Shifting Global Alignments and Tensionsactive

In an interview with NHK, a close aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of continuing cultural exchange to pave the way for the resumption of political dialogue, in light of the deterioration of Japan-Russia relations following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Putin’s shrinking victory parade signals Ukraine’s military advances.

The Foreign Minister, Francisco Pérez Mackenna, and the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, Paula Estévez, have embarked on an official visit to India with the aim of strengthening the bilateral economic relationship, attracting investment, and making progress on a trade agreement that would expand access for Chilean products to one of the world's largest markets. The tour includes activities in the cities of New Delhi and Bangalore, where officials will hold meetings with representatives of the Indian government, business leaders, and industrial organizations over four days. One of the main objectives of the trip will be to reach an agreement on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Chile and India, an initiative that seeks to deepen trade relations and expand opportunities for exchange between the two countries. India is currently the world's fifth-largest economy and is projected to reach the third position globally by 2030. Furthermore, it has a market of over 1.46 billion inhabitants, with a growing middle class of nearly 400 million people. According to data provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, bilateral trade between the two countries grew by 44% during the last year, reaching US$5.6 billion, although it still represents only 5% of Chile's total exports. "This trip has a very clear objective: to open new markets for Chile, attract investment, and advance a more..."

Jonas Lauwiner was widely dismissed as an eccentric when he held a coronation and crowned himself king of Switzerland in 2019. Since then, he has used a loophole in Swiss law to acquire a 117,000-square-metre “land empire”, but local authorities are keen to stop him in his tracks.

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.

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..."

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?

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...

The American empire cannot win the war against Iran at acceptable financial, military, and political costs.

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.

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.

The increasingly intractable conflict between the U. S. and Iran is revealing American military and strategic vulnerabilities — and offering important lessons to its biggest rival. China is watching as the U. S. fails to cut through an Iranian blockade and expends heavy firepower, the Trump administration struggles to extricate itself from an unpopular war, global gas prices soar and the Pentagon’s strategic documents reveal that warding off Beijing is no longer the top priority. As U. S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping prepare to meet for a high stakes meeting next week, the U. S. is caught in an uncertain ceasefire. And with frustrated allies refusing to assist and a war driving political trouble for Trump at home, current and former U. S. defense officials fear China is heading into the meeting holding the cards “The Chinese would be well within their right to say, ‘What do you have left to build deterrence with?’ ” said a former defense official. “In order for a grand bargain to work, you would have to have the muscle to put behind it. You can’t bluff on this question.” The meeting between the two leaders comes two months after Trump postponed the initial gathering in Beijing, citing his need to focus on the then-nascent war. But the U. S. military campaign appears to have shifted from one bent on destroying Iranian nuclear programs to a messier, more protracted conflict focused on who controls the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply flows. “China’s military is absolutely closely studying our operations against Iran to identify vulnerabilities they can exploit in a conflict with the United States,” said a defense official, who like others interviewed, was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters. The official said China looks at how U. S. military commanders plot operations and put their plans into action, down to the pace of missile strikes and intelligence gathering. The Chinese Embassy, Pentagon and White House did not respond to requests for comment. Beijing, which has been rapidly building up its long-range missile and drone stockpiles, has almost certainly noticed the U. S. struggles to reopen the strait or stop Iranian attacks on Navy ships and allies throughout the region. The rerouting of ships, air defenses and troops from the Pacific to the Middle East is also a sign that the U. S. arsenal is not unlimited. The Pentagon “is still showing strong tactical performance,” said a defense official. “But without clear policy, strategy, we’re suffering at the operational level of warfare. The question that they have to answer is whether that’s unique to the current [administration] or a broader issue in American warfare.” American defense officials have insisted publicly that the moved assets, which include an aircraft carrier strike group and several Navy ships carrying 2,500 Marines, have not decreased U. S. readiness in the Pacific. “I don’t see any real cost being imposed on our ability to deter China,” Adm. Samuel Paparo, who heads the military team overseeing the Pacific, told lawmakers last month. Paparo has said that the operational and combat experience gained by the U. S. ship crews would prove invaluable, especially compared to Chinese forces that have less experience in having to defend themselves. While Chinese forces are far more advanced than Iran, Tehran has proven especially adept at using cheap, one-way attack drones to conduct large scale attacks and overwhelm some air defenses. The Chinese missile stockpile is likely much larger than the one Iran has on hand, so “they can treat some of their missiles in the way that Iran has treated their drones,” said Becca Wasser, a defense strategy expert who served on the congressionally appointed National Defense Strategy Commission. “They don’t need to use drones to confuse air defense radars and overwhelm systems in quite the same way,” she said. “So there would be no real husbanding of assets, at least in the early phases of potential war with the U. S.” Beijing has its own struggles. China has not fought a war since invading Vietnam in 1979 and is in the middle of an extensive military purge that led to two former defense ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fengh, sentenced to death this week. The crackdown has resulted in the dismissal of more than 100 senior military officers since 2022, according to a tally compiled by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. But just as the U. S. has monitored Beijing’s military growth, the Chinese government has conducted detailed studies of American troops for decades. This dates back to at least Operation Desert Storm when it saw the U. S. use precision-strike weapons for the first time. China began launching its first aircraft carriers after the 2008 global financial crisis, and invested heavily in long-range missiles to keep the American military at bay. “They know how we project power,” said a second former defense official. “They know about our dependence on tankers, on bases, how we conduct our air strikes, our non-kinetic strikes, the use of electronic warfare, the use of cyber warfare. They study all of that very closely. This is an opportunity for them to go to school on the U. S. way of war.” And China is also likely watching how fast America burns through its high-end missiles, from Tomahawks to Patriot air defenses. “They know that every missile being used in Iran is a missile that can’t be used to deter in the Indo-Pacific,” the former official said.

