Headline News

The United States Central Command says U.S. forces will begin enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed the country's readiness to reach a "balanced and fair" agreement with the United States to ensure lasting peace in West Asia.

Hungary is seeing strong turnout among voters in the country's parliamentary elections. Five parties or alliances are competing in the race.

The negotiations between the United States and Iran seeking to ease tensions in the Middle East have concluded in Islamabad without a breakthrough despite intensive engagement.

The Chinese mainland has put forward a package of policies and measures to boost exchanges and cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, as a delegation from the Chinese Kuomintang party is wrapping up a mainland visit.

Iranian media reports say the third round of peace talks between Iran and the U.S. seeking to end hostilities in the Middle East has concluded in Islamabad with serious disagreements.

Lebanon says Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 13 people in the Nabatieh district. Hezbollah said it had targeted Israeli soldiers, vehicles and infrastructure. The attacks came as Lebanon and Israel had agreed to meet in Washington.

Both the U.S. and Iranian delegations have arrived in Islamabad for peace talks. A two-week ceasefire took effect on Tuesday. But it failed to resolve disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and other flashpoints.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says Tehran has goodwill toward the negotiations with the U.S. but has no trust in the country, as he leads a delegation to participate in peace talks with the U.S. in Islamabad.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the negotiation delegations from Iran and the U.S. are holding talks in Islamabad to find a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.

Canton Fair, China's largest and longest-running trade event, will open in Guangzhou on Wednesday. The Ministry of Commerce says this year's fair will feature more than 30-thousand exhibitors across over 75-thousand booths.

Xi Jinping said this meeting between the CPC and KMT leaders after 10 years is of great significance for developing relations between the two parties and across the Taiwan Strait.

Chinese border authorities report a sharp rise in cross-border travel in the first quarter of 2026. Officials say the country recorded 185 million entries and exits, up 13.5 percent from a year earlier.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says the country is ready to work with North Korea to consolidate positive momentum in bilateral relations.

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund has called for global coordination to counter the economic impact of the Middle East War.

China's State Council has unveiled plans for a new pilot free trade zone in Inner Mongolia autonomous region. This is part of the country's efforts to open up the north and promote high quality development.

China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team has returned to Shanghai aboard the Xuelong icebreaker after 160 days and over 34,000 nautical miles. The team completed a record-breaking hot-water drilling test in the Qilin Subglacial Lake.

Israel has launched its heaviest and deadliest attacks on Lebanon since targeting Hezbollah last month. Lebanon's civil defense authorities report that more than 250 people have been killed.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration are reportedly weighing a plan to punish NATO allies he sees as unhelpful in the recent U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Iranian media reports say the Strait of Hormuz has been fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back. This comes after more than 250 people were killed in major Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Wednesday.

The Israeli military says it has completed "the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon" since the start of the regional conflict. Lebanese media reported that the airstrikes on Beirut hit several densely populated neighborhoods.

China has welcomed the ceasefire arrangement announced by the United States and Iran. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also expressed support for the mediation efforts made by countries such as Pakistan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for striving to break new ground in the high-quality development of the country's service sector. He urged efforts towards specialization and the high end of the value chain.

The training center of Chinese Olympic diving champion Quan Hongchan has reported suspected online harassment to police, condemning cyberbullying and toxic fandom.

The Chinese mainland says the ongoing visit by the chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party is conducted on the shared political basis of the 1992 Consensus and opposition to "Taiwan independence."

President Donald Trump says the U.S. will pause planned strikes on Iran for two weeks if Tehran fully and safely reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Iran says it has accepted a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire proposal and promises safe passage through Hormuz during the truce.

The United Nations Security Council has failed to adopt a draft resolution which aims to enhance maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated To Lam on his election as the president of Vietnam, expressing willingness to push forward the building of a China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future.

China has expressed concern over Japan's move to ease restrictions on arms exports, as Japan's ruling party discussed a draft government proposal involving plans to revise the implementation guidelines for the three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology.

The crew members of NASA's Artemis II mission have set a new milestone in human spaceflight, traveling farther from Earth than any humans in history.