A Japanese tourist has died after falling from the outer wall of the Pantheon in Rome, one of the city’s most visited landmarks. The man, named by Italian media as 69-year-old Morimasa Hibino, was sitting on the perimeter wall on Friday evening when he lost his balance and plunged around seven metres into the moat surrounding the ancient structure. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly before 10pm local…

The East Wing of the White House has been demolished to clear space for a proposed $300m gilded ballroom, only days after the administration confirmed the project would proceed. The move has provoked widespread criticism from historians, preservationists and former officials, who accuse the government of disregarding legal and cultural safeguards. Satellite images taken on Friday revealed the eastern section of the historic building reduced to rubble. The demolition represents…

The Delhi regional government has begun trialling a cloud‑seeding experiment in an attempt to induce artificial rain and reduce the city’s severe air pollution. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which took charge of the regional administration earlier this year, has long promoted cloud seeding as a potential measure to tackle the capital’s toxic air. The technique involves dispersing particles such as silver iodide into clouds using aircraft or drones. These…

Trump responded angrily on his Truth Social platform, accusing Canada of “fraudulently” using the material and calling the advert “FAKE”.

Donald Trump has issued a presidential pardon for Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, in a decision that has sent shockwaves through global financial and political circles. The White House confirmed the pardon on Thursday, declaring an end to what it described as the Biden administration’s “war on cryptocurrency”. “President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by issuing a pardon for Mr Zhao, who was prosecuted…

New York City’s political landscape was thrown into fresh turmoil on Thursday as Mayor Eric Adams announced he would endorse Andrew Cuomo in the city’s mayoral race, despite months of acrimony between the two men. Adams, who abandoned his own re-election bid last month following dismal polling numbers, revealed his decision in an interview with The New York Times. The move marks a dramatic reversal for the mayor, who only…

King Charles and Pope LeoKing Charles and Pope Leo prayed side by side in the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, marking the first joint act of worship between an English monarch and a Catholic pontiff since Henry VIII severed ties with Rome nearly five centuries ago. The service, held in the chapel where Leo was elected six months ago as the first American pope, featured Latin chants and English prayers. Charles,…

The United States military has for the first time carried out strikes on boats in the Pacific Ocean off South America, escalating its campaign against what it claims are drug-trafficking operations. According to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, two boats were destroyed on Tuesday night and early Wednesday, leaving five people dead. The attacks follow at least seven similar strikes in the Caribbean in recent weeks, which have killed more than…

The King and Queen arrived in Rome on Wednesday evening ahead of a historic state visit to the Holy See, where the monarch will meet Pope Leo XIV for the first time and become the first Supreme Governor of the Church of England to pray with the head of the Roman Catholic Church in nearly five centuries. The royal couple touched down at Ciampino Airport just before 6.30pm, greeted by…

Vladimir Putin ordered a series of nuclear missile tests and large-scale military drills on Thursday, only a day after U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly cancelled a planned peace summit between the two leaders. The Russian president claimed the exercises had been “planned in advance,” but the timing underscored mounting tensions between Washington and Moscow following a new round of U.S. sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. The White House announced on…

The United States vice-president, JD Vance, has arrived in Israel in an effort to reinforce the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, as Hamas officials joined parallel negotiations in Cairo aimed at resolving outstanding disputes with Israel. Vance, who is expected to remain in the region until Thursday, met the US Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, upon his arrival. He is scheduled to hold talks with…

Cameroon stands on a knife’s edge following one of the most fiercely contested elections in its post-independence history, as opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary declared himself the victor over President Paul Biya, the 92-year-old leader who has ruled the Central African nation for more than four decades. Tchiroma’s announcement, made just days after the 12 October presidential election — has sent shockwaves through the capital, Yaoundé, and other major cities.…