Buffeted by earthquakes and the potential of conflict with China, Taiwan’s leaders want to accelerate plans to make the island more resilient to communications breakdowns and direct attacks on its digital infrastructure. It could be an impossible task. Audrey Tang, who heads Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs, says she wants the island’s US$740 billion economy … Continue reading Taiwan to shore up defenses against telecommunications attacks
Category: Headline
Around 25 NATO peacekeeping soldiers defending three town halls in northern Kosovo were injured in clashes with Serb protesters on Monday, while Serbia's president put the army on the highest level of combat alert. KFOR, the NATO-led peacekeeping mission to Kosovo, condemned the violence. "While countering the most active fringes of the crowd, several soldiers … Continue reading NATO soldiers injured in Kosovo clashes with Serb protesters
Ukraine's capital was subjected to the largest drone attack since the start of Russia's war, local officials said, as Kyiv prepared to mark the anniversary of its founding on Sunday. At least one person was killed, but officials said scores of drones were shot down, demonstrating Ukraine's air defense capability. Russia launched the “most massive … Continue reading Russia launched ‘largest drone attack’ on Ukrainian capital before Kyiv Day
Russia said on Monday it was battling a cross-border incursion by saboteurs who burst through the frontier from Ukraine, in what appeared to be one of the biggest attacks of its kind since the war began 15 months ago. The governor of Russia's Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said a Ukrainian "sabotage group" had entered Russian … Continue reading Russia fights cross-border raid that Ukraine says is Russian opposition
In a deserted former department store near the port of Leith in Edinburgh, Tim Vincent-Smith reaches inside a grand piano's open top, his fingertips lightly plucking at the taut strings. The piano is one of hundreds rescued by the musician and his team of volunteers, as homes around Britain discard the instruments in favour of … Continue reading British musician finds his forte: saving unwanted pianos
A plane believed to be carrying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Hiroshima for global diplomatic talks. Leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies have invited Zelenskyy as the Group of Seven tightens sanctions meant to punish Moscow and change the course of its 15-month invasion of Ukraine. Japan says Zelenskyy’s decision to visit … Continue reading Plane believed to be carrying Ukraine’s Zelenskyy lands in Hiroshima for G7 summit
A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse under the weight of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the world’s biggest and most unforgiving government lender, China. An Associated Press analysis of a dozen countries most indebted to China — including Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and … Continue reading AP report: China’s loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse
Oklahoma's governor has signed into law a bill making it a felony to provide gender-affirming healthcare to a minor. Indiana has enacted a law requiring teachers to tell parents when students ask to be called by a new name or different pronoun. North Dakota has approved a law that lets public school teachers and state … Continue reading US Republican transgender laws pile up, setting 2024 battle lines
Valentyna Haras says she isn't a traitor. Nonetheless, her garden walls in the Ukrainian city of Kherson are covered with graffiti marking her out as a Russian collaborator. "Rashist" - a Ukrainian blend of Russian fascist - is scrawled in red paint. Accusatory "Z"s - symbols of support for Moscow's war machine - are daubed … Continue reading Traitor next door? Fear stalks Kherson after Russian occupation ends
Thailand's two election winning parties are working to overcome the built-in advantage for a military-backed bloc and form a government they say must reflect the will of voters who want to end the long military domination of politics. They face a battle that could take weeks or months and ultimately their success is not guaranteed … Continue reading Intrigue, uncertainty in Thailand after opposition’s election win
When graduate student Cai Zhishan decided to spend her Labour Day holidays in northern China, she wished she had enough money to hire a car for the more-than 4,000km (2,500 mile) round trip - the equivalent of driving from New York to Los Angeles. Instead, she chose "travelling like special forces," a new trend in … Continue reading China’s domestic travel recovery marred by anti-spending ‘special forces’
At a hillside temple, a monk in saffron robes blows a refrain on a conch and begins chanting prayers as thousands of origami cranes donated to Hiroshima burn. For a decade, the Daisho-in Buddhist temple on Miyajima island, facing Hiroshima, has held ritual burnings of the millions of origami cranes sent to the city each … Continue reading The second life of Hiroshima’s origami cranes
Albert Fausel has been scouring the rivers of Placerville, California for decades in search of gold. But the task has never been easier, nor the haul bigger, thanks to recent torrential rains. "This year, there's a lot of new spots" to find gold, says Fausel, clad in a wetsuit and snorkel, standing up to his … Continue reading California’s wet winter sparks a new gold rush
