Guinea launches Simandou mine, hoping to extract 120M tons of iron ore per year

Japan's tourism stocks have experienced a significant decline following a deterioration in relations between Tokyo and Beijing. This downturn is attributed to recent comments made by the Japanese leader regarding Taiwan, which have sparked tensions between the two nations.

Since 2000, China has invested tens of billions of pounds in the UK, as reported by BBC's Panorama. This significant influx of capital has reportedly granted China access to military-grade technology, raising concerns about the implications of such technology transfer on national security and international relations.

China has issued a travel warning to its citizens advising against travel to Japan due to escalating tensions following comments made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding Taiwan. This warning has led to a significant drop in shares of Japanese tourism and retail companies. The diplomatic relationship between China and Japan has worsened, with a senior Japanese diplomat scheduled to visit Beijing amid these tensions.

A trio of Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Friday after being stranded on China's Tiangong space station for over a week due to their spacecraft sustaining damage from space debris. This incident has raised concerns about China's ability to manage emergencies in space, as they currently lack an immediate alternative for crew retrieval. In response, Russia's space agency dispatched Soyuz MS-23 to the International Space Station (ISS) to assist in bringing back the crew of the damaged vessel.

A new rare-earths factory in Estonia represents a significant step forward for Europe's production capabilities, addressing the continent's increasing demand for these critical materials. However, experts caution that this facility is merely the beginning of efforts needed to reduce reliance on China's dominance in the rare-earths market.

China has deployed its coast guard to the waters surrounding the Senkaku islands, which are administered by Japan but also claimed by China as the Diaoyu islands. This move follows remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, suggesting that Japan may respond militarily to a potential invasion of Taiwan. The situation has escalated tensions between the two nations, particularly in light of China's recent military activities in the region.