The Peninsula 38m

Meta buys China-founded AI agent Manus

Singapore: Facebook owner Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, an artificial intelligence agent created by a company founded in China but now based in Singapore, the two firms said. Exceeding the capabilities of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, AI agents can autonomously perform complex tasks for users, and »»»

thepeninsulaqatar.com
The Peninsula 1h

South Korean President Lee to visit China next week

Seoul: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will visit China from Sunday to meet counterpart Xi Jinping and deepen cooperation, Seoul and Beijing said. Lee and Xi last met in November on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. Lee's visit will be the first by a South »»»

thepeninsulaqatar.com
UPI 2h

Lee to make state visit to China next week for summit with Xi Jinping - UPI.com

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) will visit China next week for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday. In this November photo, the two leaders shake hands ahead of their meeting at the APEC summit in Gyeongju. Photo by Yonhap President Lee Jae Myung will make a»»»

upi.com
Al Awsat 2h

Taiwan Leader Expresses 'Strongest Condemnation' over China Drills

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday expressed "strongest condemnation" as China kicked off a second day of live-fire drills around the self-ruled island. "China is disregarding the international community's expectations for peace and is deliberately undermining regional stability through mil»»»

english.aawsat.com
Al Awsat 3h

South Korea's President Lee to Visit China from January 4 to 7

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will visit China from January 4 to 7 and meet Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the Blue House said on Tuesday, aiming to keep up ‌momentum to ‌restore ties, Reuters said. Making ‌his ⁠first visit ‌to China since he took office in June, Lee will also discuss plans»»»

english.aawsat.com
Al Awsat 3h

Meta Buys China-founded AI Agent Manus

Facebook owner Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, an artificial intelligence agent created by a company founded in China but now based in Singapore, the two firms said. However, analysts warned the deal could fall foul of regulators at a time of fierce technological rivalry between Washington and Be»»»

english.aawsat.com
The Peninsula 3h

Erigaisi stuns Carlsen to secure World Blitz Championship lead

Doha: Indian Grand Master Arjun Erigaisi produced one of the standout moments of the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship 2025 in Doha yesterday, defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen to climb to the top of the standings. In yesterday’s ninth game, Erigaisi outplayed the Norwegian eight-time World Bl»»»

thepeninsulaqatar.com
Kathimerini 4h

2025 was one of three hottest years on record, scientists say

Climate change worsened by human behavior made 2025 one of the three hottest years on record, scientists said. It was also the first time that the three-year temperature average broke through the threshold set in the 2015 Paris Agreement of limiting warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 »»»

ekathimerini.com
The Peninsula 4h

S. Korea urges 'peace and stability' in Taiwan strait as China conducts drills

Seoul: South Korea called on Tuesday for "peace and stability" to prevail in the Taiwan Strait as China sent dozens of fighter aircraft and navy vessels in drills around the self-ruled island. Foreign ministry spokesman Park Il said Seoul hoped "cross-strait relations will develop peacefully throug»»»

thepeninsulaqatar.com
Gulf News 5h

Dubai gold drops Dh21 from its record high last week after sharp year-end rally

Dubai: Gold prices in Dubai have retreated sharply from last week’s record highs, as profit-taking set in after a powerful year-end rally that pushed prices into uncharted territory. By 8.45 am on Tuesday, 24-karat gold was priced at Dh525 per gram, down Dh21.25 from its all-time high of Dh546.25 r»»»

gulfnews.com
24 News Agency 6h

Checkpoints on border with China to be closed on January 1, 2026 - | 24.KG

The Information and Communications Department of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) Border Service announces that, due to the New Year’s celebrations, Torugart-Avtodorozhny and Irkeshtam-Avtodorozhny checkpoints, located on the Kyrgyz-Chinese section of the state border, will be close»»»

24.kg
Al Majalla 6h

A world transformed: geopolitics in the first quarter of the 21st century

The first quarter of the 21st century is coming to an end, and global politics looks quite different to how it did when crowds gathered across the globe to welcome in the new millennium. For many, especially in the West, the year 2000 marked a high point in liberal-democratic optimism before it was»»»

en.majalla.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Beijing turns up the heat around Taiwan – locals barely notice

China has launched large-scale military drills encircling Taiwan, sharpening pressure on the self-ruled island and sending what some are reporting as a clear warning to those in Beijing’s sights as advocates of separation. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Beijing turns up the heat around Taiwan – locals barely notice