Huaqiangbei, home to the world’s largest electronics marketplace in southern China’s tech hub Shenzhen, is reinventing itself as the world’s artificial intelligence showroom, drawing back foreign traders and tourists hunting for the latest gadgets. For first-time visitors like Abigail Slagveer from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, the sheer scale of Huaqiangbei’s electronics market is overwhelming. “I came here one and a half hours ago through that front door,” she said, pointing to an entrance just...

Russian forces attacked Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region with drones and artillery more than 20 times overnight, killing two civilians and injuring two others.

Amid public apathy and frustration, Labour and Reform are tied for second place behind the SNP, while the Greens claim a significant fourth place. Long before the final votes were counted in Scotland, veteran Labour politicians said it was a defeat orchestrated in Downing Street. When the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, entered the Glasgow counting center on Friday afternoon, accompanied by somber-faced activists, the scene mirrored the same venue in 2024, when his revitalized party won 36 seats from the Scottish National party, playing a significant role in Keir Starmer's landslide victory. Continue reading...

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts a parade Saturday marking the World War II victory over Nazi Germany, as tensions with Ukraine eased following a three-day ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump.

Russia's trade surplus with China reached $9.58 bln in the period, which is almost flat year-on-year

China's export value last month increased by more than 14% compared to the same month last year, largely due to significant growth in exports to Southeast Asia and an increase in exports to the United States. The key question going forward will be how the persistently high oil prices, driven by the situation in Iran, will impact these trends.

Zambia has publicly accused the United States of linking a proposed $2 billion health package to demands over data sharing and access to critical minerals, saying some conditions attached to the deal were “unacceptable”.

Keir Starmer vowed Friday to remain as Britain's prime minister after disastrous local elections saw his centre-left Labour party humiliated across the UK, with disillusioned voters backing hard-right and nationalist parties.

Norway's energy minister says the country has a "responsibility" to address shortfalls caused by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. In response to any doubts about Norway's commitment to maintain—and expand—its production of gas and oil offshore, the energy minister, Terje Aasland, offered a concise statement: "We will develop, not dismantle, activity on our continental shelf." This week, to the dismay of environmental campaigners, he announced that three gas fields off the country's southern coast would reopen by the end of 2028—nearly three decades after they closed—to meet a shortfall caused by the impact of the war in Ukraine and disruptions to supplies from the Middle East.

Israeli PM says he has ‘full coordination’ with US president amid reports that Washington no longer consults him. Benjamin Netanyahu broke a period of unusual silence regarding the Iran conflict this week with a video commentary insisting he had "full coordination" with Donald Trump, with whom he spoke "almost daily." This insistence that the US-Israeli relationship was strong followed weeks of reports in the domestic press that Israel was no longer being consulted about the Iran conflict, and even less about Pakistani-brokered peace talks. Due to skepticism about Netanyahu's trustworthiness among the general public and the independent press, the immediate reaction among observers to his video statement was speculation that the reality could be even worse than they had imagined.

TikTok owner ByteDance is ramping up its spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure, boosting its planned capital expenditure this year to more than 200 billion yuan (US$30 billion), according to two people familiar with the matter. This represented an increase of at least 25 per cent compared with a preliminary plan discussed late last year that proposed AI capex of 160 billion yuan, they said. The increase was necessary because of the company’s growing commitment to AI, as well as...

Disney’s ABC criticized the Federal Communications Commission’s recent efforts to regulate interviews on broadcast talk shows, warning that Chair Brendan Carr’s “unprecedented” actions threaten to “chill” the First Amendment and stifle coverage of political candidates. The regulatory filing marked the latest stage in a confrontation between the broadcasting networks and Carr, who has used his time at the nominally independent FCC to wage a series of fights against perceived foes of U.S. President Donald Trump. In this case, the dispute involves Carr’s efforts to use a decades-old “equal time” rule to demand that broadcast talk shows such as ABC’s “The View” offer equal time to both parties when interviewing political candidates. Such shows had previously relied on the FCC’s exemption for what it calls “bona fide” news interviews—but now, their ability to air those interviews is in doubt, ABC wrote. “Uncertainty as to the scope of broadcast licensees’ editorial discretion threatens to limit news coverage of political candidates and chill core First Amendment-protected speech for years and potentially decades to come,” ABC wrote in the 52-page petition to the agency, unveiled Friday. “As the 2026 midterm election approaches, the American people need more access to political news and more exposure to political candidates, not less.” An FCC spokesperson defended Carr’s approach and told POLITICO that the agency wo…

Satellite images show a large oil spill spreading off Iran’s Kharg Island, a critical oil hub terminal for the Islamic republic. The apparent spill has raised concerns about the state of Iranian oil infrastructure as it faces mounting strain from a US-imposed naval blockade.

