TOP NEWS

China's Armament
China appears to be building a giant base for its nuclear weapons program

China has been significantly expanding its nuclear weapons program for the past few years. This is shown by CNN's review of satellite images and Chinese state documents.

The expansion is perhaps most clearly visible in Sichuan province. A few years ago, farmers had their land confiscated by the state and shortly thereafter, the expansion of the nearby nuclear energy base, which has long been a known part of the country's nuclear weapons program, began.

The base, which is located next to the Tongjiang River, now houses, among other things, a nearly 3,500 square meter protective dome, but exactly what happens under it is still shrouded in mystery.

- This building is almost like a Rorschach test for people's worst fears about what China is up to, says Jeffrey Lewis, a prominent researcher in global security at Middlebury College.

Political situation in Cuba
Russia to send more oil to Cuba

Russia plans to send another ship with oil to Cuba, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev told the state-controlled Interfax news agency, according to Reuters.

Earlier this week, a Russian ship carrying 100,000 tons of oil reached Cuba – the first since the US blockade of oil imports in January.

The Trump administration granted an exemption from the blockade this week on humanitarian grounds.

It is unclear how much oil the new ship will carry.

Middle East crisis  Oil market
Gulf states want to avoid Hormuz with new pipelines

Gulf states are once again considering building new oil pipelines to avoid using the Strait of Hormuz and export their oil and gas without the threat from Iran, reports the Financial Times.

Industry sources tell the newspaper that new oil pipelines may be the only way to get around the vulnerability that dependence on the strait entails, even if it would be expensive, difficult and take years.

The conflict has highlighted the usefulness of the oil pipeline that Saudi Arabia built in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war. Today, it has become a lifeline, transporting seven million barrels of oil daily from the Persian Gulf to the port city of Yanbu in the Red Sea.

“In hindsight, the pipeline looks like a stroke of genius,” says a senior energy executive.

Elections in Denmark
Løkke on negotiations: “Looks more than difficult”

There is no progress in the Danish government negotiations. This is stated by the leader of the Moderate Party, Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who has the role of a wave master.

Yesterday he held negotiations with the Social Democrats, the Socialist People's Party and the Radicals, and now he is speaking out on Facebook.

“To be honest, it looks more than difficult,” he writes.

Løkke continues to pin his hopes on a center-right government with the Social Democrats, the Liberal Party and the Conservative People's Party.

"That would be the best thing for Denmark. It just requires them to come down from the lampposts we hung the election posters on and send positive signals," he writes.