However, the First Lady added fuel to the fire when it was confirmed she would not attend two high-profile events with Donald Trump in the coming week
Hello, this is Anna getting you caught up on Tuesday's top stories from around the world.
Today's headlines
‘Missing Melania’ found
Melania Trump has made her first public appearance in almost a month, at a White House event to honour Gold Star families. The first lady’s attendance at the reception on Monday evening brings an end to weeks of speculation about her whereabouts. Internet conspiracy theories about ‘missing Melania” were however given more potency by reports that the first lady will not be attending the upcoming G7 summit or the 12 June summit in Singapore with her husband.
Fuego volcano disaster
Soldiers are helping firefighters search for missing people after Sunday's calamitous volcanic eruption in Guatemala, when waves of superheated rock, ash and mud destroyed villages. The official death toll from the destruction at the Fuego volcano has risen to 69, authorities say. Thousands of people are currently being housed in temporary shelters. Volcanologists report the eruption, which sent ash up to 10km (33,000ft) into the sky, is over for now.
Manafort ‘tampered with witnesses’
Federal investigators have accused Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, of tampering with potential witnesses while on bail ahead of his federal bank fraud and tax case. Prosecutors asked that the judge overseeing his case ‘revoke or revise’ the order releasing him ahead of trial.
Women in the driving seat
Saudi Arabia has issued its first driver's licenses to 10 women ahead of June 24, when the Kingdom is due to end the world's only ban on female drivers. Officials expect another 2,000 women to seek licenses in the coming week, according to a press release from the country's Ministry of Media.
Japan to US
A French swimmer has set off from Japan hoping to become the first person to swim across the Pacific Ocean. 51-year-old Ben Lecomte will swim for eight hours a day for more than six months towards the US west coast. He faces dangers including sharks, storms, swarms of jellyfish, and low water temperatures. He is hoping to raise awareness for climate change, and a team of scientists will conduct research during the 9,000 km swim.
Ariana Grande opens up about PTSD
Ariana Grande has opened up about struggling with her mental health following the Manchester Arena bombing last year. The singer had just finished her concert on 22 May 2017 when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device, killing 22 people. In an interview with British Vogue, she revealed how she's coping with the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the attack. ‘It's hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, it's a real thing, she said. ‘I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well. Time is the biggest thing. I feel like I shouldn't even be talking about my own experience - like I shouldn't even say anything. I don't think I'll ever know how to talk about it and not cry.’