The US imposed sanctions on three Chinese firms for providing satellite imagery to Iran, enabling its military strikes on American forces in the Middle East, as Washington ramps up efforts to restrict technological support for Tehran in the conflict.

As geopolitical competition intensifies across multiple regions, countries capable of maintaining working relationships with rival powers are becoming increasingly valuable. While global attention remains centered on major-power rivalry, another category of states is quietly gaining strategic importance: middle powers able to engage competing actors without becoming fully dependent on any single bloc. Pakistan is gradually […] The post How Pakistan became the world’s most useful middle power appeared first on Asia Times.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, expressed his concern to the European Union on Friday and threatened to "take measures" following the EU's decision to exclude Chinese companies from critical infrastructure projects within its cybersecurity law. "We are closely monitoring how the review process will proceed, and we are seeking dialogue with the EU. If the revised law discriminates against Chinese companies, China will take resolute measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests," the spokesperson stated at a press conference. In recent months, the European Union has been strengthening its 2026 cybersecurity framework, focused on reducing dependence on Chinese "high-risk" technology providers in critical infrastructure, based on the 2019/881 Cybersecurity Regulation and its subsequent revisions. Meanwhile, China has been closely following the EU's guidelines and has warned of possible countermeasures. The Brussels executive has been pushing for the 27 member states to exclude Chinese providers from 5G networks due to "security risks." However, the unpopular presence of Donald Trump in European society has led some countries to begin reconsidering their relationship with major trading competitors from the East. In Spain, one of the member states, 54.5% of citizens support the European Union strengthening its ties…

Syria's small Jewish community has struggled to maintain kosher traditions after it dwindled in size, relying on imported meat and individual effort to keep centuries-old practices alive in Damascus.

Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces have reported the presence of Russia’s 90th Tank Division in Pokrovsk.

U.S. intelligence: Mojtaba Khamenei plays a crucial role in Iran's strategies.

U. S. President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that the Central African country of Congo released inmates from its prisons and sent them to the U. S. border with Mexico. The president offered no proof or evidence to back up his claim. “They emptied the prisons of the Congo into the area of the southern border, and they told them to just walk in, because stupid Americans are going to accept you beautifully,” Trump said at a Friday Mothers’ Day event at the White House. “And these were hard, mean, vicious criminals they allowed into our country.” The aside was accompanied with no concrete evidence that Congo, a large and impoverished country which has struggled to govern a territory almost the size of Western Europe, intentionally released prisoners and sent them to the United States. Asked to clarify the president’s comments, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said “it’s common knowledge that dangerous criminals from around the world took advantage of Biden’s open border to flood American communities. President Trump has secured our border and is now working to deport all of these sick criminals, despite Democrat opposition.” She did not offer specific evidence that Congo intentionally released inmates. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for additional information supporting the president’s assertions. Congo’s embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. The U. S. has deported migrants from other countries to Congo in recent months, as it has also continued to mediate a conflict between Congo and neighboring Rwanda. The president has previously accused Latin American countries, chiefly Venezuela, of emptying prisons and mental institutions and sending individuals from those facilities to the U. S. border with Mexico. Those claims have undergirded the administration’s reasoning for mass deportations of unauthorized immigrants or immigrants who legally entered the United States under his predecessor but since have been charged with crimes. Customs and Border Protection under the Biden administration did apprehend some Congolese nationals at the U. S. border with Mexico. While a precise figure is unavailable, those numbers are estimated to be in the thousands. The Biden administration also accepted tens of thousands of Congolese nationals through the refugee admissions process. Migrants with known violent criminal records are almost always ineligible to enter the country via asylum or refugee status. But the Trump administration has been quick to note in press releases the handful of instances when it has apprehended unauthorized immigrants who were ineligible to enter the U. S. on those grounds but nevertheless crossed the U. S. border during former President Joe Biden’s tenure.

Exclusive: Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is preferred choice of new leader for 42% of those surveyed Full results from England, Scotland and Wales The majority of Labour members say they do not believe Keir Starmer can turn around the party’s fortunes, while 45% say the prime minister should step down. The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, was the first preference for 42% of members, who were asked to rank their preferred successor. Continue reading...

Fears over a natural disaster or cyber attack are pushing households into contingency planning, Link survey shows Millions of Britons are “prepping” for a potential “major disruptive event” by keeping a stash of cash at home, stockpiling tinned goods or ensuring they have a battery-powered torch close to hand, new data suggests. With war raging in the Middle East and Ukraine, extreme weather becoming more frequent, and warnings that the UK’s critical infrastructure is at risk from cyber-attacks and power outages, many people feel the world has become a more dangerous and chaotic place. Continue reading...

The Philippines has selected its newest Miss Universe candidate, Bea Millan-Windorski, and the country – renowned for its love of beauty pageants – is preparing to send its latest representative to the global competition in November. The 23-year-old, who grew up in Wisconsin in the United States and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in history and international relations, distinguished herself among seven finalists last weekend with her winning answer. When asked why the Philippines was...

