Beijing

Regional powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to restore ties and reopen diplomatic missions in a surprise, Chinese-brokered announcement that could have wide-ranging implications across the Middle East.

"The United States and China are sliding toward inevitable conflict if Washington does not change its approach toward Beijing. Moreover, the US has no right to criticize the possibility that the Asian giant is helping Russia in its war in Ukraine, while itself is providing weapons to Taiwan."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he will appoint a special investigator to decide whether there should be a public inquiry into reports of Chinese interference in Canada's elections.

Trudeau also is having a Parliament national security committee examine classified information on the matter.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday promised "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan and decisive steps against Taiwanese independence, and Taipei responded that Beijing must respect the Taiwanese people's commitment to democracy and freedom, Reuters reported.

BELGRADE - The national airlines of Serbia and China, Air Serbia and Air China, have renewed cooperation launched in 2015 to facilitate travel between the two countries, Air Serbia said in a statement.

The United States' deputy commerce secretary has confirmed the existence of a "deal" with Japan and China that will limit exports of chip-making tools.

"We can't talk about the deal right now," Don Graves said on the sidelines in Washington, quoted by Reuters and the Guardian. "But you can certainly talk to our friends in Japan and the Netherlands."

The outlook for the global economy is growing slightly brighter as China eases its zero-COVID policies and the world shows surprising resilience in the face of high inflation, elevated interest rates and Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

Dissident artist Ai Weiwei on Jan. 30 said the Chinese state's razing of his studios still fails to make "any sense" to him, as he launched his first design-focused exhibition, due to open in London in April.

Defying China, the president of self-ruled Taiwan affirmed the island's ties with the Czech Republic in a phone call with the Central European nation's President-elect Petr Pavel.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that COVID-19 remains a public health emergency of international concern, its highest form of alert, Reuters reported.

The pandemic is likely at a "transitional moment" that continues to need careful management to "mitigate potential negative consequences," the organization added in a statement.