Shifting Geopolitical Dialogue and Tensionsactive

The former chancellor's office, in response to a request from the DPA news agency, stated that Schroeder would not be making any statements regarding his willingness to mediate the talks.

Iran submitted its response to the US proposal aimed at ending the war, even as a series of incidents continued to put pressure on an already fragile ceasefire.

President Donald Trump said that Iran's latest response to his proposal to end the 10-week conflict with the US is "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE," as the two sides continue to maintain a fragile ceasefire.

"After four years of war and sanctions, diplomacy must take the lead," the statement says.

The U. S. wants ‘stability’ but China’s Communist leader has larger ambitions.

Approximately 146,000 years ago, during the Ice Age, a group of archaic humans carved stones with a logic that scientists did not expect to find in that region or during that period. The tools they left behind at the Lingjing site, in central China, are rewriting what was known about human intelligence in East Asia. Within a fossil bone from an ungulate animal, similar to a deer, crystals of calcite—a mineral that acts as a natural clock—grew, and their analysis revealed that the site is 20,000 years older than previously believed. This places its occupation not in a warm period, but in the midst of a severe glacial period, approximately 146,000 years ago. Stones carved at the worst possible time The study was led by Yu-chao Zhao, a researcher at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, United States, along with senior researcher Zhan-yang Li, from Shandong University, China. The team included specialists from the University of Michigan, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and the findings were published in the journal *Journal of Human Evolution*. The Lingjing site, located in the city of Xuchang, in Henan province, was excavated between 2005 and 2016 and revealed cranial fossils and thousands of stone tools. They belonged to *Homo juluensis*, an archaic human species with traits shared with Neanderthals in Europe, and with cranial capacities of approximately 1,800 cubic centimeters. Before the study was conducted…

A play of lights was used to strongly criticize the club's advertisement.

South Korea says it is investigating an incident on May 4 when two unidentified objects struck a Korean-operated cargo ship.

Tehran proposes a "ceasefire and a secure Strait of Hormuz." For Netanyahu, "it's not over."

Volunteers at al-Shifa Hospital cleared rubble and planted olive trees in the courtyard as a symbol of hope.

Details were not immediately clear. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said he hoped the response would include a “serious offer for a ceasefire.”

The Chief of the Pakistani Army, General Asim Munir, issued a stern warning to India on Sunday, stating that any future aggression will have "extremely painful" consequences, as he commemorated the first anniversary of the brief armed conflict that pitted the two nuclear powers against each other in 2025. From the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, Munir described the so-called "Operation Bunyan-um Marsoos" as an "unprecedented victory," a four-day confrontation that began after a terrorist attack on tourists in the Indian town of Pahalgam in April of last year. According to the General, Pakistani forces struck "more than 26 enemy military targets." "The defense of Pakistan is today completely impenetrable," he stated to the military leadership during a day of national celebrations that the state has dubbed the "Battle of Truth." While Islamabad celebrates a resounding success, New Delhi also claimed victory at the time, asserting that it had neutralized Pakistani offensive capabilities and inflicted severe damage to its strategic infrastructure. In May 2025, the disparity in data regarding casualties and material losses on both sides made it impossible for international observers to determine a clear winner. The escalation, which brought the world to the brink of a nuclear war, was only halted on May 10, 2025, thanks to a ceasefire mediated by…

Ukraine and Norway have agreed to jointly produce long-range 155 mm artillery shells.

No details have been released regarding the original proposal from the North American country, nor about Tehran's response.

President Donald Trump is likely to press President Xi Jinping over China’s approach to Iran when they meet later this week, senior US officials said Sunday.

