WORLD

Edinburgh, United Kingdom | AFP |  Scotland’s nationalist leader Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday pressed on with calls for a new independence referendum, saying it might be the only way to protect the country’s interests as Brexit approaches. “Proposing a further decision on independence wouldn’t simply be legitimate, it would almost …

United Nations, United States | AFP | Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a Western-backed UN resolution that would have imposed sanctions on Syria over chemical weapons use, in the first clash at the Security Council since US President Donald Trump took office. The twin vetoes came as peace talks …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump teased a budget plan Monday that includes a nearly 10 percent increase in defense spending and a “large reduction” in foreign aid. Previewing measures aimed at backing up campaign promises with dollars and cents, Trump promised a “public safety and national …

Hollywood, United States | AFP | Coming-of-age drama “Moonlight” won the best picture Oscar on Sunday, but not before the film industry’s biggest night was marred by one of the worst fiascos in its history, as “La La Land” was mistakenly handed the award first. Until the final minute the …

Paris, France | AFP | French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday accused the media of “campaigning hysterically” in favour of Emmanuel Macron, her centrist rival for the presidency, as polls showed him enjoying a jump in support. Le Pen, speaking at a rally in the western city of …

Washington, United States | AFP | Donald Trump has ratcheted up his feud with the US media by announcing he will skip the annual White House correspondents’ dinner, the first US president to do so in 36 years. By boycotting the event Trump breaks a tradition that began in 1921 …

Rome, Italy | AFP | Pope Francis attended a service at the All Saints’ Church in Rome on Sunday, becoming the first pontiff in history to visit an Anglican church in the Italian capital. Francis’s visit marked the 200th anniversary of the All Saints’ church, furthering a rapprochement between the …

Frankfurt am Main, Germany | AFP |  Three people were hurt Saturday when a car ploughed into pedestrians in the southern German city of Heidelberg, said police, who shot and wounded the driver. After the crash, which injured one person seriously, the driver escaped on foot armed with a knife …

Washington, United States | AFP | On the campaign trail and in office, Donald Trump has made attacking the press one of his political trademarks. But by restricting the access of certain media, his White House took things one step further, triggering an outcry. The New York Times, the Los …

Vatican City, Holy See | AFP | The famous frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling was painted by Michelangelo, can now be examined in minute detail thanks to an unprecedented photographic venture, the Vatican Museums have said. By combining innovative digital technology and special LED lamps which aimed to …