World

French prosecutors said on Friday they have opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s X social media platform over alleged algorithmic bias. News of the probe comes just days before a major AI summit in Paris, which is due to host global leaders including U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as…

China has hit back at the United States, accusing it of “coercion” after Panama decided not to renew an important infrastructure agreement with Beijing. This move came in the wake of a threat from Washington DC to reclaim the Panama Canal. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference that China “firmly opposes the U.S.…

A19-year-old with a concerning “hacker” background known online as “Big Balls” is working as part of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). One former FBI agent has said he would not have recommended Edward Coristine for government work, knowing his work experience to date. Newsweek contacted Elon Musk via Twitter for comment on how Coristine was…

The U.S. is full of contradictions worth exploring, according to a comprehensive new report on the state of national well-being. “We are a nation of extremes—extreme successes and extreme failures,” according to the State of the Nation Project’s annual progress report released this month. “Our national trends are improving in more areas than we are declining. However,…

Agents at Immigration and Customs Enforcement are under increasing pressure to boost the number of arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants, as President Donald Trump has expressed anger that the amount of people deported in the first weeks of his administration is not higher, according to three sources familiar with the discussions at ICE and the White…

Kanye West has seemingly called out Elon Musk out on his own social media platform. The 47-year-old rapper stormed to X, formally Twitter, famously owned by the Tesla CEO and fumed, “ELON STOLE MY NAZI SWAG AT THE INAUGURATION YOOOO MY GUY GET YOUR OWN THIRD RALE.” Kanye was likely referring to Elon’s controversial gesture at Donald…

Sweden’s government has announced plans to tighten gun laws in the wake of the worst mass shooting the country’s history. Seven women and four men between 28 and 68 died in the attack, police said, including the gunman, who killed himself. Named widely in Swedish media as 35-year-old Rickard Andersson, the suspect had four legally owned rifles,…

Indians are the main beneficiaries of H-1B visas, which draw the best of talent and brains from across the world to the US. Highly skilled professionals from India walk away with the overwhelming number of H-1B visas – which is Congressional mandated 65,0000 every year and another 20,000 for those who received higher education from the US.…

Hate symbols and terror offences will be punishable with mandatory jail terms ranging from one to six years in Australia, after parliament passed a series of amendments to hate crime laws on Thursday. The new laws were passed following a wave of high-profile antisemitic attacks which have become a major topic of debate in the country. The…

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel, a close U.S. ally. Neither the U.S. nor Israel is a member of or recognizes the court, which has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes over his military response…

Brazilian students returned to class this week with a new task: staying away from their smartphones as a new law restricting their use in schools took effect. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a bill in January limiting smartphone access at schools, in line with a trend seen in the U.S. and Europe. It applies to…

Greece’s authorities have declared a state of emergency on Santorini after a series of earthquakes shook the popular tourist destination. More than 10,000 residents and workers fled the island this week as near-constant tremors and undersea earthquakes have been recorded between Santorini and the islands of Amorgos, Anafi and Ios. A 5.2 magnitude quake struck on Wednesday…

Donald Trump has said Gaza will be “turned over” to the United States by Israel as he doubled down on his plan for America to “own” the Palestinian territory. The US president attracted global condemnation on Tuesday when he said his country would take over Gaza and develop it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Speaking…

The NCAA, the governing body for collegiate sports in the United States, banned transgender women from competing in women’s sports effective immediately on Thursday, aligning itself with U.S. President Donald Trump. The policy change came one day after Trump signed an executive order attempting to exclude transgender girls and women from female sports, a directive that supporters…

The Trump administration’s effort to slash and reshape American foreign aid is crippling the intricate global system that aims to prevent and respond to famine. Struggling to manage hunger crises sweeping the developing world even before U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the international famine monitoring and relief system has suffered multiple blows from…

The Trump administration move to stop low-cost imports entering the U.S. tariff-free is likely to hit fast fashion retailer Shein harder than online dollar-store Temu, thanks to Temu’s wider product range and moves to change its shipping strategy. Both sites grew exponentially in the U.S. in recent years helped by the so-called de minimis rule, a measure…

Dashing as he may seem, Mickey 17 star Robert Pattinson insists he’s rather accident-prone. As we speak to him from Boston, on the set of his upcoming film The Drama, he notes that he can’t move his neck because of a recent workout injury. “I don’t understand why my neck hurts because I was doing a leg…

A federal judge has barred the US Treasury from handing data from its payments system to outsiders, in an early legal blow to Elon Musk’s crusade to slash government spending. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly put the temporary order in place after Musk boasted that his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) was “rapidly shutting down” Treasury…

