Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. [AFP] Russia on Tuesday said it was wrong to expect a quick breakthrough in Ukraine talks, a day after Moscow rejected Kyiv’s call for an unconditional ceasefire at negotiations in Istanbul. The sides agreed on a large-scale swap of captured soldiers and exchanged their roadmaps to peace, or so-called “memorandums”, at the discussions, which lasted under two hours. More than three years into Russia’s offensive — which has killed tens of thousands on both sides and forced millions from their homes in eastern Ukraine — the two sides appear as irreconcilable…
Author: By AFP
US President Donald Trump gestures as he meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 6, 2025. [AFP] Iran urged the United States on Monday to provide a formal guarantee that it will lift sanctions in ongoing talks on the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme. “We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a news conference in Tehran. “So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue,” he added. His remarks come a day after a report by…
US President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025. [AFP] The White House on Thursday blasted a federal court’s decision to block many of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs – and said it could take the matter to the Supreme Court. Since returning to the presidency in January, Trump has moved to reconfigure US trade ties with the world while using tariffs to force foreign governments to the negotiating table. But the stop-start rollout of levies, impacting both allies and adversaries, has roiled markets…
A picture taken from Israeli border with the Gaza Strip shows smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment in the besieged Palestinian territory on May 29, 2025. [AFP] The White House said Thursday that Israel had accepted US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a Gaza ceasefire, while discussions were “continuing” with Hamas. The Palestinian militant group had earlier said it was examining a new deal proposed by Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, while there was no immediate confirmation from Israel. “I can confirm that special envoy Witkoff and the president submitted a ceasefire proposal to Hamas, which Israel backed and supported.…
Graduates gather before the start of the commencement ceremony at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2025. (Photo by Rick Friedman / AFP) Thousands of Harvard students in crimson-fringed gowns celebrated their graduation Thursday, as a federal judge said she would temporarily block Donald Trump’s bid to bar the prestigious university from enrolling international scholars. Trump has made Harvard the central target of his campaign against elite US universities, which he has threatened with funding freezes and action against their foreign students over what he says is liberal bias and anti-Semitism. A federal judge in Boston said she…
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House May 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] Global stocks and the dollar largely firmed Thursday after a US court blocked most of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs from taking effect. Equities across Europe and Asia climbed on hopes that Trump’s April 2 “Liberation Day” tariffs may not be imposed, easing concerns that had roiled global markets and sparked recession fears. US futures markets rallied almost two percent, signaling at least solid gains when Wall Street reopens Thursday. Tech stocks led the way after…
(FROM L) French music composer Alexandre Desplat, British actor Rupert Friend, US producer Wes Anderson, British actress Mia Threapleton, US actor Jeffrey Wright and British actor Benedict Cumberbatch arrive for the screening of the film “The Phoenician Scheme” at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2025. [AFP] Pop star Dua Lipa joined some 300 UK celebrities in signing an open letter Thursday urging Britain to halt arms sales to Israel, after similar pleas from lawyers and writers. Actors, musicians, activists and other public figures wrote the letter calling on Prime Minister…
Akinwumi Adesina, president of African Development Bank (AFDB) delivers his remarks during the African Development Bank group annual meeting opening ceremony in Abidjan on May 27, 2025. [AFP] Five candidates are in the running to succeed Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina as president of the African Development Bank (AfDB). They are: Amadou Hott (Senegal) Hott was Senegal’s economy minister from 2019 to 2022 under the presidency of Macky Sall and until September last year was Adesina’s special envoy for green infrastructure in Africa. But he is not necessarily a natural successor, as the position usually goes to a candidate from another region…
President Zelensky, Trump and Putin. [AFP] US President Donald Trump warned Vladimir Putin Tuesday that he was “playing with fire,” taking a fresh jab at his Russian counterpart as Washington weighs new sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine war. Trump’s latest broadside showed his frustration with stalled ceasefire talks and comes two days after he called the Kremlin leader “absolutely CRAZY” following a major drone attack on Ukraine. Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, insisted it was responding to escalating Ukrainian strikes on its own civilians and accused Kyiv of trying to “disrupt” peace efforts. Diplomatic efforts to end…
President Emmanuel Macron and Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto shake hands during a press conference at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on May 28, 2025. [AFP] French President Emmanuel Macron met his Indonesian counterpart on Wednesday, seeking to deepen trade and defence ties with Southeast Asia’s largest economy on the second leg of a three-country tour promoting France as a balancing power between the US and China. Macron met Prabowo Subianto at the presidential palace in capital Jakarta, hailing their countries’ close relationship after being greeted by a guard of honour, gun salute and thousands of young Indonesians waving French flags. “Our…
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a phone call with Albania’s Prime Minister as he sits in his office in Kyiv on May 26, 2025. [AFP] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to visit Germany on Wednesday for talks with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has pledged muscular backing for Kyiv in its fight against Russia. Zelensky’s visit will focus on “German support for Ukraine and efforts to secure a ceasefire” with Russia to end more than three years of war, German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said in a statement. During their Berlin talks from noon (1000 GMT), Zelensky and Merz are…
Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk speaks at an opening ceremony for Tesla China-made Model Y programme in Shanghai, China January 7, 2020. [File] Sales of cars made by Elon Musk‘s Tesla slumped by more than half in April as Chinese electric carmakers saw their share surge, the continent‘s manufacturing association said Tuesday. While sales of electric cars rose overall in the 27 European Union nations, Tesla‘s share fell dramatically amid the spotlight on Musk‘s work with US President Donald Trump and the US company‘s ageing range. The European Automobile Manufacturers‘ Association (ACEA) said Tesla sales in April fell to 5,475…
