Global Tensions and Shifting Alliancesresolved

Cigarette butts will be considered "strong evidence" of a potential violation under a proposed smoking ban on construction sites, Hong Kong's labour chief has said. He also sought to reassure contractors that preventive measures could protect them from the maximum fine of HK$400,000 (US$51,070). Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-Han revealed further details about the ban in an interview with the South China Morning Post, which took place during an inquiry into the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire.

The President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, announced this Sunday an agreement with Taiwan to develop a major artificial intelligence center in Paraguayan territory. He described the project as one of the most important of its kind and aims to position the South American country within the global competition for new technologies. The announcement was made during the closing of his official visit to Taiwan, where he held meetings with the island's government and signed various cooperation agreements. In a message released by the Paraguayan Presidency, the president stated: "Together, two giants are embarking on the path to create the world's largest artificial intelligence hub: Taiwanese technology with Paraguayan energy." According to the president, the project will be financed equally by both countries and aims to transform Paraguay into a regional center for technological development linked to artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Peña also stated that the initiative represents a strategic step for his country in a sector that he considers crucial for the coming decades. "Paraguay is joining the race for artificial intelligence with sovereignty," the president said on his social media, where he described the agreement as "unprecedented." The project was presented amidst the close diplomatic relationship between Asunción and Taipei. Paraguay remains the only country in the Americas that…

Cheng Li-wun is the chairwoman of Taiwan's largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT). In this extensive interview, she discusses her vision for peace and cooperation between Taiwan and mainland China, her meeting in April with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping, and her upcoming trip to the United States in June. The original interview was conducted in Chinese. SCMP Plus members can access the Chinese transcript. Chinese transcript: interview with KMT's Cheng Li-wun by scmp.

The British Foreign Office summoned the Chinese ambassador to London, Zheng Zeguang, for a second meeting in two days with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, following the conviction of two individuals of Chinese origin for spying on pro-democracy activists from Hong Kong on British territory on behalf of Beijing's intelligence services. Chung Biu Yuen, 65, and Chi Leung Wai, 40, both border officials in the United Kingdom, were found guilty on Thursday by a London court of collaborating with a foreign intelligence service. According to the prosecution, between December 2023 and May 2024, they conducted surveillance activities on Hong Kong dissidents residing in the UK. One of them had access to immigration databases, which he used to locate the targets and transmit that information to Beijing. "The United Kingdom will not tolerate any attempt by foreign states to intimidate, harass, or harm individuals or communities within its territory," the Foreign Office warned in a statement. "Such activities constitute a serious violation of the sovereignty of the United Kingdom. We will continue to demand that China be held accountable for actions that undermine our security and our democratic values." Beijing's Response China strongly rejected the convictions. The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, stated on Friday that London had "abused the law..."

Officials reportedly drafting legislation likely to safeguard Britain’s last blast furnaces and save thousands of jobs The full nationalisation of British Steel is expected to be announced in the King’s speech this week, a year after the government took over the daily running of the loss-making business from its Chinese owner. The steelmaker, which employs 3,500 people at its plant in Scunthorpe, came under government control last April amid fears that its owner, Jingye, was planning to shut down the site. Continue reading...

The President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, departed this Sunday for the Philippines, concluding his state visit to Taiwan, which was marked by the strengthening of ties between Taipei and Asunción and the signing of several bilateral cooperation agreements, according to local media reports from the island. The South American leader arrived at Taoyuan International Airport, located on the outskirts of Taipei, around 1:20 PM local time (5:20 AM GMT), accompanied by the Taiwanese Foreign Minister, Lin Chia-lung, although neither of them made any statements to the media, according to the CNA news agency. Peña arrived in Taiwan last Thursday for his third visit to the island since being elected president, leading a delegation of over forty businesspeople, as part of a state visit that had a significant economic and political impact. Last Friday, the Paraguayan leader was received with military honors by his Taiwanese counterpart, William Lai, while reaffirming Asunción's "commitment" to the "strategic alliance" it maintains with Taipei and expressing his condemnation of Chinese military exercises and Beijing's "economic pressure" on the self-governed territory. Both leaders, Peña and Lai, witnessed the signing of three cooperation documents in the areas of justice, cybersecurity, and advanced technology on the same day, while the Taiwanese leader also announced the opening of the island's market to…

