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International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said on Thursday that tensions in the Strait of Hormuz must be de-escalated, stressing that military approaches alone are ineffective and that practical maritime solutions are needed to resolve the crisis, reported Xinhua. According to a press briefing on the International Maritime Organisation website, Dominguez made the remarks during a virtual meeting on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, hosted by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and attended by foreign ministers from more than 40 countries. During the meeting, Dominguez briefed participants on the IMO’s ongoing efforts, urging countries to back diplomatic initiatives to evacuate around 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf and to establish humanitarian corridors for urgent aid. Following the meeting, Dominguez said that fragmented responses are no longer sufficient to resolve the crisis. "What is urgently required is diplomatic engagement, practical and neutral solutions, and coordinated international action," he noted. He added that the IMO is advancing a maritime evacuation framework based on cooperation among coastal states, security guarantees, and operational coordination, with the clear objective of releasing stranded vessels, enabling safe crew rotations, and preventing an environmental disaster. Since the outbreak of the conflict on Feb. 28, when the United States (US) and Israel launched large-scale military operations against Iran, the IMO has reported 21 attacks on commercial vessels. These incidents have resulted in the deaths of 10 seafarers, with several others seriously injured. Following an extraordinary session of the IMO Council on March 18–19, the body outlined several key measures, including progressing talks with relevant states on a safe-passage framework to evacuate stranded seafarers, working with regional countries to safeguard supply chains and enable humanitarian access, and strengthening information-sharing and coordination with industry partners. The organisation has also strengthened data collection and verification on maritime incidents, while contributing to a dedicated United Nations (UN) task force on the Strait of Hormuz aimed at addressing humanitarian needs through coordinated technical mechanisms.

IMO Chief: Military Alone Won’t Solve Hormuz Crisis

LONDON, April 3 — International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said on Thursday that tensions in the Strait of Hormuz must be de-escalated, stressing that military approaches alone are .... read more

Xinhua Silk Road: “Smart City” Development and Innovation Competition concludes in S. China’s Guangxi

BEIJING, April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The “Smart City” Development and Innovation Competition was held in Nanning in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on March 30, with 37 teams .... read more

TMGM Supports UNICEF Australia’s Humanitarian Efforts for Children in Gaza

TMGM announced today its support for UNICEF Australia through a contribution to assist ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip. As conditions in Gaza remain challenging, children continue to face .... read more

BEIJING: China's major airlines, including Air China and China Southern Airlines, announced on Wednesday that fuel surcharges for domestic routes will be increased starting April 5, Xinhua reported. For routes of 800 kilometers (km) or less, the fuel surcharge is set at 60 yuan (about US$8.69), while for routes over 800 km, the surcharge will be increased to 120 yuan per flight segment. For domestic route tickets sold on or before April 4, if amendments are made on or after April 5, no price difference will be applied based on the new standards. Chinese airlines currently charge a fuel surcharge of 10 yuan for domestic routes of 800 km or less, and 20 yuan for routes over 800 km.

Chinese airlines raise fuel surcharges on domestic routes

BEIJING: China’s major airlines, including Air China and China Southern Airlines, announced on Wednesday that fuel surcharges for domestic routes will be increased starting April 5, Xinhua reported. For routes .... read more

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that American forces will leave Iran within “two to three weeks", signalling an end to the ongoing attacks against Iran, Anadolu Ajansi reported. “All I have to do is leave Iran, and we’ll be doing that very soon,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We’ll be leaving very soon,” he said, adding that it will happen in “maybe two weeks, maybe three.” He claimed the administration’s objective of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon has already been achieved, saying, "They will have no nuclear weapon. And that goal has been attained.” Trump also argued that US strikes had severely degraded Iran’s military capabilities, asserting it could take “15 to 20 years” for Tehran to rebuild. “We'll be leaving very soon, and if France or some other country wants to get oil or gas, they'll go up through the Strait,” he said. “They'll be able to fend for themselves. I think it'll be very safe, actually, but we have nothing to do with that.” The US and Israel have been carrying out airstrikes on Iran since Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, according to Iranian authorities. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. At least 13 US service members have been killed since the war began, according to US official figures, and the conflict has driven up energy prices and affected shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a critical global oil chokepoint, with a significant portion of global oil shipments passing through it.

