Trump passes the buck on AI Pope image and claims Catholics ‘loved it’

Donald Trump said he does not know who created the now-infamous AI image of him as the Pope but insisted that “Catholics love it,” despite widespread outrage both at home and abroad.

The president said that those that were offended by the image couldn’t “take a joke” and that his wife – First Lady Melania Trump – thought the image was “cute.”

In the image – which was shared by the official accounts of both the president and the White House – an unsmiling Trump is seated in an ornate chair, dressed in white papal vestments and headdress, with his right forefinger raised.

At a White House briefing on Monday, the president was challenged over it image by Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich, who claimed some Catholics were “not happy” about it.

“You mean they can’t take a joke?” he replied. “You don’t mean the Catholics You mean the fake news. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope and they put it out on the internet – that’s not me that did it.”

Contrary to his claim, the Catholic Bishops of New York State previously expressed their clear displeasure at the AI image. “There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President,” they wrote on X.

“We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St Peter. Do not mock us.”

Even New York cardinal Timothy Dolan, who Trump endorsed as a “very good” candidate for the next Holy Father, said that the stunt “wasn’t good.” When asked by reporters about his thoughts on the post, Dolan replied that he hoped Trump “didn’t have anything to do with that.”

Back in the White House, Trump insisted that he had not.

“I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI,” he said. “But I know nothing about it. I just saw it the last evening. Actually My wife thought it was cute. ‘Ha ha’ she said, ‘Isn’t that nice’.”

“I would not be able to be married though … to the best of my knowledge popes aren’t big on getting married are they? Not that we know of no. I think it’s the fake news media, they’re fakers.”

When pushed on the fact that the “meme” had been shared by the official White House account, and whether this “diminished the substance” of the account, Trump replied “Oh give me a break,” before moving on.

M&S hackers tricked IT help desk workers to access system, says report

Hackers who targeted Marks & Spencer and the Co-op tricked IT workers to gain access into their companies systems, according to a report.

The “social engineering” attack on the Co-op allowed cybercriminals to reset an employee’s password before breaching the network, with a similar tactic used against M&S, sources revealed to BleepingComputer website.

Hundreds of agency workers at Marks & Spencer were told not to come into work as the retailer dealt with the fallout of a cyberattack which saw the company lose £650m of value in a matter of days.

The disruption began in April when contactless payments and click-and-collect orders were affected, before M&S chief executive Stuart Machin wrote to customers confirming the problem, adding that the retailer would be implementing “minor, temporary changes” to in-store operations as the company manages the ongoing “cyber incident”.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued new guidance to combat the “social engineering” technique used against the UK supermarkets by the hackers from the Scattered Spider network.

“Criminal activity online — including, but not limited to, ransomware and data extortion — is rampant. Attacks like this are becoming more and more common. And all organisations, of all sizes, need to be prepared,” said Jonathon Ellison, NCSC’s national resilience director, and Ollie Whitehouse, its chief technology officer, in a blog post according to The Times.

They have advised organisations to “review help desk password reset processes” and pay particular attention to “admin” accounts, which generally have more access throughout a company’s network.

The Scattered Spider network is a group of young men in the UK and US who drew notoriety in September 2023 when members broke into and locked up the networks of casino operators Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International, and demanded hefty ransoms. Caesars paid about $15 million to restore its network.

It specialises in “breaking down the front door” of networks before handing over to a “ransomware” gang who cripple the network and extort its owner, the Times reported.

Tyler Buchanan, a Scottish man accused of being a leading member of the group, was extradited to the United States from Spain last month after being charged with attempting to hack into dozens of companies, Bloomberg News reported, citing a US Justice Department official.

At the time of the attack, M&S said it is “working extremely hard to restart online and app shopping” and apologised again for the disruption to shoppers. It had already been unable to process click and collect orders in stores after being impacted by the “cyber incident”.

The company reported the incident to data protection supervisory authorities and the National Cyber Security Centre.