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: reassigned Attorney General Pam Bondi: ousted Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer: toast It’s time for President Donald Trump’s B-Team — the agency understudies who may step into leadership voids — to have a moment. The string of departures from the Cabinet over the past two months is bringing attention to agency deputies who are often heads-down running their massive operations while their boss testifies on Capitol Hill, travels the country, meets with the president and does TV hits. With Republican lawmakers sensing that their grip on Congress may slip or flip in the midterms, more turnover seems likely. Noem was quickly replaced by then-Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) thanks to a tradition of the Senate fast-tracking confirmation of its own — but it’s not a trick Republicans can pull off too many times. And even as Republicans on Capitol Hill prod the White House to clear out any dead wood from Trump’s Cabinet, a crunch over personnel ultimately takes time away from legislative work in an election year when Congress already takes a lengthy recess to campaign. Some departures from the Cabinet have been particularly sudden and unceremonious, and more may be possible with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appearing to be expendable. “President Trump has the most talented Cabinet in American history, all of whom are working around the clock to implement the President’s agenda on behalf of the American people,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in an email. “The Trump Administration’s mission to put America First and Make America Great Again will never change.” But other openings could be less awkward: The president may move a secretary he likes from one agency to another, such as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin potentially backfilling Bondi. These are the deputies with a shot at tasting power or already running the show: Justice Department Deputy Attorney General Already doing the job Todd Blanche, a former personal criminal defense attorney for Trump, became acting attorney general in April after the president ousted Pam Bondi. By most accounts, the post is Blanche’s to lose, given his credentials, his tenure as deputy attorney general and his closeness to the president. But Blanche’s resume has some weak spots as far as Trump’s base is concerned. Some MAGA voices have attempted to paint him as too liberal and not aggressive enough in prosecuting Trump’s enemies. In the weeks since he has taken the “acting” title, Blanche appears to have addressed those worries, bringing indictments against the Southern Poverty Law Center and former FBI Director James Comey, a longtime Trump foe. Last month, he also filed a Trump-esque motion in federal court in support of the president’s ballroom project, drawing criticism for his use of style and language that appeared to be drawn straight from Trump’s Truth Social posts. — Erica Orden Labor Department Keith Sonderling Deputy Labor Secretary Already doing the job Republican control of the Labor Department tends to boil down to two principles: make sure the machine of deregulation is humming and keep employer groups happy. Keith Sonderling has been at the switchboard for the past year. Trump’s outside-the-box pick of Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a one-term worker-friendly GOP member of Congress who had just lost reelection in 2024, for Labor secretary was a nod to the politically influential Teamsters union that ultimately backfired spectacularly. But so long as Sonderling was deputy, the risk to the business community’s agenda was seen as superficial. (One of the only things they’re grumbling about is the agency’s policing of an H-1B guestworker visa program.) Despite his deep connections in both labor policy circles and within Trump’s orbit, Sonderling’s style is more buttoned-up than MAGA brash and it’s unclear if he fits the president’s “central casting” test for the top job. Still, he’s proven he can win Senate confirmation twice over, assuming Trump decides to force the issue. — Nick Niedzwiadek Office of the Director of National Intelligence Aaron Lukas Deputy Director of National Intelligence A Grenell graduate If Trump pulls the plug on Tulsi Gabbard — or Gabbard resigns like one of her top deputies did — control over the Office of the Director of National Intelligence would temporarily fall to her second-in-command Aaron Lukas. A low-profile career CIA operations office, Lukas is best known in Beltway circles for having worked closely with Richard Grenell, Trump’s firebrand former acting-Director of National Intelligence and more recently, the White House’s the special envoy to Venezuela. Lukas served as an intelligence aide to Grenell during Trump’s first term and later had a year-long stint on Trump’s National Security Council, where he specialized in Russia and Europe. He told the Senate prior to his confirmation as principal deputy director for national intelligence in July that he had most recently served as a CIA chief of station in “a former Soviet Country.” Despite working under a divisive figure like Gabbard for nearly two years, Lukas has not drawn much public scrutiny while at ODNI. He offered more muted criticisms of the U. S. intelligence community in his confirmation hearing than Gabbard did in hers, and was ultimately confirmed on a 51-46 vote. — John Sakellariadis Energy Department James Danly Deputy Energy Secretary Experienced regulator Trump has said that Energy Secretary Chris Wright is doing “a fantastic job” as the conflict with Iran hikes fuel prices. But Wright’s efforts to quell concern over those costs with a dose of realism have at times put him at odds with the president, who also made a point to remind people that the former fracking executive was not his first choice for the role. Wright’s deputy, James Danly, however, has built enough credibility within the energy world — and among people in Trump’s orbit — to see steady advancement. Danly was a commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the first Trump administration after being brought in as the agency’s general counsel. He later became chair at the regulator, which oversees the transmission of natural gas and electricity. Danly is also known for being meticulous — and eschewing email in favor of using paper documents. During his time at the Energy Department, he has been involved in efforts to realign the department’s structure and shift resources to fossil fuels. He’s also taken a particular interest in how federal agencies accommodate the ballooning number of power-hungry data centers set off by the artificial intelligence boom. — Kelsey Tamborrino Commerce Department Paul Dabbar Deputy Commerce Secretary Stable hands Anytime there’s a shortlist of likely departures from Trump’s Cabinet, Howard Lutnick is almost always on it. Fortunately for the president, the Commerce secretary has a steady No. 2. Paul Dabbar, who served at the Energy Department during Trump’s first administration, handles the day-to-day operations at Commerce as Lutnick’s deputy. But Dabbar seemed to have Cabinet-level potential himself after his time at Energy, where he managed the majority of the national labs and worked on commercializing technology. In the private sector, Dabbar most recently served as the president and CEO of Bohr Quantum Technologies, which is focused on developing quantum computing. That expertise likely helped make him a trusted voice in the second Trump administration’s efforts to direct federal semiconductor research money. He also worked as a managing director at JP Morgan, where he focused on the energy sector and served as a nuclear submarine officer in the Navy. — Daniel Desrochers Environmental Protection Agency David Fotouhi Deputy Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Seasoned operator Lee Zeldin is in such a good position with Trump — who has called the former congressman and GOP nominee for New York governor his “secret weapon” — that he may get a chance to run another Cabinet post. That would leave David Fotouhi in charge of the country’s premier environmental agency. Fotouhi, an Oklahoma native and Harvard Law grad, was sworn in as EPA deputy administrator in June. Like other appointees at the agency, he is a bridge to the previous Trump administration, having served in several senior legal roles at the agency during the president’s first term, including acting general counsel. Fotouhi was involved in high-profile policy discussions at EPA at that time, when Trump officials were debating what to do about the agency’s determination that greenhouse gases need to be treated as pollutants, a contentious rule about regulating inland bodies of water and other industry aims. Before returning to EPA last year, he practiced environmental law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and had more than 30 clients — the Alliance for Automative Innovation, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce were among them, according to his recusal statement. Because of his work in private practice, Fotouhi agreed to not take part in five cases pending at EPA while serving at the agency, including its ban on asbestos. — Kevin Bogardus Interior Department Kate MacGregor Deputy Interior Secretary Tested Doug Burgum is a busy guy: In addition to his day job as Interior secretary, he’s chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, spends a good chunk of his time both on the move — Venezuela, not to mention stops in Europe and Asia — and cheerleading the administration on television. The question is whether Burgum, who was on Trump’s vice-presidential short list and reportedly coveted the Secretary of State post, still wants more. A vacancy could elevate Kate MacGregor, a former utility executive in her second tour as deputy Interior secretary, having served in the role during the first Trump administration. She’s known for her institutional knowledge of not only how to get things done at Interior but also on Capitol Hill, where she served as an aide to House Republicans for a decade. Interior is also an agency where Trump has previously tapped a deputy to take the top job full-time. During his first administration, Trump promoted David Bernhardt from the No. 2 position to lead the agency when Ryan Zinke resigned at the start of 2019. — Jennifer Yachnin Agriculture Department Stephen Vaden Deputy Agriculture Secretary Policy Whiz Brooke Rollins leveraged everything from egg prices and SNAP cuts to fertilizer costs to build the biggest public profile of any Agriculture secretary in recent memory — an approach that’s made her one of Trump’s key messengers. She’s also had ambitions that could end up putting her No. 2 in charge. Rollins, who co-founded the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute think tank, served on the White House Domestic Policy Council during Trump’s first term. After Trump’s 2024 reelection, she was interested in being White House chief of staff and she may be eager to jump at other opportunities. Her absence potentially opens the door to elevating Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, whose breadth of legal and regulatory expertise has been key to the Trump administration’s efforts to reorganize the Agriculture Department. It’s a plan that will shift most USDA positions in the Washington area to new hubs across the country. As USDA general counsel during Trump’s first term, Vaden provided legal backing for the moving of the Economic Research Service to Kansas City, Missouri. While his past work at USDA has made him unpopular with some department employees, Rollins has leaned on his deep knowledge while leading USDA. — Grace Yarrow Education Department Nicholas Kent Deputy E…

