Pope Leo XIV said on Tuesday that his next international trip may be to Africa, expressing a particular desire to visit Algeria in 2026. The US-born pontiff, who was wrapping up his first international trip with a return flight from a six-day visit to Turkey and Lebanon, made the announcement during a press conference aboard the papal plane. READ ALSO: Pope Leo XIV appoints Nigerian priest Edward Daleng as vice-regent of…

Spanish authorities have launched a large-scale operation to contain an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) detected outside Barcelona, fearing it could threaten the country’s €8.8bn pork export industry. The virus was identified in the municipality of Bellaterra after two wild boars were found dead last week. Officials suspect the disease may have spread after a boar consumed contaminated food brought in from outside Spain. Òscar Ordeig, Catalonia’s agriculture minister,…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued one of his starkest warnings to date, declaring that Moscow is prepared to enter a war with Europe if provoked, comments that arrive over an intense wave of diplomatic activity aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking on Tuesday at the plenary session of the VTB Russia Calling Investment Forum in Moscow, Putin insisted that Russia is not seeking a confrontation with Europe but would respond…

United States President Donald Trump reportedly delivered a stark ultimatum to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during a recent phone call, demanding that the embattled president relinquish power immediately. According to sources cited by the Miami Herald, Trump offered Maduro and his family safe passage out of Venezuela if he agreed to resign without delay. Maduro, however, refused the demand, instead insisting on sweeping concessions, including global immunity from prosecution and…

West Bank

Thousands rally in Madrid against PM Sánchez

A tragic mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in Stockton, northern California, has left at least four people dead and 10 injured, authorities confirmed on Sunday, intensifying fresh debate in the United States about gun violence and community safety. According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the attack occurred on Saturday evening inside a banquet hall on Lucile Avenue, where families had gathered to celebrate a birthday. The…

The FDA has not issued a press release and did not respond to requests for comment

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally petitioned President Isaac Herzog for a pardon in his ongoing corruption trial, describing the request as being driven by the “public interest.” Netanyahu, who was indicted in 2019, becoming a first for any sitting Israeli prime minister, is charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The allegations span several cases, including claims that he received high-value gifts such as cigars and champagne…

WThe White House has unveiled a new section of its official website that directly criticises and catalogues media organisations and journalists it claims have distorted coverage of President Donald Trump. The page, introduced on Friday, opens with the headline: “Misleading. Biased. Exposed.” It identifies the Boston Globe, CBS News and the Independent as “media offenders of the week”, accusing them of misrepresenting Trump’s remarks about six Democratic lawmakers. Those lawmakers…

Australian

Russia on Friday signalled it may escalate restrictions on WhatsApp, warning the messaging platform could face an outright ban over alleged failure to curb criminal use. Moscow had already disabled call functionality on the app in August, a move framed as part of tightening controls on foreign-owned digital services. The decision dovetails with an ongoing campaign urging citizens toward domestic, government-aligned platforms. The country’s telecom regulator, Roskomnadzor, accused the app…