Americas

Washington, United States: US President Donald Trump on Friday mocked Jill Biden for saying she thought her husband Joe was having a stroke during the 2024 election debate, accusing the former first lady of being a bad wife. During a promotional tour for her upcoming book on life in the White House, Jill Biden has been talking about the disastrous debate that forced Democratic incumbent Joe Biden to abandon his reelection bid. Read Also Deputy Prime Minister meets Singapore Foreign Minister on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 Deputy Prime Minister meets Malaysian Minister of Defense Qatar Deputy Prime Minister meets Singapore Defence Minister "Jill Biden is now out there finally admitting that she did NOT know what went wrong with Sleepy Joe during our spectacular, and highly rated, 2024 Presidential Debate," Trump said on his Truth Social network. "She said that she thought he was having a 'stroke,' and various other really bad things, and yet never rushed onto the stage to help her troubled husband, as any good wife would do." Trump said "the only thing she failed to mention was how well I was doing prior to his near total collapse," insisting his own performance caused Joe Biden to "plain and simple 'choke.'" Jill Biden's revelations have reignited Democratic infighting about Biden's age just as the battered party was hoping to move on and focus on November's crucial US midterm elections. In the debate against Republican Trump, then 81-year-old Biden stumbled on his words and stared open-mouthed. "As I watched it, I thought, 'Oh, my God, he's having a stroke.' And it scared me to death,' Jill Biden told "CBS News Sunday Morning" in a clip released Wednesday. In her memoir "View from the East Wing," which is being published on June 2, she also wondered if Biden had accidentally taken a sleeping pill or codeine cough syrup. Immediately after the debate, Jill Biden publicly praised her husband's performance, telling him in front of supporters: "Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question, you knew all the facts." But in the book, Jill Biden says her husband asked her if he had messed up the debate, and that she replied: "Yes, you did." Joe Biden later dropped out of the White House race in favor of his vice president Kamala Harris, who lost to Trump.

Middle East

Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli occupation forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to Palestinian worshipers on Friday and tightened military measures around the site. Palestinian officials said worshipers and mosque staff were forced to leave, while all checkpoints and gates leading to the mosque were shut. The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments condemned the move as a violation of freedom of worship and called for immediate international intervention.

Europe

Paris, France: Towns and villages in more than half of France have smashed temperature records for the month of May over the past week during an unusually early heatwave, a climatologist said Friday. "More than half of France has experienced at least one monthly heat record -- whether in minimum and/or maximum temperatures -- during this episode, which is colossal," said Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at French weather service Meteo France. Read Also Photo and video journalists in Gaza to receive 'Golden Pen' award Turkiye warns against 'uncontrolled escalation' after drone strike on ship Saudi Hajj Ministry intensifies field operations during days of Tashreeq Temperatures were expected to cool over the weekend. From Saturday to Wednesday, there were around 109 monthly minimum temperature records and 266 monthly maximum temperature records, he added. France beat a national record for a month of May earlier this week, peaking with a national thermal average indicator of 24.9C on Tuesday. On Thursday, the temperature in the southwestern city of Angouleme hit a maximum of 37.8C, the highest it had ever been in any part of France in May. Studies and scientific bodies agree that heatwaves in Europe are becoming more frequent. Meteo France says that of the 51 heatwaves recorded nationwide since 1947, 34 have come since 2000 and 26 since 2011. Global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels this year and for the next four years afterwards, the United Nations warned on Thursday.