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April 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald ‌Trump reiterated his ‌criticisms of Pope Leo ​on Tuesday and said it is "unacceptable" for Iran ‌to ⁠have a nuclear bomb.

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"Will someone ⁠please tell Pope Leo that ​Iran has ​killed ​at least ‌42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and that ‌for Iran ​to ​have ​a Nuclear ‌Bomb is absolutely ​unacceptable," ​Trump said on Truth Social.

(Reporting ​by ‌Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; ​Editing by ​Sonali Paul)

Severe weather is expected tostretch across a large portion of the countryWednesday, April 15, with storms developing from the southern Plains into the Midwest and southern Great Lakes — impacting more than 100 million people.

Forecasters say multiple rounds of thunderstorms could bring large hail, damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes as the system moves east through the day and into the evening. The setup is complicated, with leftover storms from earlier in the day influencing where new storms form.

"Severe thunderstorms posing a risk for large hail to very large hail, severe gusts, and a couple of tornadoes will be possible across portions of the southern Plains toward the Great Lakes this afternoon and evening," theStorm Prediction Centerwrote.

More:Tornado watch issued? Here's what to do when sirens go off

Where is the greatest threat?

The strongest storms are expected from parts of Oklahoma and north Texas through Missouri, Iowa and into Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

In the Southern Plains, storms are likely to develop along a dryline by midafternoon, especially across Oklahoma and North Texas. Some of these storms could quickly become severe, producing very large hail and damaging winds. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out, particularly early in the storms’ development.

Farther north, across Iowa and northern Missouri into Illinois, the atmosphere is expected to become unstable again after morning storms. This could lead to scattered thunderstorms capable of producing very large hail, with some tornado risk as well.

Storms may also redevelop farther east into parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania later in the day. While uncertainty remains higher there, isolated severe storms — including the potential for damaging winds and a brief tornado — are possible.

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Storms continue through the week

The active pattern will not end Wednesday.

On Thursday, April 16, the severe weather threat shifts east, with isolated strong to severe storms possible from the Mid-South through the Ohio Valley and into parts of the Northeast, including New York and southern New England, according to theStorm Prediction Center. The main concerns will be damaging wind gusts and hail, though the threat appears more limited than Wednesday.

By Friday, April 17, a more significant setup is expected to develop again.

A stronger system is forecast to bring widespread severe thunderstorms from the southern Plains into the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Midwest. This includes areas such as Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa, where all hazards — large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes — will be possible.

Forecasters say some storms could become intense, especially if discrete supercells develop before storms merge into a larger line. That could increase the risk for very large hail and stronger tornadoes before a transition to a more widespread wind threat later in the day.

Rolling storm damage report

As storms move across the country, this interactive map lets you track impacts in real time. See where tornadoes touched down, hail sizes reported, trees knocked over and roads closed due to flooding.

Hover over each icon to view detailed reports from National Weather Service stations right in the strike zone.

U.S. weather radar

U.S. weather watches and warnings

Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text

Brandi D. Addison covers weather across the United States as the Weather Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. She can be reached atbaddison@gannett.com.Find her on Facebook here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:US severe weather threatens 100 million. Maps show greatest risk areas

A day afterbeing struck in the face with a line drive, leaving a bright red welt on his cheek, Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz showed up to work on Tuesday.

But he’s working injured.

Albernaz, who returned to the dugout from the scary scene Monday night, revealed that he did not come away from the incident unscathed. Per Albernaz, he has “at least” seven facial fractures and a broken jaw.

But he doesn’t need surgery or his jaw wired shut. And the first-year manager appears ready to move forward with business as usual — outside of a a soft diet.

He also looks remarkably OK for a guy who just had the right side of his face fractured into pieces.

“I feel good actually, I mean, considering everything,” he said at a pregame news conference Tuesday afternoon. “… Ball hit me pretty flush in the cheek. Feel good, luckily no surgery. I think all-in-all, it’s at least seven fractures in my cheek area — orbital. And then a broken jaw.

“But luckily it doesn’t have to be wired, no surgery. I just have to eat baby food for six weeks.”

In case you missed it, here’s the line drive that hit Albernaz on the cheek during Monday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson hit a line-drive foul ball in the fifth inning that made a beeline for the dugout.

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Albernaz was standing on the top step of the dugout away from the protective netting, and the ball caught him squarely on the cheek at 70.6 mph.

Albernaz immediately left the dugout to receive medical attention.

He said Tuesday that his first thought after being hit was to cover up his face “because if it was really bad, I didn’t want my family to see it on TV.”

He said he then went through and cleared concussion protocol and tried to return to the dugout, but the medical team insisted that he undergo a CT scan.

While he was waiting to have the scan, he FaceTimed his family to let them know that he was OK. And in the sixth inning, he heard commotion from the crowd around a home run — that was hit by Jackson.