The US is changing its strategy to fund local African processing and mining infrastructure, recognizing that it cannot yet process the critical minerals it is urgently trying to secure from the continent to counter China. Tom Haslett, managing director of policy for critical minerals at the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), stated that, unlike China, which has "significant industry support for both processing and downstream manufacturing," the US and Europe do not yet have that level of support.

The total combat losses of Russian forces since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, through May 8, 2026, amount to approximately 1,340,270 personnel, including 1,080 killed or wounded over the past day.

For three decades after the Cold War, Washington operated under a dangerous assumption: that military supremacy could indefinitely compensate for diplomatic exhaustion. The United States possessed the world’s most advanced armed forces, unmatched naval reach, and a financial system capable of weaponizing sanctions against adversaries thousands of miles away. From the Balkans to Baghdad, this power often created […] The post When the world’s greatest power can’t win appeared first on Asia Times.

Law enforcement officers in Ukraine’s Ternopil region have uncovered a scheme involving draft evasion and the illegal smuggling of men across the state border, allegedly involving a doctor and two accomplices.

The administration of Honduran President Nasry Asfura continues to strengthen its strategic relationship with the United States, a period marked by a reorientation of the country's foreign policy and the search for new mechanisms of economic and security cooperation. In various recent statements and diplomatic meetings, the Honduran government has reiterated its intention to strengthen bilateral relations with Washington, considering that the United States remains Honduras's main trading partner and one of its most important political allies. The strategy promoted by the Asfura administration focuses on building trust to attract foreign investment, strengthening regional security cooperation, and expanding employment and economic development opportunities. In this context, the Honduran president has stated that his government is working to create a favorable environment for investment, based on clear rules, stability, and international cooperation. "The relationship with the United States is fundamental for Honduras. We want to strengthen trust, attract more investment, and work together on issues that are priorities for the country's development," the government has repeatedly emphasized in various diplomatic and political forums. One of the main objectives of this new phase of foreign relations is to position Honduras as a more competitive and reliable country for international investors, especially in…

As he struggles to force Iran’s capitulation, US President Donald Trump issued what seemed to be yet another threat to commit an act of mass destruction against the country through nuclear warfare. When negotiations have faltered in recent weeks, Trump has on multiple occasions defaulted to genocidal threats—including that the “whole civilization” of Iran would “die,” and that the […] The post Nuclear holocaust threat just another day in Trump World appeared first on Asia Times.

The war in Iran, trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan are expected to be on the agenda. But expectations are modest.

Xi Jinping spent 13 years building a military to rival that of the United States. But the stronger the Chinese forces grew, the less he trusted the generals he had handpicked to run them.

Two years after losing its majority, the BJP is now taking opposition strongholds and paving the prime minister’s way for a fourth term in office

Tehran's hundreds of small, fast boats are crucial in maintaining its control over global energy markets.

It took less than six minutes for Japan’s Type 88 missile to find its mark, a decommissioned Philippine warship 75km (47 miles) off the coast of Ilocos Norte. The US-made Tomahawk took rather longer to hit its target, some 630km (390 miles) away. It was, analysts say, a pointed display of resolve: Japanese, American and Filipino troops bringing this year’s Balikatan joint exercises to a thunderous close with a volley of missiles fired from sites in the far northern Philippines. The Tomahawk...

The adults in María Zenaida Puliche's house struggle to hold back tears in front of Sofía, who is turning nine. They take turns approaching her and posing for a picture with the strawberry cake. The little girl smiles and hugs her father, her aunts, and her cousins. But not her mother. Daniela Valencia was one of the 22 victims killed in an attack perpetrated by dissidents of the now-defunct FARC on April 25 in Cauca, a region in southwestern Colombia where armed groups have cornered the state and violence lurks every hour of the day. It was the deadliest terrorist attack on civilians in the country since 2003, just a month before the presidential elections.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told earlier that Iran had not yet responded to the US proposal for a settlement agreement

Robust trade surplus shows US tariffs have done little to dent the country’s manufacturing prowess

The US leader also noted that he has excellent personal relations with the Polish leadership

Donal Trumpt noted that the United States could resume Operation Project Freedom to organize the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz if there is no progress in negotiations with Iran

This Friday, the National Consumer Service (Sernac) issued a safety alert regarding the risk of accidents that could be caused by stainless steel bottles from the Thermos brand, due to a defect in their lids. The alert affects the SK3000 Stainless King and SK3020 Food Jar models, which were sold in Chile by the company Importadora y Distribuidora KW SpA between 2018 and 2026. According to the information, there are 2,000 units in the possession of consumers, while there is a stock of 700 bottles, and 5,000 are in transit. Regarding the defect, the company stated that "there are stainless steel bottle lids that do not contain a pressure release valve mechanism. This defect can cause the lid to be ejected forcefully if food is stored for longer than the recommended time, which could lead to accidents." Due to the above, there is a risk of burns, spills, and impacts caused by the lid being ejected with force. According to the information, this defect has resulted in 27 reports of affected individuals in the United States, while no cases of affected individuals have been reported in Chile. However, Sernac clarified that the products affected by this alert, in the case of Chile, are only those imported between 2018 and 2022, as all subsequent imports included models with lids that have built-in pressure release valves. Therefore, it is recommended to stop using the product…

A performative march titled “Ukraine in Memory” took place in central Berlin on Friday, May 8, to honor Ukrainians who died during World War II and to call on the German authorities to create a separate memorial space dedicated to Ukrainian victims.