Britain has warned that it will not tolerate attempts by foreign states to intimidate or harass individuals within its borders. This statement comes after China's ambassador was summoned following the conviction of two men linked to Hong Kong's London trade office for spying on activists. The United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed on Saturday that Ambassador Zheng Zeguang was summoned the previous day in response to the British court's verdict in the national security case. Bill Yuen Chung-biu, manager of the...

Authorities will negotiate with operators of popular care homes in Guangdong province to secure more places for elderly Hongkongers to meet rising demand, the welfare minister has said, amid a ninefold surge in city residents moving into such facilities across the border in recent years. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said in an interview with the South China Morning Post that the number of elderly Hong Kong residents living in care homes under the Residential Care Services...

The U. S. Department of Labor has released a new tool to help union members and the public track how $11 billion in union dues are spent, including political activities.

As Ron DeSantis knows, an endorsement from Trump can be everything.

In an interview with Corriere, following Marco Rubio's visit to Rome, he stated: "Moving troops from Italy? I'm still considering that."

In the assembly hall, a choir of young people sang the Italian national anthem, followed by speeches from La Russa and Fontana.

Labour's collapse and Reform UK's breakthrough in Thursday's local elections reflect the rapid fragmentation of the political landscape in Europe's oldest democracy.

US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest part of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, we look at how Trump’s weakened hand could tilt summit talks. When next week’s summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was first...

More than 80 years after they occurred, the events of World War II are still hotly debated in Russia and Poland.

Until February 24, 2022, Soviet victims of World War II were almost entirely and mistakenly identified exclusively with Russia in German society and politics, while Ukraine and Belarus – the main arenas of the Nazi war and the Holocaust – were marginalized.

The Paraguayan President, Santiago Peña, expressed his intention for Paraguay to become a "significant strategic partner" of Taiwan in the high-tech sector. He highlighted his country's wealth of natural resources and raw materials during his state visit to the island. Accompanied by the Taiwanese President, William Lai, Peña toured the Southern Taiwan Science Park, where advanced semiconductor plants operated by TSMC are located, and the National Cloud Computing Center, according to a statement from the Taiwanese Presidential Office. During his address, Peña stated that Taiwan and Paraguay share a "common vision for development" and emphasized that his country possesses "abundant natural resources and a significant capacity for producing raw materials," according to the transcript released by Taiwanese authorities. The President stressed that, in order to achieve long-term prosperity and development, Paraguay must advance in the fields of academia, innovation, and high-tech industries, which motivates his interest in solidifying Paraguay's position as a "strategic partner" of Taiwan in this area. For his part, Lai expressed Taiwan's willingness to share its experience in technological development, science park management, and industrial modernization with Paraguay, with the aim of making the "strong friendship between the two countries a significant force for promoting prosperity..."

