Headline News

The Ministry of Commerce says China's AI-related exports surged in the first half of 2026, emerging as a new hallmark of the country's foreign trade. Industrial robot exports jumped 18.6 percent, while 3D printers were up by over 100 percent from a year earlier.

The French Football Federation has appointed Zinedine Zidane as head coach of the France national team. The 54-year-old former captain succeeds Didier Deschamps, who revealed last year that he would step down after 14 years in charge.

President Xi Jinping says China stands ready to work with Slovakia to foster a strategic partnership featuring mutual respect, trust, and resilience. He made the remarks in Beijing during talks with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini, who is on a state visit to China.

China's tax revenue tops 10 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, while total tax and fee collections hit 16.7 trillion yuan, highlighting continued economic momentum.

Local police say shots were fired outside the US Consulate in downtown Toronto early Monday, with a suspect vehicle fleeing the scene and no injuries reported, marking the second such incident in four months.

China's high-tech sectors are gaining global traction, with surgical robot exports jumping 330% in the first half as AI, robotics and innovative medicines emerge as new pillars of growth.

The European Union has deployed firefighting aircraft, personnel and equipment to France and Spain. Raging wildfires have displaced more than 300,000 people in the two countries and prompted one of Europe's largest evacuation operations.

China will step up support for people with autism over the next five years, expanding early screening and intervention services for children. The country will also increase the availability of specialized education programs.

Chinese chipmaker Changxin Memory Technologies surged as much as fivefold on its debut on the Shanghai STAR Market. It ended the morning session at over 54 yuan per share, or about 8 U.S. dollars, before falling to 49 at the close.

China's AI ambitions got a boost as memory chipmaker CXMT debuted in Shanghai, with a strong first-day rally making it the mainland's most valuable listed company.

China's 2026 summer box office has surpassed 5.7 billion yuan, with more than 120 Chinese and international films released or set to hit cinemas during the season.

The suspect in a Berlin vehicle ramming and stabbing attack was shot dead by police, with the incident that killed one and injured 29 others being investigated as a suspected Islamist terrorist attack.

Rescue teams are searching for trapped tourists after a flash flood triggered by heavy rain killed 10 people and injured 23 in northwest China's Gansu Province.

China has rescued more than 40 Vietnamese nationals after their vessel sank in the South China Sea, while search operations continue for the remaining missing crew members.

Russia will extend its ban on gasoline exports through the end of 2026 to ensure stable domestic fuel supplies. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the decision will apply to both gasoline producers and non-producers.

A non-governmental organization says the Israeli army has launched a large-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank, detaining at least 80 Palestinians. The arrests came less than a day after four Palestinians and an Israeli were killed in clashes south of Nablus.

Typhoon Noul has made landfall in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province. The severe typhoon is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall. China's national observatory on Saturday activated a red alert -- the highest level in the country's typhoon warning system.

China has raised emergency response as Typhoon Noul makes landfall in the country's south.

China's inbound tourism market continued to grow in the first half of the year, with European travelers becoming an increasingly important source of visitors as bookings from Europe surged 275 percent year on year.

UNESCO has added China's Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites to the World Heritage List. The inscription brings the total number of World Heritage sites in China to 61.

All-time NBA scoring leader LeBron James has announced that he will join the Philadelphia 76ers for his record-extending 24th season. James averaged 20.9 points per game for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

More than 63,000 people have evacuated or received orders to remain indoors as wildfires continued to spread across central Spain. The national emergency remains in effect in the Madrid region and the neighboring province of Avila.

Spain has declared a national emergency as wildfires continue to rage, with nearly 130,000 hectares of land—an area larger than Hong Kong—already burned so far this year.

China says it opposes unilateral tariffs in any form, warning that tariff and trade wars serve no party's interests as the United States imposes new duties on goods from dozens of economies.

Wang Hong is the third female recipient in the history of the award. She expressed hope that her story will inspire more young girls. Deng Yu said he hopes more Chinese mathematicians will step onto the world stage.

Deng Yu and Wang Hong have become the first Chinese mathematicians to win the Fields Medals. Deng won the honor for his work in partial differential equations, while Wang received the nod for her work in harmonic analysis and geometric measure theory.

The United States says it will impose tariffs of 10 to 12.5 percent on goods from dozens of economies starting Friday. The measure comes amid a Section 301 investigation into alleged forced labor.

