World News

US pushes back against Chinese astronomy expansion in South America

The US has pressed Argentina and Chile to review two Chinese telescope projects in the Andean deserts; astronomers are worried about setbacks to research

UK, France to host nations for talks on mission to escort ships via Hormuz

We are turning diplomatic agreement into practical military plans to restore confidence for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, UK Defence Secretary John Healey said

Trump admin moves to widen fertility benefit access under new rule

This measure comes at a time when the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement enthusiasts have raised concerns about the birth rate hitting record lows in US in recent years

Turkish Airlines plane tyre catches fire at Kathmandu airport, all safe

Aircraft with call sign TK726 was en route to Kathmandu from Istanbul, and the tyre had caught fire while landing; Using the fire engine, it has been contained, an official said

Iran makes new offer on uranium stockpile in response to US peace proposal

As a series of incidents continues to threaten a shaky ceasefire, Tehran hasn't yet given any public indication it would accept Donald Trump's plan

China's April producer inflation hits 45-month high on energy price shock

The producer price index (PPI) increased 2.8 per cent from a year earlier, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data showed

China confirms Trump's Beijing visit from May 13-15 amid Iran tensions

Trump, who last visited China in 2017, will meet Xi Jinping in a much-anticipated summit that's already been rescheduled once due to the Iran war

US, China eye rebalancing economic ties during upcoming Trump-Xi talks

The two countries will focus on identifying mutual areas of interest in trade

Iran warns France, Britain against naval presence in Strait of Hormuz

French President Emmanuel Macron responded by saying it won't be a military deployment but an international mission to secure shipping once conditions allow

Iran responds to US ceasefire proposal but Trump rejects it as unacceptable

Iran seeks to end the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, and to ensure the security of shipping

US-China geopolitical rivalry reaches South American telescope projects

US pressure has stalled Chinese telescope projects in Argentina and Chile as South America becomes a new front in the US-China space rivalry

Putin says Ukraine war nearing end, cites Nato expansion as root cause

He blamed "globalist" Western leaders, saying they promised Nato would not expand eastward after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, but then tried to draw Ukraine into the European Union's orbit

Passengers on board ship with hantavirus get off at Spain port

Countries rushed to evacuate citizens from a cruise ship hit by a hantavirus outbreak as WHO ordered a 42-day quarantine for passengers

Iran sends its response to US proposal aimed at ending the war: Report

Iran has responded to a US peace proposal via Pakistan, with talks currently focused on halting regional hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz

Iranian businesses buckle under strain of record internet shutdown

Iran imposed heavy restrictions on internet after Israel and US started their war on the country in late February, having earlier blocked online access during nationwide protests the previous month

Iran ceasefire tested as cargo ship catches fire, Kuwait says drone attack

Fresh attacks near Qatar and Kuwait have raised fears over the fragile Iran ceasefire, deepening risks to global oil supplies and regional stability

Qatar LNG tanker makes fresh attempt to transit through Hormuz Strait

The ship is navigating the Tehran-approved northern route near Qeshm and Larak islands, the tracking data show

Saudi Aramco Q1 profit rises 26%, beats estimates on higher oil prices

Aramco said it benefited from higher prices of crude oil, refined fuels and chemical products during the quarter, according to a stock exchange filing

1 bn barrels lost due to Iran war will slow oil market recovery: Aramco CEO

Global energy supplies have been sharply squeezed by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has curtailed shipping and driven prices higher following the US-Israeli war

Crude prices to stay higher for longer due to Iran war: ADB chief economist

Future prices are showing higher prices farther out into next year than they did before, he said