The four leaders of the US Congress asked members to refrain from one of Washington’s favourite rituals when Pope Francis visits the Capitol next week: no trying to grab a handshake as he makes his way in.
On September 24, Pope Francis will become the first Pontiff to address a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives, and lawmakers have been looking for guidance on how to behave during the visit. (Reuters)
Stealing £20,000 worth of biscuits
Three men have been charged with stealing around £20,000 worth of biscuits from the makers of Jammie Dodgers and Wagon Wheels.
Officers were called to Burton's Foods Ltd in Cwmbran, South Wales, following an early-morning raid on the factory in June.
Now more than three months later, Gwent Police have confirmed three men have been charged and will appear before magistrates later this month. (PA)
Court for ‘crazily luxurious’ club
China’s ruling Communist Party will prosecute a former senior city government official who connived with businessmen to build a “crazily luxurious” private club modeled on Beijing’s famous Water Cube Olympics swimming venue.
Since President Xi Jinping began his sweeping campaign against corruption, waste and extravagance three years ago, the government has released details of the sometimes luxurious lives of officials who are supposed to live on modest sums and lead morally exemplary lives. (Reuters)
Row over removal of Soviet statue
Russia summoned Poland’s ambassador to protest at the removal of a Soviet-era statue in a Polish town on the 76th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Poland, highlighting increased tensions between the neighbours.
Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz, Warsaw’s envoy in Moscow, was called to the Russian Foreign Ministry to explain the dismantling on Thursday of a statue of Soviet General Ivan Chernyakhovsky in the Polish town of Pieniezno. (Reuters)
Politicians arrive late for debate
Portugal’s political leaders are promising a lot during campaigning for next month'’ general election, but one thing they cannot guarantee is punctuality.
A live radio debate between Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and the leader of the main opposition Socialist Party, Antonio Costa, started late after the candidates got stuck in rush-hour traffic.
The three moderators sat waiting on a specially created set at Lisbon's Electricity Museum as photographers and camera crews looked on during the unprecedented seven-minute delay. (PA)
‘Booby trapped’ with 3,700 blades
A Florida woman living in a mobile home that was “booby trapped” with more than 3,714 swords, knives and other bladed weapons is in jail after attacking officers who had come to arrest her, police said.
Nickcole Dykema, 47, was being held without bond on charges including assaulting an officer and resisting arrest, said Hernando County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Denise Moloney. (Reuters)