Until not that long ago, the ability to bring down civilisations was the preserve of a few powerful countries. It is now in the process of being democratised. Leer más

Indonesian authorities resumed their search ⁠on Saturday for three hikers missing after Mount Dukono erupted on the island of Halmahera, a rescue official said. At least 100 rescuers, military and police personnel, as well as two thermal drones, were ‌deployed to find the two Singaporeans and one Indonesian, said Iwan Ramdani, the head of the local rescue agency. Survivors have told police that three people, including two Singaporeans, died in Friday’s eruption, local police chief Erlichson...

China’s export growth accelerated in April after a brief slowdown in March, reinforcing trade’s role as a key stabilizer of the economy.

SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back will visit the United Sta...

According to the German budgetary policy specialist, the industrial model that has prevailed in Germany since 1945 does not sufficiently focus on cutting-edge technologies and is more threatened by Chinese competition than ever.

São Paulo exchange emerges as indirect beneficiary of turmoil in the Gulf

Persian Gulf states are worried that a negotiated end to the war will leave them exposed to security threats.

The U. S. military conducted a lethal strike on another alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific on Friday, killing two suspected “narco-terrorists,” according to U. S. Southern Command (Southcom). Southcom said the vessel was operated by an unnamed designated terrorist organization and was transiting along “known narco-trafficking routes” engaged in illicit drug trafficking. “Two male narco-terrorists…

Globally, hundreds of millions of users now interact regularly with AI companions. The World Health Organization has declared loneliness a global health threat. AI companions offer an immediate, if unproven, response.  In 2014, Microsoft launched Xiaoice in China, an AI companion designed not to answer questions efficiently but to sustain long, emotionally textured conversations. By […] The post US, EU and China profoundly split on AI intimacy appeared first on Asia Times.

State department says groups provided satellite imagery that enabled Tehran to strike US forces in Middle East

President Donald Trump said Washington was expecting an answer from Tehran over a proposed deal to set up talks to end the war by Friday night. Follow live.

Analysis commissioned by independent senator found national science agency’s funding is at its lowest since 1978 Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Albanese government will boost funding to CSIRO by $387.4m in a bid to meet the long-term costs of the national science agency. It follows months of advocacy by scientists and staff after hundreds of job cuts and cost-cutting measures. Continue reading...

US-Iran war LIVE updates: Iran has still given no indication whether it will accept President Donald Trump’s plan, sent on Wednesday, which proposes that the Islamic Republic reopen the strait and the US end a blockade on Iranian ports over the next month, Bloomberg reported.

Video posted on social media by US Southern Command shows a black, boat-shaped image before what appears to be an explosion.

More than 190 people have been killed in such strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and Pacific The US military on Friday said it struck a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people and leaving one survivor in the latest attack on boats suspected of transporting narcotics. This brings the death toll from strikes on such vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific to more than 190 people since September. A video posted by the US Southern Command shows the vessel traveling through the water being hit by what appears to be a missile. The screen momentarily goes black and then shows the boat engulfed in flames. Continue reading...