The emergence of X owner Elon Musk as the most influential figure around President Donald Trump has created an extraordinary dynamic — a White House adviser who’s using one of the world’s most powerful information platforms to sell the government’s talking points while intimidating its detractors. In recent days, Musk has used X to promote Trump’s positions…

CBS’ “60 Minutes” posted online Wednesday the unedited transcripts of its October interview with Kamala Harris that sparked a lawsuit by Donald Trump, saying that they proved its broadcast was not “doctored or deceitful.” That’s what Trump contended in a $10 billion lawsuit he filed against the network in November, reportedly the subject of ongoing settlement talks.…

A British woman has died on holiday in Sri Lanka after a room in her hostel was fumigated for bed bugs, local police said. Ebony McIntosh, 24, from Derby, was taken to hospital in the capital Colombo on Saturday after becoming ill. She had reportedly suffered vomiting, nausea and breathing difficulties – but died there hours later.…

Reddit has temporarily banned one of its communities – and removed another – after X owner Elon Musk claimed comments made by the site’s users about his employees were breaking the law. The r/WhitePeopleTwitter subreddit, which typically invites people to share funny posts from X, has been banned for 72 hours after some users posted comments calling…

A US lawmaker has slammed Putin’s state television for ‘publishing naked photos of Melania Trump’. The remarks, made by Republican Representative Joe Wilson, occurred during a session in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. In a fiery speech condemning America’s adversaries, Rep Joe Wilson said: “War criminal Putin has ignored peace initiatives with record rocket attacks on…

Google parent company Alphabet has stopped making diversity and inclusion a workplace priority, according to a filing Wednesday with US regulators. The internet giant’s annual 10-K report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), no longer contained a commitment to workplace inclusion and diversity that had been there the prior year. “At Alphabet, we are committed…

Liam Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, is reflecting on the late One Direction member’s “tragic” death in her first sit-down since he passed away in October 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. “It still doesn’t feel fully real for me that he’s not here,” the influencer told the Sun Wednesday. “I’m trying to be the…

Police in the US state of Pennsylvania on Wednesday were searching for clues and leads to identify the thieves who stole 100,000 organic eggs four days ago. A bird flu outbreak in the US has forced farmers to euthanize millions of chickens a month, pushing egg prices to more than double their cost in the summer of…

Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning trans women athletes from competing in female sports. The move is designed to prevent people who were biologically assigned male at birth from participating in certain sporting events, including those at school. The order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports”, will call for “immediate enforcement” against schools and…

The Panama Canal Authority on Wednesday denied the U.S. State Department’s claim that U.S. government vessels would be able to cross the canal without paying fees, likely ratcheting up tensions after President Donald Trump threatened to take back control of the crossing. The canal authority, an autonomous agency overseen by the Panamanian government, said in a statement…

U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision of a Gaza Strip cleared of its Palestinian inhabitants and redeveloped into an international beach resort under U.S. control has revived an idea floated by his son-in-law Jared Kushner a year ago. The idea, outlined by Trump in a press conference on Tuesday, has drawn shocked reactions from both Palestinians and Western…

South Korea’s industry ministry has temporarily blocked employee access to Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek due to security concerns, a ministry official said on Wednesday, as the government urges caution on generative AI services. The government issued a notice on Tuesday calling for ministries and agencies to exercise caution about using AI services including DeepSeek and ChatGPT…

Earthquakes rattled Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini every few minutes overnight and into Wednesday as authorities bolstered emergency plans in case the hundreds of temblors over the past few days are a harbinger of a larger quake to come. A coast guard vessel and a military landing craft were in the wider area in case an evacuation…

London’s skyline has a dazzling new jewel—one that offers breathtaking views, exquisite design, and a dining experience unlike any other. Gordon Ramsay Restaurants has unveiled its most ambitious project yet, with five exceptional destinations at 22 Bishopsgate, including the tallest restaurant in London—Lucky Cat. Designed by the acclaimed Russell Sage Studio, this elevated Pan-Asian haven seamlessly blends…

United States President Donald Trump has started acting on the promises he made during his election campaign – with a mass deportation of illegal immigrants to different countries, including India, currently underway. On Tuesday, a US military plane began deporting Indian migrants, implementing Trump’s hardline stance against an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in America. “When I…

In talks with China’s leadership this week, including President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is expected to emphasize that Thailand is on board with increasing security and doing more to make Chinese tourists feel safe. China is Thailand’s top trading partner, and its biggest inbound tourism market. But a recent high-profile abduction of a Chinese actor…

China on Tuesday said it would probe US tech giant Google over violations of anti-monopoly laws after Washington slapped 10 percent levies on Chinese goods. Beijing’s State Administration for Market Regulation said the US tech giant was “suspected of violating the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China”. It has “launched an investigation into Google in…

\ The US Postal Service (USPS) says it has stopped accepting parcels from mainland China and Hong Kong until further notice. Letters will not be affected by the suspension, according to a statement on the company’s website. USPS did not offer a reason for the decision but it comes after US President Donald Trump imposed an additional…

Thousands of people have fled the island of Santorini as hundreds of quakes continued to course through the famous Greek tourist destination. More than 6,000 residents have left the island in recent days, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT. Early Tuesday morning, hundreds of people carrying their belongings were seen waiting at a port on the island,…

A 25-year-old engineer named Marko Elez, who previously worked for two Elon Musk companies, has direct access to Treasury Department systems responsible for nearly all payments made by the US government, three sources tell WIRED. Two of those sources say that Elez’s privileges include the ability not just to read but to write code on two of…

SPACE debris raining down on Earth is increasingly at risk of causing “catastrophic” collisions with aircraft, a damning new report has revealed. A sharp rise in the number of rocket launches has fuelled uncontrolled reentries of space debris – chunks of metal and machinery. Controlled reentries of space debris are carefully monitored by space companies and agencies,…

After controversially being granted access to the U.S. Treasury’s payments system, Elon Musk and his nongovernmental team of government spending slashers have now gotten their hands on a federal human resources database containing sensitive data on millions of federal employees. According to a report by Musk Watch journalists Caleb Ecarma and Judd Legum, Musk’s associates at the…

PRESIDENT Donald Trump is to send American criminals to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prisons in a breakthrough migrant deal. In the “extraordinary” offer from President Nayib Bukele, some of the most dangerous thugs residing comfortably in US jails will be sent to El Salvador to serve their time. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Bukele agreed to…

THE proportion of people diagnosed with lung cancer who’ve never smoked is increasing, the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed. New research highlights air pollution as a growing factor in the increasing number of lung cancer cases worldwide. Lung cancer in people who’ve never smoked is now the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, according to…

The US will take over Gaza and “own it”, Donald Trump has said. Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, he said the two million Palestinian people living in the territory, which he described as a “demolition site”, would go to “various domains”. Asked about deploying US troops to fill a potential security…

Donald Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran – as he threatened Tehran it would be “obliterated” if it assassinates him. The US president signed a memorandum on Tuesday in an effort to crack down on Iran’s nuclear programme and restrict oil exports – moments before he met Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr Trump…

China’s stocks and currency came under pressure as markets returning from a week-long break were greeted by a fresh trade dispute with the United States and ructions in the global artificial intelligence sector. Tariffs so far have been less than what the Trump administration had initially indicated and relief was evident in Hong Kong, where Chinese stocks…

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke to Elon Musk on the subject of misinformation about South Africa, the presidency said on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would suspend aid to the country over its land reform policy. Trump on Sunday accused South Africa of confiscating land and badly treating “certain classes of people”. Ramaphosa…

The Aga Khan, known for his triumphs in horse racing, dazzling wealth and development work around the world, has died in Lisbon at the age of 88, according to the Aga Khan Development Network on X. The announcement of his designated successor will follow, the network said. The 49th hereditary imam or spiritual leader of the world’s…

Eleven people were killed in a shooting at an adult education centre on Tuesday, Swedish police said, marking the country’s deadliest gun attack in what the prime minister called a “painful day.” Police said the gunman was believed to be among those killed and a search for other possible victims was continuing at the school, located in…

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday appeared to pass her biggest test yet on the world stage by winning breathing room from U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs, which risked ramming a wrecking ball through Mexico’s economy. Some politicians and analysts commended the Mexican leader’s measured public tone and apparent ability to blunt Trump’s charge after she…

U.S. President Donald Trump suspended his threat of steep tariffs on Mexico and Canada on Monday, agreeing to a 30-day pause in return for concessions on border and crime enforcement with the two neighboring countries. U.S. tariffs on China are still due to take effect within hours. Both Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia…

A U.S. military plane is deporting migrants to India, a U.S. official said on Monday, the farthest destination of the Trump administration’s military transport flights for migrants. President Donald Trump has increasingly turned to the military to help carry out his immigration agenda, including sending additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, using military aircraft to deport migrants…

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday ordering the creation of a sovereign wealth fund within the next year, saying it could potentially buy the short video app TikTok. If created, the sovereign wealth fund could place the U.S. alongside numerous other countries, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, that have launched similar…