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell on May 23, 2025, in New York City. [AFP] Equities were mixed Tuesday as investors awaited the latest developments in Donald Trump’s trade war, while the yen rallied after the head of Japan’s central bank flagged more interest rate hikes if the economy improved. With Wall Street closed for a holiday, there were few major catalysts to drive business, though investors remain on their toes after the US president’s threat of 50 per cent tariffs on European Union goods and subsequent delay reviving volatility.…
Britain’s King Charles III attends audiences with indigenous leaders at the official residence of the Governor General of Canada, in Ottawa on May 27, 2025. [AFP] King Charles III is to deliver a historic speech to open Canada’s parliament on Tuesday, with the nation, of which he is head of state, facing unprecedented threats from US President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he intends to use the king’s first visit to the British Commonwealth nation since his coronation to highlight Canada’s sovereignty. “This historic honour matches the weight of our times,” Carney said. It was at the…
France’s President Emmanuel Macron (R) poses with his wife Brigitte Macron during a state dinner with Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong at the International Convention Center in Hanoi on May 26, 2025. [AFP] French President Emmanuel Macron denied Monday having a domestic dispute with his wife Brigitte after a video appeared to show her shoving his face away when they touched down for a visit to Vietnam, blaming disinformation campaigns for trying to put false meaning on the footage. The Elysee had been hoping that the visit to Vietnam would showcase France’s reach into the Indo-Pacific, but it has been shadowed…
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Osaka, western Japan on June 29, 2019. [AFP] From false claims of Americans panic-buying Chinese goods to bot-driven attacks on US brands, a tide of misinformation is casting a shadow over a temporary trade truce between Washington and Beijing. The world’s two biggest economies agreed earlier this month to pause reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, a surprise de-escalation in their bitter trade war following high-level talks in Geneva. But an alternate reality is unfolding across social media platforms, including China’s Douyin and Weibo, where…
A photograph taken in Paris on April 8, 2025 shows a globe and a US flag with the inscription “tariffs” planted on Europe. [AFP] US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would pause his threatened 50-per cent tariffs on the European Union until July 9, after a “very nice call” with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. Trump had threatened on Friday to impose the steep duties from June 1, voicing frustration that negotiations to avert a 20-per cent “reciprocal” tariff were “going nowhere”. But he agreed on Sunday to delay the tariffs until July 9 after…
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after signing executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House May 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] US President Donald Trump on Friday threatened Apple and other smartphone manufacturers with a 25 percent tariff unless their devices are built in the United States. Trump initially said the tariff would apply only to Apple — an unusual move to single out a specific company in trade policy. However, he later expanded the threat to include all smartphone-makers. “It would be also Samsung and anybody that makes that product, otherwise it wouldn’t be fair,” Trump…
A demonstrator holds a sing in Harvard Square after a rally was held against President Donald Trump’s attacks on Harvard University at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts on April 17, 2025. [AFP] Harvard sued the Trump administration on Friday over its move to block the prestigious university from enrolling and hosting foreign students in a broadening dispute, a court filing showed. On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign nationals, throwing the future of thousands of students into doubt. President Donald Trump is furious at Harvard — which has produced 162 Nobel prize winners –…
US President Donald Trump with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 21, 2025. [AFP] South Africans voiced anger Thursday at US President Donald Trump’s persistent false claim of a genocide against white farmers that was repeated in talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa. The talks between the two presidents on Wednesday were aimed at repairing relations that have nosedived since Trump took office in January, since threatening high trade tariffs and expelling the South African ambassador. “I am not happy,” university student Nicole Mbhele told AFP. “He made it seem…
US President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025. [AFP] Stock markets mostly fell and US long-term borrowing costs surged Thursday as investors fretted over the US debt pile after President Donald Trump’s sweeping spending and tax cut plan passed the House of Representatives. Wall Street’s three main indexes were mixed at the open, with the broad-based S&P 500 and Dow falling while the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose. The yield on 30-year US government bonds climbed to 5.15 per cent following the House vote, nearing levels last seen in 2007…
Destroyed buildings in the nothern sector of the besieged Palestinian territory on May 22, 2025. [AFP] The UN said Wednesday it had “dispatched” around 90 trucks carrying aid into Gaza, as international pressure intensified over Israel’s renewed offensive and blockade of the war-ravaged Palestinian territory. The first aid distribution in Gaza since early March came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was open to a “temporary ceasefire”, but reaffirmed the military aimed to bring the entire territory under its control. Three days after Israel announced it would allow in limited aid, the United Nations “collected around 90 truckloads…
With Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) by his side President Donald Trump speaks to the press following a House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on May 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accepted the Boeing 747 that the Gulf emirate of Qatar offered to President Donald Trump for use as Air Force One, the Pentagon said Wednesday. Qatar’s offer of the jet — which is valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars — has raised huge constitutional and ethical questions, as well as security concerns about using an aircraft donated…
Former Mayor of New York City Mike Bloomberg speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha on May 20, 2025. [AFP] Bloomberg, the financial data service used by traders around the world, was hit by an outage on Wednesday, briefly disrupting auctions of bonds in Europe. The Bloomberg terminal is the crown jewel of the media empire founded by US billionaire Michael Bloomberg in 1981 and counts some 350,000 users worldwide. The service, which costs subscribers tens of thousands of dollars a year, is ubiquitous in trading rooms, providing live pricing of company stocks, currencies, commodities, bonds and other financial…
