live 'Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet,' Iranian official says after Trump threats
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Ministe...
China’s Foreign Ministry has sharply criticised NATO for inflating military spending and interfering in Asia-Pacific affairs, rejecting claims that China supports Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
China accused NATO of inflaming international tensions and misrepresenting its military policy in a firm response to comments made by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. At a regular press conference on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun denounced NATO’s call for increased military investment and its growing presence beyond Europe.
"Some in NATO, by playing up international and regional tensions and slandering China’s normal military buildup, seek nothing but excuses to allow NATO to drastically grow its military spending," Guo said.
He criticised the alliance for pushing defence investment to 5 percent of GDP under the banner of building a "more lethal NATO", questioning its true objective and accusing it of overstepping its geographic mandate.
Despite being a regional alliance under international law, Guo noted, NATO continues to assert that developments in the Asia-Pacific are linked to Euro-Atlantic security, allowing it to justify expanding its reach eastward.
"NATO countries already account for 55 percent of the world’s total military spending in 2024. Yet they’re still required to raise defence investment. The world is not blind to NATO’s calculations, and countries in the Asia-Pacific are certainly wary of it," he added.
Guo also rejected accusations that China is backing Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine. He said China has consistently promoted peace talks, has never supplied weapons to either side, and maintains tight control over dual-use exports.
“China’s objective and impartial position and constructive role have been widely recognised by the international community, while NATO’s disinformation cannot deceive people around the world,” he stated.
Guo urged NATO to reconsider its approach, abandon Cold War thinking, and stop fuelling global confrontation. He stressed China’s commitment to sovereignty and peace, describing the country as “a builder of world peace” with a responsible international track record.
“Time for NATO to get its perception right about China and stop manipulating issues on China. China will firmly uphold sovereignty, security, and development interests,” Guo concluded.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or rerouted at Catania Airport over the past week as ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption continues to disrupt air travel in Sicily.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
The U.S. will impose unprecedented measures on Iran in order to economically isolate the country, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said.
One person has been killed and six others injured after an explosion at a petroleum storage facility at the Port of Rotterdam, prompting an investigation into the cause.
At least 20 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, triggering small tsunami waves and dozens of aftershocks, officials say.
Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor at the centre of a plagiarism row, has been found dead. He was appointed Cambridge's youngest ever Black professor in 2023, but quit on 5 August, after being accused of lifting passages from his PhD from the work of other academics.
Wildfires across England and Wales have reached their highest level on record, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council, as firefighters struggle to contain outbreaks following a spell of extreme heat.
A federal court has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending temporary immigration protections for Somali nationals living in the United States, a decision that could leave more than 1,000 people vulnerable to deportation.
Iran and Afghanistan are seeking closer cooperation in agriculture, livestock and irrigation during a three-day Iranian ministerial visit to Kabul, as both sides look to strengthen trade and rural economies.
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