China's CPI up 0.8 pct in December

U.S. cities reel after federal agents fatally shoot a woman in Minneapolis and injure two in Portland.

The Ministry of Commerce says China will advance the opening-up of its services sector in nine additional pilot cities, which are encouraged to pursue differentiated approaches based on local conditions.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met with his Tanzanian counterpart Mahmoud Thabit Kombo in Dar es Salaam, saying China-Africa cooperation is an important component of South-South cooperation.

Saudi state TV reports that Yemen's Southern Transitional Council has disbanded, though an STC spokesperson called the announcement "ridiculous."

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has urged national unity and told President Trump to focus on U.S. problems, as Washington threatened military action.

Syria's Defense Ministry has announced a ceasefire in three Aleppo neighborhoods after deadly clashes with Kurdish fighters, giving them until Friday to withdraw amid disputes over integration into the national government.

Official data shows that China's consumer price index rose 0.8 percent last month. The CPI for 2025 remained flat compared with the year before.

In his address to the opening ceremony of China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the two sides to prioritize development, maintain a people-centered approach, and commit to mutual learning and openness.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter for the 2026 China–Africa People-to-People Exchanges Year as FM Wang Yi met Ethiopian and AU leaders to discuss deeper cooperation.

China warns that the U.S. withdrawal from international organizations could undermine global stability. Beijing is reaffirming support for the UN and multilateral cooperation.