VANCOUVER, B. C. — Under an unprecedented three-way co-hosting arrangement, the marquee moments in the lead-up to the World Cup are spread across North America’s largest countries. Last December’s lottery draw went to the United States, the June 11 opening match landed in Mexico, and Canada got this year’s FIFA Congress. That gathering, which brought world soccer’s most powerful figures to Vancouver last week, is widely accepted to be the least exciting and prestigious of the three — a business meeting for sports bureaucrats all but invisible to the world beyond them. That trilateral imbalance reflects the realities reshaping an event originally conceived as a proud display of continental unity that has devolved into seething cross-border anxieties and resentments: Canada feels like a World Cup afterthought. “The original hosting concept stressed the strength and appeal of Canada, Mexico and the USA jointly hosting the World Cup,” said John Kristick, who served as executive director of the 2026 United Bid Committee. “That ‘united’ thread has been lost in much of the marketing and coverage to date, with the USA claiming a lion’s share of the attention.” From the outset, the United States was positioned as the tournament’s center of gravity, slated to host roughly 75 percent of matches, including nearly all knockout games, the semifinals and the final. That asymmetry was accepted as par for the course — the United States population is twice that of the other two countries combined, is geographically central, and offers a wealth of stadium facilities for high-profile competition. But FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s relentless focus on winning over President Donald Trump has widened a gap between the three countries in both power and perception, contributing to the feeling that the 2026 World Cup has become an American pageant with a handful of satellite events abroad. “FIFA Congress is our premier annual meeting, bringing together member associations and the leadership of every continental confederation. This year’s edition in Vancouver was particularly significant as it became the centerpiece of a broader week of global football governance, diplomacy and administration, reinforcing the city’s role as a key hub in the international game,” FIFA said in a statement to POLITICO. Placing the FIFA Congress in Vancouver, the hometown of FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani — who heads CONCACAF, the regional confederation that includes North and Central America, along with the Caribbean, and has been seen as a potential challenger to Infantino — was a carefully calibrated concession to Canadian insecurities. Montagliani is close to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, British Columbia Premier David Eby, and the Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim. “Victor has always wanted Canada to host a FIFA Congress,” a member of CONCACAF, granted anonymity to recount private conversations, told POLITICO in the lobby of the Fairmont Waterfront hotel in Vancouver. Maneuvering a congress onto the calendar was not easy. In World Cup years, FIFA has often hosted its meeting in the host country days before kickoff, but the location of the opening match in Mexico City made that logistically unfeasible this year, according to a senior FIFA adviser granted anonymity to discuss planning considerations. In years without a global tournament, FIFA usually holds its congress in late winter, an unappealing option given Canada’s weather. To keep the event on Canadian soil, organizers settled on a spring date in Vancouver. At the congress, the FIFA Council approved an $871 million increase in the share of World Cup revenues distributed to the 48 competing countries, whose national federations will now each receive a minimum of $12.5 million for participating. The FIFA Council also rewrote on-field rules related to red cards and restart times after a stoppage in play. “In many ways, the FIFA Congress turned Vancouver into the global capital of football for the week — a distinction few cities ever receive,” FIFA said in its statement. Beyond its official business, Montagliani was the event’s star. He welcomed Infantino to Concacaf House, a fan site near the city’s Olympic cauldron that will be replicated in Miami and New York during the World Cup. There, Infantino honored Montagliani for his decade leading the regional confederation. Hours later, Montagliani took the field at the University of British Columbia to play in a FIFA “legacy match,” a ceremonial game tied to the organization’s development initiatives. (Team Canada defeated one from CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, in the final.) He also signed a memorandum of understanding with European confederation UEFA to support the long‑term development and growth of football across both confederations. The visibility is notable — particularly as FIFA’s evolving governance model has concentrated decision-making power more tightly in Infantino, who became president in 2016. Under him, the organization has shifted toward a centralized structure, running the tournament directly rather than through national organizing committees. Infantino’s approach has at times created friction with regional stakeholders, including Montagliani, who felt that FIFA’s preparations have been too U. S. centric, POLITICO has previously reported. Infantino used the Vancouver gathering to formally announce his bid for reelection in 2027. He received immediate backing from the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of African Football, together comprising nearly half of FIFA’s 211 voting members, would be enough to ensure Infantino’s victory. A person familiar with Montagliani’s thinking granted anonymity to discuss it told POLITICO that Montagliani has no plans to challenge Infantino. That person said he plans to serve out his term as head of CONCACAF that runs through 2027, and then seek another four-year term.