Approximately 100 ships, either registered in Hong Kong or locally managed or owned, are currently stranded in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz due to the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. This situation has left an estimated 2,300 seafarers trapped, according to an industry leader. Richard Hext, chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, told the South China Morning Post on Friday that it is very risky to navigate vessels through the strait due to the potential for attack, even though the US and Iran have recently...

The United Kingdom announced that it will "reposition in the Middle East" a destroyer, the HMS Dragon, currently in the Mediterranean, in preparation for a future international mission to protect maritime transport in the Strait of Hormuz. The initiative is a response to a need for "rigorous planning," ensuring that the United Kingdom is ready "to guarantee the security of the strait, when conditions allow," as part of an international coalition co-led with France, according to the British Ministry of Defense. The security of the Strait of Hormuz is a key element of the conflict that began on February 28 with Israeli-American airstrikes on Iran, which were halted thanks to a ceasefire that came into effect on April 8. The near-blockage of this waterway, through which 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas previously flowed, has become a major concern globally, causing fuel supply problems in Asia, difficulties for airlines, and inflation in Europe. Iran intends to impose fees for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a position strongly opposed by the United States in the name of freedom of navigation. The Islamic Republic has attacked ships in the area in retaliation for the Israeli-American offensive. The blockade is twofold, as Washington has also imposed a naval blockade since April 13.

Russia’s scaled-down Victory Day celebrations highlighted mounting security concerns and the strain of the war in Ukraine, according to Chatham House analyst Grégoire Roos. Speaking to FRANCE 24, Roos said tighter security, internet shutdowns and fears of Ukrainian drone strikes created an atmosphere “closer to wartime protection” than national triumph, even as President Vladimir Putin continues to retain broad public support.

Leone met with a delegation from Senegal, stating that "hate speech poisons the social fabric."

HMS Dragon will be dispatched ahead of an international mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Britain's Ministry of Denfense said.

Passengers were evacuated safely after the plane struck a person and an engine then caught on fire A Frontier Airlines plane hit a person on the runway of Denver’s international airport during takeoff, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate, authorities said. The plane, headed to Los Angeles, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff” at about 11.19pm on Friday, the Denver airport’s official X account wrote. Continue reading...

In an interview with Corriere, he declined to comment on the relocation of operations from Germany to Eastern Europe.

China and France must respect each other’s core interests, particularly the one-China principle, and strengthen a strategic partnership “free from external interference”, top diplomat Wang Yi said during talks with a senior adviser to the French president on Friday. Wang, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, held talks in Beijing with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Wang said the...

The head of the "International Arbitration Institute," a new organization established under China's leadership to resolve international disputes through mediation, announced that it had resolved a maritime dispute between China and Singapore. This move appears to be an effort by China to emphasize its commitment to resolving issues through dialogue and to shape a global order that favors its interests.

No agreements have been reached regarding the next round of negotiations, Russian presidential aide

Woman recovered after volcanic eruption on remote island, while operation to find two missing Singaporeans goes on Rescuers on Saturday recovered the body of an Indonesian woman who was caught in a volcanic eruption on Mount Dukono on Indonesia’s remote island of Halmahera, as search operations continued for the bodies of two Singaporeans, officials said. The dead hikers were among 20 who set out to scale the 1,355m (4,445ft) volcano in defiance of safety restrictions and became stranded when Dukono erupted early on Friday, spewing a thick ash column about 6 miles (10km) into the air. Continue reading...

Earlier this week, President Trump threatened European car makers with 25% tariffs before walking it back later in the week. How is the EU dealing with this unpredictability?

Insurgent parties like Reform U.K. saw a surge in support at the polls this week. However, the British electoral system was not designed for a multi-party democracy.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, a former journalist, led his party to the most seats in the Welsh Parliament, ousting the Labour Party, which had long held sway, and beating Reform U. K.

Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a pared-back Victory Day celebration on Saturday in Moscow’s Red Square, as a three-day ceasefire in the war in Ukraine appeared to hold. The annual May 9 parade to commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II was held under heavy security amid fears of Ukrainian attacks. For the first time in years, no armored vehicles or ballistic missiles featured in Putin’s Victory Day parade. Ahead of the celebrations, Moscow and Kyiv agreed to a three-day ceasefire and prisoner exchange mediated by the United States, U. S. President Donald Trump said on Friday. The ceasefire is to run from Saturday to Monday to facilitate the transfer of 1,000 prisoners of war from each side, Trump said on social media. Speaking to the crowd Saturday morning, Putin invoked the sacrifices of the Second World War to rally support for his soldiers fighting in Ukraine. “The great feat of the generation of victors inspires the warriors carrying out the tasks of the special military operation today,” the Russian leader said, using the Kremlin’s euphemism for his invasion of Ukraine. “They stand against an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc,” Putin said. “And despite this, our heroes move forward. Victory has always been and will always be ours,” he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy quickly signaled his support for the ceasefire on Friday, thanking Trump for helping coordinate the agreement. “I thank the President of the United States and his team for their productive diplomatic involvement,” Zelenskyy said. “We expect the United States to ensure that the Russian side fulfills these agreements.” Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating past ceasefire agreements on multiple occasions. Russia declared a brief ceasefire to commemorate Orthodox Easter in April, which allowed the two countries to exchange 175 prisoners of war. But both sides claimed the other launched attacks during the ceasefire window.