The tussle for global influence is about to intensify, as China, Russia, the US and its allies step up efforts to win over governments in a deepening competition for hearts and minds in strategic third countries. The advent of a multipolar world comprising rival factions, most clearly seen in attitudes to Russia’s war on Ukraine, … Continue reading The G7 versus China in the battle for global clout
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed to separate meetings with a delegation of leaders from six African countries to discuss a possible plan to end the war in Ukraine, South Africa’s president said Tuesday. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he spoke with Putin and Zelenskyy by phone over the … Continue reading Putin, Zelenskyy agree to meet with ‘African leaders peace mission,’ says South Africa president
Hong Kong’s leader on Tuesday said the sentencing on spying charges of a U.S. citizen in China, who was also a permanent resident of the semi-autonomous city, illustrated that the territory should “stay vigilant to national security risks hidden in society.” The government said mainland Chinese authorities had informed Hong Kong of the arrest of … Continue reading Hong Kong leader says China’s sentencing of US citizen exposes national security threats
China’s space program is turning a rural region in to an unlikely tourist destination and the center of fervent nationalism. Eight stories above the sidewalks of Longlou, a small rural town in Wenchang on the southern island of Hainan, about 80 tourists from different Chinese provinces gathered on the top of an apartment building on … Continue reading Hainan Island: Capital of space tourism and Chinese nationalism
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the United Nations on Monday to suspend Israel’s membership unless it implements resolutions establishing separate Jewish and Arab states and allows the return of Palestinian refugees. Abbas spoke during the first official U.N. commemoration of the flight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from what is now Israel following the … Continue reading Abbas urges UN to suspend Israel during first commemoration of 1948 flight of the Palestinians
Computer engineers and tech-inclined political scientists have warned for years that cheap, powerful artificial intelligence tools would soon allow anyone to create fake images, video and audio that was realistic enough to fool voters and perhaps sway an election. The synthetic images that emerged were often crude, unconvincing and costly to produce, especially when other … Continue reading AI presents political peril for 2024 with threat to mislead voters
Since Russia invaded Ukraine 15 months ago, the West has delivered ever more powerful weapons to Kyiv to help it defend its territory and recapture lost ground. AFP looks at how the type of weaponry supplied evolved over the course of the war. Phase 1: defensive weapons No sooner had Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered … Continue reading From pistols to cruise missiles: how the West armed Ukraine
China's clampdown on its consultancy and due diligence sector has driven companies to review their operations after some tested the limits of the laws and Beijing's patience to meet surging demand as China emerged from its COVID-lockdowns. These consultancies thrived by providing investors – from global hedge funds to private equity firms - access to … Continue reading Consultancy firms in China tested limits before Beijing’s crackdown
After hours of waiting on the U.S. side of the border and hoping the Texas National Guard would let them seek U.S. asylum, a group of 15 migrants crossed a shallow green river back to Mexico, their faces drawn in disappointment. After traveling from countries including the Dominican Republic and Guatemala, they were among the … Continue reading Migrants at US-Mexico border face tight controls after Title 42 lapse
Turkey headed for a runoff vote after President Tayyip Erdogan led over his opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Sunday's election but fell short of an outright majority to extend his 20-year rule of the NATO-member country. Neither Erdogan nor Kilicdaroglu cleared the 50% threshold needed to avoid a second round, to be held on May … Continue reading Turkey faces runoff election with Erdogan leading
Thailand's opposition secured a stunning election win on Sunday after trouncing parties allied with the military, setting the stage for a flurry of deal-making over forming a government in a bid to end nearly a decade of conservative, army-backed rule. The liberal Move Forward party and the populist Pheu Thai Party were far out in … Continue reading Thailand opposition crushes military parties in election rout
As people brace for the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and everyday living, those in the world of audio books say their field is already being transformed. AI has the ability to create human-sounding recordings -- at assembly-line speed -- while bypassing at least part of the services of the human professionals who … Continue reading Audio book narrators say AI is already taking away business
Thais voted Sunday in an election that could see pro-democracy opposition parties oust the conservative military-backed government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha after almost a decade in power. Voters are tipped to deliver a resounding defeat to ex-army chief and coup leader Prayut after a campaign that played out as a clash between a young … Continue reading Thailand votes, but will the military listen?
Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her power ballad “Tattoo,” at a colorful, eclectic music competition clouded for a second year running by the war in Ukraine. The diva from Stockholm beat acts from 25 other countries to take the continent’s pop crown at the final of the competition … Continue reading Swedish singer Loreen wins Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd time at event feting Ukraine
Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its forces had fallen back north of Ukraine's battlefield city of Bakhmut after a new Ukrainian offensive, in a retreat that the head of Russia's Wagner private army called a rout. The setback for Russia, which follows similar reports of Ukrainian advances south of the city, suggests a coordinated push … Continue reading Russia acknowledges retreat north of Bakhmut, Wagner boss calls it a ‘rout’
A once-faded Japanese honeymoon hot spot is getting a new lease on life thanks in part to Chinese investment, as industry insiders predict that more hot spring hotels will be the beneficiaries of an exodus of money from China. The abandoned Tsuruya Ryokan, a former luxury inn occupying a prime location in the town of … Continue reading Chinese money breathes new life into fading Japanese resort
A Chinese e-learning company that helped people prepare for civil servants' tests was once worth over US$20 billion, now it's worth less than a billion dollars, a victim of its own success. Becoming a police officer, a tax official or a customs agent in China is tough: Candidates need to have a post high-school degree … Continue reading Chinese tycoons lose US$20b through quirk in company business model
The days of easily buying marijuana on the streets of Bangkok or Phuket may soon be over. Four years after Thailand’s Bhumjaithai party won almost four million votes on a vow to decriminalize cannabis — then carrying it out as the third-biggest bloc in a military-backed government — the tide has turned: most of the … Continue reading Thai election may see cannabis industry snuffed out
Tired of Shanghai club nights dominated by men, where a woman's appearance often matters as much as her musical skills, Eloise Fan has created an underground space where women DJs are free to shine. On a chilly spring evening, dozens of young women in a packed basement bar crowded around music producer Fan as she … Continue reading Women dance to their own beat in China’s nightclubs
China’s unpredictable policy making is deterring foreign investment that the country’s cash-strapped cities are desperate to entice. Local officials are cold calling foreign entrepreneurs and bringing roadshows overseas as they seek to bolster coffers depleted by years of pandemic spending and a cratering property market. They also face pressure from the central government to boost … Continue reading China is scaring away investors that its cities want
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Wang Yi during talks in Vienna this week that the Biden administration is “looking to move beyond” tensions spurred by the U.S. shooting down a Chinese spy balloon that traversed the continental United States, according to a senior Biden administration official. The … Continue reading Top Biden aide tells Chinese diplomat that US wants to ‘move beyond’ spy balloon
With former Prime Minister Imran Khan in custody, Pakistani authorities on Thursday cracked down on his supporters, arresting hundreds in overnight raids and sending troops across the country to rein in the wave of violence that followed his arrest earlier this week. For this Islamic nation, accustomed to military takeovers, political crises and violence, the … Continue reading With ex-PM Imran Khan in custody, Pakistan cracks down on his supporters, arresting hundreds
EU lawmakers hold a crucial vote Thursday towards setting restrictions on how AI such as ChatGPT can be used in the European Union. European Parliament committees will set out their position for upcoming negotiations with EU member states that aim to create a law to prevent abuses in the way artificial intelligence is used, while … Continue reading European Parliament votes on curbs for ChatGPT and other AI
An unrepentant Donald Trump held firm to past grievances at the first televised town hall of the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Wednesday, stressing from the moment he took the stage that he has little intention of mounting a more disciplined campaign for his third White House bid. In a contentious 70-minute broadcast, Trump drew … Continue reading Trump jokes about sexual abuse verdict, repeats election falsehoods
A Ukrainian unit said on Wednesday it had routed a Russian brigade near the stronghold of Bakhmut in an incident underlining the task facing the Kremlin as it carries out what it calls a "very difficult" military operation. The unit's claim appeared to buttress comments by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner private army, … Continue reading Ukraine says it routs Russian brigade, Kremlin acknowledges ‘very difficult’ campaign
Donald Trump must pay US$5 million in damages for sexually abusing magazine writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her by branding her a liar, a jury decided on Tuesday. "Today, the world finally knows the truth," Carroll said in a statement. "This victory is not just for me but for every … Continue reading Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll, must pay her US$5m, jury says
