Shifting Geopolitical Realignment and Techactive

The UK has announced its returned to the European Union's Erasmus student exchange programme, five years after Brexit forced it to pull out. The move is part of a wider effort to rebuild ties between London and Brussels.

The license comes two days after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Washington would not renew the waiver.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared Friday that the newly brokered ceasefire marks the start of a "new phase" for Lebanon, vowing the country will move toward permanent agreements with Israel.

Ukraine’s air defense forces neutralized 190 out of 219 unmanned aerial vehicles launched by Russian troops since the evening of April 17.

When Democrats were grappling with sky-high inflation just a couple of years ago, Donald Trump called their plans to fight price gouging by American companies tantamount to communism. Now that it’s the Republican Party in the affordability hot seat, Trump Cabinet members — and GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill — are doing much the same, laying into CEOs and calling for new regulations and antitrust suits. “They are making money hand over fist,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said of insurance companies at a Thursday Ways and Means Committee hearing. Later, he agreed with House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) that the Federal Trade Commission needed to start bringing some antitrust suits against health industry firms. Facing a rising cost of living that threatens their chances to hold onto their majorities in Congress in November, Republican members of Congress and Trump officials testifying before their committees Thursday repeatedly made their longtime allies in industry the scapegoat. It was yet another indication of how much Trump’s populist politics have changed the party of business, and how deep a hole polls show Republicans are in right now on the economy. “Industry consolidation with huge companies swallowing up various parts of the health care system has helped pad the bottom line of big corporations, while doing little to support the health or well-being of working class Americans,” said Jason Smith, the Missouri Republican who chairs the Ways and Means Committee. Smith decried “major health insurance empires” and hospital CEOs who’d “driven up prices without expanding access to care.” Smith is bringing health systems’ leaders to testify before his panel later this month. At a House Appropriations hearing, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins blamed anti-competitive practices across industries for contributing to an “overarching economic pending disaster” for farmers that has landed as the Iran war causes prices to spike for fertilizer and fuel. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testifies before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies on Capitol Hill on April 16, 2026. | Francis Chung/POLITICO Rollins blamed fertilizer companies for high prices, despite acknowledging the war’s contribution to global economic turbulence, saying that a small group of companies have “basically taken over the market” for agricultural supplies in a way that stifles competition. Iowa GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson floated her price transparency legislation as a way forward. Other Republicans on Smith’s panel called out the pharmaceutical and food industries, as well as the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, for the dire state of Americans’ health and for high health care prices. GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania praised Kennedy’s pressure campaign to get food companies to remove artificial dyes, said the dyes cause cancer, and asked what could be done to regulate the food industry. Kennedy told him to close a loophole that has for decades allowed foodmakers to introduce new ingredients into their products without federal oversight — the so-called Generally Recognized as Safe standard at the Food and Drug Administration. Food companies say eliminating it will only make food more expensive and stifle innovation. Foodmakers got little sympathy, though. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrives to testify during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on April 16, 2026. | Francis Chung/POLITICO Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N. C.), a urologist, said he’d recently treated a 262-pound 8-year-old. He blamed “the terrible, terrible tragedy that has become the American food industry” and said it was sad that weight-loss drugs were some of the top medicines sold in the country. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, acknowledged concerns about the high gas prices the war with Iran has triggered. Wright repeatedly sought to juxtapose the current price rise with the bigger spike in gas prices that occurred during the Biden administration, while also framing current prices as an unfortunate cost of a worthy goal, disarming Iran. “This conflict with Iran, bringing it to an end, is removing the largest global threat to future energy supplies,” Wright told lawmakers. Wright said the Trump administration is doing “everything pragmatic” to tamp down gasoline prices. But Republicans on the committee also sought to blame blue-state and “far-left” policies for increasing household costs — a sentiment Wright also emphasized. “You want to know where gasoline’s expensive, where electricity’s expensive, look at the blue states,” Wright said. Wright acknowledged concerns about the high gas prices the war with Iran has triggered when testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. | Francis Chung/POLITICO Industry hasn’t escaped the administration’s scrutiny in the run-up in gas prices. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday during a White House press briefing that he was watching for the sort of price gouging Democrats once decried. “We are going to be watching the gas stations because they raised prices very quickly when the crude oil prices went up. We hope they’ll bring them down just as quickly as crude oil prices have come down,” he said.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon – announced by Donald Trump – came into effect this Thursday after more than six weeks of conflict. The recent Israeli offensive in Lebanese territory against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah began in early March, shortly after the United States and Israel initiated their war against Iran. The clashes have been devastating for Lebanon: more than 2,000 people have been killed, and over 1.2 million have been displaced, approximately one-fifth of the country's population, according to the UN. Furthermore, vast areas in southern Lebanon have been destroyed by Israel in an effort to create what the Netanyahu government describes as a "buffer zone." The ceasefire comes into effect while another ceasefire is already in place: the one related to the war against Iran, a country that announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz this Friday. Many believed that this ceasefire, which came into effect on April 8th, would include Lebanon, as announced by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who acted as a mediator between the conflicting parties. However, just one day after that announcement, when many in the region were relieved, Israeli aircraft launched a swift 10-minute air raid on Lebanon, a massive offensive that left at least 300 people dead and 1,150 injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Both in the region and around the world, there was strong condemnation of…

Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz with conditions and threatens closure if the US blockade of Iranian ports continues.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the first of a three-part series, we examine Hong Kong’s bid to position itself as Asia’s bullion hub. War in the Middle East has intensified global demand to diversify gold storage, creating a strategic window for Hong Kong to tap its unique status and evolve from...

At Japan’s first robotics expo, Tokyo turns to ‘physical AI’ as China and the US dominate robot manufacturing

Chinese scientists have created a diving suit that could help users glide through the sea with ease. In tests, the exoskeleton reduced the diver’s oxygen consumption by nearly 40 per cent. The flexible suit not only provides physical assistance but also syncs precisely with the swimmer’s own rhythm, dramatically boosting underwater agility. In tasks ranging from seabed surveys and pipeline inspections to salvage operations and even covert military missions, divers must constantly change the rate...

Hannah Spencer says minister ‘continuously offends people by saying working-class people don’t care about dogs’ Labour is “offensively caricaturing” working-class people by saying they do not want a greyhound racing ban in England, the Green party MP Hannah Spencer has said. The sport has traditionally been associated with working-class culture and has historically been popular in so-called red wall areas, which Labour insiders suggest is part of the reason why there are no plans for England to follow bans announced last month in Scotland and Wales. Continue reading...

A fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran showed signs of strain Saturday as Tehran threatened to re-close the Strait of Hormuz over an ongoing American naval blockade.

Hong Kong authorities will take public opinion into account when deciding whether to trigger a new investigation mechanism to hold senior officials accountable, the city’s civil service minister has said. Permanent secretaries of bureaus, who are not covered by the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System”, will also face scrutiny if they are found to be involved in management failures, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan said on Saturday. Under the new mechanism,...

Sometimes new government strategies really aren’t newsworthy. The 2026 National Defence Strategy (NDS) is like that. The biggest headline from the document is the additional defense spending of A$53 billion (US$38 billion) over the next decade, which the government claims (with some accounting sleights of hand) will reach 3% of GDP. While this technically meets […] The post New Australia defense strategy ignores US elephant in the room appeared first on Asia Times.

Until May 16th.

The U.S. Treasury Department has announced that it will lift sanctions on Russian crude oil and petroleum products that have been subject to sanctions, and will allow countries to engage in trade with them. This marks a significant shift in policy, as Treasury Secretary Yellen had indicated just two days ago that the sanctions would not be lifted.

Tehran: "We will close the Strait of Hormuz if the US blockade of our ports continues." Trump: "Without a peace agreement, the blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place."

The U.S. Department of the Treasury extended, on a temporary basis until May 16th, the suspension of most sanctions targeting the Russian oil industry, at a time when the resumption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz caused a sharp drop in oil prices. The measure affects all operations related to the loading and delivery of oil originating from Russia. It also applies to ships in the so-called "shadow fleet" that were previously subject to sanctions. The only sanctions that remain in place are those against transactions with Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and the occupied regions of Ukraine, including Crimea. The U.S. government had previously temporarily lifted penalties on Russian oil stored at sea, with the aim of mitigating the rapid rise in the price of a barrel. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated last week that this suspension would not be extended beyond the initial period. The U.S. government maintains sanctions on the oil resources of Russia and Iran in order to reduce the revenues of the governments of Moscow and Tehran. "Xi is very happy" The President of the United States, Donald Trump, welcomed the opening of the Strait of Hormuz in anticipation of the upcoming bilateral meeting with China. "President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open or opening..."

