Tensions rise as Gaza conflict escalates; Germany weighs response
Germany will decide whether to support sanctions against Israel ahead of the European Union (EU) meeting in Copenhagen in October, Chancellor Friedric...
Taiwan's coast guard said it detained a China-linked cargo ship on Tuesday after a nearby undersea cable to the Penghu Islands in the sensitive Taiwan Strait was disconnected.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging.
Taipei was alarmed after a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging another cable earlier this year, prompting the navy and other agencies to step up efforts to protect the undersea communication links, which are vital to the island's connections to the rest of the world.
The coast guard said it dispatched three vessels to detain the Chinese-crewed Hong Tai 58, registered in Togo, which dropped anchor near the sea cable off the southwestern coast of Taiwan around the time it was disconnected.
The vessel is a Chinese-linked ship carrying a flag of convenience, the coast guard said, meaning it is registered to a country other than that of its owner.
"All eight crew members are Chinese nationals and (we) do not rule out the possibility of the Chinese activity of grey-zone harassment," the coast guard said in a statement, adding that further investigation is needed.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters was not able to locate a contact for the ship's owner.
Communications between Taiwan and other offshore islands, including Penghu, were not affected after services were redirected to other cables, the digital ministry said.
A senior Taiwan security official, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters the government is handling the case as a national security matter.
"It's beyond the normal range," the official said, pointing to the course of the boat, which had lingered in the waters just southwest of Taiwan since Saturday and did not respond to repeated calls by the coast guard.
Taiwan has reported five cases of sea cable malfunctions this year, compared with three each in 2024 and 2023, according to the digital ministry.
In 2023, two undersea cables connecting the Matsu islands were cut, disconnecting the internet. Taiwan authorities said that two Chinese vessels caused the disruption, but that there was no evidence Beijing deliberately tampered with the cables.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Japanese conservative politician Sanae Takaichi on Thursday announced her candidacy for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a move that could make her the country’s first female prime minister, Kyodo News reported.
The world’s two largest economies, the United States and China, remain mired in a trade war, with experts suggesting that a call scheduled for Friday between the two leaders is likely to address issues including the social media app TikTok, tariffs, and technology.
Germany will decide whether to support sanctions against Israel ahead of the European Union (EU) meeting in Copenhagen in October, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday during a visit to Madrid.
World leaders are set to gather next week in New York for the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Key issues on the agenda include a speech by US President Donald Trump, the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, increasing Western recognition of a Palestinian state, and nuclear tensions with I
Fifty-two Members of the European Parliament from 15 countries on Thursday called on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to bar Israel from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment