WORLD

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Commonwealth leaders agreed Friday that Prince Charles should follow his mother Queen Elizabeth II as the next head of the group at the close of a summit overshadowed by a row over Britain’s treatment of Caribbean immigrants. “The next Head of the Commonwealth shall …

Brussels, Belgium | AFP | With its futuristic curved roof, gleaming walls of glass and steel and host of eco-friendly features, NATO’s new billion-euro Brussels headquarters is a world away from the drab, low-slung warren of offices reeking of Cold War intrigue that it replaces. The alliance is almost halfway through …

Washington, United States | AFP | With US-China frictions hanging over its annual meeting, the International Monetary Fund on Thursday warned governments to avoid harming trade and investment which have been key drivers of the global economic recovery. IMF chief Christine Lagarde said escalating trade tensions could reverberate through the world …

Washington, United States | AFP | The Syrian regime remains able to conduct chemical attacks, though only at a limited level, the Pentagon said Thursday following last week’s international cruise missile strikes on chemical targets. General Kenneth McKenzie, director of the US military’s Joint Staff, said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime …

Paris, France | AFP | France’s highest administrative court has upheld a decision to deny a French passport to an Algerian Muslim who refused to shake hands with officials during her citizenship ceremony, according to a ruling seen by AFP Thursday. The woman argued that her “religious beliefs” prevented her from …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday openly voiced her wish for her son Prince Charles to succeed her as head of the Commonwealth as she opened the group’s summit for potentially the final time. Queen Elizabeth, who turns 92 on Saturday, welcomed leaders from the 53 …

Beirut, Lebanon | AFP | experts have said they were negotiating with Syrian and Russian authorities for international chemical inspectors to deploy to the site of an alleged toxic gas attack near Damascus, after a reconnaissance mission came under fire. The team from the world’s chemical arms watchdog has not yet …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of the Commonwealth, opened the Commonwealth summit for what may be the last time on Thursday voicing hope that her son would be allowed to carry on her role. Queen Elizabeth, who turns 92 on Saturday, welcomed leaders from …

What is a reasonable tip at a restaurant? Chicago, United States | AFP | For most Americans, the answer is likely — at most — 20 percent. But how about 260 percent? For one patron at a Chicago restaurant, a normal tip was not enough to show his appreciation after …

Washington, US | THE INDEPENDENT | The International Monetary Fund is seeking a leading role in rallying the world’s central banks to get ahead of digital money and crypto currencies in the global financial system. The IMF Managing Director, Christine Lagarde, wants authorities to “distinguish between real threats and needless …