The WHO Director General concluded his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, briefing the president on the Ebola response. An aid agency warned the actual outbreak is likely much larger than official figures indicate. The outbreak, already the third-largest on record, went undetected for weeks, with health officials struggling to control the situation.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira held the fifth Global Strategic Dialogue in Beijing. Wang Yi emphasized that the two nations should jointly address external challenges. Practical cooperation across all sectors has steadily strengthened, and people-to-people exchanges have intensified. The dialogue aims to further deepen the strategic partnership between China and Brazil.
The Philippines is pursuing a strategic partnership with the United States through the Pax Silica initiative, which aims to build secure supply chains through international cooperation. US Undersecretary of State Jacob Helberg defended the program against critics. However, Manila's rejection of a US request for extended diplomatic immunity raises questions about the reliability of US commitments and potential friction with China.
US President Donald Trump's $1.8 billion fund to compensate alleged victims of government weaponization has been put on hold following fierce opposition from Republican members of Congress. The move reflects growing willingness among some Republican senators to challenge the president's actions, particularly following Trump's endorsement against two of their Senate colleagues.
China's SAIC Motor plans to establish a car manufacturing facility in Galicia, northwestern Spain, marking its first production facility in the European Union. Galicia's regional government leader Alfonso Rueda announced the project as a strategic priority, with initial investment estimated at approximately €200 million (US$232 million). The project includes a logistics hub and still requires approval from Spain's central government for foreign direct investment.
The WHO Director General concluded his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, briefing the president on the Ebola response. An aid agency warned the actual outbreak is likely much larger than official figures indicate. The outbreak, already the third-largest on record, went undetected for weeks, with health officials struggling to control the situation.
Despite the growing role of drone swarms and stealth submarines in modern warfare, aircraft carriers continue to symbolize military power. China, France, Turkey, India, and Japan are all investing in these warships. Satellite imagery shows China's fourth aircraft carrier is rapidly taking shape at a shipyard in Dalian, northeastern China, reflecting the country's accelerating naval fleet expansion.
Hong Kong's first astronaut Lai Ka-ying is set to join the Shenzhou-23 mission to China's Tiangong space station. Industry experts at the Global Prosperity Summit 2026 highlighted Hong Kong's potential to become a facilitator of aerospace development by leveraging professional services expertise and emerging opportunities in the aerospace economy.
Experts suggest that Asia's fuel demands may outweigh strategic concerns about relying on heavily sanctioned Russian oil. Currently, there is limited political will in Asia to address the security implications of Moscow's crude shipments flowing eastward via a "dark fleet" of tankers. The US-Israeli conflict with Iran has pushed Brent crude benchmark prices above US$100 per barrel since March, though recent negotiations with Washington have softened prices somewhat.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira held the fifth Global Strategic Dialogue in Beijing. Wang Yi emphasized that the two nations should jointly address external challenges. Practical cooperation across all sectors has steadily strengthened, and people-to-people exchanges have intensified. The dialogue aims to further deepen the strategic partnership between China and Brazil.
The Philippines is pursuing a strategic partnership with the United States through the Pax Silica initiative, which aims to build secure supply chains through international cooperation. US Undersecretary of State Jacob Helberg defended the program against critics. However, Manila's rejection of a US request for extended diplomatic immunity raises questions about the reliability of US commitments and potential friction with China.
US President Donald Trump's $1.8 billion fund to compensate alleged victims of government weaponization has been put on hold following fierce opposition from Republican members of Congress. The move reflects growing willingness among some Republican senators to challenge the president's actions, particularly following Trump's endorsement against two of their Senate colleagues.
The US State Department plans to significantly reduce the number of embassies and consulates in Africa that process visa applications. According to US officials and an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press, the nearly 50 current visa processing facilities will be reduced to 20 in the coming weeks. The change is expected to take effect in June, though no specific date has been set.
The Chinese and US militaries held working group talks on maritime military safety in Hawaii on Thursday and Friday, marking the first military communication between Beijing and Washington since last month's summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Trump in Beijing. The meeting represents the latest effort by the two geopolitical rivals to maintain open military-to-military communication channels.
