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    Taiwan coast guard says deploys vessels in response to China operation

    TAIPEI — Taiwan's coast guard said Sunday it has deployed vessels "to respond appropriately" to a Chinese operation in waters east of the island democracy, which it said "violates international law". It comes after Chinese state media reported Saturday that the "law enforcement operation" was in response to talks between Japan and the Philippines to draw a boundary in the affected waters. China, which asserts Taiwan is part of its territory, called the talks "illegal" and has claimed exclusive control over the waters. The Chinese ships have been monitored "throughout the entire process" and Taiwan "has deployed the necessary vessels to respond appropriately," the Taiwanese coast guard said in a statement. Taiwan said it had detected four Chinese government vessels departing from Xiamen port which had sailed outside Taiwanese restricted waters southwest of the island. Taiwan's coast guard dispatched more than five vessels "to assist with surveillance". The Chinese vessels were expected to arrive "in the relevant waters" on Sunday, the statement said, adding that "China does not enjoy any

    2 MIN READBy AFP
    Taiwan coast guard says deploys vessels in response to China operation
  • World

    Zelenskyy accuses Russia of deliberate strike on Chernobyl facility

    2 MIN READBy DPA
    Zelenskyy accuses Russia of deliberate strike on Chernobyl facility
  • World

    US plan to use Iranian assets for Gulf reconstruction: reports

    1 MIN READBy DPA
    US plan to use Iranian assets for Gulf reconstruction: reports
  • World

    Is the dream over? Mainland students rethink Hong Kong over costs and cultural fit

    4 MIN READBy SCMP
    Is the dream over? Mainland students rethink Hong Kong over costs and cultural fit
  • World

    Iran FM urges Lebanon president to save country from 'real foe'

    1 MIN READBy AFP
    Iran FM urges Lebanon president to save country from 'real foe'
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World

Ukraine attacks Russia's oil as Iran war raises energy prices

Ukrainian drones are flying deep into Russia to strike oil facilities, sending up plumes of smoke that can be seen from space and bringing toxic rain to tourist destinations on the Black Sea. The attacks are aimed at slashing Moscow’s oil exports, a key source of funding for its grinding invasion of Ukraine. But the economic impact is so far unclear, as the rise in oil prices from the Iran war, and a related easing of U.S. sanctions, have helped replenish the Kremlin’s coffers. Still, the range of the attacks and their environmental impact is bringing the war home to ordinary Russians far from the front lines. Oil spilling onto the street Ukrainian drones have hit the oil refinery and export terminal in the Black Sea town of Tuapse on four occasions in just over two weeks, sparking fires that prompted local evacuations and sent up massive plumes of smoke. The town is roughly 450 kilometers (280 miles) from the front lines. In a video posted by local Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev after the third attack on April 18, an emergency official said boiling oil products had spilled onto the street,

May 2, 2026By AP
Ukraine attacks Russia's oil as Iran war raises energy prices
World

Nun attacked in Jerusalem as anti-Christian hate crimes raise alarm in Israel

A French nun was violently assaulted in Jerusalem, in the latest incident highlighting growing concerns over anti-Christian hate crimes involving extremist religious elements in Israel. According to The Times of Israel, April 30, Israeli police arrested a Jewish man in his 30s on suspicion of attacking the nun the previous day in Jerusalem. Police said in a statement, "The suspect is a 36-year-old man," adding, "We take very seriously all acts of violence against clergy carried out with racist motives." Footage released by police shows the man running up from behind and pushing the nun to the ground. Wearing a traditional Jewish garment known as a tzitzit, the attacker appeared to walk away before turning back and repeatedly kicking her as she lay on the ground. He also reportedly scuffled with a passerby who tried to intervene. According to AFP, the victim is a 48-year-old researcher affiliated with the École Biblique et Archéologique Française de Jérusalem. She sustained injuries to her face and other areas. Olivier Poquillon, head of the institute, said the nun does not wish to s

May 2, 2026By Hankookilbo
Nun attacked in Jerusalem as anti-Christian hate crimes raise alarm in Israel
World

What to know about May Day demonstrations as workers face rising energy costs due to Iran war

PARIS — Activists worldwide held May Day rallies and street protests Friday, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. May 1 is a public holiday in many countries to mark International Workers’ Day, or Labor Day, when workers’ unions traditionally rally around wages, pensions, inequality and broader political issues. Demonstrations were held across Asia — from South Korea to Australia and Indonesia — to many European capitals. In the United States, activists opposing President Donald Trump’s policies also held marches and boycotts. “Working people refuse to pay the price for Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East,” the European Trade Union Confederation, which represents 93 trade union organizations in 41 European countries, said. “Today’s rallies show working people will not stand by and see their jobs and living standards destroyed.” What to know about May Day: Demonstrations across the world Rising living costs linked to the conflict in the Mi

May 2, 2026By AP
What to know about May Day demonstrations as workers face rising energy costs due to Iran war
World

Hegseth has ordered withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany: Pentagon

WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 American troops from Germany, the Pentagon said Friday, two days after President Donald Trump said his administration was weighing a reduction of its service members in the allied country. Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement on the drawdown, which he said is expected to be completed over the next six to 12 months. "The Secretary of War has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany," Parnell said in a statement, referring to the Pentagon chief. "This decision follows a thorough review of the department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground," he added. The move came after tensions flared between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz this week. During a meeting with students Monday, Merz reportedly said the Iranian leadership is "humiliating" the U.S. and that Washington does not appear to have a convincing strategy in negotiations with Tehran. Trump hit back, claiming on Truth Social th

