Flash News

TREE NEWS update: President Donald Trump announced on October 4 via Truth Social that he has nominated John Coale to serve as US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. Trump said the current envoy, Adam Boehler, has secured the release of 196 hostages and will remain as a senior adviser handling other matters.

TREE NEWS update: Yemen’s Houthi movement said on 4 December that it carried out missile and drone attacks on two Saudi Aramco facilities, one in Riyadh and one in the Khurais area, Yahya Saree. The statement did not give details on damage or casualties.

TREE NEWS update: White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said mortgage rates must fall, calling it “no doubt about it.” Hassett, the top economic adviser in the Trump White House, made the remark as the administration continues to press for lower borrowing costs. He gave no specific figure or timeline for the decline.

TREE NEWS update: Najaf International Airport in Iraq announced on August 3 that it will resume flights to and from Iran starting August 4, following a suspension at several Iraqi airports imposed under US sanctions. The airport’s published schedule lists four round-trip services to Iran on August 4, to Tehran and Mashhad. Airport authorities said the number of Iran flights is expected to rise gradually over the coming days.

TREE NEWS reports: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the global oil market remains highly volatile. The comment points to continued uncertainty in crude markets, which feed directly into global inflation and central-bank rate expectations. Novak gave no further details or figures in the remarks.

TREE NEWS update: President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Jay Clayton and Andrew Ferguson will lead a ‘superintelligence’ task force. The task force will report directly to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and will also be co-led by Emil Michael and Scott Kupor.

TREE NEWS update: The Hong Kong Observatory issued an amber rainstorm warning. The warning signals heavy rain across Hong Kong and advises residents to take precautions against flooding and traffic disruption. No further details on expected rainfall amounts or duration were given.

TREE NEWS update: Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported a magnitude 5.2 earthquake in Osmaniye Province on October 4 local time, with the epicenter in the Subaşı district at a depth of 7 kilometers. The quake followed two earlier tremors in neighboring Adana Province, measuring 4.9 and 4.8. No casualties or property damage have been reported so far.

TREE NEWS reports: China’s Ministry of Commerce reported that foot traffic and sales at 78 key shopping streets and commercial districts rose 3.4% and 5.3% year-on-year respectively in the first three days of the National Day holiday (Oct 1-3). Trade-in programs for consumer goods drove 19.63 billion yuan in sales, benefiting 3.483 million people, including 46,000 vehicles and 1.511 million home appliances.

TREE NEWS update: Rashad Muhammad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and supreme commander of the armed forces, announced on October 4 the launch of a military operation aimed at retaking the remaining areas of Yemen and restoring state and government authority across the country. The announcement was made locally on October 4.

TREE NEWS update: Yemen’s president announced plans to launch a military operation aimed at retaking areas controlled by the Houthi armed group. The statement, reported on the presidency’s authority, signals a renewed push against Houthi-held territory. No timeline, target areas or operational details were given.

TREE NEWS reports: Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s Midterm Signal Monitor tracks four indicators ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections: generic congressional polling, presidential approval, consumer confidence and gasoline prices. Democratic leads in the bank’s tracked generic ballot widened from 6.1 to 8.1 points between August and September, while consumer confidence fell to a 47.8 preliminary September reading from 51.7 in August. The bank says the signals flag political and policy risk, not seat outcomes.

TREE NEWS reports: Hong Kong recorded 1,500 first-hand private residential sale-and-purchase agreements worth HK$20.88 billion in September, up 61.6% in volume and 73.0% in value from August — a three-month high since June. Total building sale-and-purchase registrations, including residential, parking and commercial units, rose 11.7% month on month to 6,440, driven by a hot new project in Cheung Sha Wan.

TREE NEWS reports: China’s 2026 National Day holiday box office (Oct 1–7, including presales) has passed 700 million yuan, with single-day takings exceeding 100 million yuan for four consecutive days. “Shen Tan Zhi Hen Ji,” “What Do You Mean, Couple” and “Welcome to Long Restaurant” currently rank as the top three films of the period.

TREE NEWS update: China Securities (International) Financial Holding has obtained a license from the Dubai International Financial Centre and authorization from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to open a representative office in the DIFC. Separately, Guotai Junan International, a unit of Guotai Haitong, signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Almaty city government in Kazakhstan to build a long-term partnership in cross-border financing and offshore renminbi funding channels.

TREE NEWS update: OPEC+ decided at its Sunday meeting to keep its November oil production quota unchanged. The group said its next meeting will be held on November 1. No further details on the quota level or the meeting venue were given in the statement.

TREE NEWS update: The US Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush arrived in Phuket, Thailand, on October 4 with about 4,800 personnel aboard, marking its first port call since March. The Navy said the carrier and its strike group spent the past six months supporting Operation Epic Fury and maritime blockade operations. Local media reported the ship anchored offshore, with crew resting on the resort island from October 4 to 9.

TREE NEWS update: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei said on the 4th that Iran conveyed its position to Qatari mediators during a brief visit to Qatar, responding to a US proposal. He said the US plan largely matches previous positions and mainly concerns Iran’s nuclear issue, but that Tehran has made clear the current focus is the Strait of Hormuz.

TREE NEWS update: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei said on the 4th that the United States is openly publicizing its breach of commitments after reports that Iranian diplomats were “expelled” from New York, calling it nothing to be proud of. He said the move shows Washington is unfit to serve as host of the United Nations.

TREE NEWS update: El Salvador has received $138 million from the International Monetary Fund after being granted waivers tied to Bitcoin, the IMF said. The fund said efforts will continue to reduce the state’s involvement in Bitcoin-related activities and to strengthen crypto-asset regulation and governance.