US President Donald Trump stated that negotiations are progressing rapidly and claimed to have helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. However, Iran-linked media reported that Tehran suspended contact with Washington over Israel's expanding military offensive in Lebanon. The conflicting accounts highlight the fragile state of negotiations aimed at ending the Middle East conflict, which has lasted over three months.
Tiger Brokers announced first-quarter operating profit of US$47.6 million, up 17.5% year-on-year, with revenue reaching US$154.9 million, a 26.3% increase. Hong Kong trading volume surged 536%, driving the growth. The company made no mention of regulatory investigations by China's securities regulator regarding alleged unlicensed cross-border trading services.
China's Ministry of Commerce confirmed that Australian beef will soon face an additional 55 percent import duty. Australian beef imports have reached 90 percent of this year's quota, triggering a tariff adjustment mechanism. Previously, most Australian beef imports enjoyed low or zero tariffs in China, marking a significant shift in trade policy.
Hong Kong's retail sales reached HK$31.4 billion in April, up 8.6% year-on-year, marking the 12th consecutive month of recovery. The Census and Statistics Department attributed the growth to increased visitor arrivals and holiday spending. Retail sales for the first four months of 2026 rose 11.3% compared to the same period last year, indicating sustained momentum in the retail sector.
As Chinese humanoid robotics industry expands, foreign investors and corporate strategists are examining component suppliers. Key parts like reduction gears, torque sensors, and precision bearings are manufactured by China's specialized 'little giant' enterprises. Though not widely recognized internationally, these companies play crucial roles in industrial supply chains and warrant closer investor attention and assessment.
Japan is confronting a potential banana shortage linked to Middle East tensions affecting ethylene supplies. The country imports bananas while green and ripens them in ethylene-filled chambers before retail distribution. With over 90 percent crude oil imports, Japan's ethylene supply faces constraints. Japan imported approximately 1 million tonnes of bananas last year, making it a critical staple food.
To address a public health crisis from an aging population, China is accelerating efforts to develop new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. China currently has more Alzheimer's and Parkinson's cases than any other country globally, with prevalence rising faster than the worldwide average. Parkinson's cases in China are projected to increase from 3.6 million in 2024 to 10.5 million by 2050, while dementia cases continue to rise significantly.
China's SAIC Motor plans to establish a car manufacturing facility in Galicia, northwestern Spain, marking its first production facility in the European Union. Galicia's regional government leader Alfonso Rueda announced the project as a strategic priority, with initial investment estimated at approximately €200 million (US$232 million). The project includes a logistics hub and still requires approval from Spain's central government for foreign direct investment.
Chinese researchers have developed an environmentally friendly method to extract caesium from brine, potentially increasing China's supply of this strategic resource. Caesium, a rare metal critical for satellite atomic clocks, missile thermal imaging sensors, and advanced specialty glass, is heavily consumed by China and the United States. Both nations currently rely significantly on imports, primarily from Canadian and Australian ore sources.
Alibaba Group's Chief Technology Officer Wu Zeming has been elevated to the company's elite steering committee, joining co-founders Jack Ma and Joe Tsai in shaping the tech conglomerate's strategy. The committee also includes CEO Eddie Wu Yongming and Jiang Fan, CEO of the e-commerce unit. Born in 1982, Wu represents a younger generation of tech executives at Alibaba, reflecting the company's commitment to artificial intelligence advancement.
Gu Quanquan, a prominent AI researcher and UCLA associate professor, has announced his departure from ByteDance. He led foundational AI research at the TikTok owner, including development of Seed models. The departure comes as ByteDance accelerates monetisation efforts for its core AI offerings, including subscription plans for its flagship consumer AI app Doubao.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency announced that Iran will suspend indirect messaging exchanges with the United States in protest of Israel's intensified military operations against Lebanon. Iran and the Axis of Resistance have placed the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb on their agenda. In response, international oil prices surged more than 6%.