A man walks past electronic boards showing the Japanese yen’s rate against the US dollar (L) and the Nikkei Stock Average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (R) along a street in central Tokyo on May 19, 2025. [AFP] A bond sell-off and declining dollar signalled investor unease Wednesday as Washington lawmakers contemplated a tax-cut bill that could push up the US deficit. At the same time, fresh tensions focused on a report that Israel was planning a strike on Iranian nuclear sites drove up crude prices, while lingering US-China trade tensions hit stock markets. Wall Street opened lower, while European…
Singer Chris Brown arrives on the red carpet for the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles, California on March 29,2015. [Valerie Maacon, AFP] American R&B singer Chris Brown, former boyfriend of superstar Rihanna, was on Wednesday ordered released on bail in an assault case on condition he pay a £5 million guarantee to a UK court. Under the terms of his bail, the judge said the Grammy-winning Brown, 36, can continue his scheduled international tour which is due to start on June 8 in Amsterdam. If he fails to return to the UK, where he has a series of concerts…
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (right) and Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, on May 21, 2025. [AFP] Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas met in Beirut on Wednesday and backed placing all weapons under Lebanese state control, as they discussed efforts to disarm armed groups in Palestinian refugee camps. A joint statement from the Lebanese presidency said the two leaders shared the “belief that the era of weapons outside Lebanese state control has ended” and backed the principle that arms should be held exclusively by the state. Abbas’s three-day trip is his…
Participants attend Google’s annual I/O developers conference in Mountain View, California on May 20, 2025. [AFP] Google on Tuesday said it was beefing up online searches with even more generative artificial intelligence, as it presses on with embracing AI despite fears for its ad-based business model. CEO Sundar Pichai, speaking at the company’s annual developers event, said Google’s search engine would feature a new AI mode, as he boasted that “decades of research” were reaching fruition with the new technology. The search engine’s nascent AI mode goes further than the already launched AI Overviews which display answers to queries from…
People walk in an alley at the Burj al Barajneh camp for Palestinian refugees in Beirut. [Joseph Eid, AFP) The UK government on Tuesday paused free trade negotiations with Israel and slapped new sanctions on West Bank settlers to protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Foreign Secretary David Lammy also announced his ministry was summoning the Israeli ambassador over Israel’s expansion of its military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory, launched in the wake of the October 2023 attack by Hamas militants. The UK government on Tuesday paused free trade negotiations with Israel and slapped new sanctions on West Bank…
French actor Oscar Lesage, Iranian actress Katayoon Latif, Franco-Malian actress Eye Haidara and Actor Augustin Dewinter jump during a photocall for the “Adami” Jeunes Talent at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 20, 2025. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP) The bitter brotherly feud that sparked the creation of sports-shoe brands Adidas and Puma in the same small German town in the 1940s is to be turned into a television series with the help of family archives, its producers announced Sunday. Hollywood-based film producer No Fat Ego is backing the project, which…
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives for the European Political Community (EPC) summit, in Tirana on May 16, 2025. [AFP] Hungary’s parliament on Tuesday approved leaving the International Criminal Court, which it calls “politically motivated”, becoming the third country after Burundi and the Philippines to take such a step. Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month that his European Union country would leave the ICC. Orban hosted Netanyahu despite an ICC arrest warrant. The global tribunal accuses the Israeli leader of war crimes in Gaza — allegations he rejects. In Hungary’s…
Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella during the Microsoft Build 2025, conference in Seattle, Washington, on May 19, 2025.[AFP] Microsoft on Monday said its cloud servers will now host Grok from Elon Musk’s xAI, days after the chatbot went off the rails with talk of “white genocide” in South Africa. Musk told an event hosted by Microsoft that his company’s models “aspire to truth with minimal error,” adding that “there’s always going to be some mistakes that are made.” The Grok chatbot last week ignited controversy by answering unrelated user prompts with unbacked right-wing propaganda about purported oppression of white…
A man walks at a destroyed gas station after an Israeli strike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on May 20, 2025. [AFP] Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli strikes killed at least 44 people on Tuesday across the war-ravaged Palestinian territory, where Israel has intensified a military offensive aimed at crushing Hamas. Aid trickled into the Gaza Strip on Monday for the first time in more than two months, following intense international condemnation over Israel’s total blockade that has sparked shortages of food and medicine. The Israeli army stepped up its military offensive in Gaza on…
Britain’s PM Keir Starmer, Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, during the UK-EU Summit at Lancaster House in London on May 19, 2025. [AFP] The UK on Monday said its new economic agreement with the European Union eases customs checks on food and plant products to “allow goods to flow freely again”. The pact will add nearly £9 billion ($12 billion) to the British economy by 2040 and links the two sides’ emissions quotas to spare British…
Anti-Brexit demonstrator Steve Bray and fellow pro EU activists wave flags as they protest near Lancaster House, the venue of the UK-EU Summit, in London on May 19, 2025. [AFP] Britain and the European Union on Monday reached a landmark deal setting out closer ties on defence and trade, launching a new chapter after the UK’s acrimonious exit from the bloc five years ago. Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it “marks a new era in our relationship… We are agreeing a new strategic partnership fit for our times.” The defence deal will mean more regular security talks, Britain possibly…
FIFA president Gianni Infantino (left), US President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during a signing ceremony after a state dinner at the Lusail Palace in Doha on May 14, 2025. [AFP] Qatar Airways posted a 28 percent jump in annual net profit to a record $2.15 billion on Monday, days after sealing a major Boeing deal during US President Donald Trump’s visit. “These record-breaking results are a testament to the hard work, skill and dedication of teams across all of Qatar Airways Group,” said the state-owned carrier’s chief executive, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. Qatar Airways Cargo, the…