The European Commission has fined US tech giant Google 890 million euros, or about 1.02 billion US dollars, for violating the EU's Digital Markets Act by favoring its own services and restricting app developers.

China attracted over 400 billion yuan ($60 billion) in foreign investment in H1, with nearly 4,800 foreign companies increasing investment and high-tech inflows rising 33.2%.

Saudi Arabia and the US have signed a peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement, with Riyadh saying the deal will expand technology exchange, investment and energy cooperation while adhering to international non-proliferation standards.

China says its total consumption of renewable energy is expected to reach approximately 1.8 billion tonnes of standard coal equivalent by 2030. A plan on the sector's development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period says the total installed capacity of renewable energy power generation is projected to reach about 3.5 billion kilowatts.

The 40-year-old helped Cape Verde hold champion Spain to a goalless draw in the group stages, and took finalist Argentina to extra time in the last 32. The dream team also includes Golden Ball winner Rodri, Golden Boot Kylian Mbappe, and Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.

During a meeting with the Philippine's foreign affairs chief in Manila, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi lodged a strong protest against the Philippine personnel's recent ramming of Chinese law-enforcement vessels at Ren'ai Jiao. He called on the Philippines to immediately stop provocative actions on maritime issues, and take tangible steps to stabilize bilateral ties.

China has unveiled a five-year plan through 2030 to modernize its ports of entry to expand openness and promote international cooperation. The country will further upgrade its infrastructure and apply smart technologies to promote smoother cross-border connectivity.

China's consumer goods trade-in programs generated 1.1 trillion yuan, or over 160 billion U.S. dollars, in sales in the first half of the year, benefiting 150 million consumers. Green products, especially new energy vehicles, have gained traction amid the policy push.

The General Administration of Customs says China will broaden imports of advanced technology equipment, key components, energy resources and quality agricultural products, while diversifying source countries, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period through 2030.

More than 90 percent of ports will be equipped with smart inspection devices, and they will empower customs operations along with artificial intelligence and big data. Meanwhile, China has become a major trading partner for over 160 countries and regions. Beijing has extended its zero-tariff policy to 63 countries, including all diplomatic partners in Africa.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon's latest estimate puts the cost of the war against Iran at 37.5 billion dollars so far. He testified during a Senate budget hearing and appealed for supplemental funding. His remarks came as Republican lawmakers sought congressional approval for President Donald Trump's proposed 1.5-trillion-dollar defense budget.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China stands ready to work with ASEAN to foster a new narrative of peace, stability, cooperation and friendship in the South China Sea. He also discussed the issue with Malaysia's foreign minister, saying the early conclusion of consultations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea will help safeguard peace and stability in the region.

Units of the Lebanese army on Tuesday began deploying in the town of Zawtar al-Gharbiya in southern Lebanon following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area. This deployment is part of a broader US-brokered framework.

The Ministry of Transport says China's fleet of new energy heavy-duty trucks should exceed 1.6 million by 2030. Sales of such trucks reached about 140,000 units in the first half of this year, jumping 78.6 percent.

The Indonesian government plans to launch a 10 percent ethanol blend in gasoline next year. The rollout will serve as the initial phase of a broader plan to introduce E20 gasoline, a 20 percent blend.

Chinese airlines are running more than 1,000 regular routes. Their international passenger services cover 80 countries across five continents.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has formed a new cabinet, appointing former Defense Secretary John Healey as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ed Miliband was appointed foreign secretary, while Shabana Mahmood remained home secretary.

British Labour Party leader Andy Burnham has officially become Britain's prime minister after King Charles III invited him to form a government. He has succeeded Keir Starmer, who earlier tendered his resignation to the King.

China's equipment manufacturing sector became a major driver of export growth in the first half of the year. The export delivery value of the equipment industry rose 18.2 percent and contributed about half of the growth in industrial exports.

China has developed more than 400 complete humanoid robot products, accounting for over half of the world's total. Quadruped robots from China accounted for nearly 70 percent of global sales in the first half of the year.

Spain defeated defending champion Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win the World Cup. Ferran Torres scored the winner to give Spain its second title in football's showpiece event. Argentina was down to 10 men after Enzo Fernandez was dismissed toward the end of regular time with two yellow cards.

A massive search and rescue operation is underway off the coast of Guyana after a passenger ferry carrying 116 people capsized late Saturday night.

China's summer box office has surpassed 4 billion yuan, or about 590 million US dollars, pushing the country's total box office for 2026 beyond 20 billion yuan.