President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that the West has unleashed “a real war” against Russia, reprising a familiar refrain at scaled-down Victory Day celebrations that may reflect the toll the Ukraine conflict is taking on his forces. Putin’s remarks came just hours after Moscow fired its latest barrage of cruise missiles at targets in Ukraine, … Continue reading Putin tells WWII event West is waging a ‘real war’ on Russia
A welcome sign is emerging in Hong Kong after three years of travel restrictions: lines of mainland Chinese tourists outside the city’s bank branches. Hundreds of thousands flocked to the city during the “Golden Week” holiday in early May, triggering hours of waiting at lenders such as Bank of China (Hong Kong) and HSBC Holdings … Continue reading Mainland clients rush to open Hong Kong bank accounts, buy insurance
China has launched a nationwide anti-spy crackdown on consulting firms, according to state media, as Beijing moves to tighten foreign access to sensitive information amid growing tensions with the US. On orders from China’s central government, authorities carried out synchronized operations in cities including the financial powerhouses of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Suzhou, a provincial … Continue reading China kicks off anti-spying campaign with synchronized countrywide raids
Kavita Wongyakasem runs a small business in Bangkok, owns a two-storey house on the outskirts of the Thai capital, drives a pick-up truck, and sends her two daughters to good schools. But every day is a desperate struggle to find the money to keep her household afloat, said the 48-year-old, whose business provides services for … Continue reading Thai household debt in election focus as millions in ‘endless struggle’
China's increasing focus on its own security and intensifying rivalry with the United States threatens to turn its re-engagement with the world after years of COVID curbs into a new era of isolation from the West, analysts say. Since casting off pandemic controls that effectively shut its borders since 2020, Beijing has in recent months … Continue reading China’s return to global stage checked by national security focus
Russia launched its biggest wave of drone strikes on Ukraine for months on Monday, escalating attacks in the run-up to its May 9 Victory Day holiday celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany, which Kyiv marked a day earlier in a new break with Moscow. Kyiv's mayor said Russia had fired 60 Iranian-made kamikaze drones at … Continue reading Russia rains missiles across Ukraine ahead of May 9 Victory Day holiday
Joe Biden served in the Senate for 270 years. He used to be three years older than his sister Valerie, but now has 20 years on her. And the fourth U.S. president — whom Biden affectionally calls “Jimmy” Madison — is a good friend. All kidding aside, the 80-year-old Biden will tell you, he is … Continue reading ‘My career of 280 years’: Biden jokes off 2024 age concerns
Mo Jia Yu wraps his legs around a pole to balance high above the ground and secure a joint, a skill he must master to become a bamboo scaffolder in Hong Kong. The metropolis is one of the world's last remaining cities to use bamboo scaffolding in modern construction and building repair. Scaffolders perched on … Continue reading Hong Kong’s bamboo scaffolders preserve ancient technique
When Ahmed Rabbani ran out of paint to satisfy his artistic yearnings during 20 years of incarceration at Guantanamo Bay, he turned to whatever came to hand -- dirt, coffee grinds and even spices such as turmeric from the prison canteen. "Through painting, I would feel myself outside Guantanamo," the 53-year-old Pakistani said this week … Continue reading Freedom to paint: Pakistani Gitmo prisoner finds release in art
King Charles III was crowned on Saturday in Britain's biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, a sumptuous display of pageantry dating back 1,000 years. In front of a congregation of about 100 world leaders and a television audience of millions, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Church, slowly placed the 360-year-old … Continue reading King Charles III crowned at Westminster Abbey
Foreign ministers from a group of nations led by China and Russia criticized on Friday the ability of world institutions to resolve geopolitical problems, including the coronavirus pandemic, and said their organization should do more to address such challenges. Indian Foreign Minister Subhramanyam Jaishankar said in remarks at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization … Continue reading Group led by China, Russia criticizes global institutions
Chinese cut-price fast-fashion giant Shein defended its business model in an interview with AFP, saying demand-based production accounted for its low prices and not forced or cheap labor. Founded in China in 2008, Shein has swiftly claimed a top place in the global fast-fashion marketplace, offering young social-media-savvy customers low-priced collections that turn over at … Continue reading Chinese fast fashion giant Shein denies low prices due to forced labor
China's five-day Labour Day holiday in early May was once a good excuse for a quick European jaunt - with a side of luxury shopping on the agenda. But with flights remaining limited after China's border reopening in January, European luxury stores will need to wait longer for the return of masses of tourists they … Continue reading Fewer luxury shoppers but bigger spenders as Chinese return to Europe
