Humanoid robots still struggle to perform as efficiently as humans in most labor scenarios.

The government has announced investments of about 2.3 billion reais ($444.2m) to bolster its AI ecosystem.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Thursday urged Japan to fully recognize the outcomes of World War II and stop attempts to whitewash its history of aggression.

Watch: Netanyahu warns Turkey over presence in Syria Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would not tolerate a Turkish military presence expanding southwards in Syria, saying it would pose a threat to Israel

Chinese relief supplies arrive in quake-hit Colombia

US Treasury chief urges China to back proposed Iran sanctions US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged China to get with the programme over proposed sanctions on Iran, saying Beijing would benefit from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lower energy prices

US vows to 'collapse' Iran with new sanctions as energy prices spike Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 19:32 Soaring commodity and shipping prices underscore the risks of inflation as US readies 'economic D-Day' US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent speaks to members of the press outside the White House on 20 August 2026, in Washington, DC (Alex Wong/Getty Images/AFP) Off The US will impose "the toughest sanctions in history on Iran , Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said on Thursday, vowing to ramp up economic pressure on the Islamic Republic even as the economic toll of the war builds

Exclusive: UK condemns 'abhorrent' Ben Gvir comments on killing Palestinians The British government has condemned recent remarks made by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calling for the killing of "30-40" Palestinians in Gaza every night as "abhorrent" and "dehumanising", in comments to Middle East Eye

British activist Anas Altikriti questions UAE surveillance operation Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 16:17 The veteran activist said the police refused to tell him who threatened his life ten years ago Anas Altikriti was served with an Osman notice by the London Metropolitan Police - a notice given to individuals whose life is at imminent risk (Screengrab) Off It was a cold winter morning when British police knocked on Anas Altikriti's family home in London

Iran condemns new US sanctions, calls them 'economic terrorism' Iran's foreign ministry condemned newly announced US economic and trade sanctions on Thursday, saying they targeted ordinaryIranians and amounted to "economic terrorism" and crimes against humanity

China has always opposed the European Union (EU)'s abuse of unilateral tools such as the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) to target Chinese companies, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

How foreign brands benefit from China's consumer trade-in program

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday congratulated Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election as president of Zambia.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that China and South Korea should strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust and pursue strategic cooperation in political, economic, trade and security fields.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that it is necessary to remain highly vigilant against the rhetoric and actions of Japan's right-wing forces that seek to turn back the wheel of history, and that the resurgence of Japanese militarism must never be allowed.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that he hopes South Korea will firmly pursue a friendly policy toward China and take the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year as an opportunity to make greater progress in the China-South Korea strategic cooperative partnership.

France: Mosque closure fuels fear of state overreach on Muslim worship Submitted by Tassa Adidi on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 09:06 Latest shutdown decision, which was accused of incriminating Islamic texts, reignites debate about French government's attempts to control the practice of Islam A man reads the Quran as Muslims wait to break their fast at a mosque during the month of Ramadan in Calais, northern France, on 10 March 2026 (Sameer al-Doumy/AFP) Off In Aulnay-sous-Bois, in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, a recent court decision to uphold the six-month closure of a mosque for inciting violence and terrorism has caused a stir

Iran's Araghchi says Trump's 'Economic D-Day' is a diversion from US domestic problems Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi responded to threats made by Donald Trump to launch 'economic warfare' against Tehran, saying that this would bea diversion from America's economic problems

Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: US President Donald Trump announced that the US is launching the "MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY".Trump also warned that any country supporting Tehran in any way will face "TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences", but did not make mentions of a specific country or what actions Washington is expected to take

Mossad chief called Syria over Turkish army presence before airbase strike: Report Mossad had phone call with Syrias foreign minister on 14 August to discuss Turkeys military presence in Syria, according to Reuters citing several sources

Chinese and Philippine law enforcement authorities have jointly arrested and repatriated a key member of a cross-border gambling syndicate involving over 2.92 billion yuan (about $433 million), the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines said on Wednesday.

Shaibani's arrival in Pakistan marks first Syrian diplomatic visit in nearly two decades Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday, marking the first visit by a senior Syrian diplomat to the country in 19 years

Chinese government bond yields have remained low amid a global surge.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday that China and South Korea should demonstrate strategic vision and work to ensure the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral relations.

Rising memory chip costs are reshaping the world's second-largest smartphone market as Chinese brands become expensive, improving the value proposition for Samsung and Apple.

Ecuador's intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Contugi and NBCUniversal journalist Jose Suarez are among the dead.

Citizens and entities would have to seek authorisation to contact universities or talk to foreign media.

Chinese humanitarian aid arrives in Colombia

ICC says US sanctions a 'flagrant attack' on court independence The International Criminal Court on Wednesday lashed out at the US after Washington slapped sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane, calling it a "flagrant attack" on the court's independence

China's Ministry of Justice on Wednesday said that the European Union's (EU's) recent cross-border investigation into Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com under its Foreign Subsidies Regulation has constituted unlawful extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday met with President of the Republic of Ecuador Daniel Roy-Gilchrist Noboa Azn in Beijing.

Step into Singapore's Chinatown Library this month and a television screen near the borrowing stations offers an unexpected journey through centuries of Chinese history and material culture.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that a peaceful and stable Korean Peninsula and a political settlement of the peninsula issue are in the interest of all parties.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday extended congratulations to Andras Baka on his assuming the office as Hungary's president.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's recent reaffirmation that "Taiwan is part of China."

