Iran said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless the United States accepts conditions put forward by Tehran, rejecting US claims that Washington has regained control of the strategic waterway.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the second-largest on record, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday, as confirmed cases rose to 4,449 with 2,061 deaths.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her position at the end of August.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday cautioned that NATO's plans to deploy new weapons in the Asia-Pacific region pose a threat to Russia.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Wednesday told visiting Commander of US Central Command Brad Cooper that September 30 remains the firm deadline for ending the US-led coalition's military mission in Iraq and completing its troop withdrawal.

El Nino occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become unusually warm. The warming can alter atmospheric circulation and disrupt weather patterns thousands of kilometres away.

The Chinese and Indonesian navies have completed a naval navigation exercise in waters east of China's Taiwan Island on Wednesday, according to Chinese military authorities.

EU, 26 countries issue joint statement

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia will respond in kind if European countries seize Russian merchant vessels, the TASS state news agency reported.

Once presented as a diplomatic gift, White Rabbit milk candies, an iconic Chinese brand steeped in childhood nostalgia, have become a social media sensation among Western consumers.

Global oil demand is forecast to grow by 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2026 year-on-year, down from last month's assessment, said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Wednesday.

Voters will head to the polls on Thursday, August 13, to elect the president, members of parliament and local government representatives.

Young voice tells the Zhangjiajie story to the world

AI just made viruses in a lab. Here's why it's both exciting and scary

At least 15 people died and 27 remain missing after an overcrowded ferry capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, authorities said Wednesday.

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday upheld a ruling ordering a Japanese company to pay 80 million won (about $56,500) to the family of an ROK national forced into labor by Japan during World War II, Yonhap News Agency reported.

NEVs made up more than half of China's car exports for two months in a row, with 553,000 cars shipped overseas, up 145.5% on last year. Total exports hit 1.043 million, up 81.3% year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

The independent counsel of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday indicted former President Yoon Suk-yeol for justifying his martial law declaration, according to local media.

China's homegrown C919 large passenger aircraft landed safely at the new Ulaanbaatar airport in Mongolia on Wednesday afternoon after departing from Beijing Capital International Airport, marking the completion of the aircraft's first scheduled international commercial passenger flight.

China's domestically developed C919 large passenger aircraft has officially begun regular international commercial operations, with its inaugural flight departing from Beijing for Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday afternoon.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday cut its forecast for global oil demand in 2026, citing the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and elevated fuel prices that are weighing on consumption.

The 49th escort fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy on Wednesday morning departed from a military port in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, bound for the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to carry out escort missions in the region.

China on Tuesday strongly rejected US criticism over a joint statement concerning China's notification of a ballistic missile launch, accusing Washington of using the Conference on Disarmament as a platform for "political manipulation and applying double standards."

The US and Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis reported separate attacks on shipping on Tuesday as prospects for ending the months-old Iran war appeared to dim, with Tehran saying the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed unless Washington accepts its conditions.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has expressed support for the immediate implementation of the decisions made by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to control the expanding Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

Most of the population across the occupied Palestinian territory lacks sufficient access to water, sanitation and hygiene, UN humanitarians said Tuesday.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and his mother endorse travelling to China on social media.

Europe's heat and drought deepen as rivers hit record lows

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he secretly switched planes in Trkiye last month at the direction of the US Secret Service, but that the plane he ultimately flew on was still more vulnerable than Air Force One.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterreson Tuesday expressed solidarity with Colombia, which was hit by a magnitude-7.5 earthquake on Monday, and extended his condolences to the families of the victims.

New Zealand PM survives caucus confidence vote, retains party

U.S. military stockpiles have been seriously depleted by the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to new data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Cuban reforms open up more access to private sector

The DR Congo is expanding its Ebola response as health workers confront a surge in suspected infections and the demands of containing the virus in communities.

Mecca agreement: Rethinking Mideast security amid a multipolar shift

Chinese and Indonesian navies will conduct a naval navigation exercise in waters east of China's Taiwan Island in mid-August, China's Ministry of National Defense announced on Tuesday.

Rescuers race against time after deadly Colombia earthquake

Hungary's parliament on Tuesday elected former Supreme Court chief Andras Baka as the country's new president.