Geopolitical Instability and Shifting Alignmentsactive

Donald Trump said he and Elon Musk "played with" claims of gold theft from Fort Knox, but hinted that the reserve remains intact.

Trump will arrive in Beijing on Wednesday evening for the visit, which he had originally postponed in March due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.

When the Norwegian, Ståle Wig, decided to move to Cuba, it wasn't just a trip to another continent, another country. It was a journey to the past, to a warm land frozen in time, where dilapidated cars from a bygone era coexist with a decaying system, the revolution imposed through bloodshed by Fidel Castro. The project was to write his anthropology thesis, for which he had received a scholarship and which was originally supposed to take place in Southern Africa. After casually visiting the island for a few days with his partner, he changed his plans and wanted to locate his research there, in that legendary tropical communism that somehow captured his attention and became an obsession. In an interview with LA NACION, Ståle said that as a university student in Europe, "he wasn't one of those who wore the Che Guevara t-shirt," referring to the vintage admirers of the Caribbean communist paradise who still exist around the world. Coming from a country like Norway, he emphasized, where the state and the market work in harmony for a more dignified society, he was not in favor of "either wild capitalism or failed communism." But Cuba intrigued him. It wasn't a paradise; it was another world. It didn't take him long to move to that island of sepia-toned photographs. An island where he saw that nothing worked properly, with no doctors in the hospitals or teachers in the schools, where anyone can be accused of treason and dragged to jail for as long as some powerful figure decides...

Donald Trump has abandoned key conservative principles and adopted some socialist positions, expanding presidential powers, interfering in businesses and the free market, and weaponizing government to satisfy his own interests.

A Pakistani minister has described himself as an "ordinary worker" of the Army chief, Munir, which has drawn criticism on social media.

Hong Kong police have arrested two drivers linked to a viral video depicting two trucks cutting lanes and allegedly racing each other, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source familiar with the matter confirmed to the SCMP on Sunday that two drivers had been arrested for suspected dangerous driving after the footage was widely circulated on social media over the weekend. The compilation of dashcam footage was recorded last Friday at around 5.20pm. It showed the interior of a tunnel...

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding is preparing an overhaul of how local consumers shop online, betting that the next trend will feel more like chatting with an artificial intelligence chatbot rather than typing keywords into a search bar. Users of the company’s flagship AI assistant Qwen – one of the most popular in China – would soon be able to use natural language to “talk” with the chatbot app to find and buy items listed on Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall shopping platforms,...

Hong Kong authorities have stressed that an operational glitch at a nuclear plant in neighbouring Shenzhen involving the closure of a cooling water isolation valve earlier this week posed no risk to public health or the environment. The Security Bureau said on Sunday that Guangdong’s Nuclear Emergency Committee Office had notified it of an operational event at Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station in mainland China, that occurred last Thursday. Unit One of the plant, located about 50km (31 miles) north...

Hong Kong recorded a 17 per cent growth in investment in the first quarter of the year driven mainly by machinery purchases and construction-related activities, according to the city’s finance chief, reflecting a steadily improving property market. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Sunday acknowledged a gap in perceived economic growth among residents working in different sectors as the city recorded its fastest quarterly GDP rise in nearly five years of 5.9 per cent. But he remained...

In China, a grey market of API relay platforms is thriving, allowing local developers to bypass restrictions to access top-tier overseas AI models such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, which are officially unavailable in the country, despite an escalating crackdown by the foreign providers. Such relay stations, which route access to overseas AI models through proxy servers hosted outside mainland China, are becoming a go-to place for developers wanting to use US AI models for tasks...

A survey indicates that the war in Iran and inflation are negatively impacting the US president's approval ratings and are hindering the Republican Party's prospects in the upcoming midterm elections.

Dawn breaks in Havana. It's May Day – Labor Day – and people begin gathering early at four strategic points in the city, in order to march with signs and banners to the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform. In the year 2000, Fidel Castro ordered that the public event venue be built across from the United States Embassy, in order for him to speak directly to the U.S. and demand the return of Elián González, the six-year-old boy whom Cuba turned into a political trophy in the eyes of Washington.

Political actors continue to demonstrate that they are part of the problem and not part of the solution, a pattern that has persisted for over a decade. During that time, the country was seduced by the imperative of fundamental change. The consequence of this pursuit was social unrest, political violence presented as a legitimate driver of transformation. The result of this complicity between citizens, social movements, and the political system is now evident: two failed constitutional processes, a structural decline in public education, and an economy that has ceased to grow, exhibiting an average per capita GDP of 0.8% over the past ten years. In summary, politics imposed incorrect diagnoses and, therefore, poor solutions to the problems. Citizens fell victim to demagoguery and populism; people were willing to believe in a fantasy that has not succeeded anywhere: that it is possible to spend more than is generated; we were already so prosperous that we forgot the importance of growth and focused all our efforts on redistribution. Now, we face a new government, as expected, diametrically opposed to the previous one. People jump from one option to another with complete naiveté, taking no responsibility for anything. The newly appointed authorities are presenting a mega-project of "national reconstruction," with over 40 measures aimed at incentivizing investment and controlling the fiscal deficit. A...

