Author: Trainee Reporter

United States: The US secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, has called on Asian allies to significantly increase their defence budgets to deter what he described as a rapidly escalating threat from China, which he said is rehearsing for the real deal in its ambitions to take over Taiwan. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth reaffirmed the United States’ responsibility to deepen its presence and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. He unveiled new initiatives including enhanced repair capabilities for military aircraft and naval vessels, with projects underway in Australia. Hegseth stated that, “US allies in the Indo-Pacific can and…

United States: Donald Trump has declared the US will double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium, from 25 percent to 50 percent, in what he says is an aggressive move to revive domestic steel manufacturing and curb reliance on China. Speaking at a rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Trump said the raised tariffs would help secure jobs in the American steel sector and reignite growth in traditional industrial regions. He also announced a suggested $14 billion investment in the region’s steel production as part of a partnership between US Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel. Trump claimed the deal would bring a…

China: China and Japan are finalising an agreement that would allow the resumption of Japanese seafood exports to the Chinese market, nearly two years after a sweeping trade ban was imposed. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi confirmed that the two sides had reached a consensus on the technical requirements necessary to restart exports, following a high-level meeting in Beijing. Hayashi stated that, “Exports to China will resume as soon as the re-registration process for export-related facilities is completed.” Beijing halted Japanese seafood imports in August 2023 after Tokyo began releasing over 1 million metric tonnes of treated radioactive wastewater…

Chicago: Doctors have developed an artificial intelligence test that can accurately predict which men with prostate cancer will benefit from a treatment that halves their risk of death. The tool, unveiled at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference in Chicago, could pave the way for wider use of the drug abiraterone described by experts as a gamechanger for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men across more than 100 countries. While abiraterone has already extended the lives of hundreds of thousands of men with advanced prostate cancer, it is not routinely offered to patients whose disease has…

Beijing: China has lodged a formal protest against the United States following an announcement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the US will aggressively revoke visas of Chinese students enrolled in American universities. Beijing’s foreign ministry condemned the move, describing it as discriminatory and politically motivated. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the measure seriously infringes upon the rights of Chinese students and disrupts normal cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries. Mao stated that, “This political and discriminatory practice of the US has exposed the lies of the so-called freedom and openness that the US has always advertised.…

United States: Nvidia has reported a significant boost in its first-quarter earnings, with revenue surging more than 69 percent year-over-year, driven by robust global demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) chips. The company’s chief executive, Jensen Huang, said the need for Nvidia’s AI infrastructure was ‘incredibly strong’ and anticipated further acceleration. The US tech giant’s advanced chips have become vital components in AI computing systems worldwide, cementing Nvidia’s role at the heart of the global AI boom. The strong quarterly results cap off a notable earnings season for the tech sector, which has seen a resurgence in share prices following…

California: The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body for high school sports in the state, has announced a temporary rule change for this weekend’s state track and field championships that will allow more girls to compete. The decision pursues mounting political pressure and controversy surrounding the participation of a transgender student-athlete. In a statement released, CIF said the move would allow additional biological female athletes to take part in the competition. The federation said the change is part of a pilot entry process and applies only to this weekend’s meet. CIF stated that, “Under this pilot entry process, any…

Geneva: There is an 80 percent chance that global heat will break at least one annual heat record within the next five years, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The findings heighten anxieties over the growing risks of extreme droughts, floods and wildfires. For the first time, the WMO data also indicate a small but approximately 1 percent, that the planet could experience a single year with global temperatures 2°C above pre-industrial levels before 2030. The WMO Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update (2025–2029) projects that global temperatures are expected to continue at or near…

Ottawa: King Charles III is set to deliver a landmark address to Canada’s parliament, marking the first time in nearly half a century that a reigning monarch will speak from the floor of the House of Commons. The speech is expected to send a strong diplomatic message supporting Canada’s sovereignty amid rising tensions with US President Donald Trump. The royal visit, King Charles and Queen Camilla’s first official trip to Canada since the start of their reign, comes at a politically sensitive time, following the election of Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney swung to power on a surge of anti-Trump…

Sweden: Volvo Cars has announced strategies to cut approximately 3,000 jobs, primarily targeting office-based roles in Sweden, as part of an extensive cost-cutting initiative. The move involves about 15 percent of the company’s white-collar workforce. The Sweden-headquartered automaker, owned by China’s Geely Holding, is launching a sweeping 18 billion Swedish kronor ($1.9 billion) action plan to reshape its operations. The announcement comes with growing headwinds for the global automotive sector, including higher material costs, slower European sales, and the effect of international trade policies such as U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles. Volvo Cars CEO Håkan…