Daily SumUp

Pope Francis's funeral will take place on Saturday in St Peter's Square, the Vatican has confirmed, with hundreds of thousands expected to attend.The head of the Catholic Church died of a stroke on Monday, aged 88, less than 24 hours after leading an Easter address. He had been in poor health after recently battling double pneumonia.A host of world leaders and royals - including Sir Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, the Prince of Wales, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, home to the biggest Catholic population in the world - have confirmed their attendance.Thousands of mourners have already flocked to Vatican City, carrying flowers, crosses and candles and reciting prayers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Health Organization chief said Tuesday that operations and jobs would be slashed as US funding cuts had left the UN agency with a budget hole of several hundred million dollars."The sudden drop in income has left us with a large salary gap and no choice but to reduce the scale of our work and workforce," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told member states, according to a transcript of his remarks.The United Nations health agency has been bracing for President Donald Trump's planned full withdrawal of the United States -- by far its largest donor -- next January.The United States gave WHO $1.3 billion for its 2022-2023 budget, mainly through voluntary contributions for specific projects rather than fixed membership fees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The president’s trip aims to “strengthen ties” with these countries, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A record-breaking tunnel is being built under the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Germany, which will slash travel times and improve Scandinavia's links with the rest of Europe. Running for 18km (11 miles), the Fehmarnbelt will be the world's longest pre-fabricated road and rail tunnel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saudi Aramco signs development deal with China's EV giant BYD. DUBAI, April 21 (Reuters) - Saudi oil giant Aramco signed a joint development agreement with Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer BYD to explore collaboration in the development of new energy vehicle technologies, Aramco said on Monday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

India and the US need to work together successfully for a "prosperous and peaceful" 21st Century, US Vice-President JD Vance said in a speech calling for closer ties between the countries across sectors.Vance, who is on a four-day visit to India, was speaking at a programme in the western city of Jaipur."But I also believe that if we fail to work together successfully, the 21st Century could be a very dark time for all of humanity," he added.The vice-president's remarks came a day after he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and both countries said they had made progress in negotiating a bilateral trade deal which Delhi hopes will help it avoid higher tariffs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. President Donald Trump listens to remarks during a swearing-in ceremony for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Mehmet Oz in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 18, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said on Truth Social that his administration cannot give everyone it wants to deport a trial "because to do so would take, without exaggeration, 200 years" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After visiting Italy, Vice President JD Vance arrived in India for a four-day trip with his family. However, while he visits New Delhi and meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a controversy has erupted back home. It all started when Vance extended Good Friday wishes on the social media platform X. As his post gained momentum, netizens trolled the vice president for being married to a Hindu and Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WrestleMania has come to a close with John Cena making history winning the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Championship for a record-breaking 17th time.The win over Cody Rhodes, which came following a surprise interference from rapper Travis Scott, means Cena has overtaken Ric Flair by winning more world titles than anyone in the history of the company.Cena previously announced he would retire at the end of 2025, meaning this was the final WrestleMania ever for the most decorated wrestler to ever set foot in a WWE ring (though most know never to say never in wrestling).Other new champions were crowned amid further twists and surprises, but none more significant than the final match of the weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do Indians navigate through misinformation on... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump vs Harvard: Harvard University filed a lawsuit on Monday against the Trump administration, demanding an immediate end to the federal freeze on over $2.2 billion in grant funding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of breaching a 30-hour "Easter truce" announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, which has now expired.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian troops had violated the ceasefire nearly 3,000 times since the start of Sunday.Russia's defence ministry said it had "repelled" assaults by Ukraine and accused Kyiv of launching hundreds of drones and shells. The BBC has not independently verified claims by the warring sides.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump - who has been pushing for an end to the war - said that "hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week", without giving further details.Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, and currently controls about 20% Ukraine's territory, including the southern Crimea peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beijing has test fired a non-nuclear hydrogen bomb. The test comes amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Myanmar's deadly earthquake has raised alarms beyond Southeast Asia. In Africa, fault lines stretching across the continent pose serious risks, ... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China has launched the world's first 10G broadband network in Xiong'an, Hebei province, led by major telecom providers. This ultra-fast 10 Gbps optical fiber network supports advanced technologies like AI and IoT. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dust off the history books and there are papal conclaves with international intrigue, royal rigging and even riots, a checkered past that belies the air of sanctity and solemnity surrounding modern papal elections.The word “conclave” comes from the Latin for “with key.” It is a church tradition that began in 1268 with a papal election that lasted almost three years, ending only when the townspeople of Viterbo locked up the cardinals, tore the roof off their palace, fed them nothing but bread and water and threatened them until a new pope was chosen.While it is very unlikely the decision on Pope Francis’ successor will take quite as long or be quite as contentious, Vatican watchers agree that the winner is not a foregone conclusion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pope Francis passed away at age 88 on April 21, just a day after an Easter Sunday appearance at St. Peter’s Square, where he gave well-wishes to thousands of Catholic supporters. The Vatican said Monday that Francis died after a stroke.Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis was elected Pope in 2013 after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI became the first Pope to resign in about 600 years. Francis, chosen as TIME’s 2013 Person of the Year, became the first Latin American pontiff when he took the reins of the religious institution. Over his term, Francis became known for his humility and calls for peace during major global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Gaza humanitarian crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 The death of a pope sets in motion a series of carefully orchestrated rites and rituals well before the conclave to elect his successor begins. They involve the certification of death and public display of his body for the faithful to pay their respects, followed by the funeral and burial.Pope Francis, who died on Monday, revised various rites last year, simplifying the funeral rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. But the core elements remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his burial.The reforms are incorporated into the slim red volume “Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis,” Latin for “Rite of Burial for Roman Pontiffs.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pope Francis' funeral has been scheduled for 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. Eastern) on Saturday in front of St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican announced Tuesday, following a meeting of the College of Cardinals at the Catholic Church's city-state headquarters in the heart of Rome. The coffin carrying the pope, who died Monday morning after suffering a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88, will be brought in a procession Wednesday morning, accompanied by cardinals, to the basilica from his residence at Casa Santa Marta, where he died.The pope's body was placed in his coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence on Monday. On Tuesday, the Vatican released the first photos and video of Francis since his death, showing him in the wooden coffin wearing a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary intertwined in his hands.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Vatican has released several photographs of Pope Francis lying in an open coffin in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, his former residence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China has issued a direct warning to countries considering trade deals with the United States that could disadvantage Beijing. The statement came on Monday after reports that Washington, under Donald Trump’s leadership, may offer tariff exemptions to other nations in return for limiting their trade with China.China’s Ministry of Commerce said it “respects all parties to resolve their economic and trade differences with the United States through consultations on an equal footing,” but made it clear it would not stay silent if such deals came at its cost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

El Salvador's president has offered to repatriate 252 Venezuelans deported by the US and imprisoned in his country - if Venezuela releases the same number of political prisoners.Nayib Bukele appealed directly to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a post on social media.He said many of the Venezuelan deportees had committed "rape and murder", while Venezuelan political prisoners were jailed only because they opposed Maduro, whose re-election last year is widely disputed.Later Venezuela's chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab criticised Bukele's proposal. He demanded to know what crimes the deportees were accused of, whether they had appeared before a judge or had access to legal counsel.The Venezuelan government argues that it has no political prisoners - a claim rejected by rights groups. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Demis Hassabis won the Nobel Prize last year, he celebrated by playing poker with a world champion of chess. Hassabis loves a game, which is how he became a pioneer of artificial intelligence. The 48-year-old British scientist is co-founder and CEO of Google's AI powerhouse, called DeepMind. We met two years ago when chatbots announced a new age. Now, Hassabis and others are chasing what's called artificial general intelligence—a silicon intellect as versatile as a human but with superhuman speed and knowledge. After his Nobel and a knighthood from King Charles, we hurried back to London to see what's next from a genius who may hold the cards of our future. Demis Hassabis: What's always guided me and-- the passion I've always had is understanding the world around us. I've always been-- since I was a kid, fascinated by the biggest questions. You know, the-- meaning of-- of life, the-- nature of consciousness, the nature of reality itself. I've loved reading about all the great scientists who worked on these problems and the philosophers, and I wanted to see if we could advance human knowledge. And