Daily World Briefing, May 12
Chinese vice premier says meeting with U.S. in-depth, candid and constructive
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said here on Sunday that the China-U.S. high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs were in-depth, candid and constructive.
He, the Chinese lead person for China-U.S. economic and trade affairs, made the remarks when briefing the press following the high-level meeting with the U.S. side.
The senior Chinese official said the two sides have reached a series of major consensuses, adding that China and the United States have also agreed to establish an economic and trade consultation mechanism.
No tsunami warning issued after 6.2-magnitude quake hits off Indonesia
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's western Aceh province on Sunday, but no large waves were triggered, according to the country's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency.
The tremor occurred at 15:57 local time, with epicenter located 21 km southwest of Aceh Barat Daya regency at a depth of 45 km.
The agency did not issue a tsunami warning, as the tremor was not expected to generate significant waves.
India-Pakistan ceasefire brings relief as guns fall silent
People living close to border areas and the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan Sunday woke up to a calm morning as guns have fallen silent four days after an incessant military conflict.
The uneasy calm has brought relief to people in both countries, especially those living on the boundaries between them.
A ceasefire reached by the two neighbors seemed to be holding, despite the accusations of ceasefire violations from both sides.
Iran says latest nuclear talks "more serious," rejects U.S. call to dismantle facilities
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that indirect negotiations with the United States in Oman to revive the 2015 nuclear deal had become "much more serious and frank," as President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected U.S. demands for Tehran to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure.
The talks in Muscat, facilitated by Oman, mark the latest effort to salvage the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The United States unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018 under U.S. President Donald Trump's first term, prompting Iran to reduce compliance with its nuclear commitments gradually.
Hamas to free Israeli-American hostage in bid to secure ceasefire, reopen crossings
Hamas said on Sunday it will release Israeli-U.S. hostage Edan Alexander from the Gaza Strip as part of efforts to secure a ceasefire and reopen border crossings for aid delivery.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and head of the group's negotiating team, said in a statement that Hamas had been in contact with the U.S. administration in recent days and had shown "great positivity" toward mediation efforts.
"As part of efforts to achieve a ceasefire, open crossings, and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, the movement will release Edan Alexander," al-Hayya said.
Israel conducts fresh airstrikes on Yemeni ports on Red Sea: Houthi TV
The Israeli military launched airstrikes on three ports in western Yemen's Hodeidah province late Sunday, shortly after issuing evacuation warnings, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
The strikes targeted the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa, and As-Salif, all located along the Red Sea. No casualties were reported.
Local residents told Xinhua that Houthi workers had been preparing the ports to receive fuel shipments ahead of the attacks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
22 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
UK finance minister Reeves to meet China's vice premier on London trip
LONDON, - British finance minister Rachel Reeves will hold a meeting with Chinese vice premier He Lifeng during his visit to Britain this week for trade talks with the United States, a British government source said on Sunday. China's foreign ministry said He would be in Britain between June 8 and June 13 when there will be talks in London with three of U.S. President Donald Trump's top aides to try to resolve a trade dispute between the world's two largest economies that has kept global markets on edge. The British government source said Reeves would host He for a bilateral meeting during the trip, although there were no details on when the talks would be held. The British finance minister met He during a visit to China in January, part of British attempts to improve ties with Beijing, one of the main policy goals of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government. However, many British lawmakers remain sceptical of China amid regular accusations of espionage by spies working for Beijing, and plans for a new large Chinese embassy in London remains a divisive subject, with the opposition Conservative Party saying it must be blocked. The Chinese government wants to build the embassy at Royal Mint Court, a historic site near the Tower of London, which would be its largest in Europe but its requests for planning permission have been rejected by the local council, and the government will make a final decision. The Sunday Times reported that a senior U.S. official had said Washington was "deeply concerned" about the plans, due to its proximity to London's financial hubs and three significant data centres, and approval could impact UK-U.S. trade talks. "These issues will be taken care of assiduously in the planning process," British technology minister Peter Kyle told Sky News on Sunday.
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Vietnamese bride gets bizarre dowry from parents: 100 rare civet cats worth $70,000
A bride in Vietnam received a bizarre yet luxurious dowry from her parents: 100 civet cats, used in the production of Kopi Luwak—one of the most expensive coffees in the world. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the 22-year-old bride, who has not been publicly identified, received the animals along with gold bars, cash, company shares, and multiple high-value properties. The 100 civet cats, all female, are worth an estimated $70,000. In addition to the animals, her dowry included 25 gold bars, $20,000 in cash, company shares valued at $11,500, seven properties, and other assets. In return, the groom's family offered a bride price of 10 gold bars, $7,600 in cash, and diamond jewellery. Civet cats are considered valuable assets in Vietnam, where one female can fetch around $700, and a pregnant one may sell for over $1,000. They play a central role in producing Kopi Luwak coffee: civets consume ripe coffee cherries, and after digestion, the beans are collected from their excrement, processed, and roasted into a premium brew. Beyond coffee production, civet meat is regarded as a luxury food in China and Vietnam and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine. The bride's father explained that he wanted his daughter to own income-generating assets so she could be financially independent. 'My daughter is a business school graduate. She is fully capable of managing these assets. No matter the method, it ensures her financial independence,' he was quoted as saying. He also noted that it was entirely up to her whether to raise or sell the animals. Reactions online were mixed. Some users praised the gesture, contrasting it with more traditional dowry practices in other countries. They lauded Vietnamese elites for offering forward-thinking assets, saying that teaching a daughter to manage a business is far more empowering than simply handing over money. However, others voiced concern over the ethical implications. Critics pointed out that beneath the luxury was potential animal exploitation and called for deeper reflection on the morality of using wildlife in both business and marital transactions.
Hans India
28 minutes ago
- Hans India
Pakistani army acts as custodian of ideologies, religion: Former diplomat DP Srivastava
Former Indian diplomat D.P. Srivastava stated that Pakistan's Army challenges the concept of sovereignty by acting as a custodian of ideologies and religion, rather than focusing on national frontiers like the military forces of other nations. Srivastava also slammed the radical Islamist ideology in Pakistan, which pits the nation against its neighbouring countries, including India. In an interview with IANS, the former diplomat also talked about Pakistani Army's Field Marshal General Asim Munir's April 16 speech, just days before the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 innocent people lost their lives at the hands of terrorists belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. He hailed Operation Sindoor and said that it reflected a major shift in India's security doctrine. He also commented on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's G7 invite. The following are the excerpts from the interview: IANS: Could you tell us something about your book "Pakistan -- Ideologies, Strategies and Interests"? D.P. Srivastava: My postings took me to Karachi, Pakistan, and the early 1990s. I dealt with Pakistan, among other issues, in the UN division of the Ministry of External Affairs for eight years in the '90s, and during this, I dealt with Kashmir talks to the Pokhran nuclear test and Kargil. The inspiration for the book came from my posting to Karachi, where I heard the phrase 'Nazaria-e-Pakistan', which means the ideology of Pakistan. This is the very phrase used by Gen Munir, who mentioned this in his speech on April 16, days before the Pahalgam terror attack. My book traces the interpretation of ideology and elite interest in the making of Pakistan's domestic and foreign policy. IANS: What is the ideology of Pakistan? Gen Asim Munir mentioned "superior ideology" and the two-nation theory in his speech on April 16. What is this ideology? D.P. Srivastava: The ideology of Pakistan remains vague due to various influential factors within the country. In 1972, two provincial governments were dismissed, and the principal opposition party, the National Awami Party, was banned after the Supreme Court of Pakistan stated that the party was contrary to the ideology of Pakistan. Notably, this occurred before the formation of the country's new constitution, indicating that the ideology preceded the Constitution in Pakistan. There are different views of what this ideology is. Iqbal, who is known as the best explainer of Pakistani ideology, said that in Islam, religion and state are integral to each other, so he ruled out the idea of secularism, and he also opposed the idea of nationalism. Iqbal also stressed the concept of Umma, which is pan-Islamism, and these are the concepts at the root of Pakistan's current trouble where the jihadi groups do not accept the supremacy of the Parliament, the sovereignty of which, is also challenged by the Army. The jihadi philosophy has always pitted Pakistan against its neighbours, including, what they call "the Hindu India, Shia Iran, and Sunni Afghanistan". IANS: What is the mindset of the Pakistan Army? D.P. Srivastava: To understand the mindset Pakistan Army, one should go back to Gen Asim Munir's April 16 speech, where he reminded his Pakistani audience that they belong to a superior ideology. What is this ideology, one may ask? (Former Pakistani President) Ayub Khan described it as Islam. It is very strange that the Pakistani army chiefs talk about ideology and Islam. In other nations, the armies protect the national frontiers, while in Pakistan, the army has become a custodian of ideologies and religion. Seems like Gen Munir has assumed the priest and a general. The Pakistani army has institutionalised its role in the running of the government, where the civilian parties have taken the backseat. This mindset is also reflected in the neglect of socioeconomic indicators. Pakistan's army regards itself as the state, and it has this mindset has led to excessive defensive expenditure to the neglect of economic indicators. IANS: How do you see Operation Sindoor? Is it part of a larger strategic shift in India's security policy against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism? D.P. Srivastava: Operation Sindoor represents a strategic shift in India's security doctrine, as the Prime Minister has underlined. Pakistan has used the threat of escalation to the nuclear level in the case of India's conventional response to subconventional threats like terror attacks. This time, however, there was no statement from the Pakistani side about nuclear escalation during Operation Sindhoor. So Pakistan's bluff has been called, that it cannot escalate a local conflict or deter India from a military response to a terror attack, and this is a major shift in the paradigm. It also sends a message to the global community that India will exercise its right of self-defence, and we have the strength to do so. We did that in a very responsible manner. We avoided escalation. The escalation came mostly from the Pakistani side. India's initial strike was only against the terror camps. We avoided hitting any Pakistani, civil or military installation. It was Pakistan which attacked Indian Air Force bases, and that forced India to attack Pakistani military installations, and that brought Pakistan quickly to its knees. The Pakistani DGMO called his Indian counterpart, begging for a ceasefire. This message has also gone home and has been understood well by the international community. IANS: Prime Minister Modi has accepted an invitation by Canadian PM Mark Carney to the G7 Summit. Do you think this will help mend the strained India-Canada ties? D.P. Srivastava: The Prime Minister has accepted the invitation to go to the G7 summit. So the focus will be on global issues, not on bilateral relations. But, of course, when the leaders meet, they discuss the entire range of issues, and this will be a good opportunity to bring the bilateral relations back on an even keel. We had good relations with Canada, and I believe, there's a better understanding of the Indian position in the new government there, about the impact of terrorism. And, I think the new government is unlikely to use these incidents as an electoral card. So we hope that this visit will bring about a clearer understanding between the two countries.
