Rubio Meet

US secretary of state will hold talks with Italian government, also berated by Trump for not supporting Iran warThe US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is to meet Pope Leo at the Vatican on Thursday in an effort to ease tensions after Donald Trump’s repeated criticisms of the first North American pontiff.Amid unprecedented strain on relations between the Holy See and Washington, Rubio is expected to meet Leo at the Apostolic Palace in the morning, before holding a series of meetings with the Italian government. Continue reading...

US secretary of state’s two-day visit reportedly intended to thaw Washington’s frosty relations with Vatican and ItalyThe US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, will meet Pope Leo on Thursday, weeks after Donald Trump’s unprecedented broadside against the pontiff.Rubio will meet the first US-born pope privately in the Vatican’s apostolic palace at 11.30am (10.30 GMT), the Holy See’s press office confirmed on Monday after media reports on Sunday. Continue reading...

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Lebanese and Israeli military commanders in Washington D.C. on Tuesday as the Trump administration seeks to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. • Israel has signaled that negotiations will focus on disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah, while Hezbollah has called on the Lebanese government to withdraw from talks with Israel. • The latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on March 2, following the US-Iran military exchange, making the diplomatic effort a high-stakes initiative for regional stability.