Jackson hit a sixth-inning grand slam that cut Baltimore’s then 7-2 deficit to 7-6. The home run ultimately sparked the Orioles to rally for a 9-7 win to move into a first-place tie with the New York Yankees in the AL East at 9-7.

At that point,Albernaz said that he said “f*** this”and went back to the dugout to join the celebration andgive Jackson a hugafter Jackson had rounded the bases.

Albernaz was then ordered by the medical team to return to the clubhouse for his CT scan. But he ended up with a souvenir from the ordeal.

Jackson autographed his grand-slam ball and gave it Albernaz, along with an inscribed apology for hitting him him in the face with his line drive: “Sorry homie.”

When Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner steps into the ring at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, she won’t be fighting only South Korean boxer Bo Mi Re Shin for the women’s super featherweight belt.

It will also be another round in Baumgardner’s bout for gender equality as she pushes boxing to adopt the same rules for women’s fighters that it does for men.

“As you grow as an individual and a face and a game changer in the sport like boxing, you want to see how you’re able to implement new changes, right?” Baumgardner told NBC News ahead of Friday’s showdown in New York City. “This is my chance to really showcase who I am.”

A typical men’s prizefight lasts 12 rounds, with each round lasting three minutes. For women, most fights are 10 rounds, with each round lasting two minutes. Baumgardner is pushing for women to fight the same amount of time for a few reasons.

For one, she said, it benefits her as a boxer.

“You would think one minute doesn’t change much, but it changes drastically when you are a fighter who has a set of skills that allows you to take your time and to set up a trap,” she said. “Boxing is about a sweet science, how you can set up a play. It’s like chess. Me being able to fight three minutes has allowed me to slow everything down, set up what I want to set up and take my time.”

Then there’s the business. Self-promotion and boxing have always gone hand in hand. The boxers who are able to attract more eyeballs usually participate in bigger fights. Bigger fights can lead to bigger paydays, and Baumgardner doesn’t want a perception of women’s fights to limit her potential in the sport.

One of the allies in Baumgardner’s push is the promoter she’s signed to: Most Valuable Promotions, the company founded by YouTuber-turned-manosphere influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul, who has been vocal about earning better pay for fighters in both boxing and MMA.

Paul has also taken a keen interest in women’s combat sports. MVP promoted the first women’s fight to headline Madison Square Garden, when Katie Taylor squared off with Amanda Serrano in April 2022. Next month, MVP will put on its first MMA showcase, when Ronda Rousey returns to the sport in a superfight against Gina Carano.

Baumgardner’s bout with Shin is the first U.S. boxing match for MVP under a new deal it signed with ESPN. Baumgardner said part of the reason she signed with Paul is that MVP ist focused not only on her equality as a fighter, but also on her equality as a businesswoman.

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“Boxing is a dog-eat-dog sport at the end of the day. They don’t care about you,” she said. “You have to know that you have to take care of yourself first. And there’s a way of doing it, and that’s teaming with people who see you for you.”

In a recentinterview with Sports Illustrated, Paul compared his goal of building up women’s boxing with the WNBA, which he said needed stars like Caitlin Clark to begin competing with the popularity of the NBA. Paul wants to speed up the process by putting on fights such as Friday’s.

“I believe in the long run that all of these women will want to work with MVP,” Paul told SI. “We have the best distribution for women’s fighting and the biggest platforms and the biggest paydays and the most amount of followers to promote these women, too.”

One of the ways Baumgardner can advance her business interests is to book bigger and bigger fights, which she is keenly aware of. Paul told SI he is pushing behind the scenes for Baumgardner to fight Serrano, who is the unified champion at featherweight, one weight class above Baumgardner.

Baumgardner was also recently called out by Caroline Dubois, the unified lightweight champ, who asked for a fight with Baumgardner after she defeated Terri Harper this month.

“People say she hits hard,” Duboissaid after the Harper fight. “I know I hit harder.”

Baumgardner said of Dubois’ challenge: “I’m well aware of being called out, but I also am aware that I’m in my division and you’re in your division. The fact that you’re calling me out as a 135 pounder and you’re calling out a 130 just tells me that you’re worried about the recognition and the attention and the clout off of my name.”

She added: “I’m not a charity fighter. I am a prizefighter. Put some skin in the game, build a résumé, have some more stock in your name so that the fight can be built and be bigger.”

What much of Baumgardner’s motivation comes down to is time and how much she values it and how much value can be added when she proves she can fight just as long as men. She’ll get another chance to show how valuable she is at “the world’s most famous arena” on national television Friday night.

“Women are told to be a certain way. They’re put into a box,” she said. “When you tell a woman she can’t do anything, she proves why she can. And I think it’s just a moment of self-belief and also, honestly, to prove a point. I can do this, too.”

The contentious back-and-forth betweenPresident Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIVcontinued over the weekend, with the president lashing out at the pope's criticisms of the war in Iran.

The president also appeared to take issue with arecent closed-door meetingbetween the Chicago native and a figure close to former President Barack Obama.

Here's a breakdown of what's going on.

