China ready to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to implement Global Development Initiative: Xi

China is willing to work with Latin American and Caribbean countries to implement the Global Development Initiative, firmly safeguard the multilateral trading system, keep the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth, and safeguard an open and cooperative international environment, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday.

Xi made the remarks when delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing, adding that the two sides should strengthen the docking of development strategies and advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

China to offer visa-free policy to 5 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean: Xi

China has decided to offer a visa-free policy to five countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, and will expand the policy to cover more regional countries in due course, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

Xi made the remarks in a speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing.

Trump inks major defense deal with Saudi Arabia, announces plan to lift sanctions on Syria

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday secured a 600-billion-U.S. dollar investment commitment from Saudi Arabia in Riyadh and vowed to lift sanctions on Syria.

According to a White House statement, the investment commitment involves agreements spanning various sectors, including "energy security, defense industry, technology leadership, and access to global infrastructure and critical minerals."

German economy to shrink in 2025 amid global pressures: study

Germany is expected to lag behind other major global economies in 2025, with its economic output projected to contract by 0.2 percent, according to a forecast released Tuesday by the German Economic Institute (IW).

The Cologne-based think tank cited U.S. trade policies, ongoing global uncertainties, and persistently low levels of investment as the main factors weighing down the German economy, which has already contracted for two consecutive years.

Israeli army says intercepted missile fired from Yemen

Israel's military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen on Tuesday evening, amid a renewed wave of cross-border attacks by Yemen's Houthi group.

A Xinhua reporter in Jerusalem reported hearing explosions following the activation of air raid sirens across central Israel, including Tel Aviv.

Macron urges European independence amid waning U.S. commitment

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized on Tuesday that the Europeans would be "irresponsible" if they failed to prepare for strategic independence from the United States within the next five to ten years.

In an interview with the French public channel TF1, Macron said that due to the persistent "America First" policy, "the interests of the U.S. will be less and less (focused) on Europe."

U.S. announces nearly 142 bln USD arms deal with Saudi Arabia

The United States on Tuesday announced an arms deal worth nearly 142 billion U.S. dollars with Saudi Arabia, calling it "the largest defense sales agreement in history."

The White House said in a press release that U.S. will provide the Middle East country "with state-of-the-art warfighting equipment and services from over a dozen U.S. defense firms."

At least 6 killed in Israeli attack on southern Gaza hospital: health authority

At least six Palestinians were killed and 40 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on the European Hospital in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported that 16 people had died in the strike, while other media outlets cited rescuers who put the death toll at 28.