Pope risks joke about Trump’s size Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | It could have caused a diplomatic incident but a culinary quip from Pope Francis seemed to have gone down well with Donald Trump and his wife Melania. In one of the lighter moments of his meeting with …
Read More »All smiles, in public at least, as Trump meets Pope Francis
Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | US President Donald Trump met Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday in a keenly-anticipated face-to-face encounter between two world leaders who have clashed repeatedly. The private audience with the pontiff, which lasted just under half an hour, was preceded by a handshake …
Read More »Britain raises terror threat level, deploys army
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain raised the terror threat level to “critical” on Tuesday meaning a new attack is believed to be imminent, and soldiers are being deployed to assist armed police, British Prime Minister Theresa May said. “It is a possibility we cannot ignore that there is …
Read More »Suspect named after youngsters killed in UK concert attack
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Police on Tuesday named a young man — reportedly British-born of Libyan descent — as the suspect behind a suicide bombing that ripped into young fans at a concert in Manchester, as the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the carnage. Manchester police identified …
Read More »Manchester pop concert attacker died detonating device, 22 dead
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | The man behind a terror attack at a pop concert in Manchester late Monday died when he detonated his device, killing 22 others including children and injuring 59 people, police said on Tuesday. Greater Manchester Police chief Ian Hopkins said the man had set off …
Read More »MANCHESTER: 19 killed in suspected terror attack
Manchester, United Kingdom | Nineteen people have been killed in a suspected terrorist attack during a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in the northwest English city of Manchester, police said Tuesday. There were scenes of panic as Grande’s audience of youthful fans fled the 21,000-capacity venue after what …
Read More »Trump becomes first sitting US president to visit Western Wall
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Donald Trump on Monday became the first sitting US president to visit the Western Wall in the disputed city of Jerusalem, placing his hand on one of the most sacred sites in Judaism. The Western Wall is the holiest site where Jews can pray. Trump, …
Read More »Philippines’ Duterte heads to Russia in blow to US
Manila, Philippines | AFP | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte flew to Russia on Monday to meet his hero, seek arms and steer his nation’s foreign policy further away from longtime ally the United States. The five-day trip will cement a dramatic improvement in relations with Russia since Duterte came to …
Read More »China killed or jailed up to 20 US spies in 2010-12
Washington, United States | AFP | Beijing systematically dismantled CIA spying efforts in China beginning in 2010, killing or jailing more than a dozen covert sources, in a deep setback to US intelligence there, The New York Times reported Sunday. The Times, quoting 10 current and former American officials who …
Read More »Trump visits Jerusalem to seek paths to Israeli-Palestinian peace
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | US President Donald Trump visits Jerusalem Monday to seek ways to achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace, a goal that has eluded his predecessors but which he says could be easier than “people have thought”. Trump’s visit is part of his first trip abroad as president and follows …
Read More »