for me, my expression of doing that was to build what I think is the ultimate tool for advancing human knowledge, which is-- which is AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel's interior ministry said visas for the 27 had been cancelled under a law that allows authorities to ban people who could act against the state of Israel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The bells at Paris's Notre-Dame cathedral rang out 88 times on April 21 in honour of Pope Francis who died aged 88. The "88 rings for 88 years of life" were to be followed by a full ringing of the cathedral's bells before a noon mass in Francis's honour, followed by another in early evening, according to the Notre-Dame press office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russia resumes strikes on Ukraine as Easter ceasefire ends Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The South Korean Customs Service is investigating instances where foreign goods are being misrepresented as "Made in Korea" to avoid US tariffs. Specifically, they've identified a rise in shipments, particularly those headed to the US, where products from China and other countries are being falsely labeled as Korean exports. This practice is being used to circumvent tariffs imposed by the US on certain goods and countries, with the goal of avoiding these additional import costs.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2nd Boeing jet departs China, falling victim to Trump’s tariff war.... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain is set to massively increase its production of explosives in order to forgo a reliance on the US and France for ammunition. Sites will be erected by BAE Systems across the UK to produce RDX explosives, used in ammunition for British Army guns and other weapons. The British defence company will also be looking to build three new manufacturing sites to add 'resilience', should one come under attack.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trump Accuses Countries of "Cheating" with Non-Tariff BarriersDonald Trump accused American trade partners of using non-tariff barriers to "cheat", days after expressing a desire to strike deals. Trump is reportedly pressuring countries to reduce reliance on China in exchange for tariff relief. China is lashing out at this suggestion, warning countries against striking deals at their expense. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Vietnamese property tycoon who was jailed for life in a $17-billion money laundering case had her sentence cut to 30 years on appeal on Monday after she claimed what happened was “an accident”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

U.S. airstrikes targeting Yemen’s capital killed 12 people and wounded 30 others, the Houthi rebels said early Monday.The deaths mark the latest in America’s intensified campaign of strikes targeting the rebels. The U.S. military’s Central Command declined to answer questions about the strike or discuss civilian casualties from its campaign.The Houthis described the strike as hitting the Farwa neighborhood market in Sanaa’s Shuub district. That area has been targeted before by the Americans.Footage aired by the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel showed damage to vehicles and buildings in the area, with screaming onlookers holding what appeared to be a dead child. Others wailed on stretchers heading into a hospitalStrikes overnight into Monday also hit other areas of the country, including Yemen’s Amran, Hodeida, Marib and Saada governorates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch: Celebrations usher in the dawn of Easter Sunday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What comes now after the death of Pope Francis?....How a New Pope is Selected? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pope Francis gave the traditional Easter blessing on Sunday, appearing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in front of delighted crowds after a brief meeting with Vice President JD Vance in what marks his highest-profile appearance yet since being discharged from hospital.The 88-year-old pontiff has not led the main Holy Week and Easter services but has made brief appearances over the Easter weekend, including spending 30 minutes at a prison in Rome on Thursday and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday evening.Francis, who spent 38 days in hospital with double pneumonia where he came close to death, is unable to speak for long periods due to his respiratory difficulties and is undergoing physiotherapy to help regain his voice. The pope also has difficulty raising his arms.But on Easter Sunday he was able to offer the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the “City [of Rome] and to the World” while an aide read his address. Only the pope can offer this blessing which includes the offer of an indulgence, a remission for the effect of sins.His voice sounded weak but he appeared without the nasal canula he has been wearing to receive oxygen as he said “Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter.”He later greeted cheering crowds in St. Peter’s Square from the popemobile, the first time he has done so since his hospitalization. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year’s White House Easter Egg roll will feature high-dollar partnerships with YouTube, Meta and Amazon, among others, underscoring the close relationships the leaders of those tech companies have sought to cultivate with the Trump administration.The White House, through an outside production company called Harbinger, solicited corporate sponsors for the traditional springtime event on Monday ranging from $75,000 to $200,000, with the promise of logo and branding opportunities, according to a nine-page document sent to potential sponsors and first reported by CNN last month.Several major American tech companies and associations have signed up, according to an official White House press release on the event sent by the office of the first lady Friday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'No Kings': Americans protest nationwide against Trump, Musk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. is withdrawing hundreds of troops and closing some of its bases in northeastern Syria. The withdrawal will leave about 1,000 troops - about half the number there now - to work with Kurdish allies to prevent a resurgence of the so-called Islamic State militant group. US President Donald Trump attempted to withdraw all US forces from Syria during his first term, but faced opposition from the Pentagon, which saw it as abandoning allies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rome has become 'the capital of peace and dialogue' Italian Foreign Minister Tajani claimed. The talks were mediated by Oman.Iran and the United States concluded a second round of negotiations on Saturday over Tehran's nuclear programme, US and Iranian officials said.There is no immediate readout on how the talks went at the Omani Embassy in Rome's Camilluccia neighbourhood, but the two nations agreed to hold another round of talks next week.After the talks, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Iranian state TV that Iran "will continue the path of the talks with seriousness” to see crippling economic sanctions on his country lifted.“Iran will continue as far as talks go on in a constructive and purposeful way," he added. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Keir Starmer commends Italy's 'remarkable progress' on 'irregular migration'... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just days before Easter, severe weather continues to batter Italy. On Thursday, the north-west was hit by strong winds, heavy rain and hail, .. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In England and Wales, the UK implemented significant changes to the death certification process in September 2024. These changes mandate that all deaths, except those investigated by a coroner, must undergo an independent review by a medical examiner. This review ensures the accuracy of the cause of death and provides families with an opportunity to address any concerns.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New Jersey attorney general sued Discord on Thursday, alleging that the company misled consumers about child safety features on the gaming-centric social messaging app.The lawsuit alleges that Discord has a “strategy of employing difficult to navigate and ambiguous safety settings to lull parents and children into a false sense of safety.”One of the lawsuit’s allegations centers around Discord’s age-verification process, which the plaintiffs believe is flawed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should world be afraid of Earthquakes... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the last few weeks, many foreign students living in the US have watched as a sequence of events has repeated itself on their social media feeds: plain-clothes agents appearing unannounced and hauling students off in unmarked cars to detention centres.Those taken into custody in a string of high-profile student detentions captured on video have not faced any criminal charges and instead appear to have been targeted for involvement in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.The Trump administration has said repeatedly that visas are a "privilege" and can be revoked at any time for a wide variety of reasons.But the crackdown appears to be far wider than initially thought, with more than 1,000 international students or recent graduates at colleges across the US now having had their visas revoked or legal statuses changed, according to a tracker from Inside Higher Ed, an online news site covering the sector.For many, the precise reasons are unknown, and universities have often only learned of the changes when checking a government-run database that logs the visa status of international students.The combination of targeted detentions and reports of wide-scale visa revocations have left campuses on edge, from the biggest public universities to elite Ivy League institutions, students and faculty told the BBC."I could be next," said one student visa-holder attending Georgetown University, who has written articles about Israel and the war in Gaza.He's begun carrying around a card in his pocket that lists his constitutional rights, in case he is ever stopped by law enforcement.Another student in Texas said he's afraid to leave his apartment, even to buy groceries.And at some colleges, departments are being hit as researchers abroad refuse to return to the US.Most students the BBC spoke to requested anonymity out of fear that having their names in the media could make them a target. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21-km (13-mile) course.The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidUP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120 cm (3.9 ft), others as tall as 1.8 m (5.9 ft). One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At least 148 people were found dead in Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized, media reports citing local officials said on Friday.The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country’s northwest region on Tuesday, as per the reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At least 148 people were found dead in Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized, media reports citing local officials said on Friday.The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country’s northwest region on Tuesday, as per the reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trump administration on Friday started releasing the first tranche of records on Democratic Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 assassination, with roughly 10,000 pages of previously classified records.The disclosure — ordered by President Trump within days of taking office and backed by the senator's son, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — could reignite speculation about the decades-old killing, as the younger Kennedy insists his father's convicted assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, might be innocent.A CBS News review found the documents include scans of handwritten notes by convicted assassin Sirhan, witness interviews, crime scene and autopsy photos, FBI memos related to Sirhan and his whereabouts before the shooting, correspondence to the government from the American public in reaction to the assassination, and interviews with Sirhan's family.Many of the details shared in the files were already known. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.