When China sailed one of its two active aircraft carriers, the Shandong, east of Taiwan last month as part of military drills surrounding the island, it was showcasing a capability that it has yet to master and could take years to perfect. As Beijing modernizes its military, its formidable missile forces and other naval vessels, … Continue reading China’s aircraft carriers play ‘theatrical’ role but pose little threat yet
The World Health Organization said Friday that Covid-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions of people worldwide. The announcement, made more than three years after WHO declared the coronavirus an international crisis, offers a coda to … Continue reading WHO downgrades Covid pandemic, says it’s no longer emergency
European savers are pulling more of their money from banks, looking for a better deal as lenders resist paying up to hold on to deposits some feel they can currently live without. The trend emerged as some of the region's biggest lenders outlined a profitable start to the year in results that also offered a … Continue reading Europeans drain billions from banks, fed up with shrinking savings
Taiwan’s chief trade representative says his country’s semiconductor makers will expand production in the U.S. as much as they can afford to do so, but he insists Taiwan remains an ideal place for that production and other U.S. trade, business and investment, despite tensions with China. John Chen-Chung Deng spoke to The Associated Press on … Continue reading Taiwan trade chief warns against ‘unnecessary fear’ of China
Eight students and a security guard were killed during a school shooting in Belgrade on Wednesday, officials said, with police accusing the detained 13-year-old suspect of plotting the attack for a month and drawing up a kill list. The incident rocked the Balkan nation, with the president calling it "one of the most difficult days" … Continue reading Nine dead, seven wounded in Belgrade school shooting
U.S. microchip export controls imposed last year to freeze China's development of supercomputers used to develop nuclear weapons and artificial-intelligence systems like ChatGPT are having only minimal effects on China's tech sector. The rules restricted shipments of Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices Inc chips that have become the global technology industry's standard for developing … Continue reading China’s AI industry barely slowed by US chip export rules
China’s big-spending shoppers are back, to the relief of the global luxury industry. But in a pandemic-era shift, they’re doing more of their spending at home, even with mainland borders open again — and the consequences for foreign destinations and brands once reliant on deep Chinese pockets could be dire. Some 62 percent of luxury … Continue reading Last of the big spenders; China’s shoppers stay home
Osamu Furukawa has driven lots of Japanese cars for his business converting classic gasoline-powered models to electric. But his favorite ride is an import: A battery-powered SUV from China’s BYD Auto. BYD Auto is part of a wave of Chinese electric car exporters that are starting to compete with Western and Japanese brands in their … Continue reading Chinese electric vehicle brands expand to global markets
More than three years since China first blocked a range of Australian imports in a political dispute, restrictions are easing, but reviving trade is proving more challenging than stopping it in the first place. A leaders meeting late last year set off a thaw in relations that saw China relax restrictions on coal in January. … Continue reading Normalising China-Australia trade will take more than a political fix
Responding to Beijing's aggressive expansion into the trade routes and strategic islands of the South China Sea headlined talks Monday between President Joe Biden and his Philippines counterpart Ferdinand Marcos at the White House. Marcos is on a four-day trip that follows last week's state visit to Washington by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol … Continue reading Biden, Marcos discuss securing tense South China Sea
A large number of workers and activists in Asian countries are set to mark May Day on Monday with protests calling for higher salaries and better working conditions, among other demands. May Day, which falls on May 1, is observed in many countries as a day to celebrate workers’ rights with rallies, marches and other … Continue reading Big May Day events in Asia call for better labor conditions
The profile of a Native American man, a braid trailing down and feather jutting up, is tiled into a high school hallway, dyed into the weight room carpet and laid into the turf of the football field at Salamanca city schools. School leaders say the omnipresent logo and “Warrior” name for the school athletic teams … Continue reading Should school use ‘Warrior’ nickname? Tribe to have last say
An unnamed middleman in Mumbai provided a crucial raw material used in Indian-made cough syrups that have been linked to the deaths of more than 70 children in Gambia, a chemicals trader involved in the supply chain told Reuters. The World Health Organization said last year the syrups, made by Indian manufacturer Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd, … