Xi Jinping’s meeting with Abu Dhabi crown prince highlights Gulf turn towards China

AdvertisementChina-Middle East relationsChinaDiplomacyXi Jinping’s meeting with Abu Dhabi crown prince highlights Gulf turn towards ChinaAnalysts said the trip was a sign that the UAE was seeking ‘more reliable partners’ in the wake of the US-Israeli war on Iran
4-MIN READ4-MIN1 ListenShi JiangtaoPublished: 10:00pm, 14 Apr 2026Updated: 10:27pm, 14 Apr 2026Chinese President Xi Jinping ‌called for a more robust, resilient and dynamic ‌strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, as Beijing intensified what observers have described as its “quiet but pragmatic” diplomacy during the Iran crisis.In a meeting with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu ‌Dhabi, Xi unveiled a four-point proposal to safeguard Middle East stability, stressing the importance of national sovereignty, the international rule of law and the central role of the United Nations.
“The authority of the international rule of law should be upheld and cannot be used when conv..

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Hidden fungi are rotting trees from the inside and it could be a warning sign of climate change

Image: AI Generated Forests seem sturdy and solid from the outside, but there might be something happening silently underneath. Some fungi can cause trees to decay internally and leave them weakened without showing any sign of it. Researchers are cautioning us that these seemingly insignificant beings could be pointing towards a more serious environmental problem, which is global warming. Due to the rise in temperature and changes in climate conditions, these fungi may start affecting forests at a faster rate than ever before.Why changing weather patterns are boosting fungal infections in treesFungi depend on certain environmental factors for their growth and reproduction, but now, thanks to climate change, their preferred environmental factors are being modified in their favour. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation levels, and increasing humidity levels may promote the growth and distribution of fungi. According to an article published about this topic titled 'Climate chan..

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Police Seek Witness Footage: Surrey Police probe rape near Epsom church; appeal for videos

Epsom rape case: Woman assaulted outside church; Surrey Police seek public help
An urgent search for details has begun by Surrey Police following a report of sexual assault involving a woman in her twenties. Close to Epsom Methodist Church, on Ashley Road, the incident occurred between two and four in the morning. Having departed a nightclub earlier, she was trailed by unknown persons prior to the attack.It was confirmed by Surrey Police that the report came soon after she left Labyrinth Epsom nightclub. Not far from the church, close to where the venue stands, officers think the event took place. Several males might be linked, according to initial information shared by authorities. Later updates revealed detectives remain without clear details on possible individuals, complicating identification efforts. Because of this gap, the request for community assistance has grown more pressing.A painful situation, according to Detective Inspector Aine Matthews, now involves dedicated officers..

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‘I have not spoken to any women…’: Katie Porter on her connection to Swalwell accuser influencer Cheyenne Hunt

Katie Porter is on the radar as she benefits the most as Eric Swalwell quits the Guv bid for California in the wake of the allegations of sexual misconduct.
As Eric Swalwell quit the California Guv race in the wake of the sexual misconduct allegations against him, Katie Porter benefited the most but the fellow Democrat distanced from the behind-the-scenes of the major exposé on Eric Swalwell. The decision to quit the race came after Swalwell's campaign held the ground for days, denying all the allegations, calling them false and outrageous. Cheyenne Hunt, an attorney and former California congressional candidate, last week announced that she had been working with a number of women who were in the process of coming forward and sharing their stores of sexual harassment and alleged abuse at the hands of Eric Swalwell himself. After Swalwell withdrew from the race, the long association between Hunt and Katie Porter is now out in the open as Hunt attended the same law school where Ka..

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Trump warns ships that breach US blockade of Iranian ports will be ‘immediately eliminated’

The US has begun a blockade of all ships entering and exiting Iranian ports after warning “all vessels” were at risk of diversion and capture.
Shortly after the blockade began at 2pm UTC, US president Donald Trump said on Truth Social: “If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”
US ⁠Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday it would enforce a blockade in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz that would apply to all vessels, regardless of flag.
In a note to seafarers, they said that any vessel entering or departing the blockaded area without authorisation would be “subject to interception, diversion and capture”.
“The blockade will not impede neutral transit passage through the Strait of Hormuz to ⁠or from non-Iranian destinations,” it said.
They added that the blockade would encompass “the entirety of the Iranian coastline to include but not limited to ports and oil terminals”.
open image in galleryIran ha..

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Maisy Ho remembered as dedicated philanthropist and community servant

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongHong Kong EconomyMaisy Ho remembered as dedicated philanthropist and community servantHong Kong Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau praised Ho’s “profound dedication to community service” and for caring for the underprivileged
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenLam Ka-singPublished: 10:32pm, 13 Apr 2026Updated: 10:45pm, 13 Apr 2026Heartfelt tributes continued to be paid to Maisy Ho Chiu-ha, remembered as a dedicated philanthropist, after the daughter of late Hong Kong and Macau tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun died on Sunday, having led a notably private life.
On Monday, official statements and tributes poured in from government officials and associations to mourn the loss of Maisy Ho, who had devoted herself to serving the community.
Maisy Ho was one of 17 children of “king of gambling” Stanley Ho, and one of five siblings born to Lucina Laam King-ying, the second of the tycoon’s four wives, who died in 2022.
AdvertisementMaisy Ho was an executive director at family ..

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The inside story of how a visit by Pope Francis helped lead to the crushing defeat of Viktor Orban

People poring over the crushing defeat of Viktor Orban’s government in Hungary – the most right wing in Europe – will draw the conclusions that his antipathy to the EU, closeness to Vladimir Putin, failure to address younger voters and a sense of political corruption were at the heart of his downfall.
Yet while this may be the case, all these factors were also true about Orban when he won an equally crushing victory in the 2022 election, a result which seemed to leave him untouchable.
In fact, he was arguably in a politically stronger position this time than he was in 2022, with his friend Donald Trump in the White House rather than a political enemy in Joe Biden.
He even had the US vice president JD Vance doing a last-minute cheerleading act at a rally on the eve of the poll, although polls suggest this may have hurt rather than helped.
What changed in the four years since that win, which left the opposition to his Fidesz party almost wiped out?
The truth is that the unravelling beg..

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Canadian PM Carney on verge of majority government amid special elections

AdvertisementCanadaWorldUnited States & CanadaCanadian PM Carney on verge of majority government amid special electionsVotes are being cast in three districts. Winning just one of them would give the Liberals the ability to unilaterally pass any bill
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenAssociated PressPublished: 10:24pm, 13 Apr 2026Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is on the verge of securing a majority government as special elections are held in three districts on Monday.
Votes are being cast in the Toronto-area districts of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale, which are considered safe seats for Carney’s Liberals, and in the Montreal-area district of Terrebonne, which is considered a toss-up.
Winning just one of them would give Carney a majority.
AdvertisementThe Liberals now have 171 members of Parliament in the House of Commons. They need 172 to secure a majority government, which would allow them to unilaterally pass any bill.
Once the Liberals get that, they could stay in power unt..

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Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar’s Hungary election landslide

Orbán era swept away by Péter Magyar's Hungary election landslide4 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GooglePaul KirbyEurope digital editor in BudapestWatch: BBC reports from Hungary as Viktor Orbán concedes defeatViktor Orbán's 16 years in power is over and a system condemned as an “electoral autocracy” lies in tatters, defeated by a 45-year-old former party insider who convinced a majority of Hungarians to bring it to an end.
“We did it,” Péter Magyar told a crowd of cheering supporters beside the River Danube, overlooking Budapest's magnificent parliament on the other side. “Together we overthrew the Hungarian regime.”
Preliminary election results, based on more than 98% of counted votes, put his Tisza party on course for an extraordinary 138 seats, with Orbán's Fidesz on 55 and the far-right Our Homeland on six.
The landslide will not only allow Magyar to overturn Orbán's increasingly unpopular domestic policies, but reset Hungary's global relations..

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Katya Adler: Jubilation in Budapest will be felt in Europe but leaves Moscow cold

Katya Adler: Jubilation in Budapest will be felt in Europe but leaves Moscow cold6 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKatya AdlerEurope editorLea Guedj/BBCBudapest's iconic Chain Bridge links both sides of the city – beautiful Buda with vibrant Pest – across the river Danube. At night, the lights that illuminate the bridge shimmer like mini moons in the waters below.
Normally, it's a favourite spot for tourist selfies – but not this Sunday.
Following a historic election result that unceremoniously booted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán out after 16 years in government, the bridge was lit up in red, white and green – the colours of the Hungarian flag.
Supporters of the triumphant Péter Magyar and his Tisza party said they felt they were getting their country back. A sense Magyar reflected back to them in his victory speech.
“We did it,” he said. “We brought down the Orbán regime – together we liberated Hungary. We took back our homeland! Thank you! Thank you all!”
EPAC..

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