Iran implied that it calls the shots on Hormuz operations and not the US.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Defense (Jedena), which was operating in the Biobío region and headed by Rear Admiral Edgardo Acevedo of the Chilean Navy, announced late Friday evening the end of the constitutional state of emergency declared due to the severe wildfires in January of this year. Consequently, the military personnel deployed in the area were also withdrawn. According to order No. 30, the measure ceased to be in effect as of 11:59 PM on Friday. Therefore, "all members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of this Defense Command have ceased to exercise the functions granted by the constitutional state of emergency" declared by former President Gabriel Boric on January 18th. The communication further states that the military personnel must "return to their respective institutional commands." Jedena also added that, as of the specified time, all measures enacted in the preceding three months are no longer in effect. "The armed forces cease to exercise the extraordinary functions conferred by this measure, returning to their institutional structures, and all orders, instructions, and administrative provisions issued within the framework of this state of emergency are nullified," Jedena emphasized.

The Trump administration’s decision to carry out a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has raised tensions in the Persian Gulf to new and more perilous levels. The move was announced by the US president, Donald Trump, after negotiations over a ceasefire with Iran broke down on April 11, partly due to Iran wanting […] The post Hormuz standoff sets a tense tone for Trump-Xi meet appeared first on Asia Times.

Israel and Lebanon have a ceasefire, but global attention should not shift away. This is not a clean end to the war.

A total of 75 members of the UK Parliament expressed their support this Friday for a motion calling for comprehensive sanctions against Israel, in the context of the offensive in Gaza and the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The initiator of the initiative, MP Richard Burgon, stated that "75 MPs already support my parliamentary motion to impose widespread sanctions on Israel," a proposal that continues to gain support in Westminster, and for which the deadline for endorsements will remain open for another week. In his statement, Burgon linked the initiative to the situation in the Middle East, stating that "in addition to the genocide in Gaza and the war crimes in Lebanon, Israel is intensifying its occupation of the West Bank." In this context, the MP urged citizens to pressure their representatives: "There is only one week left to support this call for sanctions. Ask your MP to do so below." 🚨BREAKING: 75 MPs now back my Parliamentary motion for widespread sanctions on Israel. As well as genocide in Gaza and war crimes in Lebanon, Israel is deepening its occupation of the West Bank. There's just a week left to back this sanctions call. Ask your MP to do so below. pic.twitter.com/2olZAEYiUh — Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) April 17, 2026 The parliamentary motion emphasizes concern over the Israeli government's decision on February 15 to proceed with the registration...

Iran hours earlier had temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz following a separate US-brokered ceasefire agreement by Israel and Lebanon.

On the 17th, a senior official from the U.S. government met with the CEO of Anthropic, a rapidly growing AI company, to discuss the challenges of AI development and other issues related to the military use of AI, a topic that has caused friction between the two sides.

The head of the Foundation for Peace and Friendship Among Peoples says that Ursula von der Leyen is pretending to act on behalf of European countries and trying to "handle issues of their energy independence"

Tehran on Saturday threatened to cut off access to the Strait of Hormuz again if the United States maintains its blockade of Iranian ports, raising fresh doubts over recent progress following a ceasefire in Lebanon. Follow our live blog for the latest updates.

Donald Trump’s latest attack on renewables has reignited calls to drill the North Sea for oil – despite research showing it won’t lower energy bills.

The AI firm Anthropic has emerged as a dominant force in the global technology sector, attracting investor interest that values the company at approximately $800 billion (€678.3bn), but what is behind the success?

The president has opened fissures in his base by starting a war he couldn’t finish with Iran, stoking inflation and offending Christians. Barred from running again, he may feel he has nothing to lose Lance Johnson voted for Donald Trump three times. Now he is feeling buyer’s remorse. “I haven’t been too happy with the third time around,” said the 47-year-old contractor, sitting at a bar in Crescent Springs, Kentucky. “We’re supposed to not start any new wars. Prices were supposed to come down. We were promised a lot of things and we’re not getting them.” Johnson is not the only Trump voter having doubts about a US president who, after defying political gravity for a decade, finally seems to be crashing back to earth. The past two weeks have arguably been the most bruising of Trump’s two terms in office, suggesting that his tried and trusted playbook could finally be falling apart. Continue reading...

