Trump to formally lift U.S. sanctions on Syria
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday formally ending U.S. sanctions on Syria, in a major foreign policy reversal th...
Xi Jinping reaffirms China's stance on Taiwan reunification, warning against "separatist acts" as tensions rise with increased military pressure and U.S.-Taiwan ties.
No one can stop China's "reunification" with Taiwan, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year's speech on Tuesday, laying down a clear warning to what Beijing regards as pro-independence forces within and outside of the island of 23 million people.
In the past year, Beijing has stepped up military pressure near Taiwan, sending warships and planes almost daily into the waters and air space around the island in what Taiwanese officials view as a creeping effort to "normalise" China's military presence.
China regards democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory. But Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims and says only its people can decide their future and Beijing ought to respect the choice of the Taiwanese people.
"The people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our family bonds, and no one can stop the historical trend of national reunification," Xi said in a speech televised on China's state broadcaster CCTV.
In his New Year's speech last year, Xi said China's "reunification" with Taiwan is inevitable, and that people on both sides "should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
Tensions have remained high throughout the year in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, especially after Lai Ching-te, deemed a "separatist" by Beijing, became the island's latest president in May.
Earlier this month, China staged a large massing of naval forces around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas after Lai stopped over in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam on a Pacific trip criticised by Beijing.
China, which never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, conducted two rounds of war games around the island this year, saying they were warnings against "separatist acts" and vowed to take further actions if needed.
U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, allowed by the Taiwan Relations Act, have also continued to strain Beijing's ties with Washington.
China has regularly warned the U.S. against any military ties with Taiwan, and slapped sanctions on military suppliers and their executives.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign as political and economic tensions mount.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday approved the disbursement of an additional $500 million to Ukraine, following the completion of its eighth review under the country’s $15.5 billion Extended Fund Facility.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday publicly criticized AT&T for technical issues that disrupted a national conference call with faith leaders, urging the company’s leadership to address the situation and suggesting his administration may turn to a different carrier in future communications.
France, Spain, Kenya, and several other nations announced on Monday a joint pledge to tax premium-class airline passengers and private jet users, in a move aimed at raising billions of dollars for climate action and sustainable development.
An oil tanker carrying one million barrels of crude oil exploded near the Libyan coast, Bloomberg reported on 30 June.
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Monday formally ending U.S. sanctions on Syria, in a major foreign policy reversal that follows a series of diplomatic overtures between Washington and Damascus.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment