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May 9, 2025 - World

Meeting aimed at de-escalating trade war after Chinese exports beat expectations despite slump in tradeDonald Trump has floated cutting tariffs on China from 145% to 80% before a weekend meeting as he looks to de-escalate the trade war.Top US officials are expected to meet a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first significant talks between the two nations since Trump provoked a trade war with stiff tariffs on imports. Continue reading...

May 9, 2025 - World

A swimming coach in Nigeria's economic hub of Lagos is teaching disabled children how to swim through his nonprofit aimed at empowering them in life

May 9, 2025 - World

Switzerland’s president has lamented “disappointing” talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s treasury secretary that did not ease stiff U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods

May 9, 2025 - World

Led by President Vladimir Putin in Red Square, Russians Friday celebrated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe -- a war in which more than 24 million Soviets were killed.

May 9, 2025 - World

An Australian woman accused of triple murder with a toxic mushroom-laced beef Wellington had rarely invited her four guests to eat at her home before, a court heard Friday.Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering the parents and aunt of her estranged husband in July 2023 by serving them the pastry-and-beef dish with death cap mushrooms.She is also accused of the attempted murder of her husband's uncle, who survived the meal after a long stay in hospital.Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.In a trial that has seized international attention, prosecutors played a recording of a police interview with Patterson's son, then 14, following the lunch. The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said his mother had hosted his paternal grandparents at her house "once before". And she had "never" previously invited over Heather and Ian Wilkinson, his father's aunt and uncle, the boy said.His mother's relationship with the couple was "not a negative one, but it is not strong", the youngster told police.The accused's estranged husband, Simon Patterson, had declined the invitation to lunch at her home in the sedate Victoria state farm village of Leongatha.Four members of his family attended: his parents Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt and uncle. While the guests had lunch, Patterson's children went to a McDonald's and the cinema.Within hours after eating, the four guests developed diarrhoea and vomiting and were taken to hospital, where doctors diagnosed death cap mushroom poisoning.Days later, three of the guests were dead. Ian Wilkinson, a local pastor, lived after weeks of hospital treatment.The teenager told the court that his parents had a "very negative" relationship in the months leading up to the lunch."Dad does a lot of things to try hurt mum such as messing around with the school," he said. - Good cook-On the morning after the lunch, Patterson's son said she was "a little bit quieter" than usual, complaining of "feeling a bit sick and had diarrhoea".The family had missed their local church service because "mum was feeling too sick", he said.The teenager said that afternoon Patterson drove him for an hour to his flying lesson, which was cancelled last minute due to weather. When they returned home, the boy said Patterson raced inside to use the bathroom. That night, Patterson and her children ate the purported leftovers of the beef Wellington. The defendant has said she scraped off the mushrooms because her children were picky eaters."It was probably some of the best meat I've ever had," her teenage son said. "Mum said it was leftovers." Jurors also heard a recording of a police interview with Patterson's daughter, then nine, who said her mum was a good cook."We make cupcakes and muffins," she said.The girl, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did not get sick from eating the claimed leftovers.The prosecution alleges Patterson deliberately poisoned her lunch guests and took care that neither she, nor her children, consumed the deadly mushrooms. Her defence says it was "a terrible accident" and that Patterson ate the same meal as the others but did not fall as sick. The trial is expected to last another five weeks.lec/djw/tym© Agence France-Presse