The UK economy and London’s relationship with Washington have taken significant blows that are likely to reverberate for months.

Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome Robert B. Murrett, retired Vice Admiral in the US Navy, Professor of Practice and Deputy Director of the Syracuse University's Institute for Security Policy and Law. The Israel-Lebanon and US-Iran ceasefires are at a critical juncture In the evolving geopolitical dynamics of the Strait of Hormuz, where military risk, energy security, and diplomatic recalibration intersect.

Hong Kong's investments in the Middle East will not be disrupted by ongoing conflicts, the commerce minister has said, expressing confidence in the region's economic prospects and urging businesses to take a long-term view. "The geopolitical situation has a temporary impact, but in the long term, we remain hopeful about development in the Middle East," Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah told a radio program on Saturday. "We have many strengths in areas such as...

Volunteers' mission to Hormuz. The U.S. President: "Born useless, stay away."

The official added that "more and more countries," including the US, are recognizing the systemic importance of Russian oil and gas for the global economy

A US appeals court allowed President Donald ⁠Trump’s administration on ⁠Friday night to continue construction ⁠of a US$400 million ballroom on the site of the White House’s demolished East Wing, setting a June hearing to review a Washington judge’s order halting the project. An order by a three-judge ‌panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit put the lower court’s preliminary injunction on hold for now, giving the panel time to consider the US Justice Department’s...

North Korea’s missile test from its new Choe Hyon destroyer signals a shift toward a more flexible sea-based nuclear deterrent, as the regime compensates for submarine limitations. This month, multiple media outlets reported that North Korea test-fired two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-ship missiles from its new 5,000-ton destroyer Choe Hyon as part of […] The post North Korea taking its nuclear threat to the high seas appeared first on Asia Times.

Kirill Dmitriev also said that Russia maintained contacts with the US on economic and energy issues

US President Donald Trump said on Friday night he was looking forward to his meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping next month and predicted it would be “special”. Hours after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz had reopened, Trump posted on social media: “China’s President Xi is very happy that Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening; I look forward to meeting Xi. “Our meeting ‌in China will ‌be a special ⁠one and, potentially, Historic. I ⁠look forward to being with President...

Separate from the regular Iranian Navy, with boats that often travel at speeds exceeding 115 miles per hour, it is what a retired U.S. official describes as a "disruptive force."

To leftists abroad, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain is a hero for standing up to President Trump. At home, Mr. Trump is seen as Mr. Sánchez’s political savior from thorny domestic challenges.

Struggles to sell even in popular areas are a timely reminder of the challenges created by high interest rates

The Chicago-born pope has offered an alternative vision of Catholicism — and American power

As the transatlantic alliance falters, Starmer needs to step up

New government tax regime came into force last week but most of those required to sign up by April 6 have yet to do so

Hunger and even famine are foreseeable consequences of the war on Iran. Now the world must act to shield the poorest from effects that will continue long after the fighting stops

Rubber glove makers have raised prices and warned of production cuts as the Iran war chokes supplies of key inputs, raising concerns for the healthcare sector. Glove makers have already hiked the average price of synthetic rubber gloves by around 40 per cent to as high as US$29 for a box ‌of 1,000, according to Oong Chun Sung, an equity research analyst at CIMB Securities. Sustained disruption to supply chains from the conflict could lead to glove shortages by late May, analysts at Malaysia’s...

Gemini was my preferred model for research a few months ago. So, was Grok. Recently, I asked one of them for serious research, accompanied by blunt exhortations on how it has been disappointing me repeatedly of late, along with examples of the quality of answers I needed. The answers that came disappointed even the lowest […] The post Token inequality: AI haves and AI have-nots appeared first on Asia Times.

