SANAA -- The Israeli military conducted on Friday airstrikes on Yemen's port city of Hodeidah and Salif oil port, on the Red Sea, said the Houthis who control much of northern Yemen. (Yemen-Israeli Airstrikes)
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ISTANBUL -- Delegations of Russia and Ukraine concluded their meeting in Türkiye's Istanbul on Friday, agreeing to hold a new round of negotiations and have a large-scale prisoner exchange.
As a key outcome of the two-hour talks, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner exchange involving 1,000 people from each side. (Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine)
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GAZA -- The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks in the northern Gaza Strip has surpassed 100 during the past 12 hours, the Civil Defense in Gaza said on Friday.
In a statement later in the day, the Gaza health authorities confirmed that at least 109 deaths and 216 injuries had been transferred to hospitals on Friday. (Gaza Strip-Hamas-Israel)
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HANOI -- At least five workers were killed and three others injured on Friday following a landslide at a hydropower plant construction site in Vietnam's northern mountainous province of Lai Chau, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
The incident occurred at around 10:30 a.m. (0330 GMT) at the Ta Pao Ho 1A hydropower plant in Phong Tho district. (Vietnam-Hydropower Project-Landslide)
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HANOI -- Vietnam and Thailand officially agreed to elevate their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership on Friday during Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's Vietnam trip, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
At a press conference following the Vietnam-Thailand joint cabinet meeting, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh announced that both countries have outlined the vision for their comprehensive strategic partnership covering the 2025-2030 period. (Vietnam-Thailand-Ties)
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WASHINGTON -- The United States on Thursday announced deals worth more than 200 billion U.S. dollars with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), not least those involving frontier technologies, aerospace, energy and critical minerals.
The White House said in a press release that Boeing and GE Aerospace secured a 14.5 billion-dollar commitment from Etihad Airways to buy 28 Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft powered by GE engines. (U.S.-UAE-Deals)
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HONG KONG -- Hong Kong's economy expanded steadily in the first quarter of 2025, with real GDP rising 3.1 percent year-on-year, picking up from the 2.5 percent growth in the preceding quarter, according to an official report released on Friday.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, real GDP grew visibly by 1.9 percent in the first quarter, said the First Quarter Economic Report 2025, released by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government. (HK-Economy) ■
