Author: By AFP

US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media accompanying him aboard Airforce One, after leaving Abu Dhabi. May 16, 2025. [AFP] Hundreds of Voice of America contractors are expected to lose their jobs over the coming days, campaigners said, as the Trump administration moves to dismantle the US government-backed news service’s parent agency. Most of VOA’s roughly 1,300 staffers have been placed on administrative leave and its broadcasts suspended after a March 14 executive order gutted the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees US-funded international media. The Trump administration decided to terminate “hundreds of contractors over the…

Japanese Junko Tabei, the first woman in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest on 16 May 1975, and Mount Everest (8,848.86-metre), in Nepal. [AFP] On May 16, 1975, Japan’s Junko Tabei became the first woman to climb to the top of Mount Everest. Half a century later, the world’s highest mountain is set to record its thousandth ascent by a woman. Scaling the 8,849 metre-high (29,032-foot-high) peak has mainly been a male achievement. By May 2025 women had reached the top 962 times, while men had got there 11,955 times, according to an AFP analysis of figures…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to media after disembarking from the plane upon his arrival at Ankara airport, in Ankara, on May 15, 2025. [AFP] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was to meet with top Turkish and Ukranian officials Friday after landing in Istanbul ahead of the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks in three years, a US official said. Rubio had on Thursday played down hope of progress at the meeting, saying “we don’t have high expectations,” but has nonetheless flown in to throw his weight behind the effort. Ahead of the talks, US and Turkish officials were expected to…

MrBeast arrives at the 11th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony 2025 held at the Barker Hangar on April 5, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. [AFP] Mexico is seeking compensation from YouTube celebrity MrBeast’s production company, accusing it of using images of the country’s ancient archaeological sites to advertise a chocolate brand. A video of the social media star visiting Mayan ruins has been viewed around 60 million times since May 10 on YouTube, where he has 395 million subscribers. In the video, titled “I Explored 2000-Year-Old Ancient Temples,” the influencer explores the ancient Mayan cities including Calakmul and Chichen Itza in…

US rapper Chris Brown arrives for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. [AFP] American R&B singer Chris Brown, the former boyfriend of superstar Rihanna, is due to appear in a UK court on Friday after being arrested and charged over an alleged assault at a London nightclub in 2023, police said. Brown, 36, is known for mid-2000s hits such as “Kiss, Kiss” and a litany of legal troubles, including a felony conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. He was arrested again in the early hours of Thursday at a hotel in Manchester, the Metropolitan…

Singer and model Cassie Ventura (L) and Rap mogul P Diddy (aka Sean Combs) arrive for the traditionnal Clive Davis party on the eve of the 60th Annual Grammy Awards on January 28, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs on Thursday tried to chip away at the credibility of Casandra Ventura, the music mogul’s former girlfriend, after two days of her grueling testimony in his trial on sex trafficking charges. Ventura, the singer widely known as Cassie, told jurors that Combs raped, beat and forced her into drug-fueled sex parties during…

From left: Belgium Minister of Energy Mathieu Bihet, Elia Transmission Belgium CEO Frederic Dunon, Elia Group CEO Bernard Gustin during a visit to the control centre of Elia in Schaerbeek in Brussels, on May 6, 2025. [AFP] Belgium on Thursday officially abandoned plans to phase out nuclear power, with parliament voting to scrap a two-decades-old pledge and to allow for the construction of new reactors. Lawmakers in Brussels backed the new conservative-led government’s plan to revive the country’s nuclear industry with 102 votes in favour, eight against and 31 abstentions. “The Federal Parliament has just turned the page on two…

Customers enter a Walmart store on April 09, 2025 in San Leandro, California. [AFP] Walmart on Thursday reported another solid quarter behind sales gains in the United States, but warned of higher prices and continued uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariffs. “We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure,” Chief Executive Doug McMillon said in a conference call with analysts. Walmart executives welcomed the de-escalation of the US-China trade war announced earlier this week, but…

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomes his US counterpart Donald Trump at the presidential terminal in Abu Dhabi on May 15, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal was close on Iran’s nuclear programme that would avert military action, sending oil prices tumbling, as he boasted of raising “trillions of dollars” on a Gulf tour. He made the remarks in Doha before flying on to the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi on the third and final leg of a Gulf tour that began in Saudi Arabia. “We’re not going to be making any…

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (R) looks on as US President Donald Trump holds an autographed soccer ball during a signing ceremony following a state dinner at Lusail Palace in Doha on May 14, 2025. [AFP] Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, branded Donald Trump’s decision to lift US sanctions on his country “historic and courageous”, calling it a turning point for a nation shattered by war and isolation. Speaking in a televised address, Sharaa said the US president’s move “alleviates the suffering of the people, contributes to their rebirth and lays the foundations for stability in the region”.…

Messages written on a banner with an image of Pope Leo XIV at Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Catholic University in Chiclayo, northern Peru. May 12, 2025. [AFP] The election of the first US pope is a godsend to businesses in Rome, as big-spending pilgrims flocking to the Vatican are also expected to spend in the Eternal City. In the historical Trastevere district with its cobblestoned streets and ancient churches, shopkeepers say tourists from the United States are usually excellent customers — and tippers. “We’re really pleased, it’s great for business,” restaurant owner Cristiano Bolognesi told AFP following the election of Robert…