Reform offers home working jobs despite vow to crack down on working from home

Reform UK is offering staff the chance to work from home despite vowing to scrap remote working when it takes over councils, it has emerged.

A job advert for Reform’s south central regional director promises “home working with occasional travel within the region”.

The £50,000-per-year role is being advertised online just days after Reform leader Nigel Farage promised that nobody working for a Reform-run council will be allowed to do so from home.

After taking control of 10 councils, Mr Farage said those with jobs relating to climate change or diversity or who work from home “all better really be seeking alternative careers very, very quickly”.

Asked what his party’s priority would be, Mr Farage told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We are deeply dissatisfied with the way that county councils and unitaries in Britain have been running their budgets.

“We look at the millions a year being spent, in many cases, on consultants. We look at the money being spent on climate change; on areas that county councils, frankly, shouldn’t even be getting involved in.”

He added: “No more work from home, increased productivity. That won’t be a magic wand, it won’t solve every problem, but it will be a good start and we’ll be judged on that.”

Sharing the Reform job advert, Labour’s Stella Creasy said the hypocrisy was “glorious”. “Apparently if you want to work for Reform, you can work from home,” she added. Several other Reform job adverts offered applicants home working.

She told The Independent: “Flexible working allows people to do the school run, it helps cut commuting costs and it means those with disabilities are more likely to find work.

“It means jobs are open to a wider pool of talent and its associated with better employee wellbeing and productivity – no wonder Reform offering it for their own staff. I just wish they’d stop trying to make life harder for everyone elses families.”

Reform said the regional organisers cannot easily attend the party’s single London office, but staff based in the capital work from the office five days a week.

The job posting came asThe Independent revealed Reform mayor Dame Andrea Jenkyns’ vow to get rid of council diversity officers as one of her first acts in Lincolnshire has fallen flat as the county council doesn’t employ any.

Mr Farage and Dame Andrea put getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officers at the top of their agenda as they impose their own version of Elon Musk’s cost-cutting Doge on the county.

Ms Jenkyns said: “We are going to have a Lincolnshire Doge. We are going to ensure that we get rid of diversity officers because amazingly Lincolnshire County Council is now Reform controlled. That is a historic moment.”

However, The Independent unearthed a freedom of information answer from Lincolnshire County Council, where Reform now has a majority, stating: “Lincolnshire County Council does not employ any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officers.”

The council had been asked how many DEI officers it employed and what their salaries were. The answer was issued in March just before the local election campaign began in the county.

But in response, Ms Jenkyns told The Independent that another one of the three councils under her remit as the combined authority in the county, North Lincolnshire Council, does have diversity officers.

Rachel Riley hits out at Anne Robinson for Countdown criticism

Countdown star Rachel Riley has hit out at former host Anne Robinson after she criticised her on-set behaviour.

Former Weakest Link host Robinson, 80, presented the Channel 4 game show for just one year, from 2021 to 2022, joining regulars Riley and Susie Dent

During Robinson’s time on the show, there were several reports that she was feuding with Riley, who joined the series in 2009, replacing Carol Vorderman.

It was claimed that Riley, 39, considered “walking away” from the show due to rising tensions with Robinson, which allegedly created an “awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere” on set.

While the pair were initially complimentary of each other, Riley soon admitted she hadn’t “done much bonding” with Robinson, who replaced Nick Hewer.

Following this, Robinson called out Riley for “distracting” her by talking in the background while she was interviewing the show’s contestants.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Robinson denied having a feud with Riley, but said: “Rachel was a bit talkative when I was interviewing the contestants but once we shut her up it was fine.”

Riley has now addressed Robinson’s comments, saying at the Women’s Football Awards last week: “If Anne needs to mention me for publicity then good luck to her.”

The Sun reports Riley as saying: “I have the same opinion of her as most people do. I don’t pay any attention to what she says.”

Robinson became notorious for her scathing remarks directed at contestants when she presented BBC series The Weakest Link from 2000 to 2012.