May 2, 2026By Yonhap
Hegseth has ordered withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany: Pentagon
World

China says urgent need to maintain Iran war ceasefire

China's U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong said Friday it was an urgent necessity to maintain the Iran war ceasefire and that he was sure the Strait of Hormuz issue would be high on the agenda if it is still closed when U.S. President Donald Trump goes to China this month. Fu told reporters at the United Nations that the strait needed to be reopened as quickly as possible. He said China was very concerned about remarks it had heard recently about the ceasefire being temporary and the need to initiate another round of attacks. "Iran needs to lift its restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. needs to lift its naval blockade," he said. "The most urgent issue is to keep the ceasefire. And the ceasefire needs to last, and there has to be a good-faith negotiation between the two sides," he said. "I think the international community should be mobilized and raise our voices against the resumption of fighting." Asked about President Donald Trump's visit to China scheduled for this month, he said: "I'm sure if Hormuz is still closed by the time President Trump goes to China, this issue will be high

May 2, 2026By Reuters
China says urgent need to maintain Iran war ceasefire
World

Trump's tariffs on EU autos show US to be unreliable, says EU trade chair

BRUSSELS — U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement to increase tariffs on cars from the EU shows that the U.S. is an unreliable trading partner, EU parliament's trade committee Chair Bernd Lange said Friday. "This latest move demonstrates just how unreliable the U.S. side is," Lange said. "This is no way to treat close partners. Now we can only respond with the utmost clarity and firmness, drawing on the strength of our position." Lange said that Trump's behaviour is "unacceptable." He said the EU was honouring a framework trade deal struck with the U.S. in Scotland last year which imposed a 15 percent import tariff on most EU goods, averting a bigger trade war. He said the U.S. had repeatedly breached the agreement, "for example with over 400 products containing steel and aluminium, which are now subject to an average tariff of 26 percent."

May 2, 2026By Reuters
Trump's tariffs on EU autos show US to be unreliable, says EU trade chair
World

Trump says he's 'not satisfied' with Iran's proposal to end the war

ISLAMABAD — U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war between the countries, saying Friday he still was not satisfied while blaming Iran’s “fractured” leadership. Trump turned back the latest proposal almost as soon as it was delivered. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night. “They want to make a deal, I’m not satisfied with it, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters Friday at the White House, without elaborating on what he saw as its shortcomings. The shaky three-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to still be holding though both countries have traded accusations of violations. While the ceasefire has largely halted fighting in Iran, the U.S. and Iran are locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz , through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passes in peacetime. A U.S. Navy blockade stopping Iran’s tankers from getting out to sea has Iran’s economy reeling . The world economy is also under pressure as Iran mainta

May 2, 2026By AP
Trump says he's 'not satisfied' with Iran's proposal to end the war
World

Trump to raise EU auto tariffs to 25%, citing noncompliance

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will increase the tariffs charged on cars and trucks from the European Union next week to 25 percent, a move that could jolt the world economy at a fragile moment. Trump said in a social media post that the EU “is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal,” though he did not flesh out his objections in the post. Asked by reporters Friday about the increase in import taxes as he departed the White House for Florida, Trump said the EU was not “as usual” adhering to last year's trade framework, without detailing the source of the tension. He added that he believed the shift to higher tariffs “forces them to move their factory production much faster” to the U.S. Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to the trade deal last July. It set a tariff ceiling of 15 percent on most goods, though the Supreme Court this year ruled against the legal authority that Trump had used to charge that tax. This left Trump looking for substitute authorities, and his administration has imposed a 1

May 2, 2026By AP
Trump to raise EU auto tariffs to 25%, citing noncompliance
World

US Treasury warns shippers not to pay Hormuz tolls, even in form of charity

WASHINGTON — Any shippers paying tolls to Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organizations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, are at risk of punitive sanctions, the U.S. Treasury warned Friday. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime routes, with about 20 percent of the world’s seaborne crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows passing through it. Tehran has proposed fees or tolls on vessels passing through the Strait, as part of proposals to end the war with Israel and the United States. The advisory, from Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, said the U.S. is aware of Iranian threats to shipping and demands for payments to receive safe passage through the Strait. The warning came as Iran sent its latest proposal for negotiations with the U.S. to Pakistani mediators, a move that could improve prospects for breaking an impasse in efforts to end the Iran war. OFAC said demands may include several payment options, including fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other

May 2, 2026By Reuters
US Treasury warns shippers not to pay Hormuz tolls, even in form of charity
World

Iran hands over new proposal for talks with US to end war

WASHINGTON/DUBAI — Tehran has submitted its latest proposal for negotiations with the United States, Iranian state media and a Pakistani official said Friday, a move that could offer hope for breaking a deadlock in efforts to end the Iran war. The official, involved in Pakistani mediation efforts over the war, said Pakistan had received the proposal late Thursday and had forwarded it to the U.S. Neither the official nor Iranian state news agency IRNA gave details. Global oil prices, which remain well above $100 a barrel, eased following news of the proposal. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused unprecedented disruption to energy markets, choking off 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supplies and causing a record rally in oil prices. The blockade of the vital sea channel has also increased concerns that there will be an economic downturn. The U.S. Navy is blocking exports of Iranian crude oil. A ceasefire has been in place since April 8 but reports that U.S. President Donald Trump was to be briefed on plans for new military strikes to compel Iran to negotiate had pushed g

May 1, 2026By Reuters
Iran hands over new proposal for talks with US to end war
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