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Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te reaffirmed the island's sovereignty following the Trump-Xi summit, as Trump signalled uncertainty over a previously approved $11bn arms sale to Taipei.

This comes as the WHO declared an Ebola outbreak spanning the DRC and Uganda a global health emergency, with 246 suspected cases and 88 deaths reported involving a strain for which no vaccine exists.

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1️⃣ 🇹🇼 Taiwan reaffirms sovereignty after Trump-Xi summit: President Lai Ching-te responded to the Trump-Xi summit by reaffirming Taiwan's sovereignty, stating it will not provoke conflict but will not yield to pressure from Beijing. President Trump signalled uncertainty over a previously approved $11bn arms sale to Taiwan, suggesting he and Xi had discussed it in detail.

2️⃣ 🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin to visit China days after Trump: Vladimir Putin is set to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 19-20, with talks expected to cover bilateral cooperation, trade, and regional issues. The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Russia-China Treaty of Good-Neighbourliness, with Putin also scheduled to meet Premier Li Qiang to discuss economic and trade ties.

3️⃣ 🇨🇩 WHO declares Ebola outbreak a global emergency: The WHO declared an Ebola outbreak spanning the DRC and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, with 246 suspected cases and 88 deaths reported. The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine exists, with ongoing conflict in the DRC further complicating containment efforts.

4️⃣ 🇺🇦 Zelenskyy warns of Russian-Belarusian offensive threat: Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is attempting to draw Belarus into the war, with operational plans reportedly targeting either northern Ukraine or a NATO member state. Ukrainian intelligence reportedly obtained details of talks between Moscow and Lukashenko aimed at securing Belarus's more direct involvement in future Russian operations.

5️⃣ 🇮🇷 Trump warns Iran as peace talks stall: Trump warned Iran the "clock is ticking" as negotiations stalled, threatening further consequences if Tehran did not move quickly toward a deal. Iran's proposals — including an end to the war, a halt to the US naval blockade, and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz — were rejected by Washington, which demanded Tehran limit its nuclear operations and transfer enriched uranium stockpiles to the US.

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Major Story

🇺🇸🇳🇬 US and Nigeria kill ISIS second-in-command

President Trump announced that US and Nigerian forces killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, who he described as the second-in-command of ISIS globally and "the most active terrorist in the world."

 Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, had been designated a specially designated global terrorist by the Biden administration in 2023 for his role in ISIS's general directorate of provinces, which provides operational guidance and funding worldwide. 

Trump said the operation was "meticulously planned" but did not disclose its location or the form of attack used. 

He credited Nigeria's partnership and said al-Minuki's removal had "greatly diminished" ISIS's global operation.

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Other News

1️⃣ 🇵🇸 Israel kills Hamas armed wing commander: Israel killed Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas's armed wing, in an airstrike on a residential building in central Gaza City, with a second strike hitting a vehicle believed to be carrying him shortly after. The strike comes despite an ongoing ceasefire, with disarmament talks between the two sides remaining deadlocked.

2️⃣ 🇪🇸 Spain's PP loses Andalusia majority, Vox deal likely: The People's Party won the Andalusia regional election but fell short of a majority, leaving it likely dependent on the right-wing Vox party to form a government. The result is a setback for the PP's moderate wing, while the ruling Socialists recorded their worst-ever result in the region.

3️⃣  🛢️ US lets Russian oil waiver expire: A sanctions waiver allowing purchases of Russian oil stranded at sea expired without renewal, following through on earlier statements by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that no extension was planned. The waiver had been introduced amid global energy market disruption after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to US and Israeli strikes in February.

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