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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, who says he regularly prays "Lord, give me a sense of humor," will welcome comedians from around the world to a cultural event in Italy to "celebrate the beauty of human diversity," the Vatican said Saturday.  Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien and Chris Rock will be among more than 100 entertainers at the Vatican on June 14.  The pope "recognizes the significant impact that the art of comedy has on the world of contemporary culture," a Vatican statement said.  British comedian Stephen Merchant — the co-writer of the TV comedy series "The Office" — and Italian comedian Lino Banfi will also be at the event.  The meeting will take place Friday morning, before the pope travels to Puglia to attend the Group of Seven (G7) leaders' summit.  "The meeting between Pope Francis and the world's comedians aims to celebrate the beauty of human diversity and to promote a message of peace, love and solidarity," the Vatican said.  The audience has been organized by the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education and Dicastery for Communication.  Goldberg last month said in an interview that she had offered the pope a cameo in "Sister Act 3," in which she will reprise her comedy role of a singer who takes refuge in a convent and organizes a choir.  "He said he would see what his time was like," Goldberg said joking, when asked if the pope had accepted her offer. 

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NAIROBI, Kenya — Gunmen in northern Kenya fatally shot four construction workers at a hospital site near a refugee camp and the border with Somalia where a militant group is active, police said Saturday. A group of eight workers were resting Friday when they were attacked, leaving four shot dead at close range, a police official who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue told The Associated Press. The other four workers escaped unharmed, the official said. The hospital construction site is near Kenya’s largest refugee camp, Dadaab, and the border with Somalia where the al-Shabab militant group is based. Garissa county has in the past been attacked by al-Shabab militants who cross through the porous border. Local police say the Friday attack may have been staged by an armed group that had warned the contractor to stay away from the area, which they consider their turf. Northern Kenya has in recent days seen violence that has left several people dead in different locations. On Wednesday, police at the Mandera border point recovered an improvised explosive device that was about to detonate. Last week, two herders were killed at a watering point, also in the Mandera area, by gunmen. In April, five people were killed in a donkey cart explosion in Elwak town. The government says security operations in northern Kenya have been increased. The recent attacks have forced the government to suspend plans to reopen the 698-kilometer (434-mile) Kenya-Somalia border that was closed in 2011, although illegal crossings are still rampant.

BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo — Suspected Islamist rebels killed at least 38 people in an overnight attack on villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, two district officials and a civil society leader said Saturday. Local civil society leader Justin Kavalami blamed members of the Allied Democratic Forces for the attack. The ADF, alleged to be behind another village assault that killed at least 16 people earlier this week, originates from neighboring Uganda. Now based in eastern Congo, it has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and mounts frequent attacks, further destabilizing a region where many militant groups are active. Armed men used guns and machetes to attack residents of villages in Beni territory, in North Kivu province, overnight Friday, local official Fabien Kakule told Reuters. District official Leon Kakule Siviwe said the death toll stood at 38 and said the recent surge in violence was due to the attackers taking advantage of a low security presence. They came to "slaughter the population when there were no soldiers in place," he told Reuters. It was not possible to reach the ADF for comment.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

The United States cricket team beat Pakistan — a former world champion — on Thursday, achieving one of the biggest upsets in T20 Cricket World Cup history. This year’s tournament is being hosted by the United States and the West Indies. Saqib Ul Islam has more from the games in Dallas, Texas.

WASHINGTON AND LONDON — Three U.S. lawmakers have called for more scrutiny of NewsBreak, a popular news aggregation app in the United States, after Reuters reported it has Chinese origins and has used artificial intelligence tools to produce erroneous stories. The Reuters story drew upon previously unreported court documents related to copyright infringement, cease-and-desist emails and a 2022 company memo registering concerns about "AI-generated stories" to identify at least 40 instances in which NewsBreak's use of AI tools affected the communities it strives to serve. “The only thing more terrifying than a company that deals in unchecked, artificially generated news, is one with deep ties to an adversarial foreign government," said Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat who chairs the Intelligence Committee. "This is yet another example of the serious threat posed by technologies from countries of concern. It’s also a stark reminder that we need a holistic approach to addressing this threat — we simply cannot win the game of whack-a-mole with individual companies," he said. The lawmakers expressed concerns about NewsBreak's current and historical links to Chinese investors, as well as the company's presence in China, where many of its engineers are based. In response to a request from Reuters for comment about the lawmakers' statements, NewsBreak said it was an American company: "NewsBreak is a U.S. company and always has been. Any assertion to the contrary is not true," a spokesperson said. NewsBreak launched in the U.S. in 2015 as a subsidiary of Yidian, a Chinese news aggregation app. Both companies were founded by Jeff Zheng, the CEO of NewsBreak, and the companies share a U.S. patent registered in 2015 for an "Interest Engine" algorithm, which recommends news content based on a user's interests and location, Reuters reported. Yidian in 2017 received praise from ruling Communist Party officials in China for its efficiency in disseminating government propaganda. Reuters found no evidence that NewsBreak censored or produced news that was favorable to the Chinese government. “This report brings to light serious questions about NewsBreak, its historical relationship with an entity that assisted the CCP, and to Chinese state-linked media," said Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House select committee on China, in a reference to Yidian and its former investor, state-linked media outlet Phoenix New Media. Americans have the right to "full transparency" about any connections to the CCP from news distributors, Krishnamoorthi said, particularly with regard to the use of "opaque algorithms" and artificial intelligence tools to produce news. Reuters reported the praise Yidian received from the Communist Party in 2017 but was unable to establish that NewsBreak has any current ties with the party. U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican, said IDG Capital's backing of NewsBreak indicated the app "deserves increased scrutiny." "We cannot allow our foreign adversaries access to American citizen's data to weaponize them against America’s interests," she said. NewsBreak is a privately held start-up, whose primary backers are private equity firms San Francisco-based Francisco Partners and Beijing-based IDG Capital, Reuters reported. In February, IDG Capital was added to a list of dozens of Chinese companies the Pentagon said were allegedly working with Beijing's military. IDG Capital has previously said it has no association with the Chinese military and does not belong on that list. It declined to comment on the lawmaker's reaction. A spokesperson for Francisco Partners, which has previously declined to answer questions from Reuters on their investment in NewsBreak, described the story as "false and misleading" but declined to provide details beyond saying the description of them as a "primary backer" of NewsBreak was incorrect because their investment was less than 10%. They did not provide documentation to prove the size of the holding. NewsBreak has told Reuters as recently as May 13 that Francisco Partners is NewsBreak's primary investor. NewsBreak did not respond to two requests late Friday asking for documentation supporting the assertion.

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ISTANBUL — Turkey will impose a 40% additional tariff on imports of vehicles from China to halt a possible deterioration of its current trade balance and protect domestic automakers, the trade ministry said Saturday.  China is facing increasing trade pressures worldwide over its growing exports of electric vehicles, which many countries claim are being heavily subsidized by Beijing to support its sputtering economy. The European Commission is expected to announce next week whether to impose provisional extra tariffs.  The additional Turkish tariff will be set at a minimum of $7,000 per vehicle, going into effect from July 7, a presidential decision published in the country's Official Gazette showed.  "An additional tariff will be imposed on import of conventional and hybrid passenger vehicles from China in order to increase and protect the decreasing share of domestic production," trade ministry said.  In a statement, the ministry also said the additional tariff decision was made taking into current account deficit targets and efforts to encourage domestic investment and production.  The decision said if the 40% tariff calculated from the price of an imported vehicle is under $7,000 then the minimum tariff of $7,000 will be charged.  In 2023, Turkey imposed additional tariffs on electric vehicle imports from China and brought some regulations regarding EV maintenance and services.  The government is encouraging more production and exports to reduce the chronic current trade deficit, which stood at $45.2 billion last year. 

PARIS — U.S. President Joe Biden capped his visit to France by being feted with a tres-chic state visit Saturday — finishing with a flourish a trip that launches a frantic six-week diplomatic push that analysts say could radically alter Europe’s security architecture, right as the continent holds parliamentary elections that could shift the politics sharply inward at a time when Biden is stressing the need for global unity. Leonie Allard, a visiting fellow at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center and a former French defense official, told VOA, “I believe that we are in a very significant sequence, not only for Ukraine, but really the future of European security, the future of the European architecture. With the NATO Summit coming, with the G7 summit coming, with European elections, U.S. elections — it's definitely a turning point for the future of the architecture in Europe.” Complicating things further: In the coming days, hundreds of millions of European voters will elect members of the 720-strong European parliament. If voters choose right-leaning representatives, analysts say, it could shift the continent inward at a critical time. “I mean, you’ll have a lot of far-right members that will complicate things, but they may not necessarily be united,” said Matthias Matthijs, a senior fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations, or CFR. “So, in that sense, the next six months are going to be very — there’s going to be a lot of navel-gazing in both the EU and in the U.S. rather than focusing on the rest of the world.” And, said Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at CFR and professor of international affairs at Georgetown School of Foreign Service, Europe’s faith in Washington is also at risk. “Even if Biden were to win Americans — Europeans are asking difficult questions about American reliability, and we did have a seven-month pause in the flow of aid to Ukraine even with an Atlanticist and a multilateralist in the Oval Office, and now we’re in a situation in which the likely next president, the leader in the polls, is a convicted felon, and that now is getting, you know, a lot of play in Europe and causing a lot of Europeans to scratch their heads,” he said. “Clearly, beneath the surface of the solidarity that the Atlantic alliance is enjoying everybody — everybody — is going to be worried up about the illiberal populism on both sides of the Atlantic and the outcome of the November election here in the United States.” French President Emmanuel Macron, who addressed Biden as “cher Joe” — “dear Joe” — said the leaders indeed discussed the need for unity on Ukraine and the impact of U.S. support, and the importance of the upcoming international summits in coming weeks. Overall, the two leaders trod over their areas of agreement, leaving aside any topics where they may not entirely see eye to eye. “Thank you for being at Europe’s side,” Macron said. He also addressed the divisive conflict in Gaza, speaking in support of the U.S.-backed cease-fire plan that Hamas and Israel have rejected and urging the militant group to release all hostages taken during their October 7 assault on Israel. Biden echoed those thoughts and hammered in on solidarity during his sole public speaking opportunity on Saturday, saying, “France was our first friend. It remains one of our best friends.” But now: Fashion None of these weighty issues were present as the Bidens arrived at the sun-splashed Palace Elysee on Saturday for a state visit — he in a soft-shouldered navy pinstriped suit and jacquard tie the color of a stormy sky, and Jill Biden in a midi-length dress of soft rose shade tied with a high black sash under the ribcage, with pointy-toed black and white slingbacks and a quilted boxy handbag from well-loved French fashion house Christian Dior. She topped off the ensemble with a crystal-laden Georgian-style collar necklace of the type often sported by the fashion editor who has been credited with radically reshaping the sartorial archetype of powerful American women, Vogue editor Anna Wintour. The Macrons skewed darker, both in blue as well — he was in a deep suit a few shades short of black with a matching tie, she in a knee-grazing bright cobalt dress with a matching coat and pointy-toed stiletto pumps. Those choices, fashion experts say, speak volumes when leaders are often reluctant to speak — especially at these types of visually impactful events. And these are noticed in France, where the presidential palace sits on a tiny street in central Paris lined with some of the nation’s top fashion houses, including Chanel, Givenchy, Hermes and St. Laurent. VOA floated a theory to Rachel Tashjian, fashion writer at The Washington Post: That the American president’s mood can be gauged by the blueness of his suit, which can vary from deep and dark at formal events, to almost ultramarine for more lighthearted occasions. Indeed, Biden wore blue of varying hues throughout his visit to France, including, for the somber and emotional commemorations of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a deep navy suit so dark it appeared to swallow all the light into its fabric. “That’s an interesting theory,” Tashjian replied, possibly diplomatically. “I think it's a color that he feels confident in. … And I think for him it also sort of promotes an image of stability, probably, you know, we're seeing him looking the same all of the time. And the stability is something that seems very important and central to his messaging.” As for the first lady, Tashjian said, “I look at a lot of the dresses that she wears, which are very often floral dresses in pretty conservative or classic silhouettes or cuts. And you feel like you understand what she's trying to say, you know, she's trying to say, ‘I am relatable, I'm a force of joy and happiness.’ And you know, you can also see, I think, her background as an educator. Very often she reminds me, her clothing choices remind me of things that my teachers wore when I was growing up. And I do think that that is a big part of what she does, and again, there's a sense of utility even when she's wearing high heels.”

