Top World News
'Such an honor': Trump issues statement after finding out new Pope is American
President Donald Trump gave his congratulations to the new pope, an American from Chicago, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.On Truth Social, Trump posted that he was looking forward to meeting the Holy Father."Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope," Trump wrote. "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"ALSO READ: ‘Pain. Grief. Anger’: Families heartbroken as Trump backlash smashes adoption dreamsThe new pope addressed the crowd in St. Peter's Square about an hour after white smoke began billowing from the roof of the Sistine Chapel.Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away after giving an Easter Sunday address to the faithful outside the Vatican.
Trump again urges ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war, threatens sanctions
President Trump on Thursday called for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, threatening to impose sanctions on both countries if the conflict rages on.
New Pope named in Vatican City — an American
A new Pope has been named in Vatican City.The announcement came minutes after white smoke was seen coming from a Sistine Chapel chimney, a historic signal that a conclave of cardinals had made their decision.The new Pope was revealed as Robert F. Prevost, an American. The announcement was made by him walking out onto the Vatican balcony.He took the name Pope Leo XIV.
Trump backs down to hand 'major concession' to Saudi Arabia: report
The U.S. is no longer requiring Saudi Arabia to formally recognize Israel in order to move forward on nuclear cooperation talks, according to Reuters.The move is considered to be a "major concession by Washington.""Under former President Joe Biden, nuclear talks were an element of a wider U.S.-Saudi deal tied to normalization and to Riyadh's goal of a defense treaty with Washington," Reuters reported.The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords signed during President Donald Trump's first term. Saudi Arabia "has repeatedly said it would not recognize Israel without a Palestinian state.""Progress towards Saudi recognition of Israel has been halted by fury in Arab countries over the war raging in Gaza," the report said.ALSO READ: ‘Pain. Grief. Anger’: Families heartbroken as Trump backlash smashes adoption dreamsWhen he visited Saudi Arabia in April, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the kingdom and the United States were on a "pathway" to a civil nuclear agreement."Riyadh wants to build nuclear generation capacity as it seeks to diversify its economy away from oil," the report said. "Nuclear power could also help free up more crude barrels for export."Trump is scheduled to travel to the Middle East next week in his first major foreign trip of his second term, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates."This is the second time Trump has chosen Saudi Arabia over the U.S.’ closest neighbors," for his first major international trip.Read the Reuters story here.
Trump administration invokes state secrets privilege in Kilmar Ábrego García case
Lawyers say they’re ‘still in dark’ about government’s efforts to free the man who was wrongly deported to El SalvadorThe Trump administration is invoking the “state secrets privilege ” in an apparent attempt to avoid answering a judge’s questions about its erroneous deportation of Kilmar Ábrego García to El Salvador.US district judge Paula Xinis disclosed the government’s position in a two-page order on Wednesday. She set a Monday deadline for attorneys to file briefs on the issue and how it could affect Ábrego García’s case. Xinis also scheduled a 16 May hearing in Greenbelt, Maryland, to address the matter. Continue reading...
Canada medical mystery takes twist as study finds no evidence of brain illness
Researchers link suspected cases in New Brunswick to known diseases, suggesting ‘misdiagnosis and misinformation’A new peer-reviewed scientific study has found no evidence of a mystery brain disease in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, suggesting instead a troubling combination of “misdiagnosis and misinformation”.The research comes as the Maritime province prepares its own assessment of more than 220 suspected cases in the hope of giving families some answers to a medical mystery that has gripped the region for years. Continue reading...
Israel closes 6 U.N. schools for Palestinians in east Jerusalem
Israel permanently closed six U.N. schools in east Jerusalem on Thursday, forcing Palestinian students to leave early and throwing the education of more than 800 others into question.
'Putin is playing them': Senator 'heartsick' over ignorance of Trump and Vance on Russia
Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) said he is “heart sick” to know Vice President J.D. Vance and President Donald Trump still have no idea “Putin is playing them.”The comments came on MSNBC’s Morning Joe in reaction to comments made by Vance and Trump. Anchor Mika Brzezinski first played Vance’s candid assessment of where negotiations stand between Russia and Ukraine from Wednesday morning. ALSO READ: ‘Pain. Grief. Anger’: Families heartbroken as Trump backlash smashes adoption dreamsThe Vice President, in part, said, “I wouldn't say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution. What I would say is right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions, in order to end the conflict. We think they're asking for too much. There's a big gulf, predictably, between where the Russians and the Ukrainians are, and we think the next step in the negotiation is to try to close that gulf. We think it's probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two, and so that's what we focus on."Brzezinski said, “Hours later, President Trump was asked about Vance's comments.” “When did he say that?” Trump asked a reporter. “Earlier this morning,” the reporter replied.“Well, it's possible that he's right,” Trump said.“He may know some things because I've been dealing with this and some other things, but we are getting to a point where some decisions are going to have to be made. I'm not happy about it. I'm not happy about it.”“All right, senator, I don't even know what to make of that answer, actually,” Brzezinski said. “I am so worried. My guess is the US is turning its back on Ukraine.”ALSO READ: 'Dictatorship, not a town hall': Families 'distraught' as MTG disruptors tased and jailed“Well, Mika. If Vice President Vance is waking up to the idea that Russia under Putin is an aggressor, that's a good thing,” Coons said. “But it is just– it makes me heartsick on the 80th anniversary of our victory in Europe over aggression and fascism that it's so hard for President Trump and Vice President Pence to see clearly that Putin has been playing them for months. That [Putin] has no intention of coming to the table in good faith and negotiating a peace agreement.”He added, “Only by standing up to Putin, only by doubling down on our support for Ukraine, is there any hope of a just peace in the ongoing war.”Watch below or click the link right here. - YouTube youtu.be
Meta blocks major Muslim Instagram page in India amid rising conflict
Company referred to policy for restricting content when governments say material goes ‘against local law’Meta has banned a prominent Muslim news page on Instagram in India at the government’s request, the account’s founder said on Wednesday, denouncing the move as “censorship” as hostilities escalate between India and Pakistan.Instagram users in India trying to access posts from the handle @Muslim – a page with 6.7 million followers – were met with a message stating: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.” Continue reading...
New pope led Order of St. Augustine dedicated to the poor and service
Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first U.S. pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church, previously led a Catholic religious order.
From snail slime to salmon sperm: the K-beauty boom hits UK high streets
South Korean skincare retailers want to capitalise on viral sales of beauty ranges by opening stores across the UKKorean beauty products are moving from phone screens to UK high streets as social media drives sales of skincare with the help of eye-catching ingredients such as snail slime and salmon sperm.Retailers are looking to capitalise on the TikTok and Instagram trend for skincare and makeup ranges from South Korea – known as K-beauty – by opening physical stores and launching brands in a push to get consumers to pick up products that havegone viral online. Continue reading...
Aid group closes soup kitchens across Gaza due to dwindling supplies
Israel's ongoing blockade of humanitarian assistance for Gaza forced a leading aid group to shut its community soup kitchens Thursday as it faced empty warehouses and no replenishment of supplies in the war-battered enclave.
