During a White House photo op celebrating Ohio State's national championship win, Vice President JD Vance dropped the team's trophy, creating an unexpected viral moment. As Vance lifted the trophy alongside President Donald Trump and the Buckeyes, the base slipped and hit the ground, prompting gasps and laughter. A surprised Vance quickly helped reassemble it with the aid of two players. Later, he joked on X, "I didn't want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy, so I decided to break it." The video spread rapidly, with some dubbing the incident, “Made in China...”

In a dramatic escalation, the Trump administration has frozen $2.3 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after it refused to comply with demands to curb campus activism and dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the federal ultimatum, asserting the university’s independence and constitutional rights. The freeze includes $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts. Trump warned Harvard could lose up to $9 billion in total support. Other top universities, including UPenn, Brown, and Princeton, face similar pressure. Critics, including Senator Bernie Sanders, condemned the move as authoritarian overreach. (PC: AP)

Rishi Sunak's former aide, Craig Williams, and 14 others have been charged with election betting offences in the UK. They are accused of using insider information about the 2024 general election date to place bets. The Gambling Commission’s investigation started last June after Williams placed a £100 bet on the election happening in July, three days before it was officially announced. Other people charged include current Welsh Senedd member Russell George and former police officer Jeremy Hunt. Several others were also associated with the Conservative Party. All those charged will appear in court on Friday. The investigation continues. (PC: Story Picture Agency/Shutterstock)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked Donald Trump to visit Ukraine before making any deal with Russia. He wants Trump to see the damage and pain caused by the war. The invite came before a Russian missile hit the city of Sumy, killing 34 people and hurting 117. Russia said it only targets military sites, but others called it a war crime. Trump’s team is working on a peace deal. Zelensky fears Russia will take advantage. European leaders and the UN strongly condemned the attack. Ukraine still wants peace, but only on its own terms and with full support. (PC: Reuters, Getty Images)

Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza, launching extensive air and ground assaults, particularly targeting Khan Younis in the south. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that since the collapse of the ceasefire on March 18, at least 1,574 Palestinians have been killed, bringing the total death toll since the war's onset to 50,944. A recent Israeli strike tragically killed six brothers who were volunteering to deliver food aid. Additionally, the World Health Organization confirmed the death of a Palestinian child due to disrupted medical care following the bombing of al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. Global condemnation is mounting over the escalating humanitarian crisis. (PC: VOA, Al Jazeera & Daily Sabah)

US President Donald Trump warned that “nobody is getting off the hook” from tariffs, clarifying that smartphones, computers, and other electronics remain under 20% 'Fentanyl Tariffs' despite a temporary pause on 145% levies. Trump confirmed a national security probe into semiconductors and the entire electronics supply chain, mainly reliant on China. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said new semiconductor tariffs could arrive within two months. The announcement rattled tech investors, though Apple and Nvidia stocks briefly rallied. China imposed 125% retaliatory tariffs. Trump asserted the US won’t be “held hostage” by China and pledged to protect American manufacturing. (PC: Reuters)

At least 34 people, including 2 children, were killed and 117 injured after a Russian missile attack on Sumy, northeastern Ukraine. Ukraine's emergency service confirmed 15 children were among the injured, including a baby girl born this year. President Zelenskyy condemned the strike, demanding a “tough reaction” from the world. The attack followed a visit to Moscow by US envoy Steve Witkoff. US officials, including Keith Kellogg and Marco Rubio, called the strike horrifying. UK and EU leaders also condemned Russia. Separately, 3 more civilians died in Kherson and Kupiansk from Russian drone and bomb attacks. (PC: Sky News)

Nikita Casap, a 17-year-old from Wisconsin, has been charged with murdering his mother and stepfather to fund an alleged plot to assassinate former US President Donald Trump and overthrow the government. Casap was arrested in Kansas with $14,000 in cash, jewellery, a revolver, passports, and his dog. A federal affidavit said he praised Hitler, had ties with a Russian speaker, and planned to flee to Ukraine. His antisemitic three-page manifesto cited chaos as motivation. Authorities found neo-Nazi content and bomb-making plans. Casap, who faces nine felony charges, including use of weapons of mass destruction, is due in court on May 7. (PC: X/@PawlowskiMario)

A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy killed 34 people, including 2 children, and injured 117 others. Two ballistic missiles hit near the state university and congress centre, leaving widespread devastation. Ukraine’s Western allies condemned the attack. US President Trump called it a “horrible thing,” while German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz labelled it a “serious war crime.” French President Macron demanded “strong measures” to enforce a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Zelensky urged Trump to witness the war’s horrors firsthand. The UN condemned attacks on civilians as violations of international law. This is Ukraine’s deadliest civilian strike in 2025. (PC: AP, AFP)

China has suspended exports of key rare earth metals and magnets amid its escalating trade war with the US. The move affects elements vital to industries like defense, electronics, and EVs. China controls 90% of global rare earths, and the halted shipments impact global firms including Tesla, Apple, and Lockheed Martin. Beijing's new licensing system delays exports while signaling tighter restrictions. The US relies heavily on Chinese supply, with only one domestic rare earth mine. Analysts warn the move could destabilize global tech and defense sectors. Washington has limited stockpiles, prompting urgent search for alternative sources. (PC: NDTV)