Trump Says US Will ‘Leave’ Iran In 2-3 Weeks

WASHINGTON, April 1 — US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that American forces will leave Iran within “two to three weeks”, signalling an end to the ongoing attacks against Iran, .... read more

Lanzhou University Team Advances China–Pakistan Ties with Dryland Farming Innovation

LANZHOU, China, /PRNewswire/ — Against the backdrop of the deepening China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the steady progress of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, China’s agricultural science are integrating .... read more

CMES Indonesia International Machine Tool Exhibition 2026 Debuts July 2-4 in Jakarta

JAKARTA, Indonesia, /PRNewswire/ — Following the outstanding success of its Vietnam debut in 2025, CMES expands to Indonesia with the inaugural CMES Indonesia International Machine Tool Exhibition, taking place July .... read more

A key committee in Iran’s parliament approved a toll plan for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing local media. The measure, which cleared the National Security Commission, outlines a series of new regulations governing the strategic waterway, including financial provisions that would require ships to pay transit fees in Iran’s national currency, the rial. According to the Fars News Agency, commission member Mojtaba Zarei said the bill also includes restrictions barring vessels linked to the US and Israel from passing through the strait. Additional provisions would prohibit access for countries that have joined unilateral sanctions against Iran. The legislation must pass a full parliamentary vote before being reviewed by the Guardian Council and signed by the president to become law. Regional escalations have continued to rage since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

Iran’s Parliament Committee Approves Strait Of Hormuz Toll Plan

ISTANBUL — A key committee in Iran’s parliament approved a toll plan for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing local media. The measure, which cleared .... read more

"To both entities, the government today (March 30) has sent a summons letter as part of the implementation of administrative sanctions in accordance with applicable provisions," he said in a video statement uploaded on the ministry's official Instagram account late Monday. Indonesia officially banned the use of social media by children under the age of 16 when it began implementing PP Tunas on March 28, a policy that mandates the gradual deactivation of accounts belonging to underage users on high-risk platforms. Following a one-year transition period since the regulation was signed by President Prabowo Subianto, Meutya said only X and Bigolive were found to be compliant with the regulation after implementing measures to limit access for users under 16 years of age. He said the government also issued warning letters to TikTok and Roblox, which were found not to have fully complied with the regulations, but showed a willingness to cooperate. "If these two platforms (TikTok and Roblox) still fail to show full compliance, the government will adjust its measures, including issuing summonses to both platforms," ​​he said. He said Indonesia would prioritize cooperation with digital platforms that respect its legal framework and demonstrate a commitment beyond simply seeing the country as a mere market, particularly in protecting children by delaying access until they are deemed ready. Describing the policy as a major step, he highlighted Indonesia's large digital population including some 70 million users under the age of 16, while stressing that the government understood that the implementation and enforcement of the regulation was not an effort that could be completed in a day or two. "However, the government believes that this is a step in the right direction. Similar regulations have also been implemented in many other countries including in Asia, Asia Pacific, Europe, West Asia and other regions," he said. Meutya also urged the public, especially parents and children, to play an active role in monitoring and reporting platforms that do not comply with regulations, following concerns over the high level of digital usage in Indonesia, with average daily screen time reaching seven to eight hours.

Indonesia sues Meta, Google for failing to comply with child protection rules

JAKARTA: Indonesia has issued a summons to tech giants Meta and Google for failing to comply with the country’s new regulation, PP Tunas, which aims to protect children online and .... read more

ISTANBUL, March 30 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States (US) has already begun taking steps to control the Strait of Hormuz amid the war with Iran, Anadolu Ajansi reported. Asked in an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 whether Washington is capable of taking control of the strategic waterway, he replied: “Yes, sure, it’s already happening.” Trump also highlighted what he described as close coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Iran. “The coordination is very close. We have a good relationship. It couldn’t be better,” he said. He added that he believes Iran “badly” wants a deal. “I think they want to do (it) very badly. Anybody would want a deal if you are getting decimated, right?” he said. The US and Israel have been carrying out airstrikes on Iran since Feb 28, killing more than 1,340 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel along with Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

Trump Says US Already Moving To Control Strait Of Hormuz

ISTANBUL — US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States (US) has already begun taking steps to control the Strait of Hormuz amid the war with Iran, Anadolu .... read more

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