PM Anthony Albanese claims victory in Australian general election
Anthony Albanese, the Labor Party leader, was re-elected as Prime Minister of Australia in the country's federal election. Delivering a victory speech to supporters, Albanese says his party won a majority in the polls, Al Jazeera reported.
Peter Dutton, the leader of the main opposition Liberal Party, congratulated Albanese and conceded his seat in Parliament.
The country's cost-of-living and housing hardships dominated the election campaign, which was also marked by recent uncertainty brought on by US President Donald Trump's policies, according to Al Jazeera.
Australians began voting on April 22, with more than 8.5m of the 18m voters already casting early votes, a significant increase over the 2022 election. Voting is mandatory in the country.
TikTok fined €530m by EU over data privacy violations
TikTok was fined €530m ($600m) by Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) for failing to adequately safeguard EU users' personal data, Reuters reported.
The regulator said that the platform, controlled by China's ByteDance, failed to verify that data accessed remotely by Chinese employees followed EU privacy laws. TikTok was also ordered to halt data transfers to China unless it completes full compliance within six months,
The DPC criticized TikTok for not addressing potential access by Chinese authorities under national laws that conflict with EU regulations. Although TikTok claimed it used EU-approved safeguards and has introduced new data protection measures, the DPC said recent disclosures revealed some EU data was stored in China earlier this year, according to Reuters.
This is TikTok’s second major fine by the DPC, following a €345m penalty in 2023 over the mishandling of children’s personal data.
US expands military presence on southern border
The US military has established a second National Defense Area along the Mexican border, this time in Texas, which stretches 100 kilometers east from El Paso. This comes after the establishment of a comparable zone in New Mexico last month, Al Jazeera reported.
These zones allow military forces to briefly hold migrants or trespassers before turning them over to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or other law enforcement organizations. The measure broadens the military's role in border policing without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act, which restricts domestic military deployments.
In New Mexico, 82 migrants have been charged for entering the authorized zone, but none have been arrested by troops. Approximately 11,900 US troops are now stationed along the border, as stated by Al Jazeera.
The expansion comes amid President Donald Trump's broader immigration crackdown, with deportations rising and illegal border crossings falling to a historic low in March, according to government data.
Ukrainian troops to join UK parade on VE day
Ukrainian forces will participate in a British military parade on Monday to honor the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which commemorates Nazi Germany's surrender in 1945, Reuters reported.
The parade will include about 1,000 UK forces, as well as troops from Ukraine, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, to emphasize international support for Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.
Defence Minister John Healey described Ukraine's participation as "fitting" as Europe prepares for its first full-scale battle since World War Two, according to Reuters.
The UK, a strong supporter of Ukraine, will organize a number of commemorative activities, including a Westminster Abbey service attended by the royal family.
Zelensky says Trump’s view on Ukraine war has slightly shifted
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that US President Donald Trump’s stance on the war in Ukraine has shifted slightly following their meeting at the Vatican in February.
Speaking on Saturday, Zelensky stated that the conversation may have pushed Trump to view the matter "a little differently," but that it is still Trump's personal choice, Firstpost reported.
During Pope Francis' funeral, the two leaders held a private meeting in St. Peter's Basilica for around 15 minutes. Both Kyiv and Washington called the talks "very productive."
South Korea's conservatives pick hardline Kim Moon-soo as presidential candidate
South Korea's conservative People Power Party (PPP) has nominated Kim Moon-soo as its presidential candidate in the June 3 snap election. Kim, 73, received 56.5 percent of the votes in the party's national convention in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, according to Reuters.
The election was triggered by President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment, which occurred when the Constitutional Court found that he had unlawfully declared martial law on December 3.
Kim, a former labour and democracy activist, later joined the conservative bloc. He previously served as labour minister and as governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2006 to 2014, Reuters reported.
In his speech, Kim pledged business-friendly measures, increased support for youth and low-income groups, and a tough stance against North Korea. He also stressed innovation and research as key components of his economic plan.
Meta threatens to cut off Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria over huge fines
Meta has warned that it may shut down Facebook and Instagram in Nigeria in response to ongoing legislative scrutiny and unpaid fines issued by local authorities.
Last year, three Nigerian oversight agencies fined the US-based social media giant totalling more than $290m (£218m) for violating a number of laws and regulations. In court filings, the company stated that ongoing operations in the country could result in enforcement risks, according to BBC.
A federal high court in Abuja recently dismissed Meta's challenge to the sanctions, giving the company till the end of June to comply.
WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, was not mentioned. A shutdown might disrupt communication for millions of people and harm small businesses that rely on these sites, BBC reported.
Meta has not disclosed its further plans.
Trump administration plans major downsizing at US spy agencies
The Trump administration is planning significant staff reductions at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other US intelligence agencies, according to The Washington Post.
Around 1,200 CIA positions are expected to be cut, along with thousands more across the broader intelligence community. The reductions will be made gradually, mostly through hiring cuts as opposed to layoffs.
A CIA spokesperson did not confirm the exact figures but said Director John Ratcliffe is aligning the agency’s workforce with the administration’s national security goals. The change is intended to boost productivity, invigorate the organization, and make room for fresh leadership.
In March, the CIA announced plans to fire some younger workforce deemed unsuitable for intelligence work. In February, the agency offered buyouts to a select group of employees, though the number who accepted remains unclear. These changes are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to downsize key government agencies and reshape the intelligence community, The Washington Post reported.