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa in a presidential panel at the opening ceremony of the Africa CEO Forum annual summit in Abidjan on May 12, 2025. [AFP] Securing South Africa’s trade ties with the United States will be a key aim of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Washington this week to meet Donald Trump, a minister in the delegation said Monday. Ramaphosa was to be accompanied by four cabinet ministers on the high-stakes visit and was expected to meet Trump at the White House on Wednesday. Ties between Pretoria and Washington have plummeted since Trump took office in January, and…
This picture taken from a position in southern Israel shows Israeli tanks deployed on the border with the Gaza Strip on May 17, 2025. [AFP] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel will “take control” of the whole of Gaza, as the military pressed a newly intensified campaign in the war-ravaged territory. After Israel announced it would let limited aid into Gaza, the head of the World Health Organization issued a stark warning on the humanitarian crisis in the territory, saying that “two million people are starving”. On the ground, the Israeli military issued an evacuation call to Gazans in…
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) is greeted by US Vice President JD Vance (R) and Second Lady Usha Vance prior to a Holy Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, in St Peter’s square in The Vatican on May 18, 2025. [AFP] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the upcoming telephone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a brief meeting with US Vice President JD Vance in Rome on Sunday, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP. Zelensky and Vance discussed “the situation on the front, preparations for the (Trump-Putin) conversation on…
Voters cast their ballots at a polling station in Warsaw, Poland, on May 18, 2025, during the first round of the presidential elections. [AFP] Poles began voting Sunday in a tight presidential election that will be decisive for the future of the country’s centrist government as well as for abortion and LGBTQ rights. Pro-EU Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski is expected to get 30 percent, according to opinion polls, ahead of nationalist historian Karol Nawrocki’s 25 percent. That would put both through to the runoff on June 1 at a particularly fraught moment for Europe as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags…
International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief prosecutor Karim Khan poses for a picture at the ICC headquarters in The Hague on May 27, 2022. [AFP] The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has stepped aside pending the conclusion of a probe into a misconduct allegation against him, his office said Friday, as media reports cite accusations of sexual misconduct. News of Karim Khan’s leave has plunged the ICC, already under fire from critics and targeted by US sanctions aimed at the prosecutor, into further uncertainty. The UN Office of Internal Oversight Services announced its investigation in November, with reports saying Khan was…
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media accompanying him aboard Airforce One, after leaving Abu Dhabi. May 16, 2025. [AFP] Hundreds of Voice of America contractors are expected to lose their jobs over the coming days, campaigners said, as the Trump administration moves to dismantle the US government-backed news service’s parent agency. Most of VOA’s roughly 1,300 staffers have been placed on administrative leave and its broadcasts suspended after a March 14 executive order gutted the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees US-funded international media. The Trump administration decided to terminate “hundreds of contractors over the…
Japanese Junko Tabei, the first woman in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest on 16 May 1975, and Mount Everest (8,848.86-metre), in Nepal. [AFP] On May 16, 1975, Japan’s Junko Tabei became the first woman to climb to the top of Mount Everest. Half a century later, the world’s highest mountain is set to record its thousandth ascent by a woman. Scaling the 8,849 metre-high (29,032-foot-high) peak has mainly been a male achievement. By May 2025 women had reached the top 962 times, while men had got there 11,955 times, according to an AFP analysis of figures…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks to media after disembarking from the plane upon his arrival at Ankara airport, in Ankara, on May 15, 2025. [AFP] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was to meet with top Turkish and Ukranian officials Friday after landing in Istanbul ahead of the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks in three years, a US official said. Rubio had on Thursday played down hope of progress at the meeting, saying “we don’t have high expectations,” but has nonetheless flown in to throw his weight behind the effort. Ahead of the talks, US and Turkish officials were expected to…
MrBeast arrives at the 11th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony 2025 held at the Barker Hangar on April 5, 2025 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. [AFP] Mexico is seeking compensation from YouTube celebrity MrBeast’s production company, accusing it of using images of the country’s ancient archaeological sites to advertise a chocolate brand. A video of the social media star visiting Mayan ruins has been viewed around 60 million times since May 10 on YouTube, where he has 395 million subscribers. In the video, titled “I Explored 2000-Year-Old Ancient Temples,” the influencer explores the ancient Mayan cities including Calakmul and Chichen Itza in…
US rapper Chris Brown arrives for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. [AFP] American R&B singer Chris Brown, the former boyfriend of superstar Rihanna, is due to appear in a UK court on Friday after being arrested and charged over an alleged assault at a London nightclub in 2023, police said. Brown, 36, is known for mid-2000s hits such as “Kiss, Kiss” and a litany of legal troubles, including a felony conviction for assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. He was arrested again in the early hours of Thursday at a hotel in Manchester, the Metropolitan…
Singer and model Cassie Ventura (L) and Rap mogul P Diddy (aka Sean Combs) arrive for the traditionnal Clive Davis party on the eve of the 60th Annual Grammy Awards on January 28, 2018, in New York. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs on Thursday tried to chip away at the credibility of Casandra Ventura, the music mogul’s former girlfriend, after two days of her grueling testimony in his trial on sex trafficking charges. Ventura, the singer widely known as Cassie, told jurors that Combs raped, beat and forced her into drug-fueled sex parties during…
From left: Belgium Minister of Energy Mathieu Bihet, Elia Transmission Belgium CEO Frederic Dunon, Elia Group CEO Bernard Gustin during a visit to the control centre of Elia in Schaerbeek in Brussels, on May 6, 2025. [AFP] Belgium on Thursday officially abandoned plans to phase out nuclear power, with parliament voting to scrap a two-decades-old pledge and to allow for the construction of new reactors. Lawmakers in Brussels backed the new conservative-led government’s plan to revive the country’s nuclear industry with 102 votes in favour, eight against and 31 abstentions. “The Federal Parliament has just turned the page on two…