I consider the proposal worthy of welcome as it brings movement into German-Russian relations, she said, adding that Schroeder had long offered himself as a mediator in the conflict in Ukraine

The Catholic Church has accused the Secretariat of Governance (Segob) and the National Migration Institute (INM) of detaining migrants in Mexico City in recent days. These detentions reportedly occurred in public spaces or in people's homes without official warrants and without the minimum guarantees of due process. The Church called for an end to these raids and for the migration operations to be brought into compliance with the constitutional framework. Through its editorial section, "From the Faith," the Church explained that the Human Mobility Pastoral of the Archdiocese of Mexico City has received direct and verified testimonies, along with those from partner organizations, regarding detentions carried out in the Cuauhtémoc and Miguel Hidalgo boroughs, particularly in the neighborhoods of Guerrero, San Rafael, La Merced, Tepito, and in areas of Polanco and Iztapalapa. The report detailed that official vehicles bearing the logos of the Secretariat of Governance (Segob) and the National Migration Institute (INM) have transported foreign nationals, intercepted in public spaces or even in their own homes, to migration stations and, subsequently, to other parts of the country. Also read: Amnesty International demands protection for mothers searching for missing persons; warns of a crisis of disappearances in Mexico. The report further stated that, according to information gathered by the Human Mobility Pastoral, these operations have, in numerous cases, been carried out without official warrants to support them, and without clear identification of…

Russian President Vladimir Putin finally says he is ready for real meetings.

Merlino and Proietti, prominent figures within the FdI party, have been ousted. The Democratic Party (PD) states: "There is a war within the ruling coalition."

Aware of the potentially devastating impact their technology could have on jobs and society, the leaders of OpenAI and Anthropic are advancing a range of progressive ideas aimed at preserving social cohesion.

Bryan Clark is a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson Institute.

Witkoff and Kushner are expected to travel to Moscow soon. The EU does not rule out dialogue but rejects Schroeder's role as a mediator.

Party leader has been vocal about its gains in London and there is a feeling that its losses could have been worse By any sane person’s reckoning, the Conservative party had a night to forget in Thursday’s local, mayoral and devolved elections. It lost about 500 councillors in England and ceded control of three local authorities to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK – losing to the rightwing upstarts in England, Wales and Scotland. Why then is Kemi Badenoch hailing these results as proof that “the Conservatives are coming back” – and why do many Tory MPs appear to agree with her? The Conservative leader was vocal on Friday about the eye-catching gains her party made in politically atypical London, where the Tories won back the totemic council of Westminster, took the most seats in Wandsworth council and saw off the threat from Reform in Bexley and Bromley. Continue reading...

The opposition party uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) (Spear of the Nation) has called for a motion of no confidence against the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, after the country's Constitutional Court decided to reopen an impeachment process against him for allegedly covering up the theft of foreign currency from a property he owns in 2020. The party, founded by former President Jacob Zuma, has demanded that the vote in the National Assembly take place in a closed session, joining a previous request from the African Transformation Movement (ATM) party, according to a statement published on Facebook. While the combined number of seats held by the two parties in Parliament – 58 and 2, respectively – is not enough to reach the simple majority required to pass a motion of no confidence, a secret ballot would allow certain factions within the African National Congress (ANC) to express their dissatisfaction with the current leader's performance. This request comes after the South African Constitutional Court overturned a 2022 vote in the chamber that rejected a report including evidence of alleged irregularities committed by Ramaphosa in a case that resurfaced two years ago, when the former head of intelligence accused the president of attempting to cover up the theft of approximately $580,000 hidden in a sofa at a farm he owns. The court's ruling points to the formation of an impeachment commission for…

Iran may negotiate about its nuclear facilities, but it "will not destroy uranium or allow it to be moved."

US president says Washington has the nuclear material in Iran 'surveilled' and will 'blow up' anyone who gets near it.

Plus, US Treasury secretary visits Tokyo and Starmer attempts reset in the UK after disastrous local election results

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned in a clip aired Sunday morning that the war in Iran is not yet over—and military forces may need to continue the battle on the ground. “I think it accomplished a great deal, but it’s not over,” Netanyahu told CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett in his first U.S. broadcast television interview since the war with Iran began. The preview of the interview, which will air in full Sunday evening, touched on Netanyahu’s belief that Iran still holds enriched uranium that must be removed, though he did not specify how that would happen. “There are still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled. There are still proxies that Iran supports. There are ballistic missiles that they still want to produce,” Netanyahu said. “Now, we’ve degraded a lot of it. But all that is still there, and there’s work to be done.” When pressed on how that could be accomplished, the prime minister laughed. “You go in, and you take it out,” he said. “I’m not gonna talk about military means, but what President Trump has said to me, ‘I want to go in there.’ And I think it can be done physically. That’s not the problem. If you have an agreement, and you go in, and you take it out, why not? That’s the best way.” The United States and Israel first launched attacks against Iran in February, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump initially gave varying estimates on the l…

Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said Sunday that President Trump is entering his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a "weakened" position. "President Trump is going into this meeting terribly weakened," Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told host Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday." "He has involved ourselves in…

Syria's judiciary has charged Atef Najib with acts "amounting to war crimes" as Bashar Assad's cousin is accused of orchestrating a crackdown on 2011 protests that subsequently degenerated into a decade of civil war.

One of five French people flown back to France on Sunday from the cruise ship struck by a deadly hantavirus outbreak is showing symptoms of the illness, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. “One of them showed symptoms in the repatriation plane,” he posted on social media. “These five passengers have immediately been placed in strict isolation until further notice. “They are getting medical treatment and will have tests and a medical check-up,” he added. Lecornu also said he would...

The prime minister still sounds like an opposition leader

Rhun ap Iorwerth says he hopes to work with other parties and press the UK government for extra powers UK politics live – latest updates The leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has vowed to form a stable minority government in the Senedd and said he would seek out mature cooperation from all opposition parties. Ap Iorwerth said his administration would press the UK government for extra powers over policy areas such as policing and justice and focus on results rather than engaging in political rows with Westminster. Continue reading...

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S. C.) claimed that Supreme Court Justice Chief John Roberts will join the ranks of “infamous” high court justices over a recent decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act. “I never thought I would see the day that the United States Supreme Court would be so openly partisan with what it’s been doing,”…

Angela Rayner, one of the potential contenders in any UK leadership contest, warned Prime Minister Keir Starmer he had to urgently change the direction of his government in an intervention that will be seen as setting out her stall in the event of a contest.

Plus, Iran’s leader is MIA, hantavirus cruise passengers face quarantine, and a billionaire allegedly falls victim to sextortion.

Red states in the South are seeking to advance the GOP’s goal of keeping the House majority this fall by redrawing their congressional maps in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that reignited the redistricting arms race.    Tennessee Republicans approved a new map on Thursday that threatens to unseat the state’s lone House Democrat after the high court’s ruling, which declared Louisiana’s map…

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng will travel to South Korea this week for trade talks with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, both sides confirmed on Sunday, in the final round of negotiations before a summit between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing. The meeting is scheduled for May 12 and 13 in Seoul and comes days before Trump’s state visit to China on May 14 and 15. China’s Ministry of Commerce said He would lead a delegation to hold economic and trade...

The works on display come from the museum’s major collection of modern American and European art, acquired in the 70s by Farah Pahlavi, the former shah’s wife, which has largely been kept out of public view since the revolution.

US gov't cuts to food stamps will hit thousands of Californians. The state is set to vote on billionaire tax to make up.

Former deputy prime minister says that Labour "needs to change" in her first remarks since the local election defeat.

The prime minister needs to convince doubters that he is not a bystander but someone who is in control

The Spanish adventurer promoted himself as the central figure in the "conquest of Mexico," but this has been used to exploit his image in the political battles of the 21st century.

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Amazon Music Sky News Is anyone really prepared to put their head above the parapet to challenge Keir Starmer? After a disastrous set of election results, Labour backbencher Catherine West has launched a stalking-horse threat to force the prime minister out. But with rival camps in disarray and would-be successors staying silent, will the cabinet unite around a successor or fracture even further? In this special debrief edition of Politics at Sam and Anne’s, the duo reveal who’s talking to who and whether Labour can stop the chaos before it spirals out of control. And with the SNP and Plaid Cymru looking likely to lead the devolved administrations, will the state of the union be put into further question?

Chances of Starmer remaining in No 10 appear to be diminishing as about 40 Labour MPs call for him to quit UK politics live – latest updates Keir Starmer is facing a perilous 24 hours as allies of Wes Streeting said he was prepared to bid for the leadership if the prime minister’s premiership falls apart this week. Starmer was hoping to save his job with a speech that sets out his vision for turning the country around on Monday, after a disastrous set of local election results in which the party lost support to Reform UK and the Greens. Continue reading...

