WORLD

ASTANA | Xinhua |  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge ahead toward the goal of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future under the guidance of the China-Central Asia Spirit. Xi made …

This photo taken from Jingshan Hill on Aug. 12, 2024 shows the skyscrapers of the central business district on a sunny day in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Li Xin) BEIJING | Xinhua |  Beijing’s spring sandstorms in Xi Jinping’s childhood weren’t just natural phenomena to him; they were a persistent …

DOHA, Qatar | TASS | Iran is considering striking US Navy ships if Washington directly participates in the conflict alongside Israel, a senior Iranian official told Qatar’s Al Jazeera. “Any direct US intervention in the conflict will result in an unprecedented threat to enemy ships,” the official told the TV channel. …

VIENNA,  | Xinhua | The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said on Monday it would keep its forecasts for global oil demand growth unchanged at 2.9 percent for 2025 and 3.1 percent for 2026. In its latest monthly oil market report, OPEC projected a year-on-year increase of 1.3 …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Bank has slashed its 2025 global growth forecast, citing trade tensions and policy uncertainty. The report released during the week said global gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 2.3 down from the 2.7 percent. Focusing to countries like Uganda or Low Income …

CALGARY, Canada | Xinhua | The Group of Seven (G7) summit wrapped up in Canada on Tuesday with no joint communique but some stark frictions. Several statements, or the leaders’ commitments, were issued after the summit, which included driving secure, responsible and trustworthy AI adoption across public and private sectors, …

TEHRAN | Xinhua | Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the country remains steadfast amid its conflict with Israel and will not surrender to anyone amid pressure, according to the Tasnim news agency. In a televised address, Khamenei praised the “steadfast, courageous, and timely” response of the …

GAZA | Xinhua | As the military confrontation between Israel and Iran escalates, residents of the Gaza Strip watch anxiously, fearing the renewed tensions could further deteriorate their already dire humanitarian situation and push their longstanding plight even further from the global spotlight. In Gaza City, Ibrahim al-Faryani, a Palestinian …

Geneva, Switzerland | THE INDEPENDENT | Nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024, including around 54 million in hazardous work likely to jeopardize their health, safety, or development, according to new estimates released by the ILO and UNICEF. The latest data show a total reduction of over …

CHENGDU, CHINA | Xinhua | In a sunlit therapy room at Chengdu Xinnao Technology Co., Ltd. in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, a five-year-old boy surnamed Chen bursts into giggles as his favorite cartoon character waves back, a response triggered by brain signals decoded through his headset. A moment that might …