World News

Pakistan mosque suicide bomber 'was in police uniform'

The suicide bomber who killed more than 80 police officers at a mosque inside a sensitive compound earlier this week entered wearing a uniform and helmet, a provincial police chief said Thursday.. "Our comrades were martyred in this uniform, but the bomber made it worthless for us," Amanullah Khan, a police officer on duty at a checkpoint in Peshawar, wearing a bulletproof jacket and a helmet with a Kalashnikov in his hands, told AFP. "Now I will doubt the uniformed officials as well as other people, which is very sad and which has created a distrust."

EU parliament lifts immunity of two MEPs in graft probe

The European Parliament on Thursday lifted the immunity of two lawmakers targeted in a Belgian probe into suspected bribery linked to Qatar and Morocco.. Belgium suspects them of involvement in a bribery scheme in which Qatar and Morocco allegedly funnelled money through NGOs to influence decisions by the European Parliament.

Russia evokes WWII to blast EU ahead of summit in Kyiv

Russia accused the West of wanting to inflict a lasting defeat against Moscow and lashed out against EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, who is in Kyiv ahead of a Ukraine summit.. Von der Leyen's trip comes after Kyiv raided homes of an oligarch and public officials in Kyiv as part of efforts to appease the EU on corruption concerns.

Burkina urges 'federation' with Mali for joint clout

Burkina Faso's prime minister, in a visit to neighbouring Mali this week, has suggested the two countries form a "federation" to boost their economic clout, his office said.. "We could create a flexible federation that would be mutually reinforcing and respect the aspirations of both sides," Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem de Tambela said, according to an official account of the visit published by his office on Thursday.

Netanyahu in Paris to press Macron on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron Thursday, hoping to gain support against Iran's nuclear programme but shadowed by an upsurge of violence in the region.. But Macron's office said the French leader would "reiterate (to Netanyahu) the need for all sides to avoid measures likely to feed the cycle of violence" between Israelis and Palestinians -- while offering "France's solidarity with Israel in the face of terrorism".

Hong Kong offers free flights after Covid isolation

Hong Kong is ready to welcome the world back, its leader said Thursday, as he pitched free flights and positive publicity to resurrect the once-vibrant global hub after three years of Covid-enforced isolation.. Even as business leaders warned Hong Kong would need a full Covid exit plan before any meaningful reboot, officials insisted on gradually rolling back restrictions long after the rest of the world opted to live with the virus.

Shell logs record 2022 profit on soaring energy prices

Shell's net profit surged to a record $42.3 billion last year, the British energy giant said Thursday, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent oil and gas prices soaring.. The invasion a year ago of Ukraine by its neighbour Russia sent oil and gas prices rocketing.

Pope set to meet youth in landmark DR Congo visit

Pope Francis was set to address thousands of youngsters in Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday after holding an open-air mass that drew an estimated million faithful, as he pursues a landmark trip to central Africa.. On the second day of his trip, the pope hosted a mass at Kinshasa's airport that organisers said drew about a million people, some of whom had camped out all night to get a spot.

Late Australian cardinal's funeral sparks Sydney protests

Protestors confronted mourners with chants of "shame" outside the funeral of controversial top Vatican cardinal George Pell in Sydney on Thursday.. "And as I heard the chant, 'Cardinal Pell can go to hell', I thought at least they believe in the afterlife," he said to applause.