Her signature presenting style was controversial, with some fans finding her jibes hilarious and others believing the “Queen of Mean” went too far with her comments.

In January, Robinson explained that she decided to take a more brutal approach after meeting “real quizzers” and learning they were “ruthlessly competitive” and ready to criticise one another.

Reflecting on her stint on the show in an interview with The Oldie last year, Robinson said that she would “never be able” to behave in the same way if she was presenting the show now.

“You’d never be able to say all that now,” she claimed. “Half of it would be stamped out. I always thought the contestants would feel short-changed if I were nice.”

Starmer ‘known around the world’ for cutting winter fuel payments for pensioners

Sir Keir Starmer is known around the world for taking winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners, a top economist has said.

The prime minister’s decision to means test the payment, which affected around 10 million pensioners, has had a “much bigger” reputational effect than expected, Paul Johnson added.

Mr Johnson, boss of the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), told Times Radio: “I was talking to the head of an international insurance company recently who said that the one thing everyone around the world knows about this government is that it’s taking money away from helping the cost of fuel for pensioners.

“So it’s one of those things which actually from a sort of fiscal point of view is pretty small but has turned out, I think, to be much bigger from a political and reputational point of view than the government expected.”

Polling firm More in Common has found that Sir Keir’s winter fuel cuts are Labour’s most damaging policy in government.

More of the public are aware of the change than any of Labour’s other policies, while around two thirds of voters dislike the policy.

More in Common director Luke Tryl has described it as Labour’s “original sin” and said it had a major impact on the party’s disastrous performance in last week’s local elections.

The measure, announced by Rachel Reeves weeks after Labour came to power in July, is expected to save the government around £1.5bn, but will push more than 100,000 pensioners into poverty.

IFS director Mr Johnson said it is a “perfectly sensible thing to do” as much of the payment previously went to wealthier people who could afford to pay for it.

But after the local elections, one of Labour’s re-elected mayors hit out at Sir Keir over the winter fuel cuts, while a group of left-wing MPs demanded a change of course from the PM.

Ros Jones, who was narrowly re-elected as mayor of Doncaster, beating the Reform candidate by just under 700 votes, told the BBC: “I wrote as soon as the winter fuel allowance was actually mooted, and I said it was wrong, and therefore I stepped in immediately and used our household support fund to ensure no-one in Doncaster went cold during the winter.”

Left-wing Labour MP Kim Johnson was among a group of backbenchers warning that Sir Keir’s current approach is leaving the door open to Reform UK and the far right.

“Voters want change – and if we don’t offer it with bold, hopeful policies that rebuild trust, the far right will,” she wrote on X.

Sir Keir defended the “tough decisions” he has taken in power, including winter fuel cuts, arguing that Labour “inherited a broken economy”.

He added: “Maybe other prime ministers would have walked past that, pretended it wasn’t there … I took the choice to make sure our economy was stable.”

The prime minister went on: “Yes, they were tough decisions, they were the right decisions. Because of those decisions we are now seeing waiting lists coming down, something people desperately want.

“Because of that, pensioners are now £470 up as of last month. These are really important changes we’ve brought about, but yes, they’re political choices.”

A government spokesperson said: “Our priority is ensuring pensioners receive the financial support they deserve and over 12 million will benefit from our commitment to protect the Triple Lock.

“We’ve also boosted Pension Credit claims, with the Department receiving around 105,000 extra applications since the previous year and made nearly 50,000 extra awards over the same period.

“Alongside this, we’ve increased the National Living Wage, uprated benefits, and are helping over one million households by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions, putting more money in people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.”