Internet giant Alibaba posted on Thursday a six percent increase in annual revenue, the latest positive sign for China’s tech sector despite persisting economic uncertainties that include sluggish spending and threatened trade. The Hangzhou-based company is one of the biggest players in China’s tech industry, with operations spanning retail, digital payment, artificial intelligence and entertainment. This year has seen its share price rollercoaster on a wave of investor enthusiasm about Chinese AI capabilities that began in January, followed by a steep drop last month triggered by US President Donald Trump’s global tariff blitz. The firm’s revenue during the fiscal year…

US President Donald Trump leaves the stage after addressing troops at the Al-Udeid air base southwest of Doha on May 15, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed talk of seeking a third term in office, which is barred by the Constitution, in a highly political address to US troops in Qatar. Speaking to uniformed soldiers at the Al Udeid base, Trump again falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election against Joe Biden. “We won three elections, ok? And some people want us to do a fourth. I don’t know. We’ll have to think about that,” Trump…

This image taken on April 26, 2023 in Toulouse, south-western France, shows a screen displaying the Tiktok social media platform’s logo and the European flag. The EU accused TikTok on May 15, 2025, of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform is not transparent enough about advertisements. [AFP] The EU accused TikTok on Thursday of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform is not transparent enough about advertisements. The European Commission “found that TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of the advertisements, the users targeted by the ads, and…

Congressional staff members attend a House Ways and Means Committee markup hearing in the Longworth House Building on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. House Republicans introduced their tax and immigration legislation this week, with the goal of getting President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” passed before the Memorial Day weekend. [AFP] President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday moved to scrap limits on several toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water, reversing what had been hailed as a landmark public health victory. The Environmental Protection Agency said it would retain maximum contaminant levels for just two of…

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (C-R) and US President Donald Trump (C-L) watch as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (L) and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani (R) sign documents during a signing ceremony at the Royal Palace in Doha on May 14, 2025. [AFP]  US President Donald Trump said Wednesday Qatar Airways had placed a “record” order for 160 planes from Boeing, as he signed a raft of deals in Doha alongside Qatar’s emir. The order, which the White House said was Boeing’s largest ever for…

France’s Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau speaks during a session at the Nationale Assembly, French Parliament lower house, Paris. May 13, 2025. [AFP] France on Wednesday faced calls to bolster security for cryptocurrency firms, after armed men attempted to snatch the daughter and grandson of the Paymium platform from a Paris Street and a spate of similar violent incidents. Paymium urged the authorities “to immediately adopt measures to reinforce the protection of collaborators of companies in the cryptocurrency ecosystem”. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said he would meet industry professionals later this week to discuss how to prevent future…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem on October 24, 2023. [AFP] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accused French President Emmanuel Macron of siding with a “murderous Islamist terrorist organisation” after Macron criticised Israel’s blocking of aid to Gaza. “Macron has once again chosen to stand with a murderous Islamist terrorist organisation and echo its despicable propaganda, accusing Israel of blood libels,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said. “Instead of supporting the Western democratic camp fighting the Islamist terrorist organisations and calling for the release of…

Pope Leo XIV during a private audience with Italy’s tennis player Jannik Sinner, in The Vatican. [VATICAN MEDIA, AFP] Men’s world number one tennis player Jannik Sinner offered to rally with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, after being received by the head of the Catholic Church at the Vatican. The 23-year-old Italian star only returned to the circuit last Saturday, at the Italian Open, after serving a three month doping ban. Video released by the Vatican showed Sinner shaking the hand of the Chicago-born pope and presenting him with a racquet similar to his own. With a racquet in both…

Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey: what we know. [AFP] Ukraine and Russia are close to reviving direct peace talks for the first time since the last face-to-face discussions ended three years ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to meet in Turkey on Thursday for talks on ending the war, after Moscow proposed staging direct negotiations. With less than 24 hours until negotiations are set to begin, details remain obscure. Here’s a breakdown of what is known and not about the talks so far: Who is expected to attend?  Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed…

People celebrate in Damascus’ Omeyyad square after US President Donald Trump’s decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Donald Trump became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader on Wednesday after he offered sanctions relief in hopes of offering a new path to the war-battered country. Trump, in Riyadh on the first state visit of his second term, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla turned interim president after the December overthrow of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad. The two held brief talks ahead of a larger gathering of Gulf leaders…

Congressional staff members attend a House Ways and Means Committee markup hearing in the Longworth House Building on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] NATO foreign ministers meeting in Antalya from Wednesday will look to forge a compromise deal on ramping up defence spending as allies scramble to satisfy US President Donald Trump’s demand to agree to five percent of GDP at a summit next month. The two-day gathering in the sun-baked Turkish seaside resort comes as diplomatic intrigue swirls over a possible meeting across the country in Istanbul between Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s…

US President Donald Trump greets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Saudi-US investment forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would lift sanctions on Syria to offer it a chance for “greatness” after Bashar al-Assad’s fall, as he cast himself as a peacemaker in the Middle East. On a state visit to Saudi Arabia primarily aimed at securing billions of dollars of investment, the billionaire president took aim both at the US left and right who he said had intervened in the…

