Taipei

Almost thirty days after the bombing in the heart of Beirut, which “crippled” Hezbollah, the information being released to the public is increasing the “myth” surrounding the way this operation was planned—by far the most spectacular operation in the history of intelligence services in the Middle East, at least.

China deployed fighter jets and warships to encircle Taiwan on Monday, in drills Beijing said were aimed at sending a "stern warning" to "separatist" forces on the self-ruled island.

Beijing has not ruled out using force to bring Taiwan under its control, and Monday's drills represent its fourth round of large-scale war games in the past two years.

Bulgarian national boxer Svetlana Staneva did not secure a medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. In the quarterfinals, Staneva, competing in the 57-kilogram category, was defeated by Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, the top-ranked boxer in the division.

Women's bantamweight boxer, Stanimira Petrova, achieved a notable victory in her opening match at the Summer Olympics in Paris, defeating the world champion Huang Hsiao-wen with a unanimous decision. The match, part of the 1/8-final stage, showcased Petrova's skill and determination as she overcame the reigning champion in her category.

A Chinese nuclear submarine has been spotted surfacing in the Taiwan Strait, according to reports from Taipei. Taiwan's defense minister confirmed today that authorities are closely monitoring the situation after images of a surfaced Chinese nuclear-powered submarine near Taiwanese fishing vessels circulated online, as reported by Reuters.

Taiwanese air force Mirage 2000 fighter jets wait for take off at a base in Hsinchu in northern Taiwan on May 23, 2024.

China on Thursday encircled Taiwan with naval vessels and military aircraft in war games, as it vowed the blood of "independence forces" on the self-ruled island would flow.

Taiwan will work with the United States to "safeguard peace and freedom" in the region, the island's premier said on Monday, after Washington approved billions in military aid for Taipei in the face of an increasingly assertive China.

Equities retreated on April 15 after Iran ramped up Middle East tensions by launching a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend, fuelling fears of a wider conflict in the volatile region.

However, analysts said there was hope among traders that the crisis could be contained.

That sliver of optimism helped drag oil prices lower.

At least nine people were killed and nearly 60 injured Wednesday by a powerful earthquake in Taiwan that damaged dozens of buildings and prompted tsunami warnings that extended to Japan and the Philippines before being lifted.

Officials said the quake and series of aftershocks was the strongest to shake the island in decades, and warned of more tremors in the days ahead.

Power cut in Taipei - Flights suspended in Okinawa - Tsunami warning issued in Japan