Why this Mediterranean region is perfect for a Summer escape

Summertime in Dalmatia: lazy days swimming in sparkling waters and feeling the salt dry on your skin, feasting on freshly grilled fish in a rustic beach bar while watching the sun set over the Adriatic, losing yourself in centuries of history surrounded by intense beauty – it’s the stuff of dreams. But oh so easy to turn into reality. Between Dalmatia’s stretch of the Croatian coast and the enchanting islands just a ferry ride away, you have everything you need for a relaxing and rejuvenating summer break. Choose between laid-back islands with quiet coves to lively beach resorts offering watersports and entertainment – all of which you can fit into the same trip. To get you inspired, here are some of the highlights of a Dalmatian holiday.

Croatia’s sunniest island is also the country’s most visited, which isn’t surprising when you first set eyes on Hvar Town. Step into St Stephen’s Square, the largest in Dalmatia, and take in the baroque beauty of its cathedral. Follow the path uphill to the 16th-century Spanish Fortress for fantastic views before checking out Hvar Town’s chic beach clubs. Away from the island capital, Stari Grad offers a slower pace of life, despite being on a major ferry route from Split. Once you’ve explored its colourful port, take a hike in neighbouring Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO-listed site, where you can still see the vineyards and olive groves planted by the ancient Greeks nearly 2,400 years ago.

Surrounded by mesmerising blue-green waters, the smooth white pebbles of V-shaped Zlatni Rat on Brač’s southern coast create Croatia’s most famous beach. Its unique geography draws windsurfing fans from around the world to the pretty nearby village of Bol as they zoom across these waters. Bol is also a handy base for hikes up to Vidova Gora, the highest point in Dalmatia and worth the visit for far-reaching views. Head to the northern coast for picturesque villages such as Pučišća, whose stonemasonry school is the oldest in Europe and continues a centuries-old tradition. When you explore the hinterland, you’ll be tempted to stop by rural restaurants that serve authentic Dalmatian cuisine featuring produce from their own farms and olive groves.

Off limits to tourists until 1989 while it served as an army base, the far-flung island of Vis has been slow to catch up on Croatia’s tourism boom – which suits everyone just fine. The long Venetian-style waterfront of Vis Town will look familiar to fans of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, which was filmed here. The island’s other main village, Komiža, is a delightfully laid-back spot from where you can join boat trips to the jaw-dropping natural phenomenon that is the Blue Cave on the tiny neighbouring island of Biševo. There’s more awe in store when you make the rocky trek down to Stiniva Bay on the southern coast, where the pebbly beach is almost entirely encircled by towering cliffs.

Just across the sea from Split but curiously off most tourists’ radar, Šolta is one of Dalmatia’s lesser-known jewels. Sailors will have moored in its deeply sheltered coves such as Šešula Bay, as well as its attractive villages Maslinica and Stomorska, which bookend the island and give an enticing slice of Dalmatian life. In between you’ll see acres and acres of olive groves that produce award-winning liquid gold – a delicious companion for Šolta’s indigenous robust red wine. Explore Šolta’s heavily indented southern coast if you want true serenity while swimming in secluded pebbly coves backed by fragrant pine-covered hills.

For nearly 40 miles, the Makarska Riviera south of Split offers one alluring beach resort after another – Brela, Tučepi, Baška Voda, Podgora, Drvenik, Gradac and Makarska itself – all in the shadow of the impressive Biokovo Mountains. The sheer variety of beaches and resorts is extraordinary, including the beautiful Punta Rata Beach in Brela and peaceful Nugal Beach just south of Makarska. Follow the long seafront promenade to Baška Voda’s family-friendly beaches including the outstanding Nikolina Beach. And above it all are the hiking trails in Biokovo Nature Park, including the hair-raising Biokovo Skywalk, whose D-shaped glass floor hovers over the cliff and gives you an unforgettable thrill – rather like summer in Dalmatia itself.

For more travel inspiration, information and to plan your trip visit Central Dalmatia

Moscow cancels Crimean Victory Day parade after Kyiv sea drones down Putin’s jets

Ukraine is set to receive a fresh round of refurbished Patriot air defence systems from the US, Trump administration officials have said.