US celebrity Kim Kardashian (C) leaves with her mother Kris Jenner (R) the Assize Court after testifying in a trial over the 2016 robbery that saw her relieved of millions of dollars’ worth of jewellery at gunpoint in Paris, on May 13, 2025. The trial of this sensational nine million euro jewellery robbery opened in Paris on April 28, 2025. [AFP] Reality TV star Kim Kardashian told a Paris court on Tuesday she feared she would be killed by the masked men who robbed her at gunpoint of some $10 million of jewellery in her hotel room in 2016, but…

US President Donald Trump (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (2nd-L) take part in a signing ceremony during a bilateral meeting in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Saudi Arabia on Tuesday promised billions of dollars in deals with the United States from defence to artificial intelligence as it threw a lavish welcome for President Donald Trump on the first state visit of his second term.  The Saudis escorted Air Force One into the kingdom with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching guards of honour and sending flag-waving cavalry to accompany Trump’s motorcade to the palace.  Under imposing…

US celebrity Kim Kardashian (R) arrives at the Assize Court for a 2016 robbery trial in Paris. May 13, 2025. [AFP] American celebrity  Kim Kardashian told a Paris court on Tuesday she feared she was going to be killed by masked men who robbed her at gunpoint of millions of dollars of jewellery during the French capital’s fashion week. Ten suspects have been on trial since late April over the armed robbery in 2016, which saw jewellery worth some $10 million stolen from the reality TV star and influencer. “Hi! I’m Kim Kardashian, and I just want to thank everyone, especially…

Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales during a visit to present “The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design” at The British Design Council, in central London, on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Nearly 14 months after she announced her cancer diagnosis, Britain’s Princess Catherine has launched a video series about nature, hailing it as her “sanctuary” over the past year. Catherine, also known as Kate, who said last September that she had finished chemotherapy, used the first of her series of “Mother Nature” videos to urge people to reconnect with the world around them. Her voiceover for her “Spring” video is set…

US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff leaves after a meeting with relatives of hostages held in Gaza since October 2023, at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, on May 13, 2025. [AFP] A months-long Israeli blockade is worsening acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, medical charity Medecins du Monde warned on Tuesday, accusing Israel of using hunger as “a weapon of war.” Israel halted all aid from entering the war-ravaged Palestinian territory on March 2, days before resuming its offensive triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. The United Nations and aid agencies have repeatedly…

US President Donald Trump and the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman talk before a coffee ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Donald Trump enjoyed a lavish, royal welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on the first state visit of his second term, with the US president foremost focused on business deals at the start of a Gulf tour. Saudi Arabia escorted Air Force One with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching honour guards both at the airport and a palace decked out with imposing chandeliers. With cameras rolling, a lengthy procession of Saudi…

Even the greatest human minds building generative artificial intelligence that is poised to change the world admit they do not comprehend how digital minds think. “People outside the field are often surprised and alarmed to learn that we do not understand how our own AI creations work,” Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei wrote in an essay posted online in April. “This lack of understanding is essentially unprecedented in the history of technology.” Unlike traditional software programs that follow pre-ordained paths of logic dictated by programmers, generative AI (gen AI) models are trained to find their own way to success once prompted.…

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a press conference at the media briefing room of 9 Downing Street, central London, on May 12, 2025. [AFP] British police arrested a 21-year-old man early Tuesday over suspected arson attacks on two properties linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. London’s Metropolitan Police force said the man was arrested “on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life”. He was being held in custody, the force added. Emergency services were called to a blaze at the door of Starmer’s former family home in Kentish Town, north London, at 1:35 a.m.…

In this February 15, 2025, a Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald Trump toured the aircraft on February 15, 2025. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) US President Donald Trump on Monday angrily dismissed concerns over his plans to receive a jet from Qatar to be used as Air Force One, saying it would be “stupid” not to accept such a gift. The offer from Qatar’s royal family to donate the $400 million 747-8 to be used as the US presidential plane raised major questions about ethics and security, but Trump…

Israelis celebrate the release of Edan Alexander, an Israeli-US captive in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on May 12, 2025. [AFP] Palestinian militant group Hamas said its armed wing handed over a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza since October 2023 on Monday, ahead of a regional visit by US President Donald Trump. “The (Ezzedine) Al-Qassam Brigades have just released the Zionist soldier and American citizen Edan Alexander, following contacts with the US administration, as part of the efforts undertaken by mediators to achieve a ceasefire,” Hamas said in a statement Monday. A source…

Photo illustration portraits of US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. [AFP] Here is a look at the key points in the 90-day agreement the United States and China announced Monday to de-escalate their market-roiling trade war.  New US duties: 30% Washington agreed to reduce tariffs on Chinese goods from the additional 145 per cent announced by President Donald Trump in April to 30 per cent — which will still be applied on top of pre-existing duties. The new figure includes a 20-per-cent tariff Trump has imposed to pressure Beijing to do more to fight fentanyl trafficking, which…

Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican. [Vatican media, AFP] Pope Leo XIV called for an end to war in the world as he greeted crowds from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, in his second official public appearance since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church. “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!” proclaimed the first pontiff from the United States, addressing tens of thousands in St Peter’s Square gathered underneath him who cheered, applauded wildly and enthusiastically waved flags. The new Chicago-born pope did not shy from world events…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Pope Leo XIV said Saturday he intended to follow his predecessor’s path as pontiff, praising Francis’s “complete dedication to service” and explaining his name choice reflected a commitment to social causes, according to the Vatican. Addressing a meeting of cardinals two days after being elected the 267th pope, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost said a pontiff was “a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters,…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the St Peter’s Basilica. [AFP] The inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV will take place on Sunday, May 18, in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced. World leaders are expected to gather for the event, held 10 days after the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the first US head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. The new pontiff will meet with journalists on Monday and with diplomats accredited to the Holy See the following Friday, the Vatican said. Leo’s first general audience will be on Wednesday May 21 and he will…

US President Donald Trump looks on as British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson (3R) speaks during a trade announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. Also pictured, US Vice President JD Vance (L). [AFP] US President Donald Trump signaled on Friday that he could lower tariffs on Chinese imports, as the rival superpowers prepare for trade talks over the weekend. “80% Tariff on China seems right!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, which would bring them down from 145 percent, with cumulative duties on some goods reaching a…

US President Donald Trump looks on as British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson (3R) speaks during a trade announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. Also pictured, US Vice President JD Vance (L). [AFP] After US President Donald Trump said he hoped to meet “fantastic” Ursula von der Leyen, the EU chief quipped on Friday: “I like compliments in general.” “She’s so fantastic. I hope we’re gonna meet,” Trump told reporters as he unveiled a US-UK trade agreement on Thursday, his first deal with any country since he unleashed his global…

Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican. [AFP] Leo XIV celebrated his first mass as pope on Friday, the day after becoming the first US head of the Catholic Church, with the world’s eyes watching for signs of what kind of leader he will be. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost on Thursday became the 267th pope, spiritual head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and successor to Argentina’s Pope Francis, after a secret conclave by his fellow cardinals in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. “The American pope,” blazed headlines from the front pages of…

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey attends the central bank’s Monetary Policy Report press conference at the Bank of England, in the City of London, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Most equities rose Friday on growing optimism that the worst of Donald Trump’s trade war is past after he reached a deal with Britain and suggested he could lower tariffs on China as officials prepare for high-stakes talks this weekend. The mood among investors has improved substantially since the US president unveiled his “Liberation Day” blitz last month, sending markets spinning and fuelling global recession fears. Several countries have lined…

US President Donald Trump takes questions outside the West Wing of White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Donald Trump’s administration plans to resettle the first group of white South Africans to the United States next week, US media reported Thursday, after the president accused Pretoria of “racial discrimination” against them. Trump is locked in a diplomatic row with South Africa over a land expropriation act that the Republican leader says will lead to the takeover of white-owned farms. Trump, whose tycoon ally Elon Musk was born in South Africa, has said the law signed in January would…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the St Peter’s Basilica. [AFP] China on Friday congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election to head the Catholic Church, saying Beijing hoped to continue “constructive dialogue” with the Vatican. “It is hoped that under the new pope’s leadership, the Vatican will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with China and conduct in-depth communication on international issues of mutual concern,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. Lin expressed Beijing’s hope that it and the Vatican could “jointly promote continued improvement of relations and contribute to world peace, stability and development prosperity.” Chicago-born…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025 [AFP] From pillorying the US vice president to denouncing the death penalty, Pope Leo has proven unafraid to tackle prickly political issues on social media — making him the first “extremely online” pontiff. When JD Vance suggested that Christians should love their family, neighbors, community and fellow citizens — in that order — one very notable Christian took umbrage. Robert Prevost, now better known to the world as…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass Friday, the day after becoming the first US head of the Catholic Church, with the world watching for signs of what kind of pope he will be. Chicago-born  Robert Francis Prevost became on Thursday the 267th pope, spiritual leader to the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, after a secret conclave by his fellow cardinals in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. At…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] The archbishop of Philadelphia, the US city where the first American pope Leo XIV spent his student days, told AFP after the pontiff was elected that he “honestly didn’t think it would be him”. “Not because of him, but because being an American, that just has not been the case,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Perez. Robert Prevost’s election as the first US head of the Catholic Church has prompted celebration and surprise in both his hometown…

A woman prays next to the image of Robert Francis Prevost, who became Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Church bells echoed out as Catholics congregated in the Peruvian capital on Thursday to celebrate the election of American-born Pope Leo XIV, who left his mark after years of service in the Andean country. “He is a good man, even to those who are bad,” 73-year-old priest Juan de Dios Rojas told AFP of Robert Prevost during a visit to El Callao beyond Lima. A photograph of Leo XIV, who will hold a mass for cardinals in the Sistine…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments. The sign of confidence from Francis…

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for new U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue in the Oval Office at the White House on May 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] US President Donald Trump announced Thursday an agreement with Britain on trade, which would be the first such deal since he launched his global tariffs blitz. Trump provided no details about the scope of the agreement, which comes a month after he imposed sweeping tariffs on US trading partners on his April 2 “Liberation Day”. “The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one…

Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Published Date: 2025-05-09 06:00:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. [Jim Watson, AFP] US President Donald Trump unveiled a “breakthrough” trade agreement with Britain on Thursday, the first deal with any country since he launched his global tariffs blitz. The deal reduces tariffs on British cars and lifts them on steel and aluminum, while in return Britain will open up markets to US beef and other farm products. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also hailed it as a “historic day”, although the agreement is thin on details and both sides said…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born head of the Catholic Church, as a “great honor” for the United States. “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country,” Trump said on his…

