WORLD

Hollywood, United States | AFP | Oscars night is quickly approaching — on Sunday, all will be revealed. Will Alfonso Cuaron sweep the awards for his cinematic masterpiece “Roma?” Will another contender swipe the best picture Oscar from him? Can Glenn Close finally claim her first Academy Award? The ceremony will …

Caracas, Venezuela | AFP | Opposition chief Juan Guaido stunned the world on January 23 when he declared himself acting president of Venezuela, plunging the crisis-hit country into new turmoil. Some 50 countries have since recognized him as leader while others continue to back President Nicolas Maduro. Here is a recap …

San Francisco, United States | AFP | Key parts of the internet infrastructure face large-scale attacks that threaten the global system of web traffic, the internet’s address keeper warned Friday. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) declared after an emergency meeting “an ongoing and significant risk” to key …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | A top Catholic cardinal admitted Saturday that Church files on priests who sexually abused children were destroyed or never even drawn up, a move which allowed paedophiles to prey on others. “Files that could have documented the terrible deeds and named those responsible …

Brussels, Belgium | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May will have a chance to speak to fellow EU leaders at their summit with the Arab League, but she should not expect a Brexit breakthrough, an EU source said Friday. Arab and European leaders will meet for two days from Sunday in the Egyptian resort …

Beijing, China | AFP | A propaganda app that puts China’s powerful President Xi Jinping in anyone’s pockets has become a hit in the country — with a helpful nudge from Communist Party officials. Millions have downloaded the app, which tracks the amount of time users spend browsing inspirational quotes from …

San Francisco, United States | AFP | Samsung on Wednesday unveiled its first folding handset as part of an effort to rev up demand in the slumping smartphone sector. The South Korean giant’s Galaxy Fold, unveiled at a San Francisco event, services as a smartphone with a 4.6-inch display and unfolds …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester four-piece The 1975 were the big winners at the 2019 Brit Awards in London on Wednesday. Here are the main winners: British album of the year — “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships” by The 1975 British male solo artist — George Ezra …

  París, France | AFP | Breakdancing has been invited as a new sport by the organisers of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the head of the local organising committee said Thursday. Skateboarding, climbing and surfing, which have already been added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, have been invited …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Barclays rebounded sharply into profit in 2018, as a vast hit from the previous year on the sale of its African business was not repeated, the British bank announced Thursday. The lender’s performance came despite vast litigation costs and a new charge on the impact …