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King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Ottawa on Monday for a two-day state visit aimed at reaffirming Canada’s sovereignty and constitutional ties to the Crown.

They were welcomed by Prime Minister Mark Carney, Governor General Mary Simon, and Indigenous leaders. The tour involves public appearances and a ceremonial tree planting at Rideau Hall, according to BBC.

On Tuesday, the King will deliver the Speech from the Throne in Parliament, the first by a reigning monarch in Canada since 1977, outlining the priorities of the new government.

The visit comes amid tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has suggested Canada would benefit from becoming the 51st US state. Prime Minister Carney has strongly rejected the claim, BBC reported.

The royal presence is seen as a symbolic reaffirmation of Canada’s independence and its constitutional monarchy.

A car collided with a crowd during Liverpool FC's Premier League victory parade on Monday, injuring 27 people, including four children. Two people, one youngster and one adult, are still in serious condition. The accident happened approximately ten minutes after the team's open-top bus passed through the area, according to BBC.

Four people were trapped beneath the vehicle needing to be rescued by firefighters. Twenty others were treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.

Police arrested a 53-year-old white British man from Liverpool, believed to be the driver. The incident is not being treated as terrorism, and no other suspects are being sought.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes “appalling.” Liverpool FC said it is in contact with police and offered support to those affected, BBC reported.

US President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is considering reallocating $3bn in government research grants from Harvard University to trade schools as part of a larger push to reform federal support for higher education, according to Reuters.

The Trump administration recently blocked the funds, alleging a misalignment of agency priorities. Harvard has launched a lawsuit, arguing that the move breaches constitutional safeguards and jeopardizes academic independence.

A federal judge also temporarily stopped the administration's attempt to prevent Harvard from enrolling overseas students, which the university claimed would harm nearly 7,000 visa holders.

The administration is also reviewing Harvard’s tax-exempt status and investigating alleged discrimination in its hiring practices. Harvard denies any violations, Reuters reported.

A record number of US citizens applied for British citizenship in the first quarter of 2025, according to data released by the UK Home Office on Thursday. More than 1,930 applications were submitted between January and March, marking a 12 percent increase from the previous quarter and the highest figure since records began, as reported by Xinhua.

Experts believe the increase is fueled by concerns about political uncertainty in the United States, notably recent tariff threats. "People are leaving due to fear, frustration, and concerns about financial and personal security," said Ono Okeregha, director of the Immigration Advice Service.

Interest is reportedly highest among US professionals seeking greater stability abroad.

Israel has rejected a US-mediated proposal for a 70-day ceasefire, increased aid to Gaza, and the release of ten hostages—five alive and five deceased—calling it a “surrender to Hamas.”

Israel insists on the “Witkoff framework,” introduced by Prime Minister Netanyahu in March. It offers a 50-day truce in exchange for hostage releases, followed by talks on a longer ceasefire. The plan excludes Hamas’s key demands: Israeli troop withdrawal and the release of Palestinian prisoners, as reported by Xinhua.

Talks ended last week after Netanyahu recalled the Israeli delegation. Over 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to Gaza health officials.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday expressed China’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Kuwait in areas such as energy, investment, green economy, digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He made the remarks during a meeting with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, according to Xinhua.

The meeting took place as Premier Li arrived in Kuala Lumpur to attend the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit.

Jake Wood, the head of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, resigned on Sunday, one day before relief supplies were scheduled to begin, citing the organization's inability to follow humanitarian values of neutrality and independence.

The foundation, which operates under Israeli security authority and employs private contractors, has received harsh condemnation from the UN and aid organizations, which have refused to cooperate with it. Critics claim the strategy undermines impartial aid delivery and lacks transparency, according to Reuters.

Israel supports the operation but denies any direct involvement. Despite limited aid access and the ongoing blockade, the foundation wants to reach one million Gazans in its first week.

Hamas has condemned the initiative, calling it a tool for control and starvation. Israel claims the system prevents aid from being diverted by Hamas, a charge Hamas denies.

Gaza remains in crisis, with over 2m people at risk of famine after months of restricted aid, Reuters reported.

France and Vietnam signed key agreements on Monday, including a deal for 20 Airbus planes, as President Emmanuel Macron visited Hanoi to deepen ties and expand France’s influence in the region.

The visit, Macron’s first to Vietnam and the first by a French president in nearly a decade, comes amid rising US-EU trade tensions after US President Donald Trump threatened 50 percent tariffs on EU goods. Vietnam also faces possible US tariffs of up to 46 percent, pressuring it to boost American imports, Firstpost reported.

The agreements covered aviation, nuclear energy, trains, satellites, and vaccines, with Airbus and Sanofi playing key roles. Both countries also promised to strengthen defense cooperation, including cybersecurity, intelligence sharing, and anti-terrorism operations.

Macron restated France's support for unrestricted navigation in the South China Sea, where Vietnam has conflicts with China, according to the Firstpost.

The visit is part of Macron’s Southeast Asia tour, which also includes Indonesia and Singapore.