The former Minister of Labor and presidential candidate, Evelyn Matthei, addressed the real estate market in Chile, which, in her opinion, faces a complex scenario marked by regulatory uncertainty, rising housing costs, and the need to recover investment. At the 5th Smart Meeting on Education and Real Estate Investment, she diagnosed that "Chile lacks neither capacity nor investment. What it has is excessive bureaucracy, slowness, and uncertainty." "The value of homes has increased much faster than wages, and this has left thousands of families unable to afford homeownership," Matthei stated. Along the same lines, she pointed out that the decline in construction has led to "the bankruptcy of more than 500 companies and the loss of nearly 180,000 jobs." The former minister emphasized the need to address the crisis from multiple angles and proposed "streamlining permits, modernizing zoning plans, reviewing building regulations, improving subsidy systems, and providing greater legal certainty to encourage investment." Furthermore, Matthei warned that "when a country takes years to approve projects, constantly changes the rules, and creates uncertainty for those who want to invest, the families ultimately end up paying the price."

Israel continues to violate a 'ceasefire' agreed to in October with hundreds more killed across the Strip.

The future of LIV Golf remains uncertain. The Saudi-backed circuit faces an uncertain situation with the imminent potential withdrawal of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. In this context, Joaquín Niemann has spoken for the first time about what might happen to his career if the project ceases to exist. The Chilean golfer spoke while competing in the LIV event in Virginia, where he is currently in 18th place with a score of -3. "Everything that has happened was necessary, and it will be good. I believe that Scott (O'Neil, CEO of the Tour) and his team will do a great job. It will be good to have that pressure to earn money, and that will be good for the league," the national golfer said. He then elaborated on the alternatives he is considering in case the circuit disappears. "I would love to continue playing golf. It would be great to go to the DP World Tour (the European circuit), but I don't have status there, and I would like to. And if I ever have the opportunity to return to the PGA Tour, I would love to. These are scenarios if LIV disappears, but I don't think that will happen," he stated. LIV Golf's funding is currently secured only until the end of this season. From then on, the continuation of the project will depend on the ability to find investors who can sustain the model promoted from Saudi Arabia. Scott O'Neil, the current CEO of the circuit, is working to find new sources of funding. The leadership of LIV believes that the tournament has managed to establish itself within the...

SNP leader wants to ensure voices of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland ‘are heard loud and clear’ John Swinney has said he plans to work with the nationalist first ministers in Wales and Northern Ireland in a coordinated opposition to Labour’s policies on the cost of living and UK government spending. The Scottish National party leader said he had spoken to Michelle O’Neill, the Sinn Féin first minister of Northern Ireland, on Friday night after she had called to congratulate him on his party’s “emphatic” victory in the Holyrood elections. Continue reading...

Promoting economic growth and maintaining fiscal responsibility are not mutually exclusive goals, but achieving both requires a high degree of rigor. Public finances have deteriorated, with recurring structural deficits, limited room for maneuver, and a debt that requires a sustainable trajectory. Therefore, any legislative initiative with significant effects on public finances must also be analyzed for its consistency with a responsible approach to revenue, spending, and debt. The recent analysis by the Independent Fiscal Council (CFA) on the Draft Law for National Reconstruction fits precisely within this mandate: to contribute, as a technical, independent, and advisory body, to the responsible management of fiscal policy. Its role is not binding, but it is clear: to improve the quality of the debate, highlight risks, and provide background information for better decision-making, without replacing the decisions that are the responsibility of the Executive and the Congress. The initiative places economic growth at its core. This is consistent with a concern that the Council has maintained since its inception: strengthening trend growth is a necessary condition for both improving fiscal sustainability and creating more opportunities. An economy that grows more allows for better funding of social priorities, avoids setbacks, and facilitates an orderly convergence towards sustainable structural balances. In this regard, the Council assessed the objectives of promoting investment and stimulating...

The killings mark the third attack in May alone by the US military in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Judges have been fired or offered buyouts, and those who remain say they adhere to the government's policies. David Koelsch, a former immigration judge based in Maryland, was visiting his mother and sister in Minneapolis on the day Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents. He drove to Nicollet Avenue, parked a few blocks away, and walked toward the scene. "I didn't go there to protest. I didn't bring a sign. I didn't bring anything. I just went to stand and bear witness," Koelsch said.

China’s export sector showed resilience last month, even as the Strait of Hormuz crisis showed little sign of abating after driving up energy and shipping costs. The value of China’s exports rose in April by 14.1 per cent, year on year, to US$359.44 billion, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on Saturday. The reading was above the 6.96 per cent growth forecast compiled by financial data provider Wind. Meanwhile, the value of imports grew by 25.3 per cent last...

SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering v...