China has launched large-scale military drills encircling Taiwan, sharpening pressure on the self-ruled island and sending what some are reporting as a clear warning to those in Beijing’s sights as advocates of separation. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Trump all but dismisses Chinese military drills around Taiwan

Donald Trump has sought to play down a fresh round of Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, saying President Xi Jinping had not raised the issue with him and insisting he was unconcerned by the developments. Speaking t»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Trump all but dismisses Chinese military drills around Taiwan

Donald Trump has sought to play down a fresh round of Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, saying President Xi Jinping had not raised the issue with him and insisting he was unconcerned by the developments. Speaking t»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Beijing turns up the heat around Taiwan – locals barely notice

China has launched large-scale military drills encircling Taiwan, sharpening pressure on the self-ruled island and sending what some are reporting as a clear warning to those in Beijing’s sights as advocates of separation. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

UN report reveals Taliban security weakness on Afghan border with Tajikistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has carried out deep cuts to the country’s security forces – a United Nations monitoring report that reveals the move is of particular concern given that at least five Chinese workers were recently killed by assailants said to have crossed into Tajikistan from Afghan bo»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Trump all but dismisses Chinese military drills around Taiwan

Donald Trump has sought to play down a fresh round of Chinese military exercises around Taiwan, saying President Xi Jinping had not raised the issue with him and insisting he was unconcerned by the developments. Speaking t»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Beijing turns up the heat around Taiwan – locals barely notice

China has launched large-scale military drills encircling Taiwan, sharpening pressure on the self-ruled island and sending what some are reporting as a clear warning to those in Beijing’s sights as advocates of separation. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

UN report reveals Taliban security weakness on Afghan border with Tajikistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has carried out deep cuts to the country’s security forces – a United Nations monitoring report that reveals the move is of particular concern given that at least five Chinese workers were recently killed by assailants said to have crossed into Tajikistan from Afghan bo»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

UN report reveals Taliban security weakness on Afghan border with Tajikistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has carried out deep cuts to the country’s security forces – a United Nations monitoring report that reveals the move is of particular concern given that at least five Chinese workers were recently killed by assailants said to have crossed into Tajikistan from Afghan bo»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

UN report reveals Taliban security weakness on Afghan border with Tajikistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has carried out deep cuts to the country’s security forces – a United Nations monitoring report that reveals the move is of particular concern given that at least five Chinese workers were recently killed by assailants said to have crossed into Tajikistan from Afghan bo»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

UN report reveals Taliban security weakness on Afghan border with Tajikistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has carried out deep cuts to the country’s security forces – a United Nations monitoring report that reveals the move is of particular concern given that at least five Chinese workers were recently killed by assailants said to have crossed into Tajikistan from Afghan bo»»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

BRICS nations control 50% of global gold output in shift away from US dollar

BRICS nations and strategically allied states collectively hold approximately 50% of global gold production despite official reserves representing around 20% of the global total, as the bloc accelerates its shift from US dollar reliance, Mint reported on December 28. »»»

intellinews.com
BNE 6h

Russia's Treasury to accept digital ruble payments from January 1

Russia's Treasury will accept budget payments in digital rubles from January 1, 2026, with the Central Bank projecting the currency could account for up to 5% of payment volumes within seven years, TASS reported on December 29. »»»

intellinews.com
UPI 6h

Trump confirms strike on alleged drug port in Venezuela - UPI.com

1 of 2 | President Donald Trump, pictured in the White House earlier this month, on Monday acknowledged the the United States struck a dock in Venezuela, which would be the first time the military has hit an onshore target as part of the administrations efforts to stem the flow of drugs out of Vene»»»

upi.com
24 News Agency 6h

Kyrgyzstan’s U23 national football team defeats Arabian Falcons from UAE - | 24.KG

The national U23 football team of Kyrgyzstan defeated the Arabian Falcons from UAE in a friendly match. The Kyrgyz Football Union reported. The match ended 6-0. The first match between Kyrgyzstan and China took place on December 23. Kyrgyz players lost 0-1. The match against the Chinese team schedu»»»

24.kg
France24 7h

More than 100,000 air passengers will face delays over China drills, Taiwan warns

Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration said that the delay of roughly 296 international departures, 265 international arrivals and 296 transit flights affected by the live-fire drills that China launched around the island on Monday would snarl travel for more than 100,000 passengers. Taiw»»»

france24.com
France24 7h

China launches second day of military drills around Taiwan

China conducted a second day of live-fire military drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, staging rocket launches and naval-air exercises it said were aimed at simulating a blockade of the self-ruled island, as Taipei condemned the manoeuvres as "military intimidation". China kicked off a second day of l»»»

france24.com
24 News Agency 7h

Kyrgyzstan — China football match cancelled - | 24.KG

The match between the youth national teams of Kyrgyzstan and China has been cancelled. The Kyrgyz Football Union reported. This decision was made by mutual agreement of both sides. «The decision was made taking into account the principles of fair play and the fact that the teams’ previous match was»»»

24.kg
BBC 8h

China plans AI rules to protect children and tackle suicide risks

China has proposed strict new rules for artificial intelligence (AI) to provide safeguards for children and prevent chatbots from offering advice that could lead to self-harm or violence. Under the planned regulations, developers will also need to ensure their AI models do not generate content that»»»

bbc.com
BBC 9h

'No worries': Trump downplays Chinese military drills around Taiwan

US President Donald Trump said he is not worried about Beijing's military drills around Taiwan, choosing to instead highlight his rapport with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. "I have a great relationship with President Xi, and he hasn't told me anything about [the drills]. I certainly have seen»»»

bbc.com
BBC 10h

Coups, elections and protests - a difficult year for democracy in Africa

October's shocking events in Tanzania offer a snapshot of some of the tensions which have shaped a difficult year for African politics. Demonstrators were shot dead by police while protesting against what they saw as a rigged election - condemned by regional and continental bodies - shattering the »»»

bbc.com
Al Manar 14h

Iran 2025: When Diplomacy Advanced Under the Shadow of Deterrence

Batoul Wehbe Between negotiation tables and confrontation arenas, between active diplomacy and attempts to derail it by force, the Islamic Republic of Iran moved through 2025 in one of the most sensitive and consequential years of its contemporary history. It was a year defined by the management of»»»

english.almanar.com.lb
BBC 16h

China condemns Israel's recognition of Somaliland as independent state

China has joined the chorus of countries staunchly condemning Israel's recognition of the breakaway state of Somaliland as an independent nation. "No country should encourage or support other countries' internal separatist forces for its own selfish interests," foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jia»»»

bbc.com
UPI 17h

Alleged D.C. pipe bomber disliked both political parties - UPI.com

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 4. In a court filing Monday, prosecutors said that alleged attempted bomber Brian Cole Jr. disliked both political parties. Photo by Bonni»»»

upi.com
The Peninsula 18h

China opposes Israel's recognition of Somaliland

Beijing: China firmly opposed Israel's formal recognition of Somaliland as an "independent sovereign state" and its agreement to "establish diplomatic relations" with it, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday. "China firmly supports Somalia's sovereignty, unity and territorial in»»»

thepeninsulaqatar.com
UPI 19h

Pentagon report projects China could field nine carriers by 2035 - UPI.com

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales(R09) arrives at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal in Tokyo, Japan on Thursday, August 28, 2025. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo Dec. 27 (Asia Today) -- China's push to become a major aircraft carrier power, which gained momentum after i»»»

upi.com
DW 19h

Russian energy: Taiwan's hidden risk in a China conflict? – DW – 12/29/2025

BusinessTaiwanRussian energy: Taiwan's hidden risk in a China conflict?Arthur SullivanDespite vows to cut back, Russian hydrocarbons continue flowing to Taiwan, making it Moscow's biggest buyer of the naphta derivative, and raising concerns over energy dependence. https://p.dw.com/p/55cjOTaiwan con»»»

dw.com
UPI 20h

China holds military drills in mock blockade of Taiwan - UPI.com

People gather to watch a jets take off and land, like this Taiwan Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter at an airbase in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Monday. China has begun live-fire drills around Taiwan as a warning. Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA Dec. 29 (UPI) -- China began holding live-fire military drills around »»»

upi.com
Al Awsat 21h

China Stages Military Drills around Taiwan to Warn 'External Forces' after US, Japan Tensions

China's military on Monday dispatched air, navy and missile units to conduct joint live-fire drills around the island of Taiwan, which Beijing called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces. Taiwan said it was placing its forces on alert and called the Chinese govern»»»

english.aawsat.com