U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Mike Waltz on Sunday reiterated his push for the international coalition’s security council to pass a resolution condemning the Iranian government’s restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the Trump administration, alongside Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait…

Conservative and Reform leaders cheered as they address crowd, while Labour’s Pat McFadden met with boos and shouts of ‘where is Starmer?’ Thousands of people gathered outside Downing Street on Sunday to protest an increase in antisemitic hate crimes and violence, as senior politicians and interfaith leaders called for unity. The Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally, backed by more than 30 Jewish groups, drew thousands of people to Whitehall, as Conservative and Liberal Democrat party leaders, alongside Labour and Reform representatives, addressed a crowd studded with Israeli and union jack flags, and ‘Where is Keir?’ placards. Continue reading...

Bordeaux's new city council has launched a major program to weed sidewalks across the city, while in Montpellier, officials are considering expanding what it calls France's first 'wild district.'

Revocation decrees have been issued for Merlino, located near Fazzolari, and for Proietti.

The anti-establishment Reform leader scored big gains across England, Scotland and Wales last week. Now he needs to convert those local wins into national gravitas.

A South Korean cargo ship that was struck in the Strait of Hormuz six days ago was hit by unidentified aircraft, the foreign ministry in Seoul said on Sunday, days after the fire-damaged HMM Namu arrived in Dubai. US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran had "taken some shots" at the Panama-flagged vessel and urged South Korea to join US operations aimed at restoring normal shipping through the strait. The vital waterway has been virtually closed since the United States and Israel launched a war...

The Iranian government delivered its official response on Sunday to the peace proposal put forward by the United States, aimed at ending the war that began just over two months ago. According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, the document was sent through Pakistan, a country that has acted as a mediator in the conflict between the two nations. According to Iran's proposal, the current phase of negotiations will focus exclusively on ending the hostilities in the region. The latest peace efforts aim for a temporary memorandum of understanding to halt the war, focusing on two key points: an immediate ceasefire and the opening of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. "The idea is to achieve a pause that allows the region to breathe while a comprehensive agreement is discussed," sources from both sides told the Reuters news agency. Meanwhile, Iran and the United States are discussing a broader agreement that would address intractable disputes, such as Iran's nuclear program, an initiative that the United States seeks to halt.

Tehran has formally submitted its response to a United States proposal to end the war, Iranian state media reported on Sunday without providing details. “The current phase of negotiations is focused exclusively on the cessation of hostilities in the region,” Iran’s IRNA news agency reported Sunday afternoon. Tehran’s response has been submitted via Pakistani mediators, according to the report. “For now, we have decided to focus on ending the war, because this issue is a matter of concern for the entire region, for our nation, and for the international community,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told local media before news of the response emerged. The U. S. and Iran have submitted multiple peace proposals since Pakistan brokered a ceasefire between the two sides on April 8 that U. S. President Donald Trump maintains is still in effect even as the countries exchanged fire. On May 8, U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U. S. expected Iran’s proposal over the weekend, adding “the hope is it’s something that can put us into a serious process of negotiation.”

The decrees for the dismissal of Emanuele Merlino, a figure linked to Fazzolari at the Ministry of Culture, and Elena Proietti, the minister's special secretary, are ready. The reason for the split with Merlino reportedly stems from the case of the funds denied to the documentary about Giulio Regeni.

A parliamentarian throws down the gauntlet, amidst a climate of unrest. He plays the anti-Brexit card.

Beijing could turn instability in the Middle East into a strategic gain

In the Kherson region, more than 1,200 inspections of destroyed housing have been conducted using remote tools (UAVs, satellite imagery) in areas where physical inspections are impossible due to hostilities.

There will be plenty of pomp, but the grandeur is not expected to rival Trump's first visit to China in 2017, which Beijing dubbed a "state visit-plus".

More than 300 foreign nationals were arrested in a raid on an alleged online gambling operation in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, police said on Saturday, in one of the country’s largest crackdowns on illegal digital betting networks. The 321 foreigners, mainly from Vietnam, were arrested at a commercial building near the city’s Chinatown section that investigators described as a hub for more than 70 online gambling websites, targeting players outside Indonesia, based on marketing records...