The BBC's Russia editor reports from Moscow, where the annual Victory Day display was quieter than usual.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed a positive outlook on his meeting with Pope Leo XIV earlier this week, despite tensions between the White House and Vatican over the Iran conflict. “The holy father is a spiritual leader, first and foremost. I mean, that’s his role to play, and obviously the church has always interacted…

The UK will deploy one of its warships to the Middle East as part of planning for a European-led mission to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz once there’s a stable ceasefire.

Warsaw has recorded an unprecedented number of hybrid attacks on its territory since 2024, Poland’s internal security service (ABW) said in a report published this week. Amateur spies once used by Russian intelligence services have laid the groundwork for more complex operations, according to a researcher who has been following the emergence of these “single-use agents”.

Kremlin Spokesman noted that both the path toward a peace agreement on Ukraine and "the path with Iran that the United States still has to go through" are lengthy processes full of highly complex details

Demonstrators are opposed to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s efforts to build up military power and move the country away from its pacifist identity.

The U. S. military on Friday said its forces struck and “disabled” two Iranian-flagged oil tankers to stop them pulling into an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman. The attacks on the ships near the Strait of Hormuz cast more doubt on a tenuous ceasefire that the Trump administration insists is still holding. Washington is awaiting Tehran’s response to the latest U. S. proposals on a peace deal. “U. S. forces in the Middle East remain committed to full enforcement of the blockade of vessels entering or leaving Iran,” said U. S. Central Command commander Brad Cooper in a written statement. Recent days have seen the U. S. and Iran exchange fire, despite a monthlong ceasefire which U. S. President Donald Trump maintains is “still in effect.” U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the U. S. was expecting a response from Iran on a peace proposal, with media reports quoting him on Friday as saying: “We’re expecting a response from them today at some point … I hope it’s a serious offer, I really do. … The hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation.” Trump has warned the U. S. would “knock [Iran] out a lot harder, and a lot more violently,” if Tehran does not accept a peace deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday accused the U. S. of opting for a “reckless military adventure” every time a “diplomatic solution is on the table.” “Is it a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler once again duping POTUS into another quagmire?” he wrote on X. “Whatever the causes, outcome is the same: Iranians never bow to pressure.”

The European Union (EU) has urged the Iranian regime to take "all necessary measures" to ensure that the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Narges Mohammadi, receives "definitive and urgent" medical attention after more than a week of hospitalization in the cardiac care unit of a hospital in Zanjan. "The European Union is deeply concerned by reports indicating the serious state of health of the human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Narges Mohammadi, who is currently detained in Iran," said Anouar El Anouni, the European spokesperson for foreign affairs, in a statement. The spokesperson added that the EU urges "the Iranian authorities to immediately take all necessary measures to ensure that Narges Mohammadi receives, definitively and urgently, the appropriate medical care." He also reiterated that the charges against Mohammadi "are based solely on her legitimate and peaceful defense of human rights, and we continue to call for her immediate and unconditional release." Narges Mohammadi, a journalist and human rights advocate, is serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for various charges. According to her defense team, she has lost approximately 20 kilograms during her imprisonment and is experiencing difficulty speaking. The Mohammadi Foundation, based in Paris, announced that since April 24th, Mohammadi has been experiencing recurrent episodes of intense chest pain, palpitations, and severe fluctuations in blood pressure.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under growing pressure after Labour suffered major setbacks in local elections across England, while also struggling in Wales and Scotland as Reform UK continued to gain support. The results have raised fresh questions about Starmer’s leadership less than a year after leading Labour back into government. France 24’s Gavin Lee speaks to James Lyons, who served under Starmer in Downing Street and previously worked as political editor at the Daily Mirror and The Sunday Times.

Hong Kong homebuyers snapped up new flats on offer on Saturday, fuelling optimism that the bull run in the city’s property market will continue. All 154 units at Sun Hung Kai Properties’ Lime Spark project sold out as of 4.30pm, while 147 homes, or 93 per cent of the 158 flats available at Henderson Land’s Highwood Phase 2 project, found buyers, according to real property agents. “Home prices have climbed by nearly 8 per cent this year, and prospective buyers are likely to find that a delay in...

USCIS data suggests a rise in visa denials for skilled immigrants, influenced by previous administration policies.

According to him, reaching a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev is "a very long path filled with very complex details"

PM’s wife, accompanying him to the polls, follows a long line of women to mobilise the jacket when stakes are high Not a white flag but a cream blazer was what Victoria Starmer chose to wear to accompany her husband, the prime minister, to vote on Thursday morning. She follows in a long line of women who have mobilised the power blazer at high-stakes moments. Starmer’s, which looks much like a £1,690 ivory Alexander McQueen crepe design, comes hot on the lapels of another. In episode one of the new series of Amandaland, Amanda wears a beige double-breasted iteration in a high-stakes fictional moment: to give a toe-curling talk about her (not shallow) lifestyle brand Senuous as part of careers week at her kid’s school. Earlier in the week, the Princess of Wales launched the Foundations for Life report wearing a creamy beige high-waisted Roland Mouret suit. Continue reading...

Reaching an agreement, a peace agreement, is a very long path with complex details, the Kremlin spokesman said while commenting on remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the US is ready to mediate Russian-Ukrainian negotiations only if there is progress

The amendment to the charges would allow for a broadening of the investigative methods. The search efforts have resumed.