US President Donald Trump makes a trade announcement during a meeting with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (left), Vice President JD Vance (second left), and British ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson (right), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025.  [AFP] US President Donald Trump unveiled a “breakthrough” trade agreement with Britain on Thursday, the first deal with any country since he launched his global tariffs blitz. The deal reduces tariffs on British cars and lifts them on steel and aluminum, while in return Britain will open up markets to US beef…

Smoke billows on the horizon following an Israeli air strike on Yemen’s Huthi-held capital Sanaa on May 6, 2025. [AFP] Israel issued its strongest threat yet against Iran Thursday, warning it would do to it what it has done to Hamas in Gaza after Iran-backed Huthi rebels attacked Ben Gurion airport. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami said any attack by the United States or Israel would “open the gates of hell”. Along with Hezbollah and Hamas, Yemen’s Huthis are part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and its Washington ally. The Huthis claim their repeated attacks on Israel…

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the St Peter’s Basilica. [Alberto Pizzoli, AFP] Robert Francis Prevost became the first pope from the United States on Thursday, picking the papal name Leo XIV after cardinals from around the world elected him leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Tens of thousands of people packed in St Peter’s Square cheered as Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, waving with both hands, smiling and bowing. “Peace by with you,” he told the crowds. White smoke from the Sistine Chapel had billowed into the sky on the cardinals’ second…

French cardinal proto-deacon Dominique Mamberti announces the name of the new pope at the St Peter’s Basilica. [Tiziana Fabi, AFP] Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments. The sign of confidence from Francis speaks to Prevost’s commitment as a missionary in Peru to the “peripheries” — overlooked areas…

French cardinal proto-deacon Dominique Mamberti announces the name of the new pope at the St Peter’s Basilica. [Tiziana Fabi, AFP] Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments. The sign of confidence from Francis speaks to Prevost’s commitment as a missionary in Peru to the “peripheries” — overlooked areas…

People react as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. [AFP] White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling that the 133 cardinals inside have elected a new pope. They picked a successor to Pope Francis on the second day of voting, but the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will have to wait for the official announcement from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to learn who he is. White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday,…

A Ford Mustang is seen at a used car dealership in Montebello, California on May 5, 2025. Ford reported a 65 percent drop in first-quarter profits May 5, 2025, citing a near-term drag on auto sales from new vehicle launches, as it withdrew its forecast amid tariff uncertainty. [AFP] The EU on Thursday threatened to target US cars and planes among a raft of products worth 95 billion euros ($107 billion) if negotiations with President Donald Trump’s team fail to avert a trade war. The European Commission said it would, in parallel, file a complaint with the World Trade Organization…

US Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee meeting at the Federal Reserve in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2025.[AFP] US President Donald Trump branded Fed Chair Jerome Powell a “fool” on Thursday after the central bank announced another pause in rate cuts and warned of higher risks to inflation and unemployment goals. “‘Too Late’ Jerome Powell is a FOOL, who doesn’t have a clue,” Trump posted on his Truth Social network, in a fresh attack on the head of the independent Federal Reserve. Trump has repeatedly said he wants…

Black smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signalling that cardinals failed to elect a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Thick black smoke billowed Thursday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals again failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church. Among the thousands of Catholics and curious tourists massed in St Peter’s Square, there was applause but also sighs at the result, which came after the second and third ballots. The 133 cardinals voting for a successor to Pope Francis as head…

Black smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signalling that cardinals failed to elect a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Black smoke billowed from a chimney over the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel for a second day Thursday as cardinals meeting in conclave once again failed to choose a new pope. Thousands of the faithful and curious were awaiting the smoke in St Peter’s Square on the morning of the second day of secret voting by the 133 cardinal electors. More to follow…… Black smoke billowed from a chimney over the Vatican’s…

EU Commissioner for Climate, Energy Neutralization and Climate Growth Wopke Hoekstra (C) attends The Copenhagen Climate Ministerial meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, on May 7, 2025. Climate ministers from around the world meet to set the direction for climate negotiations at COP30 in Brazil. [AFP] Brazil’s UN COP30 president on Thursday said he wanted this year’s conference to mark a new era of global progress on climate change and was hopeful that countries would deliver more ambitious carbon-cutting plans. The COP30 climate conference in the Amazonian city of Belem marks a decade since the signing of the Paris Agreement but follows…

This photograph shows black smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signalling that cardinals failed to elect a new pope in the first ballot of their conclave in the Vatican on May 7, 2025. [AFP] Thick black smoke emerged Wednesday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals had failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church in their first conclave vote.  Tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square to await the smoke, which came around three hours and 15 minutes after the 133 cardinals were closed in.  The…

A pro-junta demonstrator holds a banner as opposing political parties protest against potential dissolution by Mali’s military authorities in Bamako on May 3, 2025. [AFP] Mali’s junta on Wednesday suspended political parties’ activities “until further notice for reasons of public order”, as the opposition protests against the military government’s ramped-up crackdown on dissent. Read out on national television and radio, the decree comes ahead of a rally called for Friday by parties critical of the junta against their dissolution, as well as for a return to constitutional order in the insecurity-ridden Sahel nation. All “associations of a political character” were covered…

