‘The door is wide open’: China hints at willingness for trade talks while Trump hinted at tariff relief

China on Wednesday signaled a renewed willingness to engage in trade negotiations with the United States, declaring that “the door for talks is wide open” amid ongoing tariff tensions.The statement follows recent comments by US President Donald Trump, who hinted that the sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports—some as high as 145 percent—could be significantly reduced […]

French FM makes first visit to Iraq

Fouad Hussein and Jean-Noel Barrot (AP) Baghdad: France‘s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot will meet officials in Baghdad on Wednesday as part of a regional tour to push for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The French foreign ministry said in a statement that Barrot, who will also visit Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, is on […]

Bells toll as Pope Francis’ body is transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica for 3 days of public viewing

VATICAN CITY: The bells of St. Peter’s tolled Wednesday as the body of Pope Francis was transferred from the Vatican hotel where he lived to the basilica, escorted by a procession of solemn cardinals and Swiss Guards. Pallbearers carried the simple wooden coffin on their shoulders through the Vatican’s archway gates leading out into St. […]

Baghdad invites new Syrian president to a summit, sparking political division in Iraq

BAGHDAD: An official invitation to new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad has triggered sharp political divisions within Iraq. Al-Sharaa took power after leading a lightning rebel offensive that unseated his predecessor, Bashar Assad, in December. Since then, he has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite […]

‘Donald Duck took my visa’: Colombian president Gustavo Petro mocks Trump over travel ban

Colombian president Gustavo Petro claimed on Tuesday that his US travel visa has been revoked by “Donald Duck,” referring to US president Donald Trump.“I can no longer go because I believe they took away my visa,” Petro told officials during a cabinet meeting in Bogota. He then added in a dig at Trump, saying, “I […]

At night, crime and fear stalk Democratic Republic Congo’s M23-run areas

Representative Image (AI-generated) BUKAVU: Every morning the Congolese city of Bukavu, now under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 movement, counts its dead. Corpses are discovered at dawn, lying in the steep streets of the capital of South Kivu province, which has been in the hands of the anti-government group since mid-February after it launched […]

‘Horrific, heartbreaking’: Indian-American politicians react to terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam

Vivek Ramaswami, RO Khanna and Ami Bera A terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley area of Pahalgam, in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, left 26 people dead, most of them tourists. The horrific assault has shocked the nation and garnered widespread condemnation from political figures around the world, including from Indian-American […]

Vietnam village starts over with climate defences after landslide | World News

LAO CAI: Nguyen Thi Kim’s small verdant community in northern Vietnam no longer exists, wiped away in a landslide triggered by Typhoon Yagi’s devastating heavy rains last year.She and dozens of survivors have been relocated to a site that authorities hope will withstand future climate change-linked disasters, with stronger homes, drainage canals and a gentler […]

Survivors of 2022 July Fourth parade mass shooting to address gunman before his sentencing

Robert E. Crimo III’s attorney Gregory Ticsay (right) talks to him during his trial at the Lake County Courthouse, Waukegan (Image: AP) WAUKEGAN: Survivors and relatives of people killed in a 2022 mass shooting at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago are set to address the gunman Wednesday at his sentencing hearing. Robert E. […]