WORLD

ROME, ITALY | THE INDEPENDENT | The funeral mass for Pope Francis has ended at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City ahead of his burial. From the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, aged 91 years, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the Solemn Requiem …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs have confirmed attendance at the Pope’s Funeral scheduled on Saturday, the Vatican has said. Pope Francis’ coffin is lying in state at St Peter’s for a third day on Friday for the people to …

BEIJING | Xinhua | China’s private sector saw robust industrial output growth in the first quarter of 2025, with its investment in manufacturing and innovation-driven development also accelerating. The sector, constituting more than 90 percent of enterprises in the world’s second-largest economy, has forged ahead with steady expansion as the …

BEIJING | Xinhua | China is implementing a series of targeted measures to foster a favorable environment for private enterprises and promote growth in the private sector, said an official with the country’s top economic planner. These initiatives focus on easing financing constraints, boosting investment, promoting trade, enhancing talent development …

Rome, Italy | THE INDEPENDENT | Atleast 50 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs have confirmed attendance at the Pope’s Funeral scheduled on Saturday, the Vatican has said. Pope Francis’ coffin is lying in state at St Peter’s for a third day on Friday for the people to pay …

The decision drew criticism from U.S. tech giants but was welcomed by consumers. BRUSSELS | Xinhua |  The European Union (EU) on Wednesday imposed fines totaling 700 million euros (798.7 million U.S. dollars) on American tech giants Apple and Meta, a move expected to intensify already strained transatlantic trade relations. …

  WASHINGTON | Xinhua |  After branding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as a “major loser” and suggesting he might oust him, U.S. President Donald Trump reversed course on Tuesday, stating he had “no intention of firing” Powell. Trump’s about-face came after U.S. stocks and the dollar took another dive …

ANALYSIS | AGENCIES | Scientists have found new but tentative evidence that a faraway world orbiting another star may be home to life. A Cambridge team studying the atmosphere of a planet called K2-18b has detected signs of molecules which on Earth are only produced by simple organisms. This is the …

VATICAN, ROME | TASS | Pope Francis’ coffin will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica on April 23 for the faithful to pay their final respects, the Holy See press service said. The coffin will be carried across St. Peter’s Square from the Casa Santa Marta residence outside the Vatican’s …

  WUHAN | Xinhua |  China has made significant progress in vaccine development and immunization, marked by a growing portfolio of domestically produced vaccines and remarkable public health results. These achievements were highlighted at the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference, held over the weekend in Wuhan, capital of Hubei …