The White House executive order said on Monday that the U.S. would cut the de minimis tariff on China shipments to 54 per cent from 120 per cent, with a minimum flat fee of $100 to remain starting from May 14. The US-China deal does not include a de minimis exemption for e-commerce shipments. Meanwhile, China announced that it has removed a ban on Boeing deliveries after the trade truce…

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his ministers were sworn into office for a second term following a decisive electoral victory. Albanese hailed the win as a mandate for the largest centre-left labour government in the country’s history since its federation in 1901. Albanese’s Labour Party rode a voter backlash against global instability caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies to a come-from-behind victory on May 3. The opposition conservative Liberal Party,…

Despite his imprisonment in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appears set to win an election, showcasing his enduring popularity in his stronghold of Davao. Duterte, known as “The Punisher” for his hardline stance, was arrested in March in connection with his controversial “war on drugs,” which human rights groups allege resulted in the extrajudicial killings of up to 30,000 people. Despite denying…

Political violence in Mexico took a deadly turn again on Sunday when Yesenia Lara, a mayoral candidate from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s ruling Morena party, was shot and killed alongside three of her supporters during a campaign event in the eastern state of Veracruz. The ambush occurred during a daylight procession, where motorcycles and supporters bearing Morena flags marched in support of Lara’s candidacy for mayor of Texistepec. The event, meant…

A fragile calm settled across the India-Pakistan border on Sunday, following a weekend ceasefire brokered by the United States that pulled the two nuclear-armed neighbours back from the brink of full-scale war. The truce came after days of deadly missile and drone attacks targeting major military bases, the most severe confrontation between the two nations in decades. President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire late Saturday evening, hailing the agreement as…

President Donald Trump announced plans to sign an executive order Monday morning that he says will dramatically slash prescription drug prices across the United States, a move he declared would bring “FAIRNESS TO AMERICA!” In a fiery Truth Social post on Sunday night, Trump unveiled the cornerstone of his plan: a “Most Favored Nation” pricing policy that would force pharmaceutical companies to offer the U.S. the same prices they charge…

President Donald Trump is under intense fire after confirming his administration is poised to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft from the Qatari royal family, sparking a political storm over alleged bribery, foreign influence, and legal grey zones. The aircraft, dubbed a “flying palace” and worth an estimated $400 million, is reportedly being offered as a temporary replacement for the aging Air Force One. ABC News first broke the story…

In a bold act of political resistance, around two dozen students from California State University campuses began a hunger strike on May 5 to protest the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and demand divestment from weapons manufacturers. The protest, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), spans San Jose State, Sacramento State, San Francisco State, and CSU Long Beach. “We, the students of San Francisco, Sacramento, Long Beach, and…

In a bold diplomatic maneuver, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed direct, in-person peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Istanbul this Thursday, escalating hopes for a potential breakthrough in the ongoing war even as tensions remain high and ceasefire demands go unmet. Zelenskyy’s surprise announcement followed a flurry of international diplomacy over the weekend, culminating in a statement rejecting prolonged bloodshed and urging an immediate ceasefire. “There is…

Hamas announced on Sunday its intention to release Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage held in Gaza. Recall that Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier, was captured on October 7, 2023. Donald Trump confirmed the news in a social media post, writing that Alexander, 21, “is coming home to his family. This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators, which are…

United States President Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order to lower the prices of prescription drugs and pharmaceutical products. “Prescription Drug and Pharmaceutical prices will be reduced, almost immediately, by 30 per cent to 80 per cent,” Trump said in a social media post. They will rise throughout the World to equalise and, for the first time in many years, bring fairness to America The US president…

The United States and China have agreed to a temporary 30 per cent reduction in tariffs on each other’s goods, marking a 90-day reprieve as both sides seek a more lasting resolution. The agreement, reached after two days of high-level negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, represents the most meaningful progress in trade relations between the two powers since the intensification of hostilities under former President Donald Trump’s administration. As part of…