News & Current Events

[ad_1] Prime Minister Mark Carney is facing online criticism after taking part in Vaisakhi celebrations in Ottawa this weekend without publicly recognising Palm Sunday, which fell on the same day.Photographed wearing a yellow turban and serving food at a Sikh langar, Carney’s presence at the festival drew praise from members of the Sikh community—but also sparked backlash from some Christian commentators and right-leaning influencers who accused him of selective outreach. Notably, social media figure Oli London criticised Carney on X (formerly Twitter) for participating in Sikh festivities while failing to acknowledge Palm Sunday, a key Christian holiday marking the beginning of Holy Week.“This is the Prime Minister of Canada celebrating Vaisakhi in a Sikh temple—but not even mentioning Palm Sunday,” London wrote, igniting a polarised debate online. Critics accused Carney of “pandering” to minority communities while ignoring the Christian majority, […]

[ad_1] Image used for representative image ADDIS: Ethiopia is conducting forced evictions on an "unprecedented" scale, Amnesty International said on Monday, urging authorities to "immediately pause" urban renewal projects.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in power since 2018, is spearheading a "corridor project" in which streets in the capital and in cities across the country have been renovated and widened.Launched in December 2022, the project has seen homes, shops, and offices razed in Addis Ababa and at least 58 other cities, leaving parts of the capital resembling a giant building site.Ethiopian authorities have "failed to adequately consult with affected communities, provided insufficient notice, and none of the people reported receiving compensation," Amnesty said in their report.The international NGO urged a pause in evictions and suspension of the project "until a human rights impact assessment is conducted".Authorities did not respond to AFP's requests […]

[ad_1] Bruno Retailleau, French Interior Minister, is visiting Rabat. He will discuss security with Abdelouafi Laftit, Moroccan counterpart. Talks will cover migration, organised crime, and drug trafficking. Relations between France and Morocco improved after France recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. France's ties with Algeria have deteriorated. Algeria asked 12 French officials to leave. RABAT: French interior minister Bruno Retailleau was on a visit to Rabat on Monday, where he is expected to discuss security cooperation with his Moroccan counterpart Abdelouafi Laftit.Talks will primarily focus on migration cooperation, the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking, according to the French interior ministry.Relations between Paris and Rabat have significantly improved since France recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara in the summer of 2024, ending several years of tension, particularly over migration.In contrast, France's ties with Algeria have […]

[ad_1] Beijing warned Britain on Monday against "politicising" an unfolding spat over the future of Chinese-owned British Steel after legislation was approved to prevent the shutdown of the last British factory that can make steel from scratch. A spokesman for China's foreign ministry urged the British government on Monday to "avoid politicising trade cooperation or linking it to security issues, so as not to impact the confidence of Chinese enterprises in going to the UK". BEIJING: Beijing warned Britain on Monday against "politicising" an unfolding spat over the future of Chinese-owned British Steel after legislation was approved to prevent the shutdown of the last British factory that can make steel from scratch.The UK government rushed urgent legislation through parliament on Saturday to stop the blast furnaces at British Steel's plant in the northern English town of Scunthorpe from being turned […]

[ad_1] Japan seeks quick resolution to US tariffs as profits decline. Economic Revitalisation Minister Ryosei Akazawa will negotiate in Washington this week. He aims to review Trump's tariffs. Japanese firms are major US investors. Vehicles form a large part of Japan's exports to the US. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba discussed the tariff impact with Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. TOKYO: Japan's envoy for upcoming tariff talks with the United States said on Monday that Japanese company profits were falling "day by day" as he called for a swift solution.Economic Revitalisation Minister Ryosei Akazawa will visit Washington for the negotiations this week, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told lawmakers on Monday.The government has so far failed in attempts to secure exemptions from the US tariffs, including 25 percent on the global auto sector that took effect in early April.US President Donald Trump […]

[ad_1] Singapore has lowered its 2025 GDP growth forecast to 0-2% due to the anticipated impact of US tariffs on global trade. The Monetary Authority of Singapore has eased monetary policy in response to economic concerns stemming from the US-China trade war. The trade war is expected to negatively affect global trade, economic growth, and business sentiment. SINGAPORE: Singapore has downgraded its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for 2025 to 0-2 per cent, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said on Monday (Apr 14), citing the impact of US President Donald Trump's tariffs on global trade. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the de facto central bank, has also loosened monetary policy for the second time in a row as economic fears rise due to the trade war brewing between the US and China and lowered core inflation […]

[ad_1] A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck Myanmar on April 14, 2025, prompting India to send an Indian Army Engineers team under the Operation Brahma to assess the damage. The team is evaluating infrastructure in Naypyitaw and Mandalay, following a larger 7.7-magnitude earthquake in March. India is also providing humanitarian aid, including food and supplies, to local communities and the Indian diaspora. NAYPYITAW, MYANMAR: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 jolted Myanmar on Monday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said on Monday.As per the NCS, the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.5, On: 14/04/2025 01:32:31 IST, Lat: 19.78 N, Long: 95.49 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Myanmar."https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1911512879532237137Meanwhile, on Saturday, in response to a formal request from the Government of Myanmar, […]

[ad_1] Donald Trump with granddaughter Kai US President Donald Trump recently took a jab at news organisations during a press briefing labelling them "fake news" as he introduced his eldest granddaughter, Kai Madison Trump, to reporters aboard Air Force One. Accompanied by Kai along with Donald Trump III, and Spencer Trump—children of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump—attended the UFC 314 fight in Miami. After the match, as the entourage headed back to Palm Beach aboard Air Force One, Trump turned to the waiting reporters, gesturing to 17-year-old Kai, he quipped, “This is the fake news,” before inviting reporters to ask her questions directly. "What's up, Kai? Come on. You know the fake news.. This is the fake news," he said.Trump then went on to praise his granddaughter and her achievements calling her a "a great athlete". "Great golfer and […]

[ad_1] DUBAI, UAE: Suspected US airstrikes around Yemen's rebel-held capital killed at least six people and wounded 30 overnight, the Houthis said Monday as they also claimed shooting down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone. Since its start nearly a month ago, the intense campaign of US airstrikes under President Donald Trump targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters - related to the Israel-Hamas war - has killed over 120 people, according to casualty figures released Monday by the Houthis' Health Ministry. Footage aired by the Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel showed firefighters spraying water on a raging fire they described as being sparked by the airstrikes. Rubble littered a street as rescuers carried one person away from the site, which the rebels claimed was a ceramics factory in the Bani Matar neighborhood of Sanaa, the capital. […]

[ad_1] Pennsylvania police arrested a 38-year-old man, Cody Balmer, on charges including attempted murder, terrorism, and aggravated arson following an early morning fire at the official residence of Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. Authorities say the governor and his family were inside the Georgian-style mansion in Harrisburg when the fire broke out in a separate section of the building around 2:00 am local time on Sunday.State police said the fire caused “a significant amount of damage” but was successfully extinguished. No injuries were reported.Governor Shapiro, a prominent Democrat who was considered a potential vice-presidential pick in 2024, credited a state trooper with alerting his sleeping family and ensuring their safe evacuation. “Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished,” he said in a statement.Speaking later outside the residence, with a charred and broken window behind him, Shapiro condemned […]