BRUSSELS — It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the EU elections. Voters are casting ballots in two dozen languages in 27 countries with scores of different campaign issues. Here’s a look at some key places to watch in the June 6-9 elections for a new European Parliament. Hungary Long-serving Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is expected to extend his party’s nearly 15-year streak of election victories when the Central European country votes in European Parliament elections Sunday but is facing one of the most formidable challenges of his career from a former ally. Orban's right-wing populist Fidesz party has taken more than 50% of the vote in the last three EU elections and looks poised to take the most votes again this year. But a new opposition force, headed by a former Fidesz insider-turned-critic, has in a matter of weeks grown to become Hungary’s largest opposition party and will likely cause Fidesz to lose at least one seat in the parliament. Peter Magyar, a 43-year-old lawyer who was once married to Hungary’s former justice minister and Orban ally Judit Varga, has shot to prominence since February on his public accusations of corruption and mismanagement within Orban’s government. Magyar’s party, Respect and Freedom, has presented itself as a more centrist alternative to Orban’s brand of illiberal populism — and is likely to gain several seats in the EU legislature. It has also capitalized on an economic crisis and disaffection with Hungary’s traditional opposition parties to siphon away much of their support. Still, the social Democratic Coalition, as well as the liberal party Momentum, could retain some of their seats, while the far-right Our Homeland party may send its first delegate to Brussels after the Sunday vote. Orban has cast the election as an existential struggle between war and peace, telling voters that casting their ballots for his opposition would draw Hungary directly into the war in neighboring Ukraine and precipitate a global armed conflict. He has been in power since 2010. Italy Premier Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, which has neo-fascist roots, is forecast to sharply expand its number of seats in the European Parliament from seven in the last election, which could extend her influence in the EU. Her pro-Ukraine and Israel policies have proven reassuring to centrist American and European allies, but she is leading culture wars at home that preserve her far-right credentials. In Italy, the vote is not expected to destabilize the government, even if Meloni’s advantage will be at the expense of her partners in the governing coalition, the populist, anti-migrant right-wing Lega, led by Matteo Salvini, and the center-right Forza Italia, led by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. Polling data forecasts that Brothers of Italy will get about a quarter of the vote, on par with the results of the 2022 national elections but well ahead of the last European parliamentary vote in 2019. The center-left Democratic Party is polling to come in second, followed by the opposition 5-Star Movement. Italians ages 18 and over are eligible to cast ballots to elect 76 European parliamentary seats over two days, on June 8-9. France French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and the anti-immigration, nationalist ideas she has long championed are expected to be big winners in the EU elections. Pollsters expect her National Rally party to win the most of France's 81 seats, well ahead of President Emmanuel Macron’s moderate pro-business party. The National Rally’s lead European Parliament candidate, Jordan Bardella, promises to limit free movement of migrants within the EU’s open borders and dial back EU climate rules. The party no longer wants to leave the EU and the euro, but to weaken it from within. Many French voters will use the EU election to express dissatisfaction with Macron’s management of the economy, farming rules and security. That could hurt him as he tries to lead Europe-wide efforts to defend Ukraine and boost the EU’s own defenses and industry. On the left, polls show a surprising resurgence of France’s Socialist Party behind lead candidate Raphael Glucksmann, who pledges a more ambitious climate policy and protections for European businesses and workers. Some left-wing voters are frustrated with the staunch pro-Palestinian stance of the influential far-left France Unbowed party. France has the largest Jewish community in Europe, as well as one of the largest Muslim populations, and the Israel-Hamas war has been a flashpoint in the election campaign. Germany In Germany, which will have the largest number of the new European Parliament’s 720 seats at 96, the three parties in center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpopular governing coalition risk being punished by voters because of persistent squabbling and a weak economy. The mainstream center-right opposition hopes to benefit and maintain its position as the strongest German party in Brussels as it looks ahead to a national election expected in the fall of next year. But much attention will be on the performance of the far-right Alternative for Germany, which has enjoyed strong support over the past year despite a string of setbacks going into the European election. Among those are scandals surrounding its top two candidates for the EU legislature. The party can expect to make gains on its performance in 2019, but perhaps not as much as it hopes.

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ROME — Another body was spotted off the coast of Libya on Saturday, a day after a Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, rescue ship recovered the bodies of 11 migrants in the same area of the Mediterranean Sea and said it had saved more than 160 people from boats. Nonprofit organization Sea Watch said on social media platform X that its plane had spotted the corpse on Saturday. "Yesterday our aircraft crew sighted 11 bodies, and so far, one more has been discovered on today's flight. The flight and the search continue," the Germany-based nonprofit group said. The United Nations has registered more than 20,000 deaths and disappearances in the central Mediterranean since 2014, making it the most dangerous migrant crossing in the world. MSF said its Geo Barents search and rescue vessel picked up 146 migrants in two operations and then found a further 20 in a separate boat. They also retrieved the bodies of 11 people who were seen by the Sea Watch plane. "We do not know the precise cause of this tragedy, but we know that people continue to die in a desperate attempt to reach safety. This slaughter must end," MSF said on X. The 11 bodies should be transferred onto a ship of the Italian coast guard and then disembarked temporarily at the island of Lampedusa, Italian media reported on Saturday. Italy has urged Tunisia and Libya to do more to stop would-be migrants from putting to sea. It has also clamped down on the operations of rescue ships, saying they encourage people to head to Europe — something the charities deny. Underscoring the restrictions, Italy on Friday told Geo Barents to take its latest group of migrants to the northern port of Genova, more than 650 nautical miles away and far from the more convenient ports in nearby Sicily. "This will significantly delay assistance for the ... survivors who endured a lot already," MSF said.