The "Victory Day" parade on Red Square in Moscow, held on the morning of May 9, lasted around 45 minutes, making it one of the shortest in modern Russian history.

Ankara has voiced alarm at Cyprus’s announcement that France will deploy soldiers on the Mediterranean island. The move has fuelled Turkish fears of encirclement, as Cyprus and Greece continue to deepen defence ties with Turkey’s rival Israel.

I co-commissioned the Gaza Genocide Tapestry which will be displayed at the Venice Biennale. Here's the story behind it.

Labour party loses more than 1,400 English council seats and crashes out in Welsh and Scottish parliament votes • UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, is facing increasing pressure to set a date for his departure after elections across much of the country resulted in massive losses for his ruling Labour party. With the bulk of results now counted after voting on Thursday, Labour had lost more than 1,400 representatives from English councils, the local government structures that deliver many neighbourhood services. Continue reading...

The Russian president said his troops “are resisting an aggressive force that is being armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc.”

The Nobel Peace Prize is currently held. "The charges against Mohammadi are based solely on her legitimate and peaceful activities in defending human rights."

Russia marks downsized Victory Day parade as Putin pledges victory in Ukraine 'special military operation'.

The decisions made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner have negatively impacted staff morale and put his position under scrutiny. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, President Donald Trump has approved a plan to dismiss Marty Makary, the commissioner of the US FDA. This decision follows a series of controversial agency decisions that have placed the FDA head in the crosshairs of the White House and Republican lawmakers. Makary's time at the FDA has been marked by several contentious decisions regarding drugs and vaccines, compounded by declining staff morale due to layoffs and the appointment of divisive officials. Recent political clashes have involved issues such as abortion, drugs, and vaping. However, decisions to retract publications on the safety of shingles and Covid vaccines, among other immunization-related decisions, have also caused significant concern in the public health sector. There have also been concerns raised about the transition from two clinical trials to one, the commissioner's new priority review vouchers, and "data-free" regulatory decisions.

Exclusive social hub planned for renovated vault as NYSE competes with Nasdaq for lucrative tech IPOs

A rapid trip with the prime minister to Armenia highlighted the new era of amity between Canada and the European Union. We examine what that can and can’t do for Canadians.

In Moscow, the capital of Russia, the annual Victory Day ceremony commemorating the end of World War II was held with a reduced scale compared to previous years. President Putin emphasized that "victory is ours," referring to the ongoing military intervention in Ukraine. Prior to this, the former U.S. President Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine would observe a three-day ceasefire starting on the 9th of the month, but whether this ceasefire will actually be implemented remains uncertain.

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, stated this Friday that he was awaiting a response from Iran to the latest proposal from Washington aimed at reaching an agreement to end the war in the Middle East. "I am supposedly receiving a letter tonight, so we will see what happens," Trump told reporters in front of the White House. When asked about a possible intentional delay by Tehran, the president responded: "We will know soon." Trump stated that, if the agreement is not reached, his administration would consider "a different path," mentioning the "Project Liberty Plus," which would expand the previous initiative with new elements. He also noted that Pakistan, a country acting as a mediator, has asked the United States not to abandon the path of negotiation. For his part, the spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ismail Bagaei, stated that the American proposal is still under evaluation. "The proposal is being studied, and once we reach a definitive conclusion, we will undoubtedly announce it," Bagaei said, according to the Tasnim news agency. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, expressed from Rome that he expected a response from Iran during the day and expressed his hope that it would be "something that can put us on a serious path of negotiation." In other news, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched an attack on the last day against...