Visitors look on as they wait for smoke signalling the result of the cardinals’ vote during the conclave in the Vatican, on May 7, 2025. [AFP] Cardinals choosing the next leader of the global Catholic Church were locked into the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, marking the formal start of the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis. Shortly after 17:45 (15:45 GMT), the conclave’s master of ceremonies declared “Extra omnes” — “Everybody out” in Latin — and then shut the heavy doors of the 15th century chapel, leaving the 133 “Princes of the Church” to make their choice…

Faithful watch a giant screen displaying the holy mass of cardinals to the Sistine chapel, at St Peter’s Square. [Stefano Rellandini, AFP] According to a live video feed from the Vatican, Cardinals electing a new pope began taking an oath of secrecy Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel before being locked into the conclave. After reciting the oath in Latin together, each of the 133 “Princes of the Church” advanced to the altar to take his personal vow, his hand on the Bible. More to follow…. According to a live video feed from the Vatican, Cardinals electing a new pope began…

Cardinals during a holy mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff, prior to the start of the conclave, at St Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican. [AFP] The cardinal leading the last mass before a conclave to elect a new pope urged his peers Wednesday to choose someone able to protect the Catholic Church’s unity and lead a “difficult and complex” point in history. Cardinals from five continents held a final mass in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican before shutting themselves away to choose a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. A total of 133 cardinal electors…

A Ford Mustang is seen at a used car dealership in Montebello, California on May 5, 2025. Ford reported a 65 percent drop in first-quarter profits May 5, 2025, citing a near-term drag on auto sales from new vehicle launches, as it withdrew its forecast amid tariff uncertainty. [AFP] China vowed Wednesday to defend “justice” in upcoming trade talks with the United States — their first since Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs that shook global markets. Since the US president returned to the White House in January, his administration has imposed tariffs totalling 145 percent on goods from China, with…

Cardinals hold last mass before conclave to elect pope. [File, Courtesy] Cardinals from five continents held a final mass in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday before sealing themselves away to elect a new pope to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. A total of 133 cardinal electors are expected to take part in the conclave,  the voting process to pick a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month after a 12-year papacy. No clear frontrunner has emerged from among the prelates — representing a range of progressive and conservative traditions within the Church — and the…

 White smoke rises from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel meaning that cardinals elected a new pope on the second day of their secret conclave on March 13, 2013 at the Vatican.[AFP] When Catholic cardinals vote in the conclave, they then burn their ballots, sending up black smoke to signal no decision or white smoke to show they have chosen a new pope. The centuries-old tradition of using smoke has changed over time — as has the technology used. Gunshot  All conclaves bar one have taken place in Rome since the 15th century, and the tradition of…

Ivorian cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo leaves after a congregation meeting at The Vatican, on May 5, 2025. [AFP] Cardinals from five continents held a final mass in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican on Wednesday before sealing themselves away to elect a new pope to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. A total of 133 cardinal electors are expected to take part in the conclave, the voting process to pick a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month after a 12-year papacy. No clear frontrunner has emerged from among the prelates — representing a range of progressive and conservative…

Smoke billows on the horizon following an Israeli air strike on Yemen’s Huthi-held capital Sanaa on May 6, 2025. [AFP] The United States and Yemen’s Huthis have agreed a ceasefire, mediators announced, saying the deal would ensure “freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea where the Iran-backed rebels have attacked shipping for months. The agreement comes after President Donald Trump announced that the United States would end attacks against the Huthis after the rebels agreed to stop harassing ships, though he made no direct mention of recent attacks on ally Israel. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Tuesday said that…

Shuruq Ayyad consoles her 12-year-old daughter Rahaf, who is suffering from malnutrition, in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on May 4, 2025. [AFP] Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that a victory for his country in its war against militant group Hamas means that the  Gaza Strip will be “entirely destroyed”. “Gaza will be entirely destroyed, civilians will be sent to… the south to a humanitarian zone without Hamas or terrorism, and from there they will start to leave in great numbers to third countries,” the far-right firebrand told a conference in the Israeli settlement of Ofra in the…

US President Donald Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 6, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) The US trade deficit reached a new record in March, according to fresh government data published Tuesday, as imports surged ahead of President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariff rollout. The overall trade gap of the world’s largest economy jumped 14.0 percent to $140.5 billion for the month, the Commerce Department said in a statement. This was the widest deficit for a month on record, dating back to 1992, and marked a $17.3 billion…

US President Donald Trump addresses the media after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington, DC, on May 5, 2025. [AFP] Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meets Donald Trump on Tuesday for the first time since he won reelection on a pledge to stand up to the US president’s tariffs and threats to annex the United States’ northern neighbor. The 60-year-old Liberal Party leader has said that things cannot be the same with the United States under Trump, and warned not to expect any immediate agreements from the meeting at the White House. Trump…

Italian tailor, Raniero Mancinelli, 86, works on a cardinal’s cassock in his shop in Borgo Pio, Vatican. [Tiziana Fabi, AFP] One hundred and thirty-three cardinals, with an average age of 70, mostly chosen by the late Pope Francis, are set to vote for his successor at the conclave beginning on Wednesday. While many of them will as usual be from Europe, and particularly Italy, they will this time be less in number. During his pontificate, Francis made a point of appointing more cardinals from the “peripheries” of the Catholic world. Of the 252 cardinals, who form the top echelon of the…

The 15 cardinals who are among the potential favourites to become the next pope, known as the “papabili.”on April 21, 2025. [AFP] With no official campaigning or list of candidates and the election process shrouded in secrecy, speculation about who will succeed Pope Francis after the conclave beginning this week remains just that — speculation. But here are 15 cardinals who are among the potential favourites to succeed Pope Francis — so-called “papabili” — divided by region. EUROPE Pietro Parolin (Italy), 70, Francis’s number two at the Vatican Parolin was secretary of state — the Vatican’s effective number two –…

Rong Chhun (second right), an advisor of the Nation Power Party, speaks to UN officials near the Phnom Penh municipal court on May 5, 2025. [AFP] A Cambodian court sentenced an outspoken opposition politician to four years in jail for incitement on Monday, he told reporters, barring him from voting and holding office. Nation Power Party adviser Rong Chhun said he was found guilty of incitement to cause serious social unrest — a charge Cambodian authorities frequently deploy against activists. The case was brought against him last year after he met victims of land disputes and commented on Prime Minister…

In the dusty alleys of Nima, a shanty town in the heart of Ghana’s capital, a 17-year-old called Ghost reclines on a faded plastic chair inside a dimly lit internet cafe. Outside, barefoot children chase a punctured football. Inside, Ghost’s fingers dance across the keyboard, his eyes locked on WhatsApp as he engineers a phishing scam that could earn him thousands of cedis in just a few hours. “I made GHC12,000 ($770) last month,” Ghost told AFP, his voice low and calculated, describing an online store he set up on Instagram. “People bought phones and laptops. None of it existed.”…

A tourist guide holds a leaflet displaying pictures of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI at St Peter’s square in The Vatican, on May 1st, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump posted on Friday a spoof picture of himself dressed as the pope on his Truth Social platform after joking that he would like to be the next Catholic pontiff. The president is seen in what appears to be an AI-generated color image, with his right index finger pointed toward the sky, wearing papal regalia, including white robes, a gold crucifix pendant, and the miter hat. It comes after Trump…

 A firefighter installs the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, with the statue of Saint Paul in the foreground. May 2, 2025. [AFP] Firefighters installed the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on Friday, which will emit white smoke to signal the election of a new pope as preparations proceed just five days before cardinals gather for the conclave. Some 133 Catholic cardinals will gather below Michelangelo’s famed frescoes in the 15th-century chapel, situated inside the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, to elect a successor to Pope Francis. Held behind locked doors, the conclave will signal to the world…

An aerial view of the launch of the Hull 096 aluminium catamaran, the world’s largest battery-electric ship. May 2, 2025. [AFP] An Australian boatbuilder launched what it described as the world’s largest electric-powered ship on Friday, a 130-metre (426-feet) behemoth capable of carrying 2,100 passengers. Identified by boatbuilder Incat as Hull 096, the aluminium catamaran is powered by more than 250 tonnes of batteries and was built for South American ferry operator Buquebus. It was designed to carry passengers and up to 225 vehicles across the River Plate between Buenos Aires and Uruguay. “Hull 096 proves that large-scale, low-emission transport…

Lebanese army soldiers deploy at the site of Israeli strikes following evacuation orders, in Beirut’s southern suburb on April 27, 2025. [AFP] Lebanon’s top security body on Friday warned  Hamas against using the country’s territory for acts that undermine national security, after rocket fire towards Israel sparked retaliatory strikes. The Higher Defence Council said it had recommended the government warn Hamas “against using Lebanese territory for any acts that undermine Lebanese national security”. The council, headed by President Joseph Aoun, added that “the utmost measures and necessary procedures will be taken to put a definitive end to any act that…

Argentine Cardinal Angel Sixto Rossi arrives for the seventh congregation meeting at the Vatican, on April 30, 2025. [AFP] A week before the conclave to choose a new pope opens, preparatory talks intensified Wednesday as cardinals sounded out potential candidates — with many hoping the election will be quick. More than 180 “Princes of the Church” met behind closed doors in their seventh meeting since Pope Francis died on April 21, to discuss what they want from the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. After discussing issues such as child sex abuse in the Church and the institution’s role…

  Asia’s front-runner for the papacy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines. [Courtesy] Asia’s front-runner for the papacy, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, is a charismatic moderate often dubbed the “Asian Francis”. Tagle, 67, who shares with Pope Francis a history of advocating for the poor, migrants and other marginalised people, is known for his missionary spirit and pastoral focus. Wearing glasses with a youthful air and ready smile, the cardinal nicknamed “Chito” is a popular figure among the fervently religious country’s more than 90 million Catholics. Born into a working-class family near Manila, Tagle was ordained…

Leaders, members, and supporters from the Canadian labor union Unifor, gather during a “Protect Canadian Jobs Rally” to protest the damaging effects of Trump’s trade war at the Riverfront Festival Plaza in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, on April 26, 2025. [AFP] The White House on Tuesday slammed Amazon over reports it would soon tell consumers how much US President Donald Trump’s tariffs have contributed to the price tag on its goods. “This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a briefing in Washington. “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked…