Customers enter a Walmart store on April 09, 2025 in San Leandro, California. [AFP] Walmart on Thursday reported another solid quarter behind sales gains in the United States, but warned of higher prices and continued uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariffs. “We will do our best to keep our prices as low as possible but given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure,” Chief Executive Doug McMillon said in a conference call with analysts. Walmart executives welcomed the de-escalation of the US-China trade war announced earlier this week, but…
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomes his US counterpart Donald Trump at the presidential terminal in Abu Dhabi on May 15, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump said Thursday a deal was close on Iran’s nuclear programme that would avert military action, sending oil prices tumbling, as he boasted of raising “trillions of dollars” on a Gulf tour. He made the remarks in Doha before flying on to the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi on the third and final leg of a Gulf tour that began in Saudi Arabia. “We’re not going to be making any…
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (R) looks on as US President Donald Trump holds an autographed soccer ball during a signing ceremony following a state dinner at Lusail Palace in Doha on May 14, 2025. [AFP] Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, branded Donald Trump’s decision to lift US sanctions on his country “historic and courageous”, calling it a turning point for a nation shattered by war and isolation. Speaking in a televised address, Sharaa said the US president’s move “alleviates the suffering of the people, contributes to their rebirth and lays the foundations for stability in the region”.…
Messages written on a banner with an image of Pope Leo XIV at Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Catholic University in Chiclayo, northern Peru. May 12, 2025. [AFP] The election of the first US pope is a godsend to businesses in Rome, as big-spending pilgrims flocking to the Vatican are also expected to spend in the Eternal City. In the historical Trastevere district with its cobblestoned streets and ancient churches, shopkeepers say tourists from the United States are usually excellent customers — and tippers. “We’re really pleased, it’s great for business,” restaurant owner Cristiano Bolognesi told AFP following the election of Robert…
Internet giant Alibaba posted on Thursday a six percent increase in annual revenue, the latest positive sign for China’s tech sector despite persisting economic uncertainties that include sluggish spending and threatened trade. The Hangzhou-based company is one of the biggest players in China’s tech industry, with operations spanning retail, digital payment, artificial intelligence and entertainment. This year has seen its share price rollercoaster on a wave of investor enthusiasm about Chinese AI capabilities that began in January, followed by a steep drop last month triggered by US President Donald Trump’s global tariff blitz. The firm’s revenue during the fiscal year…
US President Donald Trump leaves the stage after addressing troops at the Al-Udeid air base southwest of Doha on May 15, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump on Thursday renewed talk of seeking a third term in office, which is barred by the Constitution, in a highly political address to US troops in Qatar. Speaking to uniformed soldiers at the Al Udeid base, Trump again falsely claimed to have won the 2020 election against Joe Biden. “We won three elections, ok? And some people want us to do a fourth. I don’t know. We’ll have to think about that,” Trump…
This image taken on April 26, 2023 in Toulouse, south-western France, shows a screen displaying the Tiktok social media platform’s logo and the European flag. The EU accused TikTok on May 15, 2025, of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform is not transparent enough about advertisements. [AFP] The EU accused TikTok on Thursday of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform is not transparent enough about advertisements. The European Commission “found that TikTok does not provide the necessary information about the content of the advertisements, the users targeted by the ads, and…
Congressional staff members attend a House Ways and Means Committee markup hearing in the Longworth House Building on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. House Republicans introduced their tax and immigration legislation this week, with the goal of getting President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” passed before the Memorial Day weekend. [AFP] President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday moved to scrap limits on several toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water, reversing what had been hailed as a landmark public health victory. The Environmental Protection Agency said it would retain maximum contaminant levels for just two of…
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (C-R) and US President Donald Trump (C-L) watch as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (L) and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani (R) sign documents during a signing ceremony at the Royal Palace in Doha on May 14, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump said Wednesday Qatar Airways had placed a “record” order for 160 planes from Boeing, as he signed a raft of deals in Doha alongside Qatar’s emir. The order, which the White House said was Boeing’s largest ever for…
France’s Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau speaks during a session at the Nationale Assembly, French Parliament lower house, Paris. May 13, 2025. [AFP] France on Wednesday faced calls to bolster security for cryptocurrency firms, after armed men attempted to snatch the daughter and grandson of the Paymium platform from a Paris Street and a spate of similar violent incidents. Paymium urged the authorities “to immediately adopt measures to reinforce the protection of collaborators of companies in the cryptocurrency ecosystem”. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said he would meet industry professionals later this week to discuss how to prevent future…
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and French President Emmanuel Macron (L) hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem on October 24, 2023. [AFP] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday accused French President Emmanuel Macron of siding with a “murderous Islamist terrorist organisation” after Macron criticised Israel’s blocking of aid to Gaza. “Macron has once again chosen to stand with a murderous Islamist terrorist organisation and echo its despicable propaganda, accusing Israel of blood libels,” a statement from Netanyahu’s office said. “Instead of supporting the Western democratic camp fighting the Islamist terrorist organisations and calling for the release of…
Pope Leo XIV during a private audience with Italy’s tennis player Jannik Sinner, in The Vatican. [VATICAN MEDIA, AFP] Men’s world number one tennis player Jannik Sinner offered to rally with Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday, after being received by the head of the Catholic Church at the Vatican. The 23-year-old Italian star only returned to the circuit last Saturday, at the Italian Open, after serving a three month doping ban. Video released by the Vatican showed Sinner shaking the hand of the Chicago-born pope and presenting him with a racquet similar to his own. With a racquet in both…
Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey: what we know. [AFP] Ukraine and Russia are close to reviving direct peace talks for the first time since the last face-to-face discussions ended three years ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to meet in Turkey on Thursday for talks on ending the war, after Moscow proposed staging direct negotiations. With less than 24 hours until negotiations are set to begin, details remain obscure. Here’s a breakdown of what is known and not about the talks so far: Who is expected to attend? Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed…
People celebrate in Damascus’ Omeyyad square after US President Donald Trump’s decision to lift sanctions in Syria, on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Donald Trump became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader on Wednesday after he offered sanctions relief in hopes of offering a new path to the war-battered country. Trump, in Riyadh on the first state visit of his second term, met with Ahmed al-Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla turned interim president after the December overthrow of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad. The two held brief talks ahead of a larger gathering of Gulf leaders…
Congressional staff members attend a House Ways and Means Committee markup hearing in the Longworth House Building on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] NATO foreign ministers meeting in Antalya from Wednesday will look to forge a compromise deal on ramping up defence spending as allies scramble to satisfy US President Donald Trump’s demand to agree to five percent of GDP at a summit next month. The two-day gathering in the sun-baked Turkish seaside resort comes as diplomatic intrigue swirls over a possible meeting across the country in Istanbul between Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s…
US President Donald Trump greets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Saudi-US investment forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would lift sanctions on Syria to offer it a chance for “greatness” after Bashar al-Assad’s fall, as he cast himself as a peacemaker in the Middle East. On a state visit to Saudi Arabia primarily aimed at securing billions of dollars of investment, the billionaire president took aim both at the US left and right who he said had intervened in the…
US celebrity Kim Kardashian (C) leaves with her mother Kris Jenner (R) the Assize Court after testifying in a trial over the 2016 robbery that saw her relieved of millions of dollars’ worth of jewellery at gunpoint in Paris, on May 13, 2025. The trial of this sensational nine million euro jewellery robbery opened in Paris on April 28, 2025. [AFP] Reality TV star Kim Kardashian told a Paris court on Tuesday she feared she would be killed by the masked men who robbed her at gunpoint of some $10 million of jewellery in her hotel room in 2016, but…
US President Donald Trump (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (2nd-L) take part in a signing ceremony during a bilateral meeting in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Saudi Arabia on Tuesday promised billions of dollars in deals with the United States from defence to artificial intelligence as it threw a lavish welcome for President Donald Trump on the first state visit of his second term. The Saudis escorted Air Force One into the kingdom with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching guards of honour and sending flag-waving cavalry to accompany Trump’s motorcade to the palace. Under imposing…
US celebrity Kim Kardashian (R) arrives at the Assize Court for a 2016 robbery trial in Paris. May 13, 2025. [AFP] American celebrity Kim Kardashian told a Paris court on Tuesday she feared she was going to be killed by masked men who robbed her at gunpoint of millions of dollars of jewellery during the French capital’s fashion week. Ten suspects have been on trial since late April over the armed robbery in 2016, which saw jewellery worth some $10 million stolen from the reality TV star and influencer. “Hi! I’m Kim Kardashian, and I just want to thank everyone, especially…
Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales during a visit to present “The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design” at The British Design Council, in central London, on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Nearly 14 months after she announced her cancer diagnosis, Britain’s Princess Catherine has launched a video series about nature, hailing it as her “sanctuary” over the past year. Catherine, also known as Kate, who said last September that she had finished chemotherapy, used the first of her series of “Mother Nature” videos to urge people to reconnect with the world around them. Her voiceover for her “Spring” video is set…
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff leaves after a meeting with relatives of hostages held in Gaza since October 2023, at the Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, on May 13, 2025. [AFP] A months-long Israeli blockade is worsening acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, medical charity Medecins du Monde warned on Tuesday, accusing Israel of using hunger as “a weapon of war.” Israel halted all aid from entering the war-ravaged Palestinian territory on March 2, days before resuming its offensive triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. The United Nations and aid agencies have repeatedly…
US President Donald Trump and the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman talk before a coffee ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. [AFP] Donald Trump enjoyed a lavish, royal welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on the first state visit of his second term, with the US president foremost focused on business deals at the start of a Gulf tour. Saudi Arabia escorted Air Force One with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching honour guards both at the airport and a palace decked out with imposing chandeliers. With cameras rolling, a lengthy procession of Saudi…
Even the greatest human minds building generative artificial intelligence that is poised to change the world admit they do not comprehend how digital minds think. “People outside the field are often surprised and alarmed to learn that we do not understand how our own AI creations work,” Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei wrote in an essay posted online in April. “This lack of understanding is essentially unprecedented in the history of technology.” Unlike traditional software programs that follow pre-ordained paths of logic dictated by programmers, generative AI (gen AI) models are trained to find their own way to success once prompted.…
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a press conference at the media briefing room of 9 Downing Street, central London, on May 12, 2025. [AFP] British police arrested a 21-year-old man early Tuesday over suspected arson attacks on two properties linked to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. London’s Metropolitan Police force said the man was arrested “on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life”. He was being held in custody, the force added. Emergency services were called to a blaze at the door of Starmer’s former family home in Kentish Town, north London, at 1:35 a.m.…
