Town Hall News

By Ange Kasongo KINSHASA (Reuters) -Democratic Republic of Congo security forces fired tear gas and fought running battles in the streets of the capital Kinshasa with anti-government protesters demonstrating on Saturday over alleged irregularities in voter registration. The protesters are also angry over the rising cost of living and prolonged insecurity in the east of the country, where armed militias and rebel groups have killed hundreds and displaced over a […]

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops’ conference, to carry out a peace mission to try to help end the war in Ukraine, the Vatican said on Saturday. Francis first spoke cryptically of his intention to launch a mission when he was returning from a trip to Hungary last month but gave no details. A Vatican diplomatic source said […]

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops conference, to carry out a peace mission to try to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine, the Vatican said on Saturday. Francis first spoke cryptically of his intention to launch a mission when he was returning from a trip to Hungary last month but he gave no details. According […]

By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) – Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday his Wagner fighters had completed the capture of Bakhmut, but Ukraine rejected the claim and said fighting was still going on. Prigozhin made the claim in a video in which he appeared in combat fatigues in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner banners. “Today, at 12 noon, Bakhmut was completely taken,” Prigozhin […]

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis has asked Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, head of the Italian bishops conference, to carry out a peace mission to try to help bring an end to the war in Ukraine, the Vatican said on Saturday. Francis first spoke cryptically of his intention to launch a mission when he was returning from a trip to Hungary last month but he gave no details. According […]

(Reuters) – The Lebanese army said on Saturday it had arrested a prominent Al Qaeda leader in Deir Ammar town, northeast of the city of Tripoli. It identified the arrested man only as “T.M.” and said in a statement that the arrest took place on Friday. “T.M. is one of the most prominent leaders of Al Qaeda and the founder of its cells in Lebanon,” it added. (Reporting by Ahmed […]

(Reuters) – Russia’s Wagner private army claimed on Saturday to have finally captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut after the longest and bloodiest battle of the war, while Kyiv denied the city had fallen though it called the situation there critical. If confirmed, the announcement by Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that his troops had finally pushed the Ukrainians out of the last built-up area inside the city would amount […]

By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) – Roberto Firmino scored a late equaliser in his last home game for Liverpool to salvage a 1-1 draw for his side against Aston Villa that just about kept their hopes of a Premier League top-four finish alive on Saturday. Liverpool had won seven games in succession to make a late run for Champions League qualification but defeat by Villa would have guaranteed that Newcastle […]

(Reuters) – Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti denied he has had offers from other clubs as rumours intensified in Italian media this week that he is set to leave the Serie A champions in the close season. The 64-year-old led Napoli to their first Serie A title in over 30 years and reached the Champions League quarter-finals, but the speculation around the future of Italian coach came amid comments from President […]