LONDON — Judged on his own record, Nigel Farage is one of the most prolific political failures in modern British history. In three of the five elections he has fought over the past 20 years under various party banners, none of his side’s candidates won a single seat — and he finally entered Westminster in 2024 only after failing in seven previous attempts. But local elections across England, as well as parliamentary votes in Wales and Scotland, this week confirmed that Farage’s Reform UK party is now an undeniably powerful electoral force. The question is whether he can convert these successes into winning a general election and achieving a national majority in Westminster. POLITICO analysis suggests he has an enormous task ahead in his quest to become prime minister — but not an impossible one. “There is an historic shift in British politics that is taking place,” Farage told reporters in reaction to early results on Friday. “I think the best is yet to come.” Key to Farage’s prospects for winning national power is the fact that British politics is now more fragmented than it has ever been, with high levels of volatility as voters switch parties from one election to another. That makes results much less predictable than they used to be. The latest local council elections in England confirmed the trend for big swings spread across multiple parties. Reform UK held only two council seats of the more than 5,000 up for grabs the last time elections were held in these areas four years ago. By Friday evening, with results still coming in, Farage’s party had gained more than 1,200 local council seats. The old establishment parties — Labour and the Conservatives, which have dominated British politics for the past century — had lost more than 1,500 between them. And what used to be a two-horse race is now a five-way contest across England between Labour, the Tories, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party heading into the next general election. In Scotland the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru in Wales add more options to the menu. Fragmentation nation This fragmentation changes the way election campaigns unfold. When British politics was a straight head-to-head between Labour and the Tories, party bosses could afford the luxury of running campaigns that were not always ruthlessly efficient. It didn’t matter so much if they piled up tens of thousands of votes in “safe” seats. At recent elections, campaign strategists have focused their expertise and technological capabilities on precisely targeting key segments of the electorate in around 100 marginal seats that can sway the outcome of an entire contest. When five or six parties are all vying for support, the efficiency of these election machines is critical to success. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage takes part in a photo call at College Green, Westminster in central London on May 6, 2026. | Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images Such campaigns are made up of strategists, staff, volunteers — and data. The best are well-resourced in financial terms and in volunteers’ time. They include comprehensive campaign plans; effective social media operations; accurate voter-targeting data; tracker polls before and during the short campaign; and thousands of volunteers who will deliver leaflets and talk to voters in key constituencies before and on polling day. Ground army Alongside a newly expanded army of English councillors, Reform UK now have newly elected Welsh and Scottish lawmakers and their aides, as well as a rapidly growing party membership. The party counts more than 270,000 members — more than Labour, which reportedly has seen its membership slump to below 250,000 in recent months. Many of these people can be mobilized to help spread the party’s messages in a national campaign, pounding the pavements when it matters most. Well-financed and professional election operations helped deliver David Cameron’s Conservatives a surprise majority in 2015, against all predictions, and gave Keir Starmer’s Labour the most efficient landslide victory on record — winning two-thirds of the seats in Westminster with just one-third of the votes cast in 2024. By comparison, Farage’s performances have been dismal. In 2015, Farage’s UKIP operation ranked among the least efficient in history. While Cameron’s Conservatives achieved a highly efficient ratio of 34,200 votes for every Westminster seat, UKIP piled up 3.9 million votes across the country and saw just one MP elected. In 2024 — Farage’s breakthrough year — Reform won 4.1 million votes but won only five seats. It was another disorganized campaign, cobbled together at the last minute, that delivered an inefficient ratio of 823,500 votes for every seat. Labour, meanwhile, won 411 seats on a ratio of 23,600 votes each. No party has won a majority in parliament with a higher vote-to-seat ratio than 38,300 this century. Reform will need to be 22 times more efficient than it was in 2024 to meet this bar. If he is to win power in 2029, or whenever the next election comes, Farage must build an entirely new national campaign machine. Turning pro But Farage is aware of this point. He has vowed to professionalize his party, and in the past two years has attracted the biggest single donation in British political history, and smartened up messaging and events. On Friday, he claimed the election results proved these efforts were working. “It all goes to show that over the course of the last two years, since we made that breakthrough in the general election, we have professionalized the party,” Farage said. “We’ve done it at a very, very rapid rate.” But even local election results aren’t necessarily a good guide to a general election still likely to be years away. And opinion polling is less reliable still. Reform UK now have newly elected Welsh and Scottish lawmakers and their aides, as well as a rapidly growing party membership. | Toby Shepheard/AFP via Getty Images At the last general election, pollsters made serious errors, inflating Labour’s vote share and understating the Conservatives’ support. Several also overstated Reform UK’s position, according to analysis collected by the British Polling Council. A YouGov survey in September showed that even though Britons generally thought Farage was doing well at setting the agenda, they did not think he would do a good job running the country. Only 24 percent said Reform would govern well, compared to 49 percent who thought the opposite. Trusted with the economy? Digging into the details of more recent surveys, Farage also struggles on two key questions that have proven to be reliable guides to how voters choose Westminster governments: Who is the best leader, and which party is most trusted to run the economy? Although the U. K. does not elect a president, it has for decades been true that many voters base their decisions on who they want in No. 10 Downing Street (or who they really want to keep away from that famous black door). Here, Farage is not, apparently, a runaway success. According to YouGov’s most recent survey, on May 4-5, the Reform UK leader’s net favorability score is -39 percent, only a little better than Starmer’s score of -47 percent. Of the leaders and potential leaders polled, only Labour’s Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has a net positive rating, of 4 percent. On the economy, too, Reform’s reputation leaves room for doubters. On May 4, YouGov found only 11 percent of voters thought Farage’s party would be the best at handling the economy, compared to 15 percent for Labour and 19 percent for the Conservatives. Despite these caveats, politics is changing. As Farage has already shown, what held sway in the past is not necessarily a guide to what will happen next. A big 80-seat win for Boris Johnson’s Tories in 2019 gave way to a Labour landslide majority of 174 seats in 2024. And now for the second year in a row, Reform UK has stormed the board in England’s local elections — meaning that millions of voters have turned out and put their crosses in a box next to one of Farage’s candidates. They were not voting to make him PM, but they were choosing his side. Having done so once at a local or regional election, it may feel easier to do so again when the Westminster government is at stake.

Following a ruling by the International Trade Court in February that deemed the 10% tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on a wide range of countries and regions to be illegal, the Trump administration filed an appeal with the Federal Court of Appeals on August 8th, contesting the decision.

Indian-American man faces denaturalization proceedings in US

The Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament, where the opposition holds a majority, has approved a draft bill for a special budget aimed at strengthening Taiwan's defense capabilities. However, the bill, which was passed, significantly reduced the budget by nearly 40%, reflecting an opposition-backed proposal. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has stated that this reduction will significantly delay the timeline for building up the country's defenses against China's overwhelming military power.

The U.S. government stated this Friday that the upcoming talks between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations – to be held in Washington – aim to "break with the failed approach" that, according to the government, has allowed terrorist groups to consolidate and enrich themselves in Lebanese territory, with the goal of achieving a "comprehensive peace agreement" between the two countries. According to the State Department, the meetings – scheduled for May 14th and 15th in the capital – "aim to decisively break with the failed approach of the past two decades, which allowed terrorist groups to strengthen and enrich themselves, undermine the authority of the Lebanese state, and endanger Israel's northern border." In an official statement, the State Department added that these talks, the third round in the renewed conflict that began on March 2nd, aim to "advance towards a comprehensive agreement on peace and security." In this way, "the foundations will be laid for lasting peace and security agreements, the full restoration of Lebanese sovereignty throughout its territory, the demarcation of borders, and the creation of concrete pathways for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Lebanon," the Foreign Ministry stated. The department, headed by Marco Rubio, also stated that it will "work to reconcile" the interests of both parties, "so that lasting security is guaranteed for Israel, as well as sovereignty..."