How did the situation withDonald Trumpand Pope Leo start?

The recent friction began Tuesday, April 7, when Trump threatened to wipe out "a whole civilization" in Iran if the nation's capital didn't make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The threat proved controversial among many, including the pope, who labeled the comment "truly unacceptable."

"I would invite citizens of all the countries involved to contact the authorities, political leaders, congressman, to ask them to work for peace and to reject war always," the pope said to the press later that day.

Following the two-week ceasefire deal announced the next day, Pope Leo asked the world to join him in "this moment of delicate diplomacywith prayer."

"I welcome with satisfaction − and as a sign of living hope − the announcement of an immediate two-week truce," the pope wrote on X. "Only by returning to negotiations can the war come to an end."

During a prayer service at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican Saturday, April 11, the pope called out the "delusion of omnipotencethat surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive."

"Enough of the idolatry of self and money!" the pope said. "Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life."

See JD Vance in Pakistan for Iran peace talks

What did Donald Trump write about Pope Leo on Truth Social?

The president took to social media Sunday to call the pope "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy."

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In a lengthy Truth Social post dedicated to the pope, Trump praised the religious figure's brother Louis for being "all MAGA," criticized the Catholic Church's actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and condemned the pope's criticisms of the United State's foreign policy.

Trump also claimed responsibility for the pope's election, saying, "If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican."

"He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump," the president wrote.

Trump targets Pope Leo's meeting with Obama adviser

Trump also appeared to take issue with a recent closed-door meeting between the pope and Democratic strategist David Axelrod.

Axelrod served as a senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, stoking speculation among many about a potential meeting between the pontiff and 44th president.

In his Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "Unfortunately, Leo’s Weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod."

Trump labeled Axelrod "a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested," and continued to say the pope should "focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician."

Has Pope Leo responded to Trump's Truth Social post?

The popeaddressed Trump's commentsSunday as he spoke to reporters on a flight from Rome to Algeria.

"I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do," he said. "I do not look at my role as being political, a politician. I don’t want to get into a debate with him. I don’t think that the message of the Gospel is meant to be abused in the way that some people are doing."

When asked for his thoughts on the president's Truth Social comments, the pontiff said: "It’s ironic – the name of the site itself. Say no more."

CONTRIBUTING:Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,Terry CollinsandPhillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Pope Leo responds to Trump's Truth Social post. What did it say?

SEATTLE (AP) — UANL Tigres lost the match but won their series on away goals Wednesday.

Mexico US CONCACAF Soccer

Albert Rusnak scored twice and the Seattle Sounders had a 3-1 victory over theTigres, but the Tigres advanced to theCONCACAF Champions Cupsemifinals.

Rusnak put the home team ahead in the 11th minute and added a goal in the 82nd minute, while Danny Musovski scored in the 49th. Joaquim Pereira scored in the 31st minute for Tigres, who won the first leg 2-0.

The Mexican squad progressed because away goals are the tiebreak in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Tigres, aiming for a second Champions Cup title and first since 2020, will faceNashville SC, who defeated Club América on Tuesday.

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Paulinho leads Toluca

Portuguese striker Joao Dias Fernandes Paulinho scored two goals in a six-minute span in the second half as Toluca FC cruised to a 3-0 victory Wednesday over LA Galaxy to advance to the semifinals.

Jesus Gallardo opened the scoring in the 10th minute and Paulinho followed with goals in the 58th and 64th minutes.

Toluca, which won back-to-back titles in Mexico, advanced to the semifinals for the sixth time and will play LAFC.

The 33-year-old Paulinho, who recently was called up to play for Portugal in friendly matches against Mexico and the United States, scored five goals in the series which finished 7-2 on aggregate.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

DAR ES SALAAM, April 15 (Reuters) - Police in Tanzania said they are questioning the fiancé ‌of U.S. social media influencer Ashly Robinson, who ‌died after an alleged suicide attempt while the couple were ​on vacation in Zanzibar, a tourist hub off the east African country's mainland.

Police have confiscated the passport of her partner, Joseph Isaac McCann, 45, also a U.S. ‌citizen, they said ⁠in a statement issued late on Tuesday.

Robinson, 31, who is also known by her ⁠social media name Ashlee Jenae, and McCann arrived in Zanzibar on April 4 and booked into a ​hotel.

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They later ​moved to a second ​hotel where they "appeared to ‌be having domestic conflicts," police said, citing hotel staff. Management subsequently separated the two into different rooms.

"According to reports, she attempted to hang herself using a clothing belt tied inside a wardrobe in Room 25 ‌of the hotel," the police ​statement said. She died in ​hospital on April ​9 around 9 p.m. local time while ‌receiving treatment.

"Investigations into the matter ​are ongoing, ​pending professional medical reports and forensic examination from doctors," police said. McCann has not been charged. ​Reuters was ‌not immediately able to contact his lawyer for ​comment.

(Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; ​Editing by Philippa Fletcher)