The executive producer of “60 Minutes” remains defiant and CBS News’ parent company mulls settling a lawsuit waged by President Donald Trump. Bill Owens, who has led the long-running program since 2019, took a tough stance against Trump during a Monday staff meeting, according to The New York Times. “There have been reports in the media about…

Spain forward Jenni Hermoso testified at Luis Rubiales’ trial on Monday that she did not consent to being kissed by the country’s former top soccer official after winning the 2023 Women’s World Cup. On the first day of Rubiales’ trial, Hermoso also said she felt coerced to publicly exonerate the former president of Spain’s Football Federation after…

A Chinese tour operator has opened bookings for trips to a city in North Korea’s northeast to celebrate former leader Kim Jong Il’s birthday. The tour would offer foreign tourists the first chance to visit North Korea since the COVID pandemic. Lavish celebrations for Kim Jong Il’s birthday Beijing-based travel agency Koryo Tours said the tours, scheduled…

If China is angry at the United States for imposing an extra 10% tariff on all Chinese goods, it is doing a good job of hiding it. Both Canada and Mexico vowed to retaliate and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country “will not back down” as he announced a 25% levy on more than $100bn…

The Sims was never supposed to be a hit. Back in the 1990s, when creator Will Wright pitched the game to his bosses, they weren’t convinced by his idea of a “virtual dollhouse”. A so-called life simulator where players design their own characters, give them personalities and tend to their needs. Who wants that? Quite a lot…

Dubai is continuing to strengthen its position as a global luxury real estate hub with the introduction of new $100 million mansions aimed at attracting the world’s ultra-wealthy buyers. These high-end properties, designed with a blend of opulence and cutting-edge technology, offer unparalleled luxury and exclusivity, reinforcing the city’s appeal among high-net-worth individuals seeking a lavish lifestyle…

It’s not just tech moguls that can get face time with Donald Trump in the White House. Rupert Murdoch, the owner of Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, made his way to the Oval Office on Monday. It’s a notable show of influence by a legacy media executive at a time when…

The Trump administration reportedly intends to merge the US government’s main overseas aid agency with the state department, as workers were asked to stay out of its Washington headquarters on Monday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters he was now the acting head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the agency that distributes…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India has been invited to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington next week, a White House official said Monday night. The official, who was granted anonymity to discuss the official visit, did not provide further details. Trump announced late last month that he would host the Indian premier. “I had a…

Russia’s Vladimir Putin warned Europe will quickly “stand at the feet of the master” after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, provoking a global markets meltdown and alarm among European allies. Following Trump’s decision at the weekend to impose trade duties on America’s closest trading partners, Russian President Putin said Sunday that…

It was a long-awaited win for Beyonce – already the most awarded Grammys artist of all time, she now finally has the trophy for best album, too. One of the most successful music stars of the last three decades, despite her years at the top – and previous nods for I Am… Sasha Fierce, the self-titled Beyonce,…

Nominees and celebrity guests hit the red carpet in style at this year’s Grammy Awards. With a focus on supporting relief efforts following the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires the tone was a little more muted, but the fashion as exciting as ever. Here are some of the looks from the Grammys red carpet. Source : https://news.sky.com/story/grammys-red-carpet-fashion-2025-all-the-best-looks-from-the-stars-and-nominees-13302151

A woman has died and thousands of people have been urged to move to higher ground due to major flooding in northern Australia. Torrential rains have hammered the state of Queensland over the past three days – with residents warned the floodwaters may “pose a threat to life and property”. The rainfall has also left around 10,000…

Beyoncé finally got her Grammy for album of the year. After losing the prestigious category four times, the music superstar came out victorious during Sunday’s 2025 ceremony, becoming the first black woman to receive the award since Lauryn Hill in 1999. Beyoncé’s country record, “Cowboy Carter,” beat out Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” Taylor Swift’s…

Donald Trump has previously called for the Panama Canal to be returned to the US, and made allegations of Chinese influence in the area. US secretary of state Marco Rubio has told Panama’s president the country must reduce alleged Chinese influence over the Panama Canal or face potential retaliation from America. The comments were made in a…

The rally in the German capital comes in the wake of the conservative CDU/CSU leaning on the support of the far-right AfD in parliament to push through a migration bill. Protesters chanted “Shame on you CDU.” Berlin police said on Sunday that at least 160,000 people attended a rally in the German capital to protest the conservative…

