Xi meets Chilean president

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with Chilean President Gabriel Boric, who is in Beijing for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.

Noting that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Xi said China and Chile should constantly enrich the connotation of their comprehensive strategic partnership, create a model of common development between China and Latin American countries, set a stellar example of South-South cooperation, and jointly promote the cause of peace and progress for humanity.

Xi said China is willing to work with Chile to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance exchanges of experience in governance, firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, and safeguard each other's sovereignty, security and development interests.

China halts unreliable entity list, export control measures on certain U.S. firms

China on Wednesday suspended its unreliable entity list and export control measures on multiple U.S. entities, the Ministry of Commerce has said.

When answering media inquiries, a ministry spokesperson said that a measure which added 11 U.S. firms to China's unreliable entity list, which was announced on April 4, has been suspended for 90 days.

An April 9 measure that added six U.S. firms to China's unreliable entity list has also been paused, the spokesperson said, adding that domestic enterprises are now permitted to apply to conduct transactions with these entities.

Trump meets Syrian interim leader on ties, says willing to make deal with Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump held a meeting on Wednesday with Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss normalizing bilateral ties, while expressing his willingness to reach a deal with Iran.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud online during the meeting, Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Trump's meeting with al-Sharaa -- the first between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in decades -- took place on the sidelines of a summit between Trump and leaders from Gulf states.

Germany's new chancellor pledges strong defense, economic revival

Germany's new Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged to make national security and economic revitalization top priorities in his inaugural address before the Bundestag on Wednesday.

Delivering his first major speech as Chancellor in the lower house of parliament, Merz outlined the policy agenda of his coalition government, formed by the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

During the speech, he declared the strengthening of the Bundeswehr - Germany's armed forces - a top priority. He committed to providing the necessary resources for it to become the most powerful military force in Europe.

Harvard hit by 450 mln USD federal cut over antisemitism claims

The U.S. administration announced it will terminate 450 million U.S. dollars in grants to Harvard University, a day after the institution's president criticized the government for threatening key freedoms.

The latest cuts, announced by the Joint Task Force to Combat Antisemitism on Tuesday, are on top of more than 2.2 billion dollars in federal funds that were frozen last month. Harvard is suing the U.S. administration over demands the government made over its academic and disciplinary policies.

Harvard University President Alan Garber wrote to Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday to deny her allegation that the school has a partisan political bias, warning that government "overreach" is threatening key freedoms.

Turkish, Ukranian FMs meet on upcoming Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha on Wednesday in Türkiye's city of Antalya before the upcoming Russia-Ukraine peace talks scheduled in Istanbul.

According to a report by Türkiye's state-run Anadolu Agency, Fidan told Sybiha that Türkiye is ready to provide all kinds of support, including holding talks, to help achieve peace.

After the meeting, Sybiha wrote on the social media platform X that he and Fidan thoroughly discussed ways to advance a "meaningful peace process."

Ceasefire declared in Libya's Tripoli after overnight militia clashes

Libya's Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) declared a ceasefire on Wednesday following intense overnight clashes between rival militias that spread into central and residential districts of the capital, prompting international calls to protect civilians and prevent further escalation.

Fighting erupted overnight between forces loyal to Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah, including the 444 Brigade, and militias aligned with Abdel Raouf Kara, head of the Special Deterrence Force.

Residents reported hearing sustained gunfire into the morning, as the Libyan Red Crescent said it had recovered a body in downtown Tripoli. The scale of casualties remains unclear.■