The National Reconstruction Plan is not only essential for resuming growth and creating jobs, but it is also fiscally viable. The Independent Fiscal Council (CFA) has raised observations that are relevant and should be considered: its fiscal cost, especially in the context of prolonged stress on public finances. This risk will be amplified when the first Public Finance Report (PFR) from the current administration is released, which will likely reveal lower revenues, further exacerbating the deficit. As the government has stated from the beginning, without incorporating any of the positive effects of growth resulting from the reform, the project would be deficit-inducing, reaching a maximum of 0.7% of GDP by 2030 and 0.4% in the long term. However, when the increased revenue from economic growth is factored in, the deficit is halved in the initial years and achieves a surplus of approximately 0.3% of GDP by the tenth year, increasing over time. However, the CFA believes that these revenues are uncertain, and therefore, other compensating measures would be necessary. Let's consider the worst-case scenario and assume that the additional economic growth will be zero. Even in this unrealistic scenario, the first fiscal adjustment already initiated by the government, amounting to US$4 billion – and already at US$2 billion – will, as it is enshrined in the upcoming budget laws, more than offset the costs of the project. But even so, if the government were to...

The Gendarmerie (Chilean police force) confirmed this Friday afternoon that former congressman Joaquín Lavín León was admitted to the Capitán Yáber annex to serve a pre-trial detention sentence issued against him as part of an investigation into various crimes. It should be noted that Lavín León is under investigation for tax fraud, forgery, and malicious use of private commercial documents, as well as influence peddling, allegedly committed between 2015 and 2026. Along with him, his former parliamentary advisor, Arnaldo Emiliano Domínguez Vallejos, also faced four days of formal charges. He is accused of tax fraud, influence peddling, tax crimes, bribery, and forgery of private commercial documents, allegedly committed between 2015 and 2025. According to the penitentiary institution, unlike former congressman Lavín, Domínguez was admitted to the Santiago 1 Preventive Detention Center. This decision followed a ruling by Judge Daniel Urrutia of the 7th Guarantee Court of Santiago. Furthermore, a period of 90 days has been set for the investigation. "Both citizens underwent the protocol established for entry into a penitentiary facility, including the classification, segregation, and health assessment procedures," the Gendarmerie stated in a press release.

The Autonomous Fiscal Council conducts independent evaluations of public accounts, which is quite challenging in Chile due to the conservative bias present in the limited circle of economists. Nevertheless, the CFA concluded that the government's proposed tax reform project would lead to a fiscal deficit of 0.71% of GDP by 2030 and 0.43% by 2050. The government believes that this deficit will be offset by increased growth resulting from tax cuts on corporate profits and high incomes, with the unusual addition of a 25-year tax stability guarantee, a new amnesty for repatriating funds from tax havens, and a reduction in the inheritance tax. Academic evidence suggests, conversely, that attempts to stimulate growth through tax cuts for the wealthiest often result in high fiscal deficits and limited growth. The CFA estimated that the impact of the expected increased growth on the fiscal balance would mean a deficit of 0.3% of GDP in 2030, a view shared by many economists, although it relies on high assumptions regarding the elasticity of investment in response to tax reductions, without any guarantee that the potential increased growth will translate into future tax revenues. To avoid a net negative impact, additional sources of funding "of significant magnitude, not included in the project" would be required. Incidentally, the CFA does not mention the negative distributional effects of…

US judge says halt of $100m in funds allotted by Congress for scholars, writers and research illegal and discriminatory A federal judge ruled on Thursday that the terminations of hundreds of humanities grants last year by the Trump administration’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) were unconstitutional and involved “blatant” discrimination. In April last year, Donald Trump’s administration terminated more than 1,400 grants, representing more than $100m in congressionally appropriated funds awarded to scholars, writers, research institutions and other humanities organizations. The terminations were part of a cost-cutting drive that billionaire Elon Musk was leading at Doge. Continue reading...

Footage released by the Pentagon shows US strikes on two Iranian oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

A Catholic diocese in New Mexico is in court opposing the Trump administration’s effort to seize church property to construct more fencing along the southern border, accusing US officials of religious freedom violations.

The direct observation of microjets spontaneously emitted by charged water droplets on frictionless surfaces represents a significant advancement with the potential to transform both nanoscale 3D printing and chemical analysis techniques, according to the science news website Phys.org. This conclusion stems from research published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, where a team led by Professor Dan Daniel, head of the Droplets and Soft Matter Unit at the Japanese Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), provided experimental evidence of explosive fragmentation guided solely by evaporation. For the first time, the phenomenon of Coulomb fission – a violent fragmentation of the droplet due to excess electrical charge – was documented, according to the professor, in droplets deposited on surfaces, not just in suspension. This process, traditionally theorized and identified in suspended droplets, also occurs when friction between the droplet and the supporting material is eliminated. The experiment required creating conditions of zero friction: the researchers deposited droplets on the order of millimeters in size onto a plastic surface coated with silicone oil. According to Daniel, "the oil was essential," as it eliminates friction and allows the droplet to change its shape as it expands and retracts. Without that layer, the droplets would simply evaporate...

The Justice Department announced on Friday that it is seeking to denaturalize a dozen individuals from various parts of the country who are accused of fraudulently obtaining U. S. citizenship. Federal prosecutors filed denaturalization actions in U. S. District Courts across the country this week against 12 individuals, alleging they lied during the naturalization process, including about…

“The Iran war weakens deterrence in Asia, undercuts confidence of US allies and partners, and makes conflict with China more likely.” That’s become an article of faith among those opposing the US fight with Iran. The US military – the navy in particular – is indeed smaller than it should be, and much American combat […] The post A China move now on Taiwan would be an enormous gamble appeared first on Asia Times.

Following the ruling by the Seventh Guarantee Court in Santiago, which ordered the preventive detention of former congressman Joaquín Lavín León as part of an investigation into tax fraud, influence peddling, and malicious use of private documents, Cathy Barriga spoke to the press. "We have a family, and a lot of things have been said, both because I didn't come [to court] and because I am coming now. Please, have a little understanding of what we are going through. These have been difficult years, unfairly targeting us. We are not just individuals; we are a family, including the children," she stated. In this context, she accused the media of unequal coverage of the case and asked for "empathy" and "understanding" from the press.

The lawyer Cristóbal Bonacic, representing Joaquín Lavín León, confirmed that they will appeal the decision of the 7th Guarantee Court of Santiago, which ordered the former congressman's pre-trial detention. "This ruling does not reflect what was presented during the five days of hearings. This matter is not closed, and we have a series of appeals that will be filed; there are more appropriate courses of action. The court had already made its decision from the beginning of the hearing." "Obviously, the defense does not end here, and we will continue. We cannot be satisfied with a ruling of this nature, and we will exercise the legal remedies available. But I am very calm as a lawyer, and my client is also very calm," he stated. In that vein, the lawyer stated that Judge Daniel Urrutia's ruling "does not align with what is expected of a judicial decision." "I do not know if this is a political ruling or not. I only speak about objective matters," he said, questioning the time they were given to present their case. The representative assured that "Mr. Lavín is very calm." "We firmly believe that a crime was fabricated here based on partial information. I would define this as a kind of legal Frankenstein, because it took elements from one source, combined them with others, and added them together to create a linear narrative that does not correspond to reality," he argued.

Outside the Justice Center this Friday afternoon, the former mayor of Maipú, Cathy Barriga, spoke about the pre-trial detention ordered for her husband, former congressman Joaquín Lavín León. "We are a family, and a lot of things have been said, partly because I haven't spoken out, and partly because I am speaking out now. Please, have a little understanding of what we are going through. These have been difficult years, unfairly pursued. It's not just us; it's a family, it's the children," she stated. The former mayor asked the media outlets questioning her about the case to show "empathy." "Understand me as a mother, as a woman, as someone who is experiencing this," she said. She then reflected on the investigations against her and her husband, questioning their progress. "In my case, how am I supposed to recover from all the damage that has been done? No one can recover that. And I can't give you details about how these things are affecting us," she asserted. Barriga faces a potential prison sentence of over 20 years, accused of a series of corruption offenses, and is awaiting trial. "We are both under investigation, and things have to move forward. Today is a very sad day, especially for my children," she said. "This shouldn't be happening," she expressed.

The Metropolitan East Regional Prosecutor's Office will request an extension of the immunity granted to former congressman Joaquín Lavín León, with the intention of formally charging him with acts that were not included in the proceedings that stripped him of his parliamentary immunity. Following the hearing in which the 7th Guarantee Court of Santiago ordered the preventive detention of the former legislator, prosecutor Constanza Encina, head of the High Complexity Unit of the East Prosecutor's Office, praised the court's decision and announced some of the actions that the Public Prosecutor's Office will undertake in the case. Lavín was formally charged with forgery and malicious use of a private commercial document, fraud against the state, and influence peddling. The Public Prosecutor's Office estimates that the amount of the fraud is $240 million. "We will conduct a full process regarding the defendant who is currently outside the country. We will make a request to extend the immunity, which is necessary with respect to the crimes that could not be formally charged to Congressman Lavín today. Therefore, the investigation is not yet complete," Encina stated. The defendant who is outside of Chile is the IT specialist Felipe Vázquez, responsible for the SocialTazk platform, who was hired as a parliamentary advisor by Lavín. The individual is currently in Spain and did not appear before the court, so a warrant for his arrest has been issued. The use of data from the Electoral Service on the SocialTazk platform would constitute another…

Cathy Barriga, a former model and television personality, is the wife of Joaquín Lavín León. Barriga served as the mayor of Maipú from 2016 to 2021, and her tenure is under scrutiny. Currently, she faces a potential prison sentence of over 20 years and is awaiting trial, accused of crimes including tax fraud, forgery of public documents, embezzlement of public funds, and incompatible business dealings. She was formally charged in January 2024. Twenty-eight months later, her husband is experiencing a similar ordeal in the courts, and this Friday, it was determined that he must comply with the precautionary measure of preventive detention. What crimes is the former congressman Lavín accused of? During the investigation into Cathy Barriga, evidence emerged of apparent improper actions by Lavín at the Maipú municipality, which the Public Prosecutor's Office decided to investigate in parallel. Lavín was a congressman for the district, and the Public Prosecutor's Office noted a possible case of influence peddling. Subsequently, the focus shifted to his work as a parliamentarian for three terms, from 2014 to 2026, and the funds he received from the Congress. Last year, a request was made to lift his parliamentary immunity. The Santiago Court of Appeals approved this request, and the Supreme Court upheld the decision in February, just 16 days before the end of his term as a legislator. In this way, the Eastern Prosecutor's Office formally charged him before the 7th Guarantee Court of Santiago with the crimes of forgery and malicious use of a private commercial document, tax fraud, and influence peddling.

Arcos Dorados, the leading McDonald's operator in Latin America, achieved a significant victory this week in the Supreme Court as part of its dispute with the Municipality of Providencia regarding the granting of a permanent operating license for an automated service kiosk. The origin of the dispute dates back to October 30, 2024, when Arcos Dorados filed a claim challenging the legality of a decision made by the Municipality of Providencia in the Court of Appeals of Santiago. At that time, Evelyn Matthei was leading the municipal administration. The company challenged a decree and a provisional license issued on July 21, 2023. Both documents arbitrarily prohibited the operation of the kiosk by restricting service to automated transactions. According to the ruling, the operator demonstrated that the municipality had made a classification error. The municipality categorized the automated kiosk as a service related to automobiles. The company explained that this legal term applies exclusively to establishments that sell alcoholic beverages. The Court of Appeals of Santiago sided with the company. The court annulled the restrictions imposed by the municipality. The ruling ordered the granting of the provisional license with the automated kiosk service, and subsequently, the permanent license. The judgment also recognized the company's right to receive compensation for the damages suffered. In its arguments, Arcos Dorados was advised by Cristóbal Osorio, a founding partner…

The official euro exchange rate was increased by 65.93 kopecks to 88.549 rubles

US employment rose more than expected in April, while the unemployment rate remained steady, government data showed, with the world’s largest economy firming recent labour market gains but analysts warning of underlying weakness. “Total nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 115,000 in April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3 per cent,” the US Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) said. The gains mainly came in the healthcare, transport and warehousing and retail trade sectors. US job...

Chinese artificial intelligence high-flier DeepSeek is expected to close its first external financing round soon, boosting its valuation to up to US$50 billion, according to three people familiar with the matter, as the country’s marquee state-backed investment vehicle joins in bankrolling what is seen as a national technology champion. The round was being backed by a group of state-linked investors, including AI-focused affiliates under the third phase of the China Integrated Circuit Industry...

The Pentagon on Friday released a new tranche of files focused on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), or UFOs, as part of the Trump administration’s vow to be transparent on the issue. President Trump ordered the Defense Department to identify and release documents given the public’s interest in UFOs and on extraterrestrial life. “The American people…

The U.S. employment statistics, which often influence the exchange rate of the Japanese yen and stock prices, were released on the 8th. The number of employed individuals outside of the agricultural sector increased by 115,000 from March, significantly exceeding market expectations. The unemployment rate remained at 4.3%, the same as the previous month, suggesting that the U.S. job market is maintaining its strength.

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will lower its fuel surcharge fees for passenger flights by as much as about 14 per cent from May 16, after a series of increases that began in March. For long-haul flights, the surcharge will fall from HK$1,560 (US$199) to HK$1,362 per leg of the trip. For shorter journeys, such as those between Hong Kong and South Asia, the rate will drop to HK$633, down from HK$725. For flights from mainland China to Hong Kong, the surcharge will remain at HK$135,...

The “Sauna Theatre” will be the first of its kind in the UK, providing an immersive experience for wellness and culture fans alike.

In the uneasy politics of energy transition, few ideas are as seductive — or as risky — as compromise. Ammonia co-firing, now being advanced through Japan’s Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) at Indonesia’s Suralaya and Paiton coal plants, is one such compromise. It promises emissions reductions without shutting down coal plants. It offers continuity dressed […] The post Japan’s ammonia push risks locking Indonesia into coal appeared first on Asia Times.

A new intergovernmental mediation body headquartered in Hong Kong has resolved a maritime dispute between parties from mainland China and Singapore this month, as more states have joined the organisation since its launch last year. Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, secretary general of the International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed), revealed the achievement on Friday at a summit, where senior officials reaffirmed Hong Kong’s pledge to be a mediation centre amid increasing volatility in global...

SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- An appeals court on Friday overturned a lower court's a...

SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- Police said Friday they will step up patrols and inspec...

The volume of foreign currency sales on the domestic market with settlements on May 6 amounted to $185.95 mln

Mutual vulnerability is no substitute for global leadership

Tesla’s Shanghai factory reported a big year-on-year rise in deliveries last month as it benefited from local governments’ subsidies and increasing interest in electric vehicles (EVs) amid the global energy shock. The US carmaker said in a statement that the so-called Gigafactory delivered 74,478 units in April, up 36 per cent from the same period in 2025. The number comprises sales in mainland China and exports to overseas markets. However, on a month-to-month basis the factory’s sales in April...

SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Friday sentenced a former Marine comma...

SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission decided...

SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- A Seoul court on Friday sentenced a former Marine comma...

SEOUL, May 8 (Yonhap) -- The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a two-year prison se...

A young woman tourist in China died after falling from a “cliff swing” ride after her warning that the safety rope was not tied tightly enough was ignored. The heart-wrenching accident went viral on mainland social media and was viewed more than 200 million times. It sparked public rage and calls for safety supervision for adventure activities to be strengthened. On May 5, the municipal government of Huaying in southwestern China’s Sichuan province issued a statement that the tourist, surnamed...

Two initiatives currently being debated in the chambers of the National Congress have focused on the parliamentary majorities required to pass legislation. The first concerns a parliamentary motion aimed at regulating the declaration of inadmissibility made by the presiding officer of the chamber regarding parliamentary motions that may violate constitutional provisions, such as those regulating the exclusive legislative initiative of the President of the Republic ("de facto parliamentarianism"). The goal was to prevent this declaration of inadmissibility from being overturned by a simple majority of the members of the originating chamber, but rather by an absolute majority of those in session. However, the Chamber of Deputies rejected the idea of legislating on this initiative this week, so it will be archived. The second relates to another parliamentary motion that seeks to amend the Immigration and Migration Law to introduce the crime of illegal entry into the national territory. This bill was approved with a simple majority quorum in the Chamber of Deputies, but in the Senate, doubts arose as to whether it contained provisions of constitutional organic law, based on a report issued by the Supreme Court regarding some of its provisions. This debate was also resolved this week, and the Senate decided to process it as a simple law.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told US President Donald Trump on Thursday that his country’s rare earth reserves are open to investment from China and any other nation willing to process the minerals on Brazilian soil, resisting pressure to side with Washington in its contest with Beijing over critical mineral supply chains. “We have no preference. What we want is to share with whoever wants to invest in Brazil,” Lula said at a press conference at the Brazilian embassy in...

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President Donald Trump could ask for Chinese ...

President Donald Trump’s 10% global tariffs were declared unlawful by a federal trade court in a fresh blow to the administration’s economic agenda, several months after the US Supreme Court vacated earlier levies he’d imposed.

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President Donald Trump could ask for Chinese ...

There are many points of contention, but substantive deals are unlikely

This Friday at noon, Daniel Urrutia, a judge at the 7th Guarantee Court in Santiago, will announce his decision regarding the pre-trial detention measure requested by the Eastern Prosecutor's Office for former congressman Joaquín Lavín. The former member of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and congressman who served for three terms is being formally charged with crimes including forgery and malicious use of private commercial documents, fraud against the state, and influence peddling. Who is the judge who must make the decision? Daniel David Urrutia Laubreaux is actively involved in professional organizations and is the director and president of the Metropolitan Region of the Judicial Workers Organization. He served as a judge in the Guarantee Courts of Freirina in 2001, Ovalle in 2003, and Coquimbo in 2004. In 2006, he moved to the 7th Guarantee Court in Santiago. He is considered a judge who prioritizes individual rights and has a left-leaning perspective. In June 2023, the Supreme Court upheld a reprimand against him for having self-assigned a case and released defendants who were part of the so-called "front line" of the social protests. The Eastern Regional Prosecutor's Office, along with the Municipality of Maipú and the State Defense Council (CDE), as plaintiffs, have requested that former congressman Lavín be held in pre-trial detention. Regional Prosecutor Lorena Parra justified her request, stating that the defendant's release poses a danger to public safety and would jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

The Defense Department’s independent watchdog is declining to investigate a US Army helicopter flight near the home of musician Kid Rock and at a “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump, according to a letter from the Pentagon’s new inspector general.

In Iran, uranium enrichment isn’t the only threat.

The review council tasked by President Trump with looking into reforms for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved its final report Thursday, recommending sweeping changes to the agency. The prescribed changes approved by the FEMA Review Council include reviewing agency staffing, shifting more responsibility to state, local and tribal authorities and privatizing flood insurance.…

The yuan edged up 0.4 kopecks to 10.95 rubles

They pulled the rug out from under them. Shortly after 7:00 PM on Thursday, from the lobby of the Chamber, the group of deputies from the Partido de la Gente (PDG) announced that they would reject the proposal to legislate the National Reconstruction bill presented by the government of President José Antonio Kast. During the afternoon, the Executive branch presented the proposal to the PDG deputies, and after reviewing it, the group of parliamentarians announced their withdrawal from the agreement they had reached with La Moneda (the presidential palace). Although the government has a narrow margin to approve the proposal, the opposition has raised concerns about the PDG's position. This Thursday, the party's founder, Franco Parisi, moderated his stance after meeting with the Minister of Finance, Jorge Quiroz, and indicated that discussions with the Executive branch are ongoing. In fact, shortly after the announcement of the agreement – which was made through a joint press conference by the deputies and the Minister of the Presidential Secretariat, José García Ruminot (RN) – Chile Vamos had already issued warnings that the government was at high risk of the agreement not materializing. This is due to the PDG's history, which has been characterized by being a disorganized party that fails to fulfill its commitments. Now, without the 13 votes of the PDG – which are "aligned," according to the president of the party, Patricio Quisbert – a new alternative is gaining momentum among the parliamentarians in the sector...

The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) is pressing ahead with the relaunch of gold futures as mainland China’s appetite for the metal continues to grow. The city would continue to introduce new gold products and facilities to capture the growing opportunities of the gold market, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Thursday at the LME Asia Metals Seminar 2026 in Hong Kong. The HKEX planned to relaunch gold futures in coming months and seek market feedback to refine the products,...