One system from Israel is being refurbished for Ukraine, and allies are discussing sending another from Germany or Greece, four current and former US officials told the New York Times.

The transfers would mean Ukraine has a total of 10 Patriot systems, mainly used to protect the capital Kyiv from Russian aerial assaults, in one of the biggest American-provided boosts the Ukrainian military since Mr Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the Vatican during Pope Francis’s funeral, signalling a reset in their strained relationship.

The Times reported that Mr Trump’s personal view on the decision to send the Patriot systems remains unclear.

It comes as Mr Zelensky said he hopes to receive 3 million artillery shells from allies in 2025 and that a ceasefire is possible “even from today” if Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the war.

Mr Zelensky said Russia has for almost two months ignored a US proposal for a full ceasefire.

Elite U.S. mountaineer dies of cardiac arrest climbing 27,838 ft peak

American mountaineer Alexander Pancoe died, likely from cardiac arrest, while preparing to summit Mt Makalu in Nepal.

The renowned mountaineer from Illinois felt unwell late on Sunday night at Camp II after returning from Camp III, Iswari Paudel, managing director at Himalayan Guides, the expedition organiser, told The Independent.

Pancoe, 39, had completed an acclimatisation rotation to Camp III, a practice climb meant to help the body adapt to reduced oxygen levels before a summit attempt.

Pancoe aimed to raise $27,838 – the height of Mt Makalu in feet – for Lurie Children’s pediatric blood cancer programme in his hometown.

The climber had survived a brain tumour but was battling leukaemia at the time of his death.

On Mt Makalu, the fifth-highest peak in the world at 27,838 ft (8,485m) above the sea level, climbers pass through high-altitude camps to acclimatise to the conditions. Camp II is generally at 21,653-22,310 ft (6,600-6,800m) and Camp III at 23950-24278 ft (7,300-7,400m).

Mr Paudal told The Independent that “Alex died possibly of cardiac arrest”.

“The cause of the death can be confirmed after postmortem only, but we suspect that it was a cardiac arrest,” he said on the phone from Kathmandu.

Mr Paudel said Pancoe had reached Nepal early last month.

On Sunday, Pancoe’s team of four, his expedition leader, was about to rest for the night when he felt unwell. The teammates tried to revive him for over an hour, but he was unresponsive, Mr Paudel said.

Pancoe’s family and the US embassy in Kathmandu had been informed of his death, Mr Paudel said, and efforts are ongoing to retrieve his body from the camp.

The Independent has reached out to the US embassy in Kathmandu for comment.

The Himalayan peak of Mt Makalu is on the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet, about 14 miles southeast of Mt Everest.

Pancoe was a prominent figure in the mountaineering community.

He dedicated his adventure pursuits to supporting Lurie Children’s Hospital in Illinois where he had been operated upon after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2005. He aimed to raise funds for brain tumour research by completing the Explorers Grand Slam, a rare challenge involving climbs of the Seven Summits and cross-country skiing to the North and South Poles.

He had founded Peaks of Mind, a project that merged his passion for mountaineering with a commitment to mental health advocacy.

“It was a wild few years filled with adventure, a near-fatal climbing injury that required a Blackhawk helicopter rescue and lots of climbing! In 2019, upon summiting Everest and Denali, I became just the 15th American and one of 75 people in the world to complete the Grand Slam, raising almost $500,000 in the process for Lurie Children’s,” Pancoe wrote on the Peaks of Mind website.

“In 2023, while climbing Ama Dablam, a challenging climb in the Himalayan range, I became extremely hypoxic and struggled with the altitude. Several months later I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia and learned that my body had been unable to make the red blood cells necessary to acclimate at altitude.”

Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia, he explained, was a “lifelong cancer”. “After almost two years of receiving treatment to manage it, I am going to be attempting to climb Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world and raise $27,838 for Lurie Children’s pediatric blood cancer programme.”

Pancoe noted that “climbing at altitude is plenty hard without a chronic ailment” but said he looked forward to “rising to the challenge”.