Iran warned this Friday that it will close the Strait of Hormuz unless the United States lifts its blockade of Iranian ports, according to a statement by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who also described recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump as "false." "With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on his account on the social media platform X, adding that passage through the waterway will take place through routes determined by Tehran and will depend on Iranian authorization. The parliamentarian, who co-led the Iranian side in negotiations with the United States in Islamabad last weekend, also added that whether the strait is open or closed, and the rules that govern it, "will be determined on the ground, not through social media." 1. The U.S. President made seven claims in one hour, and all seven were false. 2. They will not win the war with these lies, and they certainly will not achieve anything through negotiations. 3. With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open. — Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 17, 2026 Similarly, in his post, he stated that Trump had made "seven claims in one hour, and all seven were false," although he did not specify which claims he was referring to.

In early April, a unit of the National Guard, Lasar's Group, carried out a special operation in the Luhansk region, destroying a BM-30 Smerch multiple launch rocket system and other Russian military equipment deep behind enemy lines.

The US has renewed a waiver permitting countries to buy Russian oil for another month. The decision came two days after the Trump administration had said it had no plans to extend the waiver.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, issued a license related to Russia on Friday, authorizing the delivery and marketing of crude oil and refined products originating from the Russian Federation, provided they were loaded onto ships starting on April 17, 2026. This is General License 134B, which introduces new exceptions to the sanctions regime related to the Kremlin. According to the document, "all prohibited transactions (...) that are normally incidental and necessary for the sale, delivery, or unloading of crude oil or petroleum products originating from the Russian Federation, loaded onto any vessel (...) on or before 00:01 Eastern Time on April 17, 2026," are authorized, provided they are carried out before 00:01 Eastern Time on May 16, 2026. The authorization also includes logistical and technical operations associated with the maritime transport of these shipments, such as the safe berthing of ships, the protection of the crew, and emergency interventions. In this regard, the license explicitly includes "normal and necessary" activities, such as ship management, fuel supply, piloting, registration, and insurance services, among others. The scope of the measure also covers oil and derivatives produced by entities subject to various regulations...

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian announced on social media that the strait would be "completely opened," but with certain conditions. Subsequently, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf emphasized that free passage of ships would not be permitted unless the U.S. lifts its naval blockade. Amidst this situation, there is a growing expectation that the next direct talks between the United States and Iran will take place within the next few days.

Sergey Nechayev added: "We are fully ready for dialogue, but we will not impose ourselves"

A quarter featuring multiple eye-popping deals is no longer unusual for China’s pharmaceutical industry – in fact, it may soon be considered a slow season. In recent months, companies including CSPC Pharmaceutical and RemeGen have struck out-licensing agreements worth up to US$18.5 billion and US$5.6 billion respectively, while Haisco Pharmaceutical Group has added two of its own — most recently a deal worth up to US$745 million. Under the terms of the deal, the Beijing-based Haisco granted US...

The Trump administration on Friday reversed course and extended a waiver on sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products amid the Iran war, just days after a top Cabinet official said the U. S. would not be doing so. A license allowing countries to purchase Russian oil from Friday through May 16 was posted on the Treasury…

A top Iranian official raised hopes of a breakthrough when he said the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open,” while President Trump said a U. S. naval blockade on Iranian ports would remain in force.

The Trump administration made the announcement hours after Iran said that the Strait of Hormuz was open to commercial ships.

A Lebanese man who returned to southern Lebanon removes the Israeli flag from Beaufort Castle (Qalaat al-Shaqif).

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Friday said he demands answers from Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding comments the secretary made in an interview in 2024 about Black children on certain Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) medications being “re-parented.” “We’ve known RFK Jr. has been unfit to serve as Secretary, but…

The US on Friday issued a license letting countries buy more Russian oil that’s already been loaded on tankers, part of the White House’s push to prevent prices from surging.

The US treasury department posted the updated license, permitting transactions involving Russian oil loaded onto vessels from that day through May 16.

The worldwide release of 'Mr. Nobody Against Putin,' which exposes Russian war propaganda from the inside to students at a school in the Urals, brought the film's director, Pavel Talankin, to public attention. In mid-March, his Oscar for best documentary made him famous. But the Kremlin labeled him a 'foreign agent, increasing the threats and discredit against this filmmaker, now living in exile in Prague.

Israel launched its latest offensive against Lebanon in early March, just a few days after the war against Iran began.

Last year, a state jury in Louisiana ordered Chevron to pay $745 million to help restore the wetlands damaged through crude oil production during World War II. Chevron argued that the company was acting as a federal contractor to the US military at the time and the case should be heard in federal court. The Supreme Court agreed.