The administrative court has upheld the Paris Police Prefecture's decision to ban the march that has been organized since 2008 by ultranationalist activists in the French capital, citing a 'very tense political climate.'

You can perhaps judge the rise and decline of a society by the quality of its public intellectuals. In the last century, the United States had some genuinely great thinkers such as Walter Lippmann and Hannah Arendt who addressed a literate public while producing enduring works that can still be read today with great benefit. Now you have people like Francis Fukuyama and Sam Harris who may be studied in the future more as a symptom of their society. A podcast between the two last month went viral...

Families displaced by fighting fear new clashes with Thailand, say education among areas most affected by border war.

In an extraordinary break from the diplomatic restraint typical of central banks, a dozen leaders of the world’s foremost monetary institutions issued a joint statement in January declaring their “full solidarity” with the US Federal Reserve and its embattled chair, Jerome Powell. “The independence of central banks is a cornerstone of price, financial and economic stability in the interest of the citizens that we serve,” they wrote. The move was intended to shore up the separation of monetary...

SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- Two Chinese fishing boats were seized near the border i...

WASHINGTON, May 8 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President Donald Trump said Friday that "I lo...

SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- The following are the top headlines in major South Kore...

The US leader also stressed that he "would like to see a big extension" of ceasefire

Caribbean Princess cruise ship departed Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on April 29 and is scheduled to arrive at Port Canaveral on May 11.

Viral claims on social media said President Donald Trump was taken to the hospital, amid ongoing concerns about the POTUS' health.

As global markets are shaken by geopolitical uncertainty and the energy consequences of the war in the Middle East, a small nation in Southeast Asia has emerged as a haven of stability – at least for those with significant wealth seeking a safe place to invest. Giig Tanaporn, CEO and founder of the business and wealth consultancy Unique Prime Group, has noted that high-net-worth clients, particularly from the Middle East and South Korea, are increasingly choosing Singapore due to its regulatory framework...

A former ally of Mamata Banerjee, the BJP leader will be West Bengal’s next chief minister.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 165 people have been killed as a result of Russian drone attacks on railway infrastructure facilities.

"Balance of Power: Late Edition" focuses on the intersection of politics and global business. On today's show, David Hale, former US Ambassador to Lebanon and Pakistan & current Wilson Center Distinguished Fellow, shares his insight on how receptive he feels Iran is towards US asks as amid renewed clashes in Hormuz. Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) voices her frustration with Virginia’s Supreme Court striking down the state’s new redistricting map. (Source: Bloomberg)

Virginia Democrats on Friday asked the state Supreme Court for a stay on its ruling that threw out last month’s referendum on redistricting in the commonwealth, signaling plans to appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court.   The state, Virginia’s House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott (D) and others filed a joint motion asking the state Supreme…

Universal prekindergarten will soon be available to families in two Kentucky counties under a pilot program launched by Gov. Andy Beshear (D) this week. Beshear signed an executive order on Thursday directing the secretary of the Education and Labor Cabinet to work with local school districts to provide full-day, universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds. The program…

The decision by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), which had suspended the production and sale of Ypê brand products, has been suspended after the manufacturer filed an administrative appeal with the agency. Despite this, Anvisa maintains the health risk alert and advises consumers not to use the 23 affected products with lot numbers ending in 1, which are subject to the decision. Related news: Procon states that Ypê is responsible for the disposal of the products. Bacteria found in Ypê products is resistant to antibiotics. Anvisa orders the recall of Ypê liquid laundry detergent due to contamination. According to the company, the appeal protocol automatically suspends the effects of the measure until the regulatory agency provides a new position, based on Article 17 of Anvisa's Collegiate Board Resolution 266/2019. In a statement, Ypê stated that the appeal was filed to reinforce the commitments made in the company's action and compliance plan, and to provide Anvisa with further technical clarifications. With the administrative appeal, products in the dishwasher detergent, concentrated dishwasher detergent, liquid laundry detergent, and disinfectant categories can continue to be manufactured and sold until Anvisa issues a new statement. The company also stated that it will continue to engage in ongoing dialogue with the regulatory agency to seek a definitive solution. Alert remains in effect Despite the suspensory effect of the decision, Anvisa stated that it maintains its technical assessment regarding the…

Scotland’s push for another independence referendum could be back in play after nationalists emerged to dominate the country’s devolved parliament following an election that saw a collapse in support for Britain’s two traditional parties of power.

A ninety-minute meeting failed to resolve the outstanding issues. The discussions covered international crises, including the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Libya, and Lebanon. "The transatlantic relationship is crucial," Tajani stated. "Europe needs the United States, and vice versa."