US President Donald Trump announced plans on Monday for a major “rally” in Washington on the July 4 Independence Day, further imposing his political brand on celebrations of the United States’ 250th anniversary. The announcement comes a day after the Republican billionaire staged a mixed martial arts fight on the White House lawn – on what just happened to be his 80th birthday – with military honour guards and Air Force flyovers. Trump had previously posted that another event on June 24 would be...

A senior US official on Monday said that President Donald Trump and Vice-President J.D. Vance had signed the memorandum of understanding electronically with Iran to formally reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the American blockade of Iranian ports. The official also claimed Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signed the document on Tehran’s behalf. “The president wanted to sign it personally because he wanted to show his dedication to the process and dedication to seeing this...

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Last Tuesday (9 June), Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new campus on a slope site at the junction of Sheung Shing Street and Fat Kwong Street in Ho Man Tin, marking the official commencement of the new campus development project and a new chapter for both the University and the surrounding community. Positioned as “A Hub for Community Health and Wellness”, the new campus...

The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the bloc has verified reports that China’s military has been “training Russian military personnel to fight in Ukraine”, a development that could deepen tensions between the two sides. Kallas, speaking after chairing a meeting of the EU’s 27 foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday, said that the EU was “carefully assessing the implications” of the assessment, adding that the ministers had agreed to sanction several Chinese entities during the...

A sample collected from a market in Hong Kong has tested positive for bird flu H9, days after a two-year-old boy who visited the venue contracted a mild strain of the infectious disease. But the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Monday that the risk of a serious bird flu outbreak was low. The boy, who lives in Sha Tin, became ill after visiting Wo Che Market in the district and was later confirmed to be infected with H9N2 avian influenza, the centre said. He was now in a stable...

The US-Iran peace deal is likely to bring immediate relief but not yet reassurance for Asia, as leaders across the region watch whether the Strait of Hormuz reopens, oil prices ease and the agreement can withstand the nuclear talks and geopolitical distrust still ahead, analysts say. The agreement, mediated by Pakistan and scheduled to be signed on Friday in Switzerland, is intended to end more than three months of war in the Gulf, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen one of the world’s most...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni agreed on Monday to deepen cooperation in advanced technologies such as semiconductors and strengthen supply chains for critical minerals to bolster economic security while advancing defence ties. The two leaders also welcomed a preliminary agreement between the United States and Iran intended to end their war that triggered global oil supply disruptions, before their planned participation in a Group of Seven...