The Iranian government has submitted its response to the peace proposal from the U. S., according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). The state-owned outlet reported, citing a source familiar with the matter, that negotiations between the Trump administration and Tehran are solely focused on halting hostilities in the region. The administration proposed a one-page…

At this stage the talks will focus solely on ending the war in the region, according to the report

US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China comes as the US-Iran war disrupts global energy supplies, fuels economic uncertainty and adds fresh strain to Washington-Beijing ties. In the latest instalment of a series examining how rivalry, interdependence and geopolitical crises are reshaping the relationship between the two powers, Amber Wang looks at the prospects for joint progress on military use of AI. China and the United States are facing calls to discuss the safe military use of...

SEOUL, May 10 (Yonhap) -- The confirmed strike by unidentified objects on a Sout...

Decision draws criticism from some British Jews who called for invitation to be withdrawn

Iran maintains it will participate in this summer’s World Cup competition in North America, but Tehran is demanding a series of guarantees for its players and coaches from FIFA and the tournament’s hosts. The Iranian Football Federation asked FIFA and the competition’s hosts — the United States, Canada and Mexico — for guarantees that its players, coaches and other officials will receive visas to attend the tournament that kicks off June 11, the BBC reported. The demand includes visas for those on the team who have completed military service with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is listed as a terrorist organization in Canada and the U. S. According to a statement from the Iranian Football Federation cited by the BBC, Iran also wants assurances that its team will receive enhanced security during the tournament and that respect for the Iranian flag and national anthem will be maintained. “All players and technical staff, especially those who served their military service in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, should be granted visas without problems,” Football Federation President Mehdi Taj told Iranian media, according to a report in the Independent. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly stated that Iran will participate in the World Cup and play in the U. S. “because we have to unite. We have to bring people together.” The latest comments were made after the president of the Iranian Football Federation was denied entry to Canada to attend a congress on the competition.

A plan by Togo to ask the United Nations General Assembly in September to move away from the Mercator world map has revived a broader debate over how different projections can shape perceptions of Africa.

Eurovision kicked off in Vienna on Sunday, with thousands of fans flocking to the city for events and music ahead of the song contest's grand final next weekend, with renewed calls for a boycott over Israel's participation.

The first passengers to disembark were Spanish nationals, who were transported to Madrid. There were a total of 14, and they will undergo a quarantine period in a military hospital. Once the disembarkation was complete, the MV Hondius will continue its journey to the Netherlands, where it will undergo a complete disinfection and health inspection process.

On October 10th, Iran's state-run news agency reported that Iranian officials had sent a response to a proposal from the United States to Pakistan, which is acting as an intermediary in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. The news agency stated that "at this stage, the negotiations will focus on ending the fighting in the region," but did not provide further details. U.S. President Trump had indicated that he expected to receive a response from Iran by October 8th, but Iranian officials stated that they were "not concerned with deadlines or ultimatums." President Trump has previously strongly urged Iran to reach an agreement, and the content of Iran's response is being closely watched.

Hong Kong researchers say they are developing what would be the world’s first AI app that detects intoxication through real-time Cantonese voice analysis, helping users decide whether they are fit to drive after drinking. A team from the Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) said on Sunday that the self-assessment tool could not only help safeguard road safety but also potentially monitor language abnormalities linked to medication or fatigue. Funded by a HK$3.4 million (US$434,251) grant...

Prime minister aims to win back younger voters who deserted Labour in this week’s local elections

Iran has sent its response to a US proposal to end the war through Pakistani mediators, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday, without offering details.

Independent scientists who reviewed the results said most samples were contaminated with Pfas or phthalates The Trump administration announced earlier this month that hundreds of baby formula samples it tested for toxic chemicals “meet a high safety standard”, but public health advocates warn this claim contradicts data showing a majority were contaminated with dangerous substances, such as Pfas or phthalates. Independent scientists who reviewed the results say the data gaps and the contamination raise concerns, though they added the testing shows some bright spots, and praised the US Food and Drug Administration for expanding the testing program, then making the results public. Continue reading...

According to the channel, Mojtaba Khamenei’s instructions included steps for "decisive resistance against Iran’s enemies"

Chinese officials have signalled privately a growing willingness to retaliate against the United States, buoyed by confidence in their economic leverage as US President Donald Trump prepares to visit Beijing this week. Sources told the South China Morning Post that officials in Beijing had grown bolder since playing its rare earths card in October and were now less worried about tariffs. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, said...

The Iranian Armed Forces stated this Sunday that they have established a "new legal and security system" over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that countries supporting the sanctions imposed by the United States will face difficulties in navigating the strategic waterway. The spokesman for the Iranian Army, Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, told the state-run IRNA agency that Tehran now exercises "fundamental and strategic" control over the strait. "From now on, countries that follow the United States in implementing sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will undoubtedly face problems when crossing the Strait of Hormuz," the military official stated. Akraminia also asserted that "any vessel wishing to cross it will have to coordinate with us," emphasizing that Iran currently exercises sovereignty over the maritime passage. The Strait of Hormuz has been partially blocked since the beginning of the war launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran, a conflict that has heightened regional tensions and affected global energy trade. According to Tehran, the new framework would allow the Islamic Republic to generate economic, political, and security advantages, in addition to neutralizing part of the sanctions imposed by Washington. The Iranian general noted that historically, Iran had not "fully" utilized the potential...

Brazil and Argentina dominated the 2026 Platino Awards ceremony. "The Secret Agent" excelled in the film categories, while "The Eternaut" stood out in the series categories. During a gala held at the Gran Tlachco Theater in the Xcaret Park, in the Riviera Maya (Mexico), the film received awards for Best Ibero-American Fiction Film, Best Direction (Kleber Mendonça Filho), Best Male Performance (Wagner Moura), and Best Screenplay (Mendonça Filho). These awards add to the three previously won: Best Production Design, Best Editing, and Best Original Music, which were announced in mid-April and presented at another ceremony held at Xcaret Park on Thursday, April 7th. Thus, the film, set in Recife in 1977 –which is currently available on the Mubi platform– concluded its run with a total of seven awards. "The Eternaut," the series based on the famous graphic novel written by Héctor G. Oesterheld and illustrated by Francisco Solano López, won awards for Best Miniseries or Cinematic Teleseries, Best Male Performance in a Miniseries or Teleseries (Ricardo Darín), and Best Creator in a Miniseries or Teleseries (Bruno Stagnaro). In addition to the five awards it received beforehand, the Netflix series –which is already preparing its second season– totaled eight distinctions, achieving a resounding victory in that category. Meanwhile, the Spanish film "Sorda" won the award for Best First Feature Film, where t…

According to Pavel Durov, the French authorities are illegally collecting personal data, processing it without proper security, extracting data from automated systems, and violating the secrecy of electronic communications

Sooner or later a result will be achieved, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi said

When US President Donald Trump announced that 5,000 US troops would leave Germany, the immediate reading in Western capitals was political: another round in Trump’s running quarrel with European allies, triggered by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s criticism of Washington’s handling of the war with Iran. For Beijing, the more interesting reading is structural. The drawdown coincides with a period in which Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spent much of 2026 cultivating a “partners not rivals”...

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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe looks ahead to President Trump's visit this week to China with Patricia Kim of The Brookings Institution.

The White House waits for Iran's response to the latest deal to end the war, as President Trump prepares for a meeting in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jingping later this week.

Reform’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, seeks to present issue as irrelevant in interview with Laura Kuenssberg Labour has accused Nigel Farage of attempting to dodge scrutiny as the Reform leader continued to face questions over the £5m gift he received from a crypto billionaire shortly before the last general election. Asked about the gift from Christopher Harborne on Sunday, the party’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, sought to present it as an irrelevance to voters and said it had complied with all the rules. Continue reading...

