Africa

Battle for next pope is about whether Rome is still the Church’s power base

Trump steps from the cloister to shake hands with world leaders in Vatican City

Sacraments and side-chats: Pope’s funeral overshadowed by Trump dealmaking

Who are the favorites to succeed Pope Francis?

‘Parkinson’s is a man-made disease’: How a chemical Europe can’t quit may be driving the disease
Penguins, seals and colonies: 5 mind-boggling tariffs in Trump’s ‘liberation’ plan
Why let penguins have all the fun?
Sweeping US tariffs hit some tiny targets around the world
President Donald Trump’s trade action hits several largely uninhabited places with little trade with anyone.
White House team set up at least 20 Signal group chats for crises across the world
National security adviser Mike Waltz’s team regularly set up chats on Signal to coordinate official work on issues including Ukraine, China, Gaza, Middle East policy, Africa and …
Global health chiefs urge EU to step up amid US funding cuts
Significant foreign aid cuts threaten to undo decades of progress in global health.
Nearly 3M HIV deaths due to foreign aid cuts, study forecasts
Researchers warn that decades of progress in HIV treatment and prevention could be undone.
Call for help: Eastern cement imports are killing EU industry
Cement imports from Ukraine to Poland surged 540 percent, from 101,700 tonnes in 2022 to 652,300 tonnes in 2024, threatening Poland’s and Europe’s cement industries.
US announces Black Sea deal with Russia and Ukraine
The region’s shipping safety has vexed the international community amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
UK spending cuts leave anti-ISIS projects in limbo
Key security fund — whose schemes range from stopping ISIS recruitment to clearing deadly mines in Sri Lanka — faces uncertain future after cut to aid spending.
America’s global AIDS relief program is on the brink
President Trump is taking apart one of George W. Bush’s proudest achievements.
Russia could return to international sports scene, incoming Olympics chief says
The Olympic committee banned Moscow from competing as a team in the 2024 Paris Olympics because of the country’s incursion in Ukraine.
‘People will die’: UN food aid agency warns Trump-led Western donor cuts will see millions starve
With an $8.1 billion shortfall and the U.S. leading other Western countries in pulling support, the World Food Programme is making drastic aid cuts and scrambling to find donors.
Italy’s release of a warlord puts Meloni’s entanglements with Libya under scrutiny
“Il caso Al-Masri” raises serious questions over Rome’s dealings with Libya.
Trump launches strikes targeting Houthis in Yemen
The attacks are the largest foreign military action taken to date by the Trump administration.
Trump aid freeze decimates UN food agency: ‘It’s catastrophic.’
Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization suspends projects after U.S. stops $300M a year in funding.
How Keir Starmer’s aid cuts threaten Britain’s climate mission
The Labour government has promised to lead the world on climate change, but its renewed focus on defense has thrown those plans into uncertainty.
Green diplomacy survives as UN strikes deal on biodiversity finance
COP16 talks in Rome yielded agreement on funding nature restoration in poorer countries — but some details remain vague.
5 awkward encounters between UK prime ministers and US presidents
Keir Starmer and Donald Trump will likely be all smiles during their meeting Thursday — but a frosty encounter between the two nations’ leaders isn’t unusual.
EU eyes €200B secret weapon as Trump dominates Ukraine peace talks
Europe has significant leverage after being left out of key talks on ending the war in Ukraine, but will it use it?
Macron condemns deadly Mulhouse attack as ‘Islamic terrorist act’
One person was killed and several others injured in knife attack in the Alsace region of eastern France.
Moroccan authorities expel EU lawmakers trying to enter Western Sahara
Officials “violently” forced MEPs back onto their aircraft after declaring them persona non grata, the would-be visitors said.
5 takeaways in the EU’s big agriculture (and food) vision
EU tries to make farming sexy again — and keep farmers from revolting.
Why Europe’s satellite policies must support a new era of connectivity
We now have the technology to ensure people can stay connected no matter where they are — but we need the EU’s backing for it to become ubiquitous
EU shouldn’t stray from spending rules despite defense needs, finance ministers’ chief says
But Donohoe acknowledged that it is “inevitable that in the years ahead, Europe will have to increase its defense expenditure.”