2 w. ago AP PHOTOS: Holy tchotchkes: Rome is awash with papal souvenirs

Like all major tourist destinations, Rome is awash in souvenirs. With Holy Year Catholic pilgrims, Pope Francis ’ funeral and the buzz surrounding the conclave to elect his successor, the most popular tchotchkes these days are those about the papacy.

Culture

2 w. ago I worked in the Vatican for 18 years – this will be the most unpredictable conclave yet | Ariel Beramendi

Will the cardinals follow Francis’s path or return to a more conservative doctrine? The white smoke will tell us which faction has won Ariel Beramendi worked at the Vatican for 18 years as an official in the Dicastery for CommunicationAs the cardinals ready themselves to select the next pope, one thing is certain: this will be the most unpredictable conclave in the recent history of the Catholic church. I worked in the Vatican for 18 years, and on my return to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis last month, the tension and drama were already palpable.Some observers and former colleagues I spoke to believe this will be a particularly difficult conclave, given its size – 133 electors, as opposed to 117 last time – and the fact that many of the cardinals don’t know one another. This is down to Francis diversifying the college, appointing cardinals from all over the world: a full 108 of the current crop were his selections. Others suggest the electors will try to reach a decision in le...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump accused of ‘mocking’ Catholics after posting image of himself as pope

US president displays ‘pathological megalomania’ as cardinals gather to elect new leader after death of Pope FrancisDonald Trump has been accused of mocking the election of a new leader of the Catholic church after posting an AI-generated picture of himself as the pope on social media.The image, shared on Friday night on Trump’s Truth Social site and the White House’s official X account, raised eyebrows at the Vatican, which is still in the period of nine days of official mourning after Pope Francis’s funeral on 26 April. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump posts bizarre image of himself as pope just week after pontiff’s funeral

The US President previously joked he ‘would be my number one choice’ to replace late Pope Francis

Politics

3 w. ago Zelensky calls meeting with Trump at Vatican 'the best' and raises ceasefire hopes

Volodymyr Zelensky was pictured in conversation with Donald Trump at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis. The Ukrainian leader now says they agreed on several points

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump posts AI photo of himself as Pope and sparks fury after Francis funeral

United States President Donald Trump has shared a mock-up of himself dressed as the Pope just a week after attending the funeral of Francis at the Vatican, sparking outrage

Culture

3 w. ago Donald Trump posts picture of HIMSELF as pope just a week after Francis' funeral

US President Donald Trump has posted an AI picture of himself as the Pope only a week after the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City.

Politics

3 w. ago The minerals deal is advantageous for Ukraine – but also for the United States

Editorial: The ‘Art of the Deal’ may have been Donald Trump’s abiding contribution to literature but it is Volodymyr Zelensky, it now seems, who used his personal diplomacy with the US president during the funeral for Pope Francis to excellent effect

Economics

3 w. ago US and Ukraine finally sign minerals deal as Donald Trump makes key concession

The deal appears to contain some important concessions by Washington and comes days after Trump and Zelensky held talks at Pope Francis’s funeral

Politics

3 w. ago Trump and Zelensky meeting ‘indicative’ of efforts to achieve peace, says Lammy

The US and Ukrainian presidents were pictured in discussion at the Vatican over the weekend, having both travelled for Pope Francis’s funeral.

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump labelled 'insane' after making 'crazy' remark about future Pope

Donald Trump has been branded "insane" by his critics after he made a joke about the future Pope. It comes after Pope Francis' funeral took place in Rome on Saturday

Politics

3 w. ago Melania Trump's confidants tell all about sudden shift in marriage to 'unsteady' Donald

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania looked practically newlywed as they packed on the PDA this weekend while in to Rome for Pope Francis 's funeral...

Politics

3 w. ago Lip reader spots Melania Trump's real feelings towards Donald Trump

First Lady Melania Trump and husband Donald Trump have been at the centre of attention in recent days, with the couple heading to Rome for Pope Francis' funeral

Politics

3 w. ago Prince William made hidden 'move' which led to Trump's impromptu Zelensky peace talks at Pope's funeral

Prince William was among the world leaders to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City, with the service seeing Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky have a private meeting

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump and Brigitte Macron 'broke etiquette rules' with their outfits at Pope Francis' funeral, expert claims

The US President, 78, and the French First Lady, 72, joined world leaders, clergymen, and reigning monarchs in St Peter's Square as the Argentine Pontiff was laid to rest on Saturday.

Politics

3 w. ago Did ‘Vatican diplomacy’ change Trump’s mind on Ukraine? I’m sceptical for three reasons | Orysia Lutsevych

Zelenskyy, Starmer, Macron they all had his ear at Pope Francis’s funeral. But he is just as easily swayed by the elevator doormanThe most recent diplomatic effort to find a way to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine took place at the most unlikely of events: the funeral of Pope Francis. The image of Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump leaning toward each other, under Carlo Maratta’s late-17th-century painting, The Baptism of Christ, rekindled hopes that the US might, at last, hear Kyiv out. Would this unexpected setting make Trump’s compassion, so frequently expressed for the loss of human life, real? And could it lead to a better strategy for ending this criminal and brutal war?The goal of Kyiv and the coalition of the willing – a group of 31 nations that back Ukraine in its fight against Russia – is to distance Trump from what has become a dangerous rapprochement between the Washington and Moscow. But this will be an uphill battle – Europe and Kyiv are trying to fight their way to Trump...

Politics

3 w. ago Prince William's 'secret move' led to Trump's peace talks with Zelensky at Pope funeral

Prince William was among the world leaders at the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican at the weekend - and it seems he played his part in paving the way for historic talks between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky

Politics

3 w. ago Russia claims it is ‘ready’ for Ukraine talks but demands recognition of occupied territories – Europe live

Comments from foreign minister Sergei Lavrov about ‘ownership’ follow suggestions from Trump that Ukraine could cede CrimeaAt the European Commission’s midday press briefing, the chief spokesperson Paula Pinho has just been asked about the EU’s reaction to Donald Trump’s comments over the weekend after he met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Francis’s funeral.She said:President Zelensky has been very much aligned with the EU position, and vice versa, we’ve been very much aligned with President Zelensky on the position with regard to peace and negotiations regarding a ceasefire agreement, where absolutely the position of Ukraine is the determining position.We’ve also heard, indeed, the comments by President Trump after these talks, and we welcome those comments that go in the sense of also acknowledging that the attacks of Russia on Ukraine, which, by the way, continued over the weekend, cannot be accepted. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Journalists swarm cardinals at the Vatican gates as they meet to plan a conclave

Cardinals arriving for the first day of meetings after Pope Francis’ funeral were swarmed at the city-state’s gates by journalists eager for hints of whether any consensus is building around the election of a successor

Events

3 w. ago Trump blames Obama over Crimea as he claims Zelensky ready to give up territory

Donald Trump has claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea to Vladimir Putin after the pair met on the sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral over the weekend.

Politics