Authorities have closed schools and told residents to avoid large events and drain swimming pools. More than 200 tremors near the island of Santorini have prompted Greek authorities to close schools and tell residents to avoid some ports and drain swimming pools. Earthquake experts say the increase in seismic activity around the Aegean tourist island – known…

The U.S. Army on Saturday released the name of the third soldier who died on a Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines passenger jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this week, killing 67 people in all. The soldier was identified as Captain Rebecca Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina. She was an aviation officer…

President Donald Trump said on Sunday the sweeping tariffs that he has imposed on Mexico, Canada and China may cause “short term” pain for Americans as global markets reflected concerns the levies could undermine growth and reignite inflation. Trump said he would talk on Monday with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, which have announced retaliatory tariffs…

China’s government on Sunday denounced the Trump administration’s imposition of a long-threatened 10% tariff on Chinese imports while leaving the door open for talks with the U.S. that could avoid a deepening conflict. Beijing will challenge President Donald Trump’s tariff at the World Trade Organization – a symbolic gesture – and take unspecified “countermeasures” in response to…

President Donald Trump defended his recent tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night – and hinted that the European Union may suffer a similar fate. The tariffs, which were authorized in an executive order on Saturday, will go into effect Tuesday. Under the International Emergency Economic Powers…

A woman suspected of fatally poisoning several Vietnamese nationals and killing herself in Bangkok was a “special client” of one of the victims, forking out thousands of dollars for him to travel and provide makeup services for her, his mother and friend told CNA. They said Tran Dinh Phu, 37, was paid about US$5,000 for each trip…

A recall over Walmart-sold broccoli florets has been escalated to Class I, the highest threat level, as consumers are warned to discard the food products over potential contamination. Braga Fresh has been recalling some packages of its ready-to-eat 12oz Marketside Broccoli Florets since Dec. 27. The FDA announced the recall on Dec. 31 and recently upgraded its…

Tech billionaire Elon Musk said he believes the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is a “criminal organization” that should “die.” “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die,” Musk posted to the social platform X, which he owns. Musk was responding to the news that senior officials at USAID physically attempted to block people…

The former president of Spain’s football federation, Luis Rubiales, goes on trial on Monday, accused of sexual assault for kissing the player Jenni Hermoso, in a case which has fed into wider discussions about sexism and consent. Hermoso is scheduled to appear as a witness on the opening day having travelled from Mexico, where she plays club…

Justin Baldoni has published a website amid a battle over allegations of what happened on the set of his and Blake Lively’s film, It Ends With Us. The website contains Baldoni’s amended complaint and a timeline of events related to the case. The two stars played a couple in the hit film, which came out last year,…

A few hours after President Donald Trump announced that he would impose steep tariffs on Canada, hockey fans in the capital Ottawa booed the Star-Spangled Banner during a National Hockey League game against a visiting US team. On Sunday, during a National Basketball Association game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers, it happened again,…

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has demanded that Panama make “immediate changes” to what he calls the “influence and control” of China over the Panama Canal. America’s top diplomat said Panama must act or the US would take necessary measures to protect its rights under a treaty between the two countries. The warning follows President Donald…

A woman has died in Australia and thousands have been forced to flee their homes after torrential rainfall caused flooding in northern Queensland. Authorities say waters will continue to rise and have warned of a “dangerous and life-threatening” situation, with parts of the region recording almost 1.3m (4.2ft) of rain since Saturday. “Record” downpours are set to…

Donald Trump has angrily fired back at Justin Trudeau’s tariffs by claiming Canada will “cease to exist as a viable country” without US subsidy. Trump has sparked a bitter trade war as Mexico and Canada, who have hit back with retaliatory tariffs after the US president slapped both countries with huge levies. After Trudeau vowed he would…

Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal health agencies are scrubbing or taking down webpages, forms and programs that reflect “gender ideology extremism” on Friday to conform with an executive order that recognizes only two sexes: male and female. CDC webpages that appear to have been removed include statistics on HIV,…

The United States wants Ukraine to hold elections, potentially by the end of the year, especially if Kyiv can agree a truce with Russia in the coming months, President Donald Trump’s top Ukraine official told Reuters. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said in an interview that Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections, suspended during…

Billionaire Elon Musk and his government efficiency team have been given access to the U.S. Treasury Department’s payment system, resolving a days-long standoff, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Musk, who chairs the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency, has been tasked by President Donald Trump to identify fraud and waste in the government and had sought…

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered sweeping tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, demanding they stanch the flow of fentanyl – and illegal immigrants in the case of Canada and Mexico – into the United States, kicking off a trade war that could dent global growth and reignite inflation. Mexico and Canada, the top…