World News

Bill Gates pledges to donate 99% of fortune, shut Gates Foundation by 2045

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates pledges 99 per cent of his wealth to the Gates Foundation, which will shut down by 2045 after spending $200 billion on health, education, and poverty eradication

Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in federal agency purge

Hayden, whose 10-year term was set to expire next year, had come under backlash from a conservative advocacy group that had vowed to root out those standing in the way of Trump's agenda

Trump team eyes tariff cuts, rare earths relief in China trade talks

The talks are expected to be exploratory, focusing on airing grievances rather than resolving the many issues between the US and China, according to people familiar with the matter

How white Sox fan 'Bob' beat the odds to become first American pope

When Leo XIV spoke to crowds from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, his first message was against all forms of division and war

China's April exports rise 8.1%, imports dip 0.2% despite slowdown fears

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 1.9 per cent increase in exports and a 5.9 per cent drop in imports

'Killing children': Bill Gates rips Elon Musk over aid cuts to poor nations

Bill Gates accuses Elon Musk of endangering millions by shutting down USAID, warning that the move could reverse decades of progress in child health and survival globally

Trump proposes 30-day ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war, threatens sanctions

His remarks come as both Russia and Ukraine reported attacks on security forces despite a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin

China expresses confidence in ability to manage trade tensions with US

The weekend talks involving top US and Chinese economic and trade officials are widely seen as a first step towards resolving a trade war

Bill Gates to donate $200 bn by 2045, says Musk 'killing' poorest kids

The 69-year-old billionaire co-founder of Microsoft said he was speeding up his plans to divest almost all of his fortune and would close the foundation on December 31, 2045

Ukraine says Russia violating its own 3-day ceasefire, calls it a 'farce'

There was, though, a drop-off in combat activity after the ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin came into force in the early hours of Thursday

Kim Jong Un supervises North Korea missile tests simulating nuclear strikes

KCNA said the tests were intended to train military units operating missile and rocket systems to more effectively execute attacks under the North's nuclear weapons control system

Trump, Starmer hail limited US-UK trade deal, but 10% tariffs remain

The 'general terms' agreement is the first of dozens of tariff-lowering deals that Trump expects to land in the coming weeks

Trump names Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as top federal prosecutor in DC

Trump tapped Pirro to at least temporarily lead the nation's largest US Attorney's office after pulling his nomination of conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. for the position earlier on Thursday

Pope Leo XIV has criticised Trump, Vance policies in social media posts

A look back through his social media timeline shows numerous posts sharing viewpoints opposed to moves aimed at restricting acceptance of migrants and refugees in the US

Pentagon orders removal of up to 1,000 transgender troops from military

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who issued the latest memo, made his views clear after the court's decision

Pope Leo XIV's name choice shows his commitment to social justice

Pope Leo XIII, who was head of the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903, laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought, most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum

Will not renegotiate security deal with US, despite protests: Panama prez

On Tuesday, thousands of Panamanians marched in the capital in the largest protest yet against an agreement signed during last month's visit by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth

Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, overcame taboo against US pontiff

Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against a US pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere

Trump to withdraw Ed Martin nomination for DC US Attorney amid concerns

Trump dropped his pick for DC US Attorney two days after a top GOP senator opposed Ed Martin over his defence of Capitol rioters from the January 6, 2021, attack

New Pope Leo XIV led Augustinian order devoted to poverty, service

The requirements and ethos of the order are traced to the fifth century St. Augustine of Hippo, one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity