The Pentagon has issued a new directive ordering the removal of up to 1,000 openly transgender service members from the military, following the Supreme Court’s greenlight for the Trump administration’s controversial ban to take effect while legal challenges continue. The directive, released Thursday, gives all remaining transgender personnel 30 days to self-identify before being subject to medical record reviews and potential discharge. This marks the most aggressive enforcement yet of…

In a new diplomatic push to end the grinding war, Ukraine and top officials from the United States, France, Britain, and Germany have discussed ways to pressure Russia into accepting a 30-day ceasefire. The talks, held online, focused on a U.S.-backed proposal that Ukraine has signaled willingness to implement immediately. Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, revealed details of the conversation on Thursday, saying the parties…

In a historic development, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been chosen as the new pope. This marks the first time an American has ascended to the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. The 69-year-old has adopted the papal name Pope Leo XIV. A plume of white smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening, signalling to the world that the conclave of…

After two days rounds of ballots, white smoke finally rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney on Thursday evening, confirming the election of a new head of the Roman Catholic Church and signalling the end of a closely guarded conclave involving 133 cardinal electors. A jubilant crowd erupted into cheers in St Peter’s Square as the smoke changed from black to white and bells began to toll. The age-old sign that…

Organised criminal gangs wield such power over prisons across England and Wales that they are corrupting staff, fuelling violence, and enforcing drug debts behind bars, according to prisons minister James Timpson, who says the scale of the problem is so severe it “keeps me awake at night”. In a candid interview with The Guardian, Timpson revealed that a “beefed up” counter-corruption unit had prosecuted 37 prison staff members last year…

Taiwan’s newly inaugurated president, Lai Ching-te, has drawn a bold historical parallel between his island nation and the European democracies that stood on the brink of war with Nazi Germany in the 1930s, warning of the growing threat posed by modern authoritarian regimes. In a striking speech delivered to foreign dignitaries gathered in Taipei to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe, a first-of-its-kind official observance by…

No Pope yet as Conclave continues after two rounds of  ballots . Thousands of Catholic faithful watched in quiet anticipation at St. Peter’s Square today, only to be met with the familiar sight of black smoke rising from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel—a signal that the cardinal-electors have yet again failed to reach a decision on who will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Shortly before…

Just under four hours after 133 cardinals entered the conclave under solemn oath and total secrecy, the first round of voting has ended without a result. The unmistakable symbol—dark smoke—rose slowly into the Roman twilight sky, signaling that no candidate received the required two-thirds majority. As tradition dictates, the cardinals are now sealed off from all outside communication and will retire overnight before resuming deliberations tomorrow. Inside the Sistine Chapel,…

In a dramatic turn of events, five members of Venezuela’s political opposition who had taken refuge in the Argentinian ambassador’s residence in Caracas have safely arrived in the United States, following what U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as a “rescue operation.” The five individuals had been sheltering at the diplomatic residence since March 2024 to avoid arrest by President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, which accused them of inciting violence and…

The Trump administration is under fire following reports that it is planning to deport an unspecified group of migrants to Libya, a country the U.S. State Department itself has condemned for “life-threatening” prison conditions and widespread human rights abuses. According to Reuters, three unnamed U.S. officials confirmed the administration’s intent to carry out the deportations as early as this week. Two officials indicated that flights to the North African nation…

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow for a four-day state visit, coinciding with a wave of Ukrainian drone strikes on the Russian capital. The visit, centred around Russia’s Victory Day celebrations commemorating the end of World War II, marks Xi’s 11th trip to Russia since taking office, more than to any other country. Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, confirmed that at least 14 Ukrainian drones were intercepted by Russian…

Ex-U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a scathing critique of Donald Trump’s foreign policy, warning that Trump’s approach to Russia could shatter global alliances and undermine America’s credibility on the world stage.