Members of Amnesty International during a demonstration called by a dozen pro-Palestinian organizations in support of the Palestinian people, in Brussels, on January 26, 2025. [AFP] Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Israel of committing a “live-streamed genocide” by forcibly displacing most Gazans and deliberately creating a humanitarian catastrophe — allegations Israel dismissed as “blatant lies.” The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, warned Israel’s blockade on aid had become a “silent killer” in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory, with children and the sick suffering the most. In its annual report, Amnesty said Israel was acting with “specific intent to destroy…

  White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, accompanied by White House border czar Tom Homan, speaks during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] The foreign ministers of Brazil, China, Russia and other BRICS members began two days of talks in Rio de Janeiro Monday aimed at forging a united front to US President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies. The meeting comes at a critical moment for the world economy after the International Monetary Fund slashed growth forecasts over the impact of the US leader’s…

Cardinals during the fifth congregation meeting in the Vatican, on April 28, 2025. [AFP] The announcement of the date for a conclave kicks off a process that could see a successor to Pope Francis elected by the end of next week. John L. Allen Jr, editor of online Catholic newspaper Crux and author of numerous books on the Vatican, offered AFP some insights on Monday into how it will play out. Who appears the favourite so far? “Certainly the early favourite has to be Cardinal Pietro Parolin. He was the secretary of state for 12 years of the Francis papacy,…

Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Published Date: 2025-04-28 00:00:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard

Faithful attend Pope Francis’ funeral ceremony at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican on April 26, 2025. [AFP] Hundreds of thousands of mourners joined world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, to bid farewell Saturday to Pope Francis, a champion of the poor who strived to forge a more compassionate Catholic church. The Vatican said 400,000 people packed St Peter’s Square and lined the streets of Rome for the funeral of the first Latin American leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. After a solemn funeral, the Argentine pontiff’s plain wooden coffin — a testament to a life of humility…

This photo taken and released on April 26, 2025, by The Vatican Media shows pallbearers carrying the coffin of late Pope Francis at the end of his funeral service, inside Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, the Pope’s final resting place, in Rome. [AFP] Pope Francis was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said on Saturday. Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was laid to rest during a 30-minute ceremony which started at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital. Footage shared by the…

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) meets with US President Donald Trump (L) on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral . [AFP] Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, their aides said, marking their first encounter since a disastrous White House clash as the US president pushes the Ukrainian to make a peace deal with Russia. Trump was rubbing shoulders with dozens of world leaders at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome keen to bend his ear on the tariffs he has unleashed and other subjects. But it was the meeting with Zelensky that drew the…

Pallbearers carry the coffin of late Pope Francis during the funeral ceremony in St Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, on April 26, 2025. [AFP] Tens of thousands of mourners and world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, packed St Peter’s Square on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, the champion of the poor and the Catholic Church’s first Latin American leader. Some waited overnight to get a seat for the ceremony, with police reporting some 150,000 people in the square and surrounding streets even before proceedings began at 10:00 am (0900 GMT). The crowds cheered and applauded as the…

A man walks past All Saints’ Church with portraits of the late Pope Francis placed at the entrance, in Colombo, on April 26, 2025. [AFP] Pope Francis’s funeral will take place on Saturday in St Peter’s Square in the Vatican before he is buried at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome. Here is the official programme of the ceremonies for the late pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88: 5:30 am (0330 GMT) St Peter’s Square opens. 9:30 am (0730 GMT) US President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrive in St Peter’s Square. 10:00 am (0800 GMT) The funeral…

This photograph shows a view of the Column of Peace and the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, the Pope’s last resting place, ahead of late Pope Francis’ funeral, in Rome on April 26, 2025.  [AFP] The Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, which Pope Francis chose as his final resting place, is a fifth-century church located in the centre of Rome that already holds the tombs of seven popes. Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, will be the first pontiff in more than a century not to be entombed in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Francis was very devoted to the…

People crowd on a street in Rome ahead of late Pope Francis’ funeral on April 26, 2025. [AFP] Mourners thronged the Vatican and the streets of Rome on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, champion of the poor and the Catholic Church’s first Latin American leader, which will be attended by world leaders and tens of thousands of faithful. Some of the mourners waited overnight for a place and rushed into St Peter’s Square when the metal barriers were opened at 6:00 am (0400 GMT). The Argentine pontiff, who died on Monday aged 88, sought to steer the centuries-old…

The African peacekeeping mission in Somalia requires an additional 8,000 troops, even as Burundi is expected to withdraw its contingent, a statement from military heads from troop-contributing countries said on Friday. The African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) is tasked with combating the Al-Shabaab Islamist group, whose attacks are stoking fears of a jihadist resurgence in the Horn of Africa nation. But Burundi’s planned pull-out, which diplomatic sources told AFP was triggered by a spat with Mogadishu over the state of its soldiers’ equipment, would deprive the mission of around one-fifth of its current manpower. Envoys from…

Tanzania’s main opposition party said on Thursday at least two of its officials had been arrested on their way to a rally to support leading government opponent Tundu Lissu, who refused to appear at a virtual court hearing to face a charge of treason. Authorities in the east African country have increasingly cracked down on the opposition Chadema party ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in October. Lissu’s party was disqualified from the forthcoming elections after it refused to sign an electoral code of conduct. Lissu himself could face the death penalty over the treason charge — his most serious…