Pope Francis’ body lies in state at St Peter’s ahead of funeral

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis' body will be moved to St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday to allow Catholic faithful to pay their final respects ahead of a funeral expected to bring U.S. President Donald Trump and dozens of other world leaders to Rome. Francis, a groundbreaking reformer, died aged 88 on Monday from a stroke...

Officials, Catholic leaders in Indonesia send condolences for Pope Francis

JAKARTA: Indonesian officials and Catholic figures have offered condolences on the death of Pope Francis, who is remembered as a role model for peace and humanity not only for Catholicism, but also the world. President Prabowo Subianto expressed his condolences on a recorded statement issued on Monday (April 21), saying that the world had “lost a...

Philippine President Marcos signs law on immediate, appropriate burial for Muslims

MANILA: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (pic) has signed into law Republic Act No. 12160, or the Philippine Islamic Burial Act, which recognises the rights of Filipino Muslims to immediately bury their dead in accordance with their Islamic beliefs. Under RA 12160, which was signed on April 11, a Muslim burial should be performed as soon as...

US finalises tariffs on Malaysian, Southeast Asian solar imports

U.S. trade officials finalized steep tariff levels on most solar cells from Southeast Asia, a key step toward wrapping up a year-old trade case in which American manufacturers accused Chinese companies of flooding the market with unfairly cheap goods. The case was brought last year by Korea's Hanwha Qcells , Arizona-based First Solar Inc and several...

Gloved up for fluid tariffs

PETALING JAYA: As the United States considers imposing tariffs on pharmaceutical imports worth US$200bil, Malaysian medical product manufacturers are bracing for the potential impact of US President Donald Trump’s announcement on the local industry. According to the Health Ministry, Malaysia’s medical device exports to the United States were valued at RM13.69bil (US$3.07bil) in 2024, making up...

Pope Francis has died, the Vatican camerlengo announces

VATICAN CITY (AP): Pope Francis died on Monday (April 21) morning, Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced. "At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Farrell said in the announcement. He was 88...

Indians battle respiratory issues, skin rashes in world’s most polluted town

BYRNIHAT, India (Reuters) - Two-year-old Sumaiya Ansari, a resident of India's Byrnihat town which is ranked the world's most polluted metropolitan area by Swiss Group IQAir, was battling breathing problems for several days before she was hospitalised in March and given oxygen support. She is among many residents of the industrial town on the border of...

Paetongtarn to make official visit to Cambodia on Wednesday

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra (pic) will make an official visit to Cambodia on Wednesday (April 23) to mark the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties, the government spokesman said on Sunday. Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said Paetongtarn would visit Cambodia on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Jirayu said Paetongtarn...

Ukraine’s Zelenskiy says Russian army ‘trying to create impression’ of Easter ceasefire

(Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that the Russian army is making a pretence of an Easter ceasefire declared by President Vladimir Putin, continuing overnight attempts to inflict front-line losses on Ukraine. "In general, as of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a...