Iran sends reply to U.S. peace plan as tensions persist in Strait of Hormuz
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative ...
China has started granting export licences for rare earth elements and magnets to companies in the European Union, according to a report by the South China Morning Post, citing EU officials.
The move follows sustained pressure from European governments and firms, which have urged Beijing to ease export curbs introduced after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs in April.
China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Thursday that it is “accelerating approval of rare earth export licences” for EU firms “in accordance with the law,” state-run Global Times reported.
At a news briefing in Beijing, ministry spokesman He Yadong said China aims to resolve the rare earth issue before an upcoming China-EU leadership meeting in July. “Progress on the licensing process is being made,” he added.
Earlier this month, China’s JL MAG Rare-Earth – a major producer of high-performance magnets – said it had obtained export permits from national authorities to ship products to the U.S., Europe, and Southeast Asia.
China dominates global production of rare earth materials, supplying more than 80% of the world’s total. In May, rare earth exports rose 23% to 5,864.60 tonnes compared to the previous month. For the first five months of 2025, exports totalled 24,827 tonnes – a 2.3% year-on-year increase, according to official figures.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
China’s leading chipmakers are funnelling unprecedented sums into research and development as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on foreign technology amid intensifying U.S. export restrictions.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
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