After announcing that the Strait of Hormuz is open, Iran said it would close the vital waterway again unless the United States lifted its blockade. DW has more.

In Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, 34 children remain in the districts of Sloviansk where the mandatory evacuation of families with children is underway.

According to sources cited by the news outlet, Israel requested clarifications from the White House.

Iran US war news LIVE: In big reprieve for countries across the world threatened with fuel crisis, Iran on Friday said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels. However, US said the blockade on Iranian ships and ports “will remain in full force”.

The statements were made by the Minister of National Defense, Pedro Sánchez, who also stated that he will not cease his pursuit of this matter.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board invited more than 1,700 influencers from around the world to the city between 2023 and last year, with the internet personalities having a combined following exceeding 1.6 billion. Responding to an inquiry from lawmaker Chan Hoi-yan, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said the board had invited 1,730 influencers to come to the city over two years, with itineraries tailored to their markets and audiences. “In 2026-27, [the board] will continue to develop themed...

The war in Iran and ensuing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the risks of over-reliance on the Persian Gulf for oil, turning Beijing’s Mediterranean infrastructure plans from long-term goals into urgent strategic necessities. From Algerian oilfields to Moroccan battery factories and Egypt’s industrial base, China might now fast-track these projects to create a Mediterranean hub for a green-energy supply chain, observers said. Beijing aims to create a strategic backup that protects its...

A Mercedes-Benz was buried as a funerary offering in a village in northeastern China, igniting public outrage over legal violations and environmental safety. A viral video shows some villagers in Liaoyang, Liaoning province, attending the funeral of a septuagenarian on April 9. Sources told the mainland media that the dead person was an avid collector of luxury cars, prompting his children to bury a real vehicle to ensure his soul’s peaceful passage. The car, a black Mercedes-Benz S450L valued...

President Trump is seeking leverage by continuing the naval blockade, while Tehran signals flexibility to opening the strait.

‘This will be a great and brilliant day for the world’ Donald Trump said as Iran fully opens the Strait of Hormuz.

A retrospective rich with vintage prints traces the career of this American who constantly reinvented herself, from surrealist artist to war correspondent.

Two US Army soldiers have been injured after encountering a brown bear in a mountainous training area in Anchorage, according to the military. The incident happened on Thursday as the soldiers were taking part in a “land navigation training event” in Arctic Valley, part of the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s training area. The soldiers were receiving medical care as of Friday, a military official told the Anchorage Daily News. Queries sent to base were not immediately returned on Friday. The...

Despite some empty seats, Trump projected confidence in his party’s ability to win the midterm elections. Some in the crowd focused on GOP divisions.

TSMC's first-quarter 2026 earnings call delivered the expected headline numbers — $35.9 billion in revenue, a 66.2% gross margin, and full-year revenue growth guidance raised to above 30% in US dollar terms. The financial story was strong and largely anticipated.

Karol Nawrocki noted that the security situation is changing almost every week

The Israeli military reported this Friday about an operation carried out in southeastern Lebanon "minutes before" the ten-day ceasefire came into effect, which was announced on Thursday by U.S. President Donald Trump. The operation, dubbed "Punishment," took place "minutes before the ceasefire with Beirut went into effect," scheduled for 00:00 local time on Friday (17:00 on Thursday in Chile), and involved the "deployment of special forces in the Christofini mountain range," located in the Lebanese governorate of Nabatiyé. This was announced by the Israeli military's Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichai Adrai, on his social media accounts, where he stated that "the operation was approved by the Chief of Staff," Eyal Zamir. In his post on X, Adrai stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remain "on high alert" and will continue to "eliminate threats throughout the area between the border and the line established under the ceasefire agreements." #Breaking: Operation "Punishment": The Israel Defense Forces reveal a military operation that took place minutes before the ceasefire with Lebanon came into effect, involving the deployment of special forces in the Christofini mountain range in eastern Lebanon. 🔸Special forces from the Israel Defense Forces began the operation last night (Thursday)...

A meeting of finance ministers and other officials from the G7, the group of seven major economies, was held in the United States on the morning of the 18th (Japan time) to discuss issues related to critical minerals, including rare earth elements. The participants reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating efforts to diversify supply chains, with a particular focus on China, which holds a dominant share of the market.

Taiwanese automotive electronics leader E-Lead Electronic is reshaping the future of smart cockpits through a combination of deep technological reinvention and production restructuring, as it positions itself as a full-spectrum systems supplier in an increasingly fragmented global supply chain.

Embodied AI is moving out of the lab and into real-world environments at increasing speed. The humanoid robot half-marathon scheduled for April 19 in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town) is framed as a public race, but functions more as an industry stress test, compressing a full stack of technologies into a 21-kilometer trial.

The 2026 International Symposium on VLSI Technology, Systems and Applications (VLSI TSA) kicked off on April 14, gathering over 800 semiconductor professionals worldwide. The conference focused on next-generation core areas including GenAI inference acceleration, wafer-level computing, and terahertz wireless communication, while also delving into quantum computer system architectures and extending the reach of semiconductors to AI-driven cardiac analysis and other smart healthcare applications.

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, China's dominant electric vehicle battery manufacturer, is accelerating its push up the supply chain, pairing strong earnings with an aggressive expansion into upstream mining as it positions for the next phase of growth in electric vehicles and energy storage.

Local media has reported that the former British ambassador to the United States, who had a relationship with the deceased billionaire, Jeffrey Epstein, and was later charged with sexual abuse offenses in the US, was deemed unsuitable during a background check conducted before his appointment. This has once again raised questions about the responsibility of Prime Minister Starmer in his appointment.

The surge in AI data center demand is rapidly accelerating the need for high-speed data transmission, prompting LED manufacturers to target opportunities in optical communications. best-Epitaxy Manufacturing's (bEMC) CEO Evan Wu said the company has focused on data transmission since its inception and recently began proof-of-concept (POC) testing with a leading cloud service provider (CSP). Their short-distance Micro LED transmission currently reaches speeds of 4Gbps, aiming to achieve 8Gbps per chip in 2026.

The age of cheap oil is over and Thailand’s rooftops are reflecting that fact. Across homes, garages and warehouses in the sun-drenched kingdom, the blue-black sheen of solar panels is spreading, as the Iran war has done what years of climate summits could not: turn solar power into a necessity. Demand for solar panels has swamped companies like Wayso, whose managing director is colouring in Thailand’s rooftops as fast as he can find technicians to do it. “We can’t hire quickly enough,” Suwat...

Tens of thousands of people forcibly displaced by Israeli attacks on Lebanon use first day of ceasefire to return home.

The president of the NPT (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons) Review Conference, which discusses the global direction of nuclear disarmament, held a press conference. He stated that, with nuclear arms control treaties between the United States and Russia set to expire, the NPT is "the only remaining hope," and expressed his determination to reach an agreement.

President Trump on Friday teased at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix that he will direct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to release government files on UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena (UAPs). “I recently directed the Secretary of War … to begin releasing government files relating to UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena,” Trump said. “And…

Jaden Pierre has been identified as the 15-year-old who was shot dead yesterday at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, New York and cops have released suspect photos.

Transportation costs for World Cup fans traveling to US stadiums could be more than 10 times higher than regular fares. Local officials and FIFA bosses are trading blame for the increased prices while fans feel fleeced.

President Trump was met with an at times a roaring ovation from a crowd at a Turning Point USA event in Arizona on Friday during several opportunities where he detailed his policies on Iran. It marked a window into how some young conservatives are receiving Trump’s message on the international conflict. “Would anybody like to…

The impending three-day visit of President Lee Jae-myung to India is not routine diplomacy – it is a strategic inflection point for both countries and the wider Indo-Pacific. The regional order that once underpinned stability is fragmenting. Economic interdependence is increasingly a liability, and long-standing security guarantees are under strain. In this shifting landscape, India […] The post Recalibrating the India-South Korea strategic partnership appeared first on Asia Times.

At a Turning Point USA rally, Kirk lauded Trump's leadership. Meanwhile, Druski's impersonation of Kirk gained traction on social media.

"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) shares his disbelief when discussing President Trump saying the Strait of Hormuz is open. Neil Bradley, US Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President, talks about the impact the Middle East conflict is having on small businesses. (Source: Bloomberg)

WASHINGTON, April 17 (Yonhap) -- Iran said Friday that it reopened the crucial S...