The UK is set to issue updated guidance by summer following a Supreme Court ruling defining a woman by biological sex. Lady Kishwer Falkner, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, emphasized the ruling’s impact, stating it will clarify that trans women cannot participate in women’s sports or use women-only facilities. However, she stressed that trans rights remain protected under gender reassignment and sex discrimination laws. Falkner urged trans rights organizations to advocate for more neutral third spaces to accommodate trans individuals. Ava Sinclair 17/04/2025 12:30 pm
Puerto Rico experienced an island-wide blackout as residents prepared for Easter weekend. All 1.4 million customers lost power due to a transmission line issue in the south. Hospitals are using generators. Luma Energy cited a protection system failure and vegetation on a transmission line as causes. This is the latest in a series of outages, with the last major one occurring on New Year’s Eve. The timeline for restoring power remains unclear. Ava Sinclair 17/04/2025 9:00 am
During a meeting with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, Chinese President Xi Jinping criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for “unilateral bullying acts” related to a 145% tariff imposed by the U.S. Xi’s Southeast Asia tour aims to position China as a stabilizing force amid U.S. tariffs affecting the region. Despite a temporary reduction to 10% for most countries, markets remain volatile. Xi and Vietnam’s leaders discussed cooperation, signing agreements on supply chains and a joint railway project, and promised increased access for Vietnamese agricultural exports to China. Ava Sinclair 17/04/2025 9:00 am
US Vice-President JD Vance will visit India for four days to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 21, focusing on economic, trade, and geopolitical discussions. This marks Vance’s first visit to India since taking office, amid ongoing US-China trade tensions. The visit aims to advance a bilateral trade deal, with India already reducing tariffs on various goods. Vance will be accompanied by his family, including his wife Usha, whose parents are from Andhra Pradesh. The US and India aim to double bilateral trade to $500 billion. Penelope Kingsley 17/04/2025 9:00 am
As enemies neared Damascus, Bashar al-Assad used a private jet to move cash, valuables, and documents to the UAE. His adviser, Yasar Ibrahim, arranged the flights, transporting assets, relatives, and aides. The Embraer Legacy 600 jet made four trips before the regime’s fall, carrying at least $500,000 and key intelligence. Assad fled to Russia from the Hmeimim air base. Reuters uncovered this operation through sources, flight data, and satellite images, revealing the network behind Assad’s wealth. Western sanctions targeted Assad and Ibrahim for their roles in Syria’s economy. Noah Prescott 17/04/2025 9:00 am
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during a state visit to Malaysia, emphasized China’s commitment to collaborating with Southeast Asian nations amid global economic challenges. Xi highlighted the need to combat geopolitical tensions and protectionism, promoting regional stability. His visit, coinciding with U.S. tariff disruptions, aimed to strengthen China’s regional ties and address the impact of U.S. tariffs. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed Xi, criticizing U.S. economic policies and advocating for global cooperation and stability. Noah Prescott 17/04/2025 9:00 am
The Supreme Court’s ruling defining women by biological sex has sparked widespread reactions. Headlines highlight changes to single-sex NHS wards and chaos in equality policies, requiring reviews across organizations. JK Rowling praises the legal victory, while The Guardian notes trans women retain some rights. Campaigners urge calm, but concerns about intensified rights battles persist. Meanwhile, the Sun reports on potential signs of life on a distant planet, and the Daily Mirror features a mother’s forgiveness for police who mistakenly killed her son. Penelope Kingsley 17/04/2025 9:00 am
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Paris for talks with European allies on negotiating a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. They will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to discuss the war, the Middle East, and Iran’s nuclear program. The visit aims to advance President Trump’s goal of ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance will visit Italy to meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni amid concerns about Trump’s approach to Russia and other international issues. Ava Sinclair 17/04/2025 5:30 am
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared a new government amid a two-year conflict with the Sudanese army, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The RSF, accused of genocide, controls much of Darfur and parts of Kordofan. This move complicates international peace efforts, as fighting intensifies with the army reclaiming Khartoum. The RSF’s declaration coincides with global attempts to resolve the crisis, which has caused significant humanitarian issues. The conflict stems from disagreements between Dagalo and SAF leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan over restoring civilian rule after Omar al-Bashir’s ouster. Noah Prescott 17/04/2025 2:00 am
The UAE and Saudi Arabia denied reports of discussions with the U.S. about a land offensive in Yemen against the Houthi group. UAE’s Lana Nusseibeh called the reports “wild unsubstantiated stories,” while a Saudi official also dismissed them as false. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg had reported on potential plans for a ground offensive involving Yemeni factions and U.S. involvement. Ava Sinclair 17/04/2025 2:00 am
