On Sunday, RUV announced entrepreneur Halla Tomasdottir as the newly elected Iceland's president, succeeding Gudni Johannesson in the ceremonial role. The 55-year-old Tomasdottir won 34% of the votes in Saturday's election. She defeated former PM Katrin Jakobsdottir, who resigned in April to run for president and received 25% votes. The Icelandic president is elected for a four-year term has limited political authority functions as a unifying figure for the nearly 400,000 citizens of this NATO member nation. Tomasdottir will be Iceland's eighth president since the republic was founded in 1
Claudia Sheinbaum, a Nobel Prize-winning climate scientist, will become Mexico's first female president following her stunning victory. The 61-year-old received between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, the highest level of support for a candidate since the collapse of a one-party government in 2000. She thanked outgoing leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. She described him as "an exceptional, unique man who has transformed Mexico for the better." Sheinbaum's win is a huge milestone for Mexico, which is known for its macho culture. The main opposition rival, Xochitl Galvez, conceded after ac
On Friday, the US and China's defence leaders met for the first time in two years, sparring over Taiwan. However, they emphasised the importance of maintaining open military communications. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and China's defence minister, Dong Jun, met at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. After Taiwan's presidential election and President Lai Ching-te's inauguration, Austin expressed concern about Chinese military operations near the island. He stressed that Taiwan's political transition should not be exploited as a pretext for China's aggressive measures. Dong cautioned th
On Tuesday, billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates pledged $1 billion (£782.4 million) over the next two years to women's issues and gender equity around the world. About $200 million (£157 million) will go to US organisations campaigning for gender and reproductive rights. In a New York Times essay, French Gates mentioned the 2022 Supreme Court judgement that overturned the constitutional right to abortion as a trigger for her support. The statement comes after her decision to stand down from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The cash will be distributed through her com
On Tuesday, President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates arrived in South Korea accompanied by an honorary escort of four fighter jets. This is his first visit to Asia's fourth-largest economy, and he will focus on security, business, investment, and energy programmes. On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed met with CEOs from key South Korean businesses, including Samsung Electronics' Jay Y. Lee, SK Group's Chey Tae-won, and Hyundai Motor Group's Euisun Chung. On Wednesday, Sheikh Mohammed will meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to talk about strengthening
Saudi Arabia has appointed Faisal al-Mujfel as its first ambassador to Syria since breaking ties in 2012. This step marks a substantial improvement in relations. Syria has been readmitted to the Arab League after being excluded for more than a decade due to President Bashar Assad's crackdown on protestors. The Syrian government has yet to react to this event. The Syrian conflict which is currently in its 14th year, has claimed more than half a million lives and displaced half the country's pre-war population of 23 million. Attempts to find a political settlement have stalled. A 7.8 magnitu
India and Japan pledged to strengthen bilateral health cooperation during a meeting conducted on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, marking a significant step forward. On Monday, officials said that both countries reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to strengthening the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2018, signalling a firm commitment to mutual health initiatives. The key elements of this enhanced alliance include the expansion of cooperation into new areas, most notably digital health, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, sen
U.S. President Joe Biden emphasised strengthening democracy in Africa and beyond during Kenyan President William Ruto's formal visit to the White House. This was the first African president to visit the White House since 2008, and it highlighted new security, technology, and debt reduction collaborations between the two countries. In honour of Kenya's 60th anniversary of independence, Biden reflected on his early travels there and underlined the country's significance as a democratic ally in Africa. The two presidents unveiled several initiatives, including steps to lessen Kenya's heavy
On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Germany for a three-day state visit, the first by a French president in 24 years, ahead of next month's European Parliamentary elections. Macron's visits to Berlin, Dresden, and Muenster highlight the importance of the German-French alliance in the face of concerns such as the Ukraine conflict and Donald Trump's probable re-election. Macron emphasised the importance of strengthening Franco-German relations. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier reiterated this sentiment, emphasising the necessity of collaboration on geopolitical con
The Indian and French armies are sharpening critical jungle survival and mountain operation skills during the 7th edition of Joint Exercise Shakti. This biennial event, which is being held in Umroi, Meghalaya, from May 13 to 26, aims to improve multi-domain operating capabilities in semi-conventional circumstances. The soldiers of both countries are diligently honing the survival skills necessary for self-preservation in hostile settings. These exercises simulate tactical actions in the real world. An Indian military spokeswoman stated, "Exercise Shakti enables both sides to share best pra