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Polish far-right leader Sławomir Mentzen, who finished third in last year’s presidential election, was reportedly held for hours at a London airport before being released to continue a family visit to the UK. Mentzen claims he was detained because the British authorities wrongly believed he was planning to speak at a political event. He accused the UK of being a “totalitarian state” that implements “pre-emptive political censorship”. “This crumbling state has no problem with being colonised by Indians and Arabs, but it does have a problem with me possibly wanting to say something to someone here,” he declared. Zostałem dziś zatrzymany na ponad trzy godziny na lotnisku w Londynie, ponieważ Brytyjczycy bali się, że będę przemawiał na jakimś spotkaniu politycznym, na które nawet się nie wybierałem. To upadające państwo nie ma problemu z tym, że jest kolonizowane przez Hindusów i Arabów,… — Sławomir Mentzen (@SlawomirMentzen) May 8, 2026 Mentzen is the leader of a far-right libertarian party called New Hope (Nowa Nadzieja), which in turn is part of the broader far-right Confederation (Konfederacja) alliance that has 16 seats in Poland’s parliament. Mentzen himself is an MP. Last year, he was also Confederation’s candidate in Poland’s presidential elections, finishing third with 14.8% of the vote. Confederation is also currently running third in the polls, with support of around 13%, ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections. Last month, during a speech in parliament, another Confederation MP, Konrad Berkowicz, displayed an Israeli flag in which the Star of David had been replaced by a Nazi swastika. He accused Israel of being “the new Third Reich”, a message repeated by Mentzen himself when he shared a video of Berkowicz’s speech. A far-right MP displayed an Israeli flag in which the Star of David had been replaced with a Nazi swastika during a speech in Poland's parliament in which he accused Israel of being the “new Third Reich” and of committing genocide in Gaza https://t.co/jcWPZFG9N1 — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) April 14, 2026 Late on Friday afternoon, Mentzen announced on social media that he had been held for over three hours at a London airport after flying into the city with his wife and their children. He claimed to have been told by an officer that he had been detained due to being flagged by an unnamed organisation. He was asked the reasons for his visit, where he would be staying, and if he was planning to attend and speak at any events. Mentzen said he was eventually released with no explanation as to why he had been detained nor which organisation had reported him. However, he believes it is clear he was held because of his political views. Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads “Only certain views are censored,” declared Mentzen. “If I were an Islamic fundamentalist publicly demanding that gays be thrown from towers, that disobedient women’s faces be burned with acid, and that Israel be destroyed, I wouldn’t have a problem. If I were a rabbi praising genocide in Gaza, no one would have detained me either.” “If I’d simply rowed in here on a dinghy with some Africans, I wouldn’t have had a problem getting in. Illegal immigrants, criminals and basically anyone who wants to come is welcome here. That’s fine by them. What’s not fine is a Polish politician who wanted to spend the weekend with his family in London.” “Of course, every country should have the freedom to decide whom it wants to host,” Mentzen added. “I don’t want immigrants from savage countries in Poland, I don’t want murderers and rapists. The British don’t want people with my views.” "We cannot allow Ukrainians" – Poland's largest immigrant group – "to have representation in parliament," warns far-right leader Sławomir Mentzen. His remarks come amid discussion over toughening the criteria for foreigners to obtain Polish citizenship https://t.co/y86IbrfpcT — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) October 7, 2025 A few hours later, Metzen posted a further message in which he thanked Poland’s foreign minister, Radosław Sikorski, and consul in London, Agnieszka Fabryczewska, for “promising to forward questions and requests for clarification to the British authorities”. Sikorski, who is a deputy leader of Poland’s main ruling party, the centrist Civic Coalition (KO), and a political opponent of Mentzen, shared Mentzen’s post on his own account on X. Mentzen also thanked two senior aides to opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki, who has good relations with Confederation, for “taking an interest in the matter and for their assurance of appropriate action on the part of the office of the President”. Bardzo dziękuję szefowi MSZ Radosławowi Sikorskiemu i Pani konsul Agnieszce Fabryczewskiej za kontakt oraz obietnicę wysłania pytań i próśb o wyjaśnienia do brytyjskich instytucji. Dziękuję też ministrom Marcinowi Przydaczowi i Adamowi Andruszkiewiczowi za zainteresowanie się… — Sławomir Mentzen (@SlawomirMentzen) May 8, 2026 Earlier, the head of the president’s Office of International Policy (BPM), Marcin Przydacz, had criticised Mentzen’s detention and pledged to raise the issue with the British authorities. There has so far been no comment on the incident from the British authorities. However, the UK has previously sought to prevent other Polish far-right figures from entering the country. In 2022, Mentzen’s predecessor as leader of New Hope, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, was prevented from boarding a flight to the UK. Previously, Jacek Międlar, a former priest and far-right figure, was banned from entering the UK. In 2021, a prominent right-wing journalist, Rafał Ziemkiewicz, was also refused entry. Senior foreign policy aide to Poland's president says he will raise his concerns with British authorities regarding the brief detention of Poland's Konfederacja party leader Mentzen at a London airport earlier today; says incident harms Britain's standing in Polish society. https://t.co/YY0KiwFhXg — Jakub Krupa (@JakubKrupa) May 8, 2026 Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: CzarneckiRadek/Wikimedia Commons (under CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Five Star Movement (M5S) in the European Parliament: "There's not much to celebrate; it has become the home of austerity."

The parade was vastly scaled back compared to previous years, with no military hardware on display for the first time in nearly two decades.

The billionaire failed to respond to a summons from the Paris prosecutor's office for a voluntary interview on April 20. His outburst against the judges on Friday followed earlier comments targeting the left, particularly in the United Kingdom.

Vladimir Putin has praised Russian troops fighting in Ukraine in a speech at Moscow's May 9 parade. The threat of Ukrainian attacks means tanks, missiles and other heavy weapons are absent from this year's event.

Pallegama Hemarathana, the chief prelate of Colombo, is accused of abusing an 11-year-old girl in a temple.

"Lombardy is the region most affected, followed by Emilia-Romagna and Veneto."

As US President Donald Trump prepares to visit Beijing next week after a six-week delay, the cause of the delay – the war on Iran and the resulting closure of the Strait of Hormuz – risks becoming a fresh point of friction in his summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. While both China and the US stand to benefit from the reopening of the strait and a permanent end to the war, Beijing and Washington have viewed the crisis through different lenses and sharply diverged over how to achieve...

He also noted that there had been no discussions about extending the ceasefire, nor any attempts to disrupt Victory Day celebrations

The landlocked body of water has taken on new significance, with Russia shipping military and commercial goods to bolster Tehran’s ability to withstand the U. S. assault.

Republicans are eight seats closer to keeping control of the House, making Democrats’ climb toward reclaiming power in November more difficult.

High prices of fuel, fertilizer and other essentials are forcing farmers in Thailand and elsewhere to skip a planting season to avoid losing money on their harvests.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that his soldiers in Ukraine were fighting an "aggressive force" backed by all of NATO and described his war goals as "just", in a combative address to the annual Victory Day parade on Red Square.

