LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) – The former top official in Britain’s foreign ministry who was sacked over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador said on Tuesday he had come under a lot of pressure from the prime minister’s private office to resolve his security clearance quickly. Olly Robbins told a parliamentary select committee there was…
BEIJING, April 21 (Reuters) – China on Tuesday implied energy assistance for the Philippines could be tied to Manila holding military drills with the U.S. and other allies, as its top newspaper showed Beijing’s readiness to leverage its reserves in diplomatic disputes. In an editorial headlined “The Philippines should create conditions for deepening cooperation,” the ruling…
People walk past the logo of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited at the Exchange Square in Central, Hong Kong, June 27, 2025. (SHAMIM ASHRAF / CHINA DAILY) Hong Kong’s stock exchange is working on introducing options expiring within a day next year, joining a global trend toward shorter-dated bets that’s sent US derivatives…
By Guy Faulconbridge and Anton Kolodyazhnyy MOSCOW, April 21 (Reuters) – Russian forces have taken 1,700 square km (656 square miles) of territory in Ukraine this year and are advancing on its so-called fortress belt in Donbas, Moscow’s top general said while inspecting his forces. Russia has since its 2022 invasion been seeking to take…
By David Brunnstrom, Emma Farge and Olivia Le Poidevin April 21 (Reuters) – The four candidates vying to become the next United Nations secretary-general face live hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday on their bids to lead the troubled global organization from next year. Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan and Senegal’s…
BEIJING, April 20 (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping called for normal passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz to be maintained, in a phone call on Monday with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held as Beijing steps up efforts to help end the Iran war. China is concerned over renewed instability…
By Yesim Dikmen and Joshua McElwee SAURIMO, Angola, April 20 (Reuters) – Pope Leo lamented during an event in Angola on Monday that many people in the world were being “exploited by authoritarians and defrauded by the rich”, the latest example of a forceful new speaking style he has adopted on his four-nation Africa tour….
MANILA, April 20 (Reuters) – Philippine and U.S. forces will carry out maritime strike drills on a remote Philippine island near Taiwan during annual exercises that started on Monday, which Manila’s military chief said would test their readiness under “real‑world conditions”. The April 20 to May 8 exercises known as “Balikatan”, or “shoulder-to-shoulder”, will be…
Financial Services Development Council Chairman Benjamin Hung Pi-cheng (second left) poses with other FSDC officials during an interview on April 20, 2026. (OSWALD CHAN / CHINA DAILY) Amid turbulence and volatility, global investors are trying to “rebalance” some of their worldwide assets back to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong markets in a trend that…
DUBAI, April 20 (Reuters) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that every rational and diplomatic path should be used to reduce tensions with the U.S., but added that vigilance and distrust in interactions with Washington were an “undeniable necessity”, according to the state news agency IRNA. A two-week ceasefire between Iran and the…