International oil prices surged on Monday, with Brent crude futures rising 4.2% to $94.98 per barrel and WTI crude climbing 5.5% to $92.16 per barrel. Iran's state media reported Tehran has suspended indirect negotiations with the US and is considering a full blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, raising market concerns about global energy supply disruptions. Tensions in the Middle East have escalated with ongoing military exchanges between Iran and the US.
A T-34 trainer aircraft (registration 3414) of the Republic of China Air Force crashed at Gangshan Air Base this morning around 8 AM near the north end of the runway. The aircraft was piloted by two colonels, surnamed Lu and Guo, who both died in the crash. The aircraft was conducting a simulated engine failure training mission at the time. The Air Force has established a task force to investigate the cause of the accident.
Renowned liver transplant surgeon Chen Yao-li has had his medical license revoked by Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare for brokering organ transplants in China. Following a court conviction, he became the first physician in Taiwan to lose his license under the Human Organ Transplantation Act. The ministry emphasized this constitutes a serious breach of medical ethics.
A Bloomberg investigation reveals that at least seven Chinese universities affiliated with the People's Liberation Army and defense industries, including Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Northwestern Polytechnical University on the U.S. Commerce Department's blacklist, have been seeking access to Nvidia H200 chips since June 2025. The H200 is the most powerful AI chip the U.S. currently permits for sale to China, raising concerns about export control vulnerabilities.
A UN maritime agency official stated that despite the current ceasefire between the United States and Iran, the risk of evacuating approximately 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf remains too high. The organization cited ongoing instability and significant safety concerns regarding any evacuation operations in the region.
US President Trump announced that Israel and Hezbollah have reached a ceasefire agreement. Trump stated that US-Iran negotiations continue to progress rapidly. The talks had previously faced challenges related to Israeli military actions but negotiations remain on track.
A school shooting in Florida last year involved a suspect who allegedly used OpenAI's ChatGPT to obtain attack planning advice. Florida's attorney general has formally charged OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing the company of prioritizing profits over public safety and concealing potential harms to children. The case reignites legal disputes over artificial intelligence safety.
Ukraine's air force reported a major Russian air strike overnight involving over 600 unmanned drones and dozens of missiles, including difficult-to-intercept ballistic missiles. The attack resulted in at least 11 deaths. Ukrainian air defense forces engaged in defensive operations against the assault.
According to the Financial Times, the United States is evaluating whether to deploy nuclear weapons to additional NATO European member states to strengthen its nuclear umbrella. The move aims to address geopolitical shifts and reinforce defense cooperation with allies. The US is in discussions with relevant NATO members, with specific deployment plans still under assessment.
Open-source file and print service software Samba has released a security advisory addressing critical vulnerabilities in its printing subsystem and file server functionality. These flaws could allow remote code execution on unpatched systems. Users are advised to apply security updates promptly to protect their systems from potential attacks.
Taiwan's air force T-34 trainer aircraft was involved in a fatal accident today, resulting in two pilot deaths. The aircraft type has been in service for over 40 years and has experienced multiple crashes, including incidents that struck residential areas causing casualties. Retired pilots suggest the T-34 performs basic training missions including spin recovery that cannot be replaced by the Brave Eagle advanced trainer. They recommend the military develop or procure replacement aircraft and use simulators for high-risk training scenarios.
President Trump claimed that Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire. The announcement follows Iran's suspension of peace talks with the United States, which heightened regional tensions and drove oil prices higher. Details regarding the agreement's terms and implementation timeline remain unclear.
Russian forces conducted a massive attack on multiple cities across Ukraine, resulting in at least nine deaths. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that two high-rise apartment buildings were hit, with concerns that people may be trapped under the rubble. Rescue operations are underway.
The WHO Director General concluded his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday, briefing the president on the Ebola response. An aid agency warned the actual outbreak is likely much larger than official figures indicate. The outbreak, already the third-largest on record, went undetected for weeks, with health officials struggling to control the situation.