Competition among Hong Kong florists heated up on the day before Mother’s Day as stores slashed bouquet prices and offered more innovative products, with some vendors reporting weaker business and lower profit margins compared with last year. Despite the wet weather on Saturday, vendors at the Mong Kok Flower Market touted colourful bouquets of carnations, roses and other fresh flowers. The price of a medium-sized bouquet at the market ranged from HK$300 to HK$400 (US$38.32 to US$51.10), at...

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday oversaw a military parade commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II on Red Square. Security was tight in Moscow as Putin spoke at the parade, even as a US-brokered three-day ceasefire eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities. Putin, in power for over a quarter of a century, has used Victory Day, Russia’s most important secular holiday, to showcase the country’s military might and rally support for his...

The US ​and Iran appeared no closer on Saturday to finding an end to their war after the two sides traded fire in the Gulf amid a tenuous ceasefire.

Keir Starmer’s main leadership rivals went into Thursday’s local elections weighing a challenge against the prime minister. But Friday’s results showed some of them on increasingly shaky ground in their own constituencies, a factor complicating any potential coup.

In the 1980s, then-Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad launched his "Look East" policy, urging his country and others in Southeast Asia to emulate the state-led economic development models of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, rather than those of market-dominated Western nations. China subsequently emerged as a prime example of state-led development, but Japan is now leaning again towards a more dirigiste model under the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, not only in...

The Russian leader used his annual speech to justify his so-called special military operation in Ukraine.

Oral fish oil intake may not improve and could even speed up cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease, a research team from China’s Army Medical University has found. Many older adults are accustomed to taking omega-3 supplements to help protect cognitive function. However, findings from the Chinese study challenge this view. The study was based on an analysis of more than 800 older adults in North America, around half of whom carry the dementia-risk gene APOEε4. The data showed that those...

Several frontbenchers told the Guardian they agreed the prime minister’s time in office should not go beyond the end of the year 2026 elections mapped: how Labour lost ground in different directions Keir Starmer is under pressure to set out a timeline for his departure after a crushing defeat in elections across Britain prompted senior Labour MPs to call for him to step down within a year. In a disastrous set of results, Labour had lost control of more than 25 councils and more than 1,000 council seats in England by Friday night, many to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, which made large gains across the Midlands and the north as well as taking seats from the Tories in the south. Continue reading...

The crime occurred at the victim's residence, where the victim was struck on the head with an object.

Beijing is moving to make green electricity usage a key metric in the operation of new data centre projects, as part of a major push to align the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence with national carbon goals, according to an action plan released Friday. The policy document, jointly released by four bodies – the National Energy Administration, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and National Data Administration – encouraged operators...

Preserving the memory about the events of the Great Patriotic War, its true history and true heroes is a matter of honor for us, Putin stressed

According to the airline statement, the incident happened during takeoff at around 10:15 PM on Friday.

As the ceasefire begins, Zelenskyy says "Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home." Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Europe. A three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine begins today, including "a suspension of all 'kinetic activity'" and a prisoner exchange of 1,000 individuals from each country. Although it was initially announced by Donald Trump on social media, it has since been confirmed by both sides. In recent days, there have been many appeals and signals regarding the arrangements for tomorrow in Moscow concerning our Ukrainian long-range sanctions. The principle of symmetry in our actions is well known and has been clearly communicated to the Russian side. An additional argument for Ukraine in determining our position has always been the resolution of one of the key humanitarian issues of this war – namely, the release of prisoners of war. Red Square is less important to us than the lives of Ukrainian prisoners who can be brought home. Continue reading...

Warsaw is ready to take in more US soldiers, Poland’s defense minister said on Saturday, after US President Donald Trump indicated he may relocate troops from neighboring Germany.

Ukraine celebrates Europe Day not as a mere formality or a slogan, but with a genuine understanding that it is an inseparable part of the European family.

Two new forces are gaining ground, the right-wing populists of Reform and the left-wing radicals of the Greens, drawing support away from the traditional parties. This will necessitate forming governing coalitions involving multiple parties.

The President of the United States: "Hantavirus? It appears the situation is under control."

Support for Israel in the United States continues to weaken — both among all young voters and especially in Democratic circles and even amongst Jewish Americans. Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to reduce Israeli dependence on US military aid to zero within 10 years - is that realistic?

In his speech, Gilinski recounted his personal and professional journey, highlighting his arrival in the United States as a student.

Elon Musk has launched a tirade against French judicial authorities currently investigating possible abuses on his X social network. France opened an inquiry in January 2025 into allegations that X, formerly known as Twitter, was used to interfere in French politics. The investigation has since widened to cover allegations of Holocaust denial, distribution of sexual deepfakes and most recently possible complicity in the distribution of images of child sexual abuse. Responding to a post on the...

Events are set to be scaled back amid security fears and signs of fatigue over the more than four-year war on Ukraine.

The parade is set to be scaled back amid security fears and signs of fatigue over the more than four-year war on Ukraine.

The United States has sanctioned a total of nine mainland Chinese and Hong Kong companies and individuals accused of helping Iran’s military. The decision, which risks complicating Donald Trump’s visit to China next week, was announced on Friday by the Treasury and State departments. A Treasury Department press release said those targeted were “enabling efforts by Iran’s military to secure weapons” or securing “raw materials with applications in Iran’s Shahed‑series unmanned aerial vehicles and...

Yemeni soldiers earn $38 to $116 monthly, but an unstable currency has eroded the value of their salaries.