three main nuclear facilities, which Trump only announced Saturday evening after its completion following Israeli strikes based on their assessment that the Islamist regime was too close to completing a nuclear weapon to wait any longer.

“A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,” Medvedev claimed.

Business Insider spoke to several experts who cast doubt on the claim, citing both technical infeasibility and the political ramifications, but Trump took a more strident approach in response.

“Did I hear Former President Medvedev, from Russia, casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran? Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination?” Trump asked via Truth Social. “If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY. The ‘N word’ should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS.’”

“By the way, if anyone thinks our ‘hardware’ was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines,” the president added. “They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly. So, in addition to our Great Fighter Pilots, thank you to the Captain and Crew!”

For his part, “the boss” of Russia has also condemned the U.S. strike, offering unspecified “assistance to the Iranian people” and touting the Kremlin’s alliance with the Iranian regime, while claiming it would ultimately “stay neutral,” citing the large number of former Soviet subjects who reside in Israel.

Trump’s action has sparked a fierce divide between his online supporters. One faction contends the move was necessary to prevent nuclear war and consistent with the president’s position dating back to 2011, while the other calls it a betrayal of MAGA’s populist faction that could potentially escalate tensions and U.S. involvement in the region.

International

Iran targets U.S. military in Qatar, attacks thwarted

Published on June 23, 2025

Todayville

A Qatari Emiri Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, carrying humanitarian aid donations bound for Beirut, Lebanon, takes off from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Aug. 13, 2020. Over the past week, U.S. military families and members of the local community worked together to collect donations of food, clothing, diapers and toiletries to support the people of Lebanon.

Staff Sgt. Lauren Parsons, U.S. Air Force | DVIDS

From The Center Square

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch

Iran has shot multiple missiles targeting U.S. military bases in Qatar.

It appears the missiles were intercepted in the air, according to the Qatari Ministry of Defense.

“The Ministry of Defense announced that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted a missile attack targeting Al-Udeid Air base,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.

The attacks are in retaliation for Saturday evening’s U.S. strikes. At the time of publication, there haven’t been any reports of ground strikes.

Iranian state media confirms the attack in response to the U.S. striking three of Iran’s most prominent nuclear facilities over the weekend.

As reported by The Center Square, Israel maintains air superiority over Iran, likely providing an advantage to allies.

Americans in Qatar were told to shelter in place while the country had shut down airspace prior to the missile strikes.

The Gulf nation sits directly across from Iran on the Persian Gulf, well within close striking distance.

The missile strikes came as President Donald Trump was scheduled to meet with his national security team at the White House.

After Saturday night’s strikes, Trump sent a warning to Iran not to retaliate against the U.S.

“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,” the president posted to Truth Social.

Before the Israeli strikes against Iran on June 12, the U.S. Department of Defense urged military dependents to evacuate from U.S. bases in the Middle East.

This is a developing story.