WASHINGTON — Pro-Palestinian activists demanding an end to the war in the Gaza Strip and to U.S. support for Israel plan to surround the White House during a weekend protest, prompting additional security measures, including anti-scale fencing. Advocacy and activist groups such as CODEPINK and the Council on American Islamic Relations said Friday that demonstrations are planned on Saturday, marking eight months of Israel's war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands while causing a humanitarian crisis with widespread hunger and destruction. The United States, Israel's key ally, has seen months of pro-Palestinian protests ranging from marches in Washington and vigils near the White House to the blocking of bridges and roads near train stations and airports in multiple cities, as well as encampments on many college campuses. At least eight officials have quit the administration of President Joe Biden, citing their opposition to his policy. Protesters have also disrupted some of Biden's reelection campaign events. Biden is currently in France for an official visit. "In preparation for the events this weekend in Washington, D.C., that have the potential for large crowds to gather, additional public safety measures have been put in place near the White House complex," a U.S. Secret Service spokesperson said. Biden and the White House have previously said they support peaceful protests but not "chaos" and violence. University protests have had occasional violence while police have made arrests on campuses to clear encampments. Anti-war activists encamped at the University of California, Los Angeles, were violently attacked by a mob weeks ago. There has also been concern about a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia amid the conflict. The war began when Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 and taking 250 people as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed over 36,000, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, displaced nearly the entire 2.3 million population and led to genocide allegations, which Israel denies. A renewed cease-fire push seemed stalled as of Friday.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

GENEVA — Scientific evidence documented in a series of articles presented by the World Health Organization this week highlights the harmful impact of climate change at key stages of the human life cycle. “These provide important scientific evidence on how the health of pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents and older people is affected by air pollution and different climate hazards, including wildfires, flooding and extreme heat,” Anayda Portela, director of the WHO’s department of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and aging, said at a briefing Friday for journalists in Geneva. “This evidence is critically important, because it shows the leading health risks for each of these groups for these different climate events,” Portela said. She noted that the collection of articles published in the Journal of Global Health shows that climate-related health risks “have been crucially underestimated” for younger and older people and during pregnancy, “with serious, often life-threatening implications.” The studies find that climate-related natural hazards have some “serious mental and physical health impacts” in pregnancy, and for younger and older people. For example, the authors note that preterm births, which now are the leading cause of childhood deaths, “increase during heatwaves, while older people are more likely to suffer heart attacks or respiratory distress.” They report that heatwaves also “affect cognitive function and therefore learning for children and adolescents.” The World Meteorological Organization’s State of Global Climate report confirms 2023 as the hottest year on record and predicts that global temperatures over “the entire five-year 2024-2028 period will exceed 1.5 degrees centigrade above the pre-industrial era,” which scientists warn could lead to rapid and irreversible changes in the climate. According to the World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050, climate change is projected to cause approximately “250,000 additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress alone.” Portela also warned that air pollution increases the likelihood of high blood pressure during pregnancy, low birth weight, preterm birth and negative impacts on fetal brain and lung development. “It raises risk of respiratory illness among children and older people,” she said, adding that they also face greater risks of “cancer, cardiovascular disease and pneumonia.” The studies detail the many noxious effects on mental and physical well-being from climate-related natural disasters, including flooding and drought, as well as wildfires, which have been shown to increase respiratory disorders and cardiovascular mortality rates for older people. “There is an urgent need to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to build climate resilience, to take specific actions that protect health at these various life stages,” Portela said. Authors of the reports note that “few climate adaptation measures are tailored for the specific needs of women, infants, children and adolescents,” as well as older people who may have mobility and cognitive constraints. Nevertheless, the WHO urges governments to prioritize climate change as a health issue, pointing out several specific actions they can take to promote and protect health at different life stages. For example, this could include flexibility around work hours, preparing childcare and educational systems for extreme weather events and rising temperatures, and informing people and communities about various measures that can protect vulnerable people during heatwaves and periods of worsening air pollution.