Various Social Conditions

Israeli Military Claims to Have Killed Hamas Member in Air Strike on Nasser Hospital
On May 13th, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) jointly announced that they had carried out a targeted killing operation against a senior Hamas member. In an air strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Hassan Abdul - Fattah Muhammad Aslih, an important Hamas member, was killed. The Israeli military stated that this person had participated in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, and had long - term engaged in related work by posing as a journalist, planning and carrying out terrorist activities against Israeli military and civilians.more

US - China Tariff Cut Agreement Expected to Drive Up Freight Rates
The recent agreement between the US and China to cut trade tariffs is anticipated to lead to a rise in freight rates. This is because businesses from both countries are competing to take advantage of the 90 - day grace period to ship goods across the Pacific. In recent weeks, the rapid escalation of tariffs has caused a significant decline in freight volume. Last month, China's exports to the US decreased by 21%, and imports fell by nearly 14%. Maersk, the container giant, estimated last week that the bilateral trade volume between China and the US in April dropped by 30% to 40%.more

Carney Leads New Canadian Cabinet in Inauguration
Local time on May 13th, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney led his new cabinet to be sworn in at the Government House in Ottawa. The new cabinet consists of 28 ministers, reducing the number of ministers from 39 in the Trudeau era to 28, aiming for a more efficient operation.more