Real-time News

April 4th - According to a letter to the European Commission seen by Reuters on Saturday, finance ministers from five EU member states have called for taxes to be levied on the "excessive profits" energy companies have made due to rising fuel prices caused by the war with Iran. The finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Austria made this appeal in a joint letter, stating that this move would send a signal that "we are united and capable of taking action." It would also send a clear message that those who profit from the war must bear their due responsibility for alleviating the burden on ordinary people.

According to Reuters, the finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Portugal, Austria, and Spain have called for a windfall profits tax on energy companies.

April 4th - According to CNN, as the Middle East conflict enters its second month, the oil shortage crisis risks escalating into a worse situation – shortages of almost everything. The conflict has severely restricted oil and gas transport through the Strait of Hormuz, reducing global supply by about one-fifth. This disruption has not only driven up fuel prices but also squeezed the supply of petrochemical products needed to manufacture everyday items such as shoes, clothing, and plastic bags. As prices for materials like plastics, rubber, and polyester rise, this pressure is spreading to every corner of the consumer market. Asia is currently the most affected, home to more than half of the world's manufacturing and heavily reliant on imported oil and other commodities. Dan Martin, co-head of business intelligence at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, stated that this will very, very quickly impact all goods, such as beer, noodles, potato chips, toys, and cosmetics, because plastic bottle caps, shipping pallets, snack bags, and containers are becoming increasingly difficult to procure. Martin added that adhesives used in footwear and furniture, industrial lubricants for machinery, and solvents used in paints and cleaning processes also rely heavily on petroleum-derived products.

On April 4th, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement saying that on April 3rd, the IDF conducted airstrikes on multiple targets in Tehran, the Iranian capital. The statement said the strikes targeted several key Iranian infrastructure sites, including an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) air defense facility storing missiles used to engage aerial targets. The statement also said the IDF attacked a military base responsible for protecting Iranian weapons research and development facilities. Additionally, it struck a ballistic missile storage site and several weapons production and research facilities. Iran has not yet responded to the attacks.

The governor of Rostov Oblast, Russia, said that businesses in the southern Russian city of Tolyat were attacked by Ukrainian drones.

The governor of Russia's Rostov region said that Ukrainian airstrikes on Russian territory have killed at least one person and injured four others.

NASA: Artemis program astronauts have completed half of their lunar mission.

According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, a missile attack occurred in northern Tehran, resulting in one casualty.

On April 4th, it was reported that TrueEV, XPeng's exclusive distributor in Australia, entered administration (bankruptcy management) proceedings, drawing attention. XPeng responded that during the past two years of cooperation, it learned through various channels that TrueEV had experienced a broken cash flow and was under the control of its financing party, and had not purchased any vehicles for over a year, failing to fulfill order obligations including 454 cars. TrueEV also had a public business conflict with local dealers, severely damaging the foundation of trust between the two parties. Therefore, in accordance with the cooperation agreement, XPeng formally issued a breach of contract notice to TrueEV, terminating its exclusive distributorship, but retaining its distributorship status. However, TrueEV denied the aforementioned operational problems and instead pursued legal action against XPeng. The Australian court rejected its injunction application on April 1st. XPeng's goal going forward is to establish itself in Australia within the next three years as a technology brand that is not only technologically advanced but also trustworthy in terms of user experience.

On April 4th, it was reported that the international standard proposal for "DC Filter Capacitors for High Voltage Direct Current Transmission Systems," initiated by my country, was recently approved by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). This standard is the first international standard specifically addressing DC filter capacitors in the field of high voltage direct current transmission, filling a gap in related professional standards. The standard was led by Chinese experts, with participation from experts from Italy, France, Germany, and other countries. The development of this standard will facilitate the sharing of advanced technological concepts of China's core high voltage direct current transmission equipment with the world, contributing more Chinese strength to global energy transition and power system upgrading.

April 4th - Data released by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam shows that Vietnam's economy slowed compared to the previous quarter due to heavy reliance on Middle Eastern oil imports. Vietnam's GDP grew by 7.83% in the first quarter, lower than the 8.46% in the fourth quarter of last year. The Vietnamese government's growth target for this year is no less than 10%, but this target is currently under pressure. Vietnam imports over 80% of its crude oil from the Middle East, and oil shipments from the region have been disrupted due to the conflict with Iran. Rising fuel prices have forced Vietnamese airlines to scale back operations and prompted authorities to introduce cost-control measures, including reducing fuel taxes, subsidizing prices through government-controlled funds, and encouraging remote work to reduce consumption.

Note: Vietnam's March trade balance and March import year-on-year rate have not yet been released.

April 4th - According to China State Railway Group, the national railway system is expected to transport 21.9 million passengers today (April 4th), with 1,173 additional passenger trains planned. Yesterday, the national railway system transported 18.252 million passengers, with transportation proceeding safely, smoothly, and orderly.

According to Fox News: United Airlines has confirmed that starting Friday, baggage fees for passengers who purchase tickets will increase by $10, reaching $50.

According to the Wall Street Journal, both U.S. and Iranian officials have stated that the damage caused by last month's Iranian drone strike on the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia was more severe than previously disclosed.

According to Syrian state television, the explosions heard in Damascus and surrounding areas were caused by Israeli air defense systems intercepting Iranian missiles.

According to Iran's Nour News, Iranian provincial officials say the search for the missing crew of the downed U.S. fighter jet is still ongoing.

On April 4, the Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces Hatem Anbia issued a statement on April 3 refuting the US claim that "Iran's air defense system has been completely destroyed" and providing an update on the "True Commitment-4" military operation.