Xi calls for closer ties with Spain in face of global ‘chaos’

China’s President Xi Jinping warned against a return to the “law of the jungle” in international relations and called for closer economic ties with Spain as he met Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday, according to Chinese state media. The meeting in Beijing came on the second day of Sanchez’s visit as he seeks to […]

Lebanon, Israel to hold direct talks as Trump blockades Iran

Lebanese and Israeli representatives were set to meet Tuesday in Washington for their first direct talks in decades, but Hezbollah’s opposition to the US-mediated negotiations signalled little prospect of an agreement to stop fighting. The United States is pressing for a halt to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, fearing that it could derail a […]

Mideast war revs up electric car demand in Asia

Electric vehicle sales have jumped in Southeast Asia as cost-conscious buyers have poured into dealerships looking to dodge the fuel price spikes driven by the Middle East war. Asian nations have been particularly hard hit due to a sharp fall in the crude shipments they rely on — and have few alternatives to replace them. […]

Asian stocks rally, crude drops on lingering hope for a peace deal

Stocks rose and oil fell Tuesday on hopes for a deal to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Donald Trump saying Tehran had called to seek an agreement even as a US naval blockade around Iran’s ports began. While weekend peace talks in Pakistan ended with no deal, investors […]

Founder of China’s Evergrande pleads guilty to fraud

The founder of Chinese property giant Evergrande has pleaded guilty to charges of fraud and bribery, a court said on Tuesday, the latest blow for what was once the country’s leading developer. Evergrande’s rise was propelled by decades of rapid urbanisation and rising living standards, but in 2020, its access to credit dramatically narrowed when […]

War in the Middle East: latest developments

The latest developments in the Middle East war: – China urges talks – China’s President Xi Jinping vowed Tuesday his country would play a “constructive role” in promoting further peace talks and called for the national sovereignty of countries in the Middle East and Gulf to be “respected”, state media reported. Xi stressed “China’s principled stance of […]

Pope to walk in Augustine’s footsteps on day two of Algeria visit

Pope Leo XIV is expected in the Algerian city of Annaba on Tuesday, where he will walk in the footsteps of influential Christian theologian Saint Augustine on day two of a historic trip to the north African country. The American pontiff on Monday became the first pope ever to visit Algeria, the first stop on […]

Hegseth announces ‘major’ defense partnership with Indonesia

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 06:14:13 GMT

US says ball in Iran’s court as push grows to end war

The United States said “the ball is in the Iranian court” on ending the Mideast war, as diplomats accelerated efforts on Tuesday towards a new round of peace talks after weekend negotiations failed to produce a deal. US Vice President JD Vance had left talks hosted by Pakistan on Sunday, saying he had handed Tehran […]