Chinese AI firms have reportedly accessed advanced Nvidia computing power overseas, testing U.S

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday voiced strong opposition to attempts to force countries into taking sides on artificial intelligence (AI), rejecting any form of bloc confrontation in the field.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun learned of South Korea-US military drill cuts from US President Donald Trump's social media as Seoul received no advance notice, according to local media on Wednesday.

Iran records $7.5bn in oil earnings during first four months of 2026 Iran channelled $7.5bn in foreign currency earnings from oil sales to its central bank during the first four months of the year, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported

Mecca agreement: Why Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan teamed up Submitted by Ahmed Altuwaijri on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 19:34 The best defence alliance is not one that makes a state dependent on its allies forever, but one that makes it more capable of relying on itself The signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement by Saudi Arabia , Pakistan and Turkey this month was not the product of Riyadhs reaction to a specific, immediate threat, as many have assumed

South Korea says Trumps drill cuts seem to be pushing Seoul into war on Iran South Korea's foreign minister expressed on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump's ordering the scaling back of joint military drillsappeared to include pressure on Seoul to become involved in the war on Iran

Emergency humanitarian earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to Colombia have arrived at El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, capital of Colombia.

Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here is a recap of the latest developments: Turkey has denied "frivolous"Israeli allegations that it posed a threat by preparing to send troops to a base in Syria, and said thataccusations stem from Benjamin Netanyahu's intention to pursue his "expansionist and destabilizing policies" in the region ahead of elections

A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for efforts toward a comprehensive solution to the Libyan issue.

Chinese robot maker Unitree rises around 500% on its debut day of trade amid continued geopolitical tensions and a bond market rout, keeping stock markets in check.

Iran's top negotiator says ties with Iraq 'cannot be severed' Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiatorsaid that Tehran's relationship with Iraq is a "historical bond that cannot be severed", ahead of talks between the two countries set to be held in Baghdad

Watch: Qatar says Hormuz Strait deal crucial for US-Iran talks Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told reporters on Monday that an agreement on opening the Strait of Hormuz would make it easier to resume talks between the US and Iran

New rule caps student and exchange visas to four years, while most journalist visas will be limited to 240 days.

As China marks the ninth Chinese Doctors' Day on August 19, the nation is accelerating its healthcare modernization by expanding primary care networks, digital monitoring and pediatric services to ensure preventive, lifelong health coverage

Kweichow Moutai's half-year report showed a rare drop in net profit, following the first annual drop on record.

Chinese companies are maintaining record export growth

Iran rejects UAE statement on missile launches originating from Iran Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei rejected a statement by the UAE on Tuesday that said Iran was behind missiles launched against the Gulf country a day earlier, saying the"accusations" were "baseless." The UAE accused Iran of launching two ballistic missiles at maritime traffic in its territory, and subsequently cut off all trade with the country until further notice.

US Justice Department targets Iranian institute for activity linked to IRGC The US Department of Justice (DoJ) announced charges on Tuesday against 17 members of Irans Mabna Institute for cyber activity and hacking carried out on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other Iranian entities

UAE cuts off trade with Iran until further notice The UAE said on Tuesday that all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transations with Iran have been halted until further notice, according to a statement from the country's foreign ministry

France to expel two Iranian diplomats in coming days, foreign minister says France will expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday in a post on X

China congratulates Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with President of the Republic of Ecuador Daniel Roy-Gilchrist Noboa Azn in Beijing on Tuesday.

Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report on Tuesday that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while it was transiting in the Strait of Hormuz

A Chinese court has sentenced two men who had trafficked precursor chemicals abroad, in the latest outcome of strengthened counternarcotics cooperation between China and the United States.

Chinese drone maker DJI on Monday welcomed a US appeals court decision to reconsider its alleged ties to China's military, saying it expects to "set the record straight as the case moves forward."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday advised the Japanese leadership to focus on its domestic affairs instead of launching "attacks" against Russia.

Earthquake relief supplies provided by the Chinese government to support Colombia's disaster response were dispatched from the Beijing Capital International Airport on Tuesday.

Iran's Araghchi says no justification for 'reckless attack' on Iraqs Kurdish region Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that "nothing justifies the reckless attack" that targeted the Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister's office overnight

Iraq, Iran discuss drone attack on Kurdish PM's office Iraqs Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchito discuss the drone strikeson the Kurdistan prime minister's office in Erbil

Iran condemns 'suspicious' attack on Iraqi Kurdistan PM's office Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemned on Monday a drone attack that targeted the Iraqi Kurdistan prime minister's office overnight, Iranian media reported

UAE issues rare denial of 'imperial ambitions' in Africa Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 18:53 Expert says UAE's denial contains 'flawed logic', as it bolsters militias and scoops up key assets in Africa This handout picture, released by the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 30 October 2025, shows RSF members reportedly detaining a fighter known as Abu Lulu (L) in El-Fasher, in war-torn Sudans western Darfur region (RSF/AFP) Off The UAE has pushed back against a Financial Times (FT) article charting the Gulf states growing military and economic footprint in Africa

Turkey, Iran discuss efforts to reopen Strait of Hormuz, continue US-Iran ceasefire Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Monday to discuss efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz and ensure the continuation of a ceasefire between Iran and the US, according to Reuters, citing a Turkish diplomatic source