State Department official ticks off Pokemon-playing journo

A US journalist earned himself a frosty rebuke from a State Department official who noticed the pen devil playing Pokemon Go during a press conference.

John Kirby was in the middle of updating the press on progress in the digital war against ISIL when he suddenly noticed that someone wasn't paying attention.

"You're playing the Pokemon thing right there, aren’t ya?" he asked, a mixture of incredulity and irritation crossing his face like a shadow.

"I'm just keeping my eye on it," the journalist replied.

"…And we're clear-eyed about the work we still have to do," Mr Kirby continued, finishing his statement before eyeballing the journo again.

"Did you get one?" he inquired in the kind of tone high school teachers to issue afternoon detentions.

"No," the newsman responded. "The signal's not very good."

"I'm sorry about that," Mr Kirby said, plainly meaning anything but.