Australians will go to the polls on May 3 for general elections with high costs of living and a shortage of housing likely weighing against the government as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left Labor Party seeks a second three-year term. Albanese drove to Governor-General Sam Mostyn's official residence on Friday to trigger the election and announced the date later at a news conference at Parliament House. “Over the last few years, the world has thrown a lot at Australia. In uncertain times, we cannot decide the challenges that we will face, but we can determine how we respond,”

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit India this year, with preparations currently underway. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the specific month and date of the visit have yet to be finalized. Lavrov highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first foreign visit after his re-election was to Russia, and now it is Russia’s turn to reciprocate. This remark was made during a conference organized by the Russian International Affairs Council, focusing on Russia-India relations. Putin’s last visit to India took place on December 6, 2021, when 28 agree

U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening large tariffs on the European Union and Canada if they work together to do economic harm to the U.S. In a post on social media, Trump says the tariffs would be "far larger than currently planned. " The comments follow Trump's move to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all automobile imports to the U.S. starting next week. A fact sheet provided by the White House says automobiles imported under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement will only be tariffed on the value of content not made in the United States. Prime Minister Mark Carney has called the auto tariffs

Six people died and nine others were injured after a tourist submarine sank in the popular Egyptian Red Sea destination of Hurghada, two municipal officials said Thursday. They were speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Emergency crews were able to rescue 29 people, according to a statement released by the Red Sea governorate. The submarine was sailing off one of the beaches in the tourist promenade area, and it had carried 45 tourists of various nationalities. It was not immediately clear what caused the submarine to sink. Many tourist compani

At least 24 people died and another 19 were injured as wildfires ravaged South Korea’s southern regions amid dry weather and strong winds, government officials said Wednesday. Officials in Andong city and other southeastern cities and towns ordered residents to evacuate on Tuesday as firefighters struggled to contain multiple blazes fueled by dry winds, which burned more than 43,000 acres of land and destroyed hundreds of structures, including a 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple. More than 5,500 people were forced to evacuate from their homes in Andong, the neighboring counties of Uiseong and

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to ensure the safe passage of commercial ships in the Black Sea and to prevent military attacks, as confirmed by the White House. The United States further stated that both countries will collaborate on exchanging prisoners of war, releasing imprisoned civilians, and repatriating Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken to Russia. However, Russia has demanded that the US lift sanctions on Moscow's banks and food exporters before the ceasefire agreement takes effect. It is worth noting that the US held separate meetings with officials from both Ukraine and Russi

China's embassy in Ottawa is confirming that Beijing executed Canadian citizens earlier this year. It's not clear how many Canadians were executed, although the Canadian government says they did not include Abbotsford, B.C. native Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling by a Chinese court in 2019. In a media statement, the Chinese embassy says the death penalty cases involving Canadian nationals were based on "solid and sufficient" evidence, adding Beijing has "zero tolerance" for drug crime. Global Affairs Canada says it "repeatedly called for clemency for the

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to a limited ceasefire in Ukraine, including a 30-day halt in attacks on Ukraine's energy sector and infrastructure. This decision follows a 90-minute conversation between President Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, who discussed the potential for peace in Ukraine. According to reports, the ceasefire will begin with a suspension of military activity in the Black Sea, followed by discussions on a complete ceasefire and long-term peace. A Russian official confirmed that Putin has ordered an immediate halt to attacks on Ukraine's energy and infras

Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing at least 413 Palestinians, including women and children, according to hospital officials. The surprise bombardment shattered a ceasefire in place since January and threatened to fully reignite the 17-month-old war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused Israeli demands to change the ceasefire agreement. Officials said the operation was open-ended and was expected to expand. The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel's actions. The Israeli military ordered peo