The Iranian regime stated this Sunday that it has established a "new legal and security system" in the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that countries that implement U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic will face difficulties in navigating this strategically important waterway. "From now on, countries that follow the United States in implementing sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran will undoubtedly face problems when traversing the Strait of Hormuz," said Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia, the spokesman for the Iranian military, in an interview with the IRNA news agency. Akraminia stated that Iran now exercises "fundamental and strategic" control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's major energy corridors. According to the military official, this new situation could have economic, political, and security implications, and could even help to neutralize U.S. secondary sanctions and part of the primary sanctions. "Today, we exercise sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and any vessel that wishes to transit it must coordinate with us," he stated. The military official also said that, until now, Iran had not fully utilized the geopolitical potential of the strait, and had allowed the passage of both allies and adversaries. However, he argued that the conflict has led Tehran to take advantage of this strategic capability and to redefine the framework of cooperation...

"We do not understand this. And why is the Armenian prime minister not trying to reconcile this with his own statements? We cannot explain that at this time," Peskov added.

Wes Streeting says legislation will save lives, but GPs are concerned about liability for errors introduced by other providers GPs and hospitals will be required to share patient data under legislation to be announced in the king’s speech on Wednesday. Legislation to create a single patient record (SPR) for each person, which would be used across all healthcare providers, is part of a £10bn digitisation of the health service. Continue reading...

Un South Korean cargo ship was struck by unidentified aircraft last Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Sunday, days after the HMM Namu, damaged by a fire, arrived at the port of Dubai. "On May 4th, two unidentified aircraft collided with the outer plating of the port ballast tank at the stern of the HMM Namu, at intervals of approximately one minute, causing flames and smoke," said ministry spokesperson Park Il at a press conference, without specifying the type of aircraft involved in the attack. The South Korean ministry clarified that, however, "there is a limitation in determining the exact type and physical size of the object," and that the remains found, including engine components, will be analyzed in more detail. It also stated that the possibility of a mine or torpedo causing the explosion is low, and that the entire crew was unharmed. This conclusion comes after U.S. President Donald Trump previously stated that the ship had been attacked by Iran, a claim that Tehran vehemently denied through a statement from its embassy in Seoul. The Iranian embassy also said on Thursday that it had not had any contact with South Korean officials since the statement was released, in response to a question about whether Tehran had directly conveyed its position to Seoul.

But can Democrats win them over?

Experts warn of ‘soft target’ vulnerabilities and intelligence gaps as federal agencies prepare to secure 78 matches across 11 cities Fifa World Cup matches set to be held across the United States face heightened terrorism risks, with experts warning that vulnerabilities are being amplified by the US-Israel conflict with Iran and a depletion of counter-terrorism expertise within federal law enforcement. The biggest threat stems from homegrown violent extremists, often lone actors that may have become radicalized online by extreme political views or jihadists such as the Islamic State (Isis), said four counter-terror experts interviewed. Continue reading...

Vitória Régia imagines a right-wing Bolsonaro plot succeeding with US help – and highlights the threats facing Indigenous peoples. The year is 2025, and far-right coup plotters have destroyed Brazil's democracy, assassinating the president, shutting down the national congress, and ceding the Amazon rainforest and its untold riches to the United States. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Amazon of America," a North American soldier with a thick accent tells a group of journalists on a propaganda tour of an oil refinery in the newly annexed jungle region. Nearby, a replica of the Statue of Liberty has been carved out of the wilderness to celebrate Washington's control over more than half of Brazil.

China unveiled some of its most advanced military technology, including robot dogs and an AI-enabled underwater system that can neutralise mines, at a defence expo. Autonomous underwater vehicles designed to be launched by submarine were one of the most noteworthy products that featured at the 2026 Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo in mid-April. The vessels, which can be launched from 260mm or 533mm torpedo tubes, are mainly designed to conduct high-precision deep-ocean surveys and seabed...

Even if Labour’s local-election defeat is devastating

More than a decade ago, Law Yin-ping moved into a village house in Yick Yuen Tsuen, Hung Shui Kiu, in northwestern Hong Kong, with her granddaughters. She never imagined that one day they would be homeless – and forcibly separated. The Tuen Mun village is located within the government's planned Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, which is slated to become a high-end professional services and logistics hub as part of the Northern Metropolis megaproject. Law, who is nearly 70, said on Sunday...

Starmer's Labour Party suffered the worst losses for a governing party in local elections in over three decades.