This week, the Education Committee of the Chamber of Deputies approved the proposal to legislate on a bill aimed at facilitating the creation of educational institutions. This is a necessary and positive initiative that should continue to progress, but it is still insufficient to generate a real impact on the system. The Inclusion Law, published in 2015, generated a series of negative effects, particularly in the subsidized private education sector. The excessive bureaucratic burden resulting from its implementation meant that a portion of the subsidies had to be allocated to meeting new requirements. The change in legal status of the institutions and the obligation to acquire ownership of the property resulted in high costs that only a very small percentage could afford, leading to the postponement of this requirement on more than one occasion. In addition, the requirement to demonstrate the existence of unmet demand in order to receive subsidies for the first time hindered the creation of new schools, effectively stifling the system by restricting the expansion of educational offerings. The data reveals the consequences of this regulation. Following the implementation of the Inclusion Law, the number of active institutions providing subsidized private education decreased by 8% since 2016, while the number of privately funded institutions increased by 21%. Similarly, the…

Unlike previous days, when the former congressman Joaquín Lavín briefly spoke with the press at the Justice Center and answered questions about the progress of the hearing formalizing charges against him, this Thursday, Lavín preferred to avoid direct answers. "I have nothing to say at this time," he responded to almost all of the inquiries. The husband of former mayor Cathy Barriga is being charged with crimes including forgery and malicious use of a private commercial document, fraud against the tax authorities, and influence peddling. The East Prosecutor's Office and the plaintiffs, including the Maipú Municipality and the Council for the Defense of the State (CDE), have requested that the 7th Guarantee Court of Santiago order the former congressman to be held in preventive detention. They have also requested the most severe precautionary measure for his former parliamentary advisor, Arnaldo Domínguez. Lavín, who had expressed confidence in a favorable outcome for himself in the early days of the formalization process, which began on Monday, acknowledged that the outcome is uncertain. "I cannot guarantee that. It is not something that depends on me," he said when asked if he believed the Public Prosecutor's Office's request would be dismissed. Judge Daniel Urrutia may make a decision this Thursday or Friday.

The Central Bank did not sell yuan on the domestic market with settlements on May 5

The Trump administration’s fitful campaign to address US voters’ affordability concerns ahead of the midterm elections is faltering, with some key efforts stalled, cast aside or limited in scope.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting US Senator Steve Daines that Beijing hoped to “truly stabilise and improve” Sino-American ties, a week before a highly anticipated summit between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. In his meeting with Daines on Thursday, China’s top diplomat said Beijing and Washington should seek “harmony without uniformity” and be “partners rather than adversaries”. “The US should view China objectively, develop a rational perception of China, genuinely respect China’s...

The New Zealand government has announced that it is considering Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ships, such as the "Mogami" class, as potential candidates for the new frigates it plans to introduce.

Europe "must significantly increase its counterterrorism efforts immediately," the document emphasized

Ahead of US President Donald Trump's arrival in Beijing on May 14, his motorcade is already in motion within the Chinese capital. Two black SUVs with tinted windows and US government license plates were spotted on a Beijing highway, according to images that circulated on Wednesday, signaling the beginning of an intense security preparation for the year's most significant diplomatic event – the China-US summit. Chinese social media is filled with images showing heavily-armored US Secret Service Suburbans...

The 16-page report was led by Trump-ally Sebastian Gorka, and places drug cartels in the Americas at the centre of counter-terrorism efforts The Trump administration has accused Europe of being an “incubator” for terrorism fuelled by mass migration, in a new counter-terrorism strategy unveiled on Wednesday. The strategy also focuses on rooting out “violent left-wing extremists” including “radically pro-transgender” groups, as Trump’s conservative administration steps up its political attacks on opponents. Continue reading...

Amending the text would demonstrate the country's adaptability in a time of uncertainty.

The Maine senator, who is seeking reelection this year, described her condition as "extremely common" and stated that it has "absolutely no impact on my ability to do my job."

"They want to make a deal badly," President Donald Trump says when asked about the latest developments in the Iran conflict during remarks with reporters at the White House. (Source: Bloomberg)

The Trump administration has begun paying out refunds for the $166 billion in global tariffs that the US Supreme Court declared unlawful earlier this year.

A new technical paper, “Source-position-dependent transmission cross coefficient formula including polarization and mask three-dimensional effects in high-numerical-aperture extreme ultraviolet lithography” was published by researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo. This work is based on the paper presented at SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning 2026. “The polarization effect is not negligible in high-NA EUV lithography. The purpose of this work is to extend the STCC* formula to include the polarization effect and enable accurate and fast simulation of polarization-dependent imaging in high-NA EUV lithography,” states the paper. Find the technical paper here.  May 2026. Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology, Vol. 25, Issue 3, 031604 (May 2026). https://doi.org/10.1117/1. JMM.25.3.031604 Authors: Hiroyoshi Tanabe, Moe Sugiyama, Masayuki Shimoda, Atsushi Takahashi *STCC=source-position-dependent transmission cross coefficient The post High-NA EU Lithography: Extending The STCC Formula (Science Tokyo) appeared first on Semiconductor Engineering.

A tourist died after falling from a height when the safety rope of an extreme attraction broke, causing her to impact against a cliff. Although the tragedy occurred on Sunday at the Malyuyan Adventure Park, located in the Chinese municipality of Huaying, images of the incident only began circulating on Tuesday. According to local media, the victim, identified by her last name, Liu, was about to participate in an attraction known as the "waterfall hammock." The experience involved placing visitors on a structure mounted on the edge of a cliff, facing a waterfall area. There, park employees would adjust a harness and secure them with ropes before launching them into the void. Once launched from the platform, the person would be suspended while swinging back and forth, like a pendulum, but at a great height. According to the Chinese press, the swing was installed at a height of 168 meters and combined speed, freefall, and a panoramic view of the mountainous landscape. A tourist died after a safety rope broke on an extreme attraction in China. One of the videos circulating on social media shows Liu with two park employees as they are putting on her safety equipment. The young woman, who was wearing a black blouse, shorts, and a helmet, and was carrying a flag on her back, warned seconds before the launch that the safety strap was not properly adjusted. In the recording...

President Donald Trump says the US is dealing with people in Iran that want to make a deal to end the war. He speaks at the White House. (Source: Bloomberg)

President Trump’s nominee for Surgeon General Nicole Saphier previously criticized healthcare guidance and recommendations from the administration in now-deleted social media posts unearthed by CNN. Saphier, a former Fox News contributor and radiologist, seemed less than impressed in archived posts on the social media platform X when it came to some aspects of how the…

Rodrigo Álvarez, a lawyer for the Council for the Defense of the State (CDE), explained the request they made to the 7th Guarantee Court in Santiago, seeking the preventive detention of former congressman Joaquín Lavín and his former advisor, Arnaldo Domínguez. The lawyer told the press at the Justice Center that, "for the Council for the Defense of the State, the facts being investigated and subject to this procedure are of extreme gravity." "They cause harm, disrupt the functioning of institutions, affect democracy, tarnish the prestige of public institutions like the National Congress, cause significant damage, and represent a very negative criminal behavior. We are expressing this to the court to request that the precautionary measures appropriate in our opinion be adopted, which is preventive detention for both defendants," he stated. Regarding preventive detention, the lawyer argued that "there is no other precautionary measure that is sufficient or proportional to safeguard the objectives of the procedure and to protect the safety of society and the success of the investigation." The Eastern Prosecutor's Office is investigating a suspected fraud involving parliamentary allocations of over 100 million pesos, which allegedly involved the falsification of invoices to simulate operational expenses and remit the funds to the Congress. The former congressman is accused of the crimes of forgery and malicious use of...

Good news for the national treasury. The possibility of peace in the Middle East has had an impact on copper, the country's main export and a key factor in the value of the Chilean peso. During the day, the red metal traded at US$6.05 per pound on the London Metal Exchange (LME), a 3.94% increase. This is the highest price since the start of the bombing campaign in Iran in February of this year. On Friday, February 27th, the last day before the conflict began, the price of the metal was US$6.09 per pound. The following Monday, it fell to US$6.00, and it has remained below that level since then. On April 24th, it managed to close again at US$6.00 per pound, and now it is once again breaking records, almost reaching its pre-war levels. This increase is contributing to the devaluation of the US dollar against the Chilean peso. At the time of writing, the price of the US currency is $895. Felipe Sepúlveda, Head of Analysis for Admirals Latin America, believes that if copper manages to consolidate above US$6.10 per pound, the US dollar could even fall below $888.

Hong Kong received over 1 million mainland Chinese visitors during the five-day Labour Day "golden week" holiday, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, exceeding government expectations. However, industry leaders stated that their spending was uneven. Data from the Immigration Department showed that the city recorded 1.01 million mainland visitor arrivals between May 1 and 5, surpassing the forecast of 980,000. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on Wednesday that some shopping center operators had reported year-on-year...

The corps’ naval forces thanked captains and shipowners "for complying with Iranian regulations in the Strait of Hormuz

Ahead of the third hearing in the formalization process against Joaquín Lavín, José Pedro Silva, the lawyer representing the Maipú Municipality as the plaintiff, previewed aspects of his presentation to the court, where he would request the preventive detention of the former congressman. The Eastern Prosecutor's Office accuses the former legislator of crimes including forgery and malicious use of a private commercial document, fraud against the tax authorities, and influence peddling. Silva highlighted the connection between this case and the investigation facing Cathy Barriga, Lavín's wife, who is a former mayor. "The two cases are very closely linked. In fact, the investigation against the former congressman Lavín originated from the investigation against the former mayor. Therefore, we have consistently pointed out for quite some time that for Joaquín Lavín to have defrauded the tax authorities, he needed the involvement of the Maipú Municipality," stated the lawyer representing the municipality, which is currently headed by Tomás Vodanovic. The lawyer specified that, based on the complaint filed by the Maipú Municipality at the beginning of 2025, the Public Prosecutor's Office initiated investigations against both Congressman Lavín and Arnaldo Domínguez for influence peddling, which was part of the events reported by the municipality. Domínguez was formally charged with aggravated bribery in the case against the former mayor Barriga. "He was receiving a bribe, commonly known as a 'kickback,' for providing certain services within the municipality related to the MMG printing company. Today, we will present evidence..."

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said changes the European Union is considering to a transatlantic trade deal could limit American exports to the bloc.

The president visited the container ship that was damaged in the strait.