In this February 15, 2025, a Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald Trump toured the aircraft on February 15, 2025. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) US President Donald Trump on Monday angrily dismissed concerns over his plans to receive a jet from Qatar to be used as Air Force One, saying it would be “stupid” not to accept such a gift. The offer from Qatar’s royal family to donate the $400 million 747-8 to be used as the US presidential plane raised major questions about ethics and security, but Trump…
Israelis celebrate the release of Edan Alexander, an Israeli-US captive in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on May 12, 2025. [AFP] Palestinian militant group Hamas said its armed wing handed over a US-Israeli hostage held in Gaza since October 2023 on Monday, ahead of a regional visit by US President Donald Trump. “The (Ezzedine) Al-Qassam Brigades have just released the Zionist soldier and American citizen Edan Alexander, following contacts with the US administration, as part of the efforts undertaken by mediators to achieve a ceasefire,” Hamas said in a statement Monday. A source…
Photo illustration portraits of US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. [AFP] Here is a look at the key points in the 90-day agreement the United States and China announced Monday to de-escalate their market-roiling trade war. New US duties: 30% Washington agreed to reduce tariffs on Chinese goods from the additional 145 per cent announced by President Donald Trump in April to 30 per cent — which will still be applied on top of pre-existing duties. The new figure includes a 20-per-cent tariff Trump has imposed to pressure Beijing to do more to fight fentanyl trafficking, which…
Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican. [Vatican media, AFP] Pope Leo XIV called for an end to war in the world as he greeted crowds from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, in his second official public appearance since becoming the leader of the Catholic Church. “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!” proclaimed the first pontiff from the United States, addressing tens of thousands in St Peter’s Square gathered underneath him who cheered, applauded wildly and enthusiastically waved flags. The new Chicago-born pope did not shy from world events…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Pope Leo XIV said Saturday he intended to follow his predecessor’s path as pontiff, praising Francis’s “complete dedication to service” and explaining his name choice reflected a commitment to social causes, according to the Vatican. Addressing a meeting of cardinals two days after being elected the 267th pope, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost said a pontiff was “a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters,…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the St Peter’s Basilica. [AFP] The inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV will take place on Sunday, May 18, in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced. World leaders are expected to gather for the event, held 10 days after the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the first US head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. The new pontiff will meet with journalists on Monday and with diplomats accredited to the Holy See the following Friday, the Vatican said. Leo’s first general audience will be on Wednesday May 21 and he will…
US President Donald Trump looks on as British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson (3R) speaks during a trade announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. Also pictured, US Vice President JD Vance (L). [AFP] US President Donald Trump signaled on Friday that he could lower tariffs on Chinese imports, as the rival superpowers prepare for trade talks over the weekend. “80% Tariff on China seems right!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, which would bring them down from 145 percent, with cumulative duties on some goods reaching a…
US President Donald Trump looks on as British ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson (3R) speaks during a trade announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. Also pictured, US Vice President JD Vance (L). [AFP] After US President Donald Trump said he hoped to meet “fantastic” Ursula von der Leyen, the EU chief quipped on Friday: “I like compliments in general.” “She’s so fantastic. I hope we’re gonna meet,” Trump told reporters as he unveiled a US-UK trade agreement on Thursday, his first deal with any country since he unleashed his global…
Pope Leo XIV during a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel in The Vatican. [AFP] Leo XIV celebrated his first mass as pope on Friday, the day after becoming the first US head of the Catholic Church, with the world’s eyes watching for signs of what kind of leader he will be. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost on Thursday became the 267th pope, spiritual head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and successor to Argentina’s Pope Francis, after a secret conclave by his fellow cardinals in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. “The American pope,” blazed headlines from the front pages of…
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey attends the central bank’s Monetary Policy Report press conference at the Bank of England, in the City of London, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Most equities rose Friday on growing optimism that the worst of Donald Trump’s trade war is past after he reached a deal with Britain and suggested he could lower tariffs on China as officials prepare for high-stakes talks this weekend. The mood among investors has improved substantially since the US president unveiled his “Liberation Day” blitz last month, sending markets spinning and fuelling global recession fears. Several countries have lined…
US President Donald Trump takes questions outside the West Wing of White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Donald Trump’s administration plans to resettle the first group of white South Africans to the United States next week, US media reported Thursday, after the president accused Pretoria of “racial discrimination” against them. Trump is locked in a diplomatic row with South Africa over a land expropriation act that the Republican leader says will lead to the takeover of white-owned farms. Trump, whose tycoon ally Elon Musk was born in South Africa, has said the law signed in January would…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the St Peter’s Basilica. [AFP] China on Friday congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election to head the Catholic Church, saying Beijing hoped to continue “constructive dialogue” with the Vatican. “It is hoped that under the new pope’s leadership, the Vatican will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with China and conduct in-depth communication on international issues of mutual concern,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said. Lin expressed Beijing’s hope that it and the Vatican could “jointly promote continued improvement of relations and contribute to world peace, stability and development prosperity.” Chicago-born…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025 [AFP] From pillorying the US vice president to denouncing the death penalty, Pope Leo has proven unafraid to tackle prickly political issues on social media — making him the first “extremely online” pontiff. When JD Vance suggested that Christians should love their family, neighbors, community and fellow citizens — in that order — one very notable Christian took umbrage. Robert Prevost, now better known to the world as…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Pope Leo XIV will celebrate mass Friday, the day after becoming the first US head of the Catholic Church, with the world watching for signs of what kind of pope he will be. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost became on Thursday the 267th pope, spiritual leader to the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, after a secret conclave by his fellow cardinals in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. At…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] The archbishop of Philadelphia, the US city where the first American pope Leo XIV spent his student days, told AFP after the pontiff was elected that he “honestly didn’t think it would be him”. “Not because of him, but because being an American, that just has not been the case,” said Archbishop Nelson J. Perez. Robert Prevost’s election as the first US head of the Catholic Church has prompted celebration and surprise in both his hometown…
A woman prays next to the image of Robert Francis Prevost, who became Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Church bells echoed out as Catholics congregated in the Peruvian capital on Thursday to celebrate the election of American-born Pope Leo XIV, who left his mark after years of service in the Andean country. “He is a good man, even to those who are bad,” 73-year-old priest Juan de Dios Rojas told AFP of Robert Prevost during a visit to El Callao beyond Lima. A photograph of Leo XIV, who will hold a mass for cardinals in the Sistine…
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing-in ceremony for new U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue in the Oval Office at the White House on May 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. [AFP] US President Donald Trump announced Thursday an agreement with Britain on trade, which would be the first such deal since he launched his global tariffs blitz. Trump provided no details about the scope of the agreement, which comes a month after he imposed sweeping tariffs on US trading partners on his April 2 “Liberation Day”. “The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost addresses the crowd from the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments. The sign of confidence from Francis…
Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Live Published Date: 2025-05-09 06:00:00 Author: By AFP Source: The Standard
US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. [Jim Watson, AFP] US President Donald Trump unveiled a “breakthrough” trade agreement with Britain on Thursday, the first deal with any country since he launched his global tariffs blitz. The deal reduces tariffs on British cars and lifts them on steel and aluminum, while in return Britain will open up markets to US beef and other farm products. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also hailed it as a “historic day”, although the agreement is thin on details and both sides said…
US President Donald Trump makes a trade announcement during a meeting with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (left), Vice President JD Vance (second left), and British ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson (right), in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] US President Donald Trump unveiled a “breakthrough” trade agreement with Britain on Thursday, the first deal with any country since he launched his global tariffs blitz. The deal reduces tariffs on British cars and lifts them on steel and aluminum, while in return Britain will open up markets to US beef…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica, after the cardinals ended the conclave, in the Vatican, on May 8, 2025. [AFP] President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born head of the Catholic Church, as a “great honor” for the United States. “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country,” Trump said on his…
Smoke billows on the horizon following an Israeli air strike on Yemen’s Huthi-held capital Sanaa on May 6, 2025. [AFP] Israel issued its strongest threat yet against Iran Thursday, warning it would do to it what it has done to Hamas in Gaza after Iran-backed Huthi rebels attacked Ben Gurion airport. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami said any attack by the United States or Israel would “open the gates of hell”. Along with Hezbollah and Hamas, Yemen’s Huthis are part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and its Washington ally. The Huthis claim their repeated attacks on Israel…
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost at the St Peter’s Basilica. [Alberto Pizzoli, AFP] Robert Francis Prevost became the first pope from the United States on Thursday, picking the papal name Leo XIV after cardinals from around the world elected him leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. Tens of thousands of people packed in St Peter’s Square cheered as Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, waving with both hands, smiling and bowing. “Peace by with you,” he told the crowds. White smoke from the Sistine Chapel had billowed into the sky on the cardinals’ second…
French cardinal proto-deacon Dominique Mamberti announces the name of the new pope at the St Peter’s Basilica. [Tiziana Fabi, AFP] Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments. The sign of confidence from Francis speaks to Prevost’s commitment as a missionary in Peru to the “peripheries” — overlooked areas…
French cardinal proto-deacon Dominique Mamberti announces the name of the new pope at the St Peter’s Basilica. [Tiziana Fabi, AFP] Robert Francis Prevost, the first pope from the United States, has a history of missionary work in Peru but also a keen grasp of the inner workings of the Church. The new Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was entrusted by his predecessor Francis to head the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, charged with advising the pontiff on new bishop appointments. The sign of confidence from Francis speaks to Prevost’s commitment as a missionary in Peru to the “peripheries” — overlooked areas…
People react as white smoke (unseen) signals that cardinals elected a new pope during their conclave in the Vatican on May 8, 2025. [AFP] White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling that the 133 cardinals inside have elected a new pope. They picked a successor to Pope Francis on the second day of voting, but the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will have to wait for the official announcement from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to learn who he is. White smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday,…
A Ford Mustang is seen at a used car dealership in Montebello, California on May 5, 2025. Ford reported a 65 percent drop in first-quarter profits May 5, 2025, citing a near-term drag on auto sales from new vehicle launches, as it withdrew its forecast amid tariff uncertainty. [AFP] The EU on Thursday threatened to target US cars and planes among a raft of products worth 95 billion euros ($107 billion) if negotiations with President Donald Trump’s team fail to avert a trade war. The European Commission said it would, in parallel, file a complaint with the World Trade Organization…