World

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a visit to India in an effort to stabilise and warm up bilateral ties, which have been marked by a number of disagreements.

The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on Monday that a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has caused 220 suspected deaths, as health officials struggle to catch up with the epidemic.

The death toll from a suicide blast targeting a passenger train in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province has risen to 47, including 20 soldiers, while 98 others were injured, rescue officials said on Monday.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan, attended the 32nd APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting (MRT 32) was held in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China from May 22-23.

The prolonged conflict in the Middle East has had a profound impact on labour markets, aviation, tourism, public finance, and growth prospects across many major economies in Asia and Europe. Experts warn that even if the conflict comes to an end, the scars it leaves behind may take years to heal.

The six-day 79th World Health Assembly concluded on Saturday in Geneva, during which member states adopted multiple resolutions to advance multilateral cooperation in safeguarding human health.

Turbulence in relations between the US and its European allies cast a shadow over the recent meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

The Nepal government has requested the United Nations to postpone the country's graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category by three years, according to a senior official.

The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is entering what is being described as its most dangerous phase, as global oil inventories fall rapidly, seaborne oil shipments remain disrupted, and pressure spreads across the entire energy supply chain.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday in Helsingborg, Sweden, that talks with Iran had made "slight progress," while stressing that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) must be "good for everyone" involved.

The historic trade agreement between the UK and the six member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is being hailed as a major victory for British businesses and workers, with the value of the deal estimated to be double the original projections.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns "in the strongest terms" the Israeli authorities' decision to establish military facilities at the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in East Jerusalem they seized in January, his spokesperson said on Wednesday.

At the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Hanta virus outbreak aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship are only the latest crises facing a world in a dangerous period, with divisions due to conflict, economic turmoil, and climate change.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, with the two sides agreeing to further extend the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

The US cancelled its planned attack on Iran on May 19 following requests from three Gulf countries. Tehran also urgently sent Washington a 14-point peace proposal through Pakistani mediation. These positive moves by the parties involved have given observers reason to hope that the conflict in the Middle East may soon come to an end.

Russia-China relations have reached "a truly unprecedented level," Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday in a video address delivered before his state visit to China.

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae began her visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) on May 19 to attend a bilateral summit with host President Lee Jae Myung. In contrast to the previous period of strained ties, both sides are making efforts to overcome differences and jointly address a series of pressing strategic issues.

The opening session of the Second Senior Officials' Meeting of APEC China 2026 was held in Shanghai on Monday. Through the meeting, the participants will review the APEC cooperation in the first half of this year, gather early harvests, and make preparations for the outcomes of the leaders' meeting and other events throughout the rest of the year.

A glimmer of hope for an end to the conflict in Ukraine in the near future has faded following a series of escalating military actions on the battlefield by both Russia and Ukraine. Prospects for peace in the Ukraine conflict remain distant.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief expressed "grave concern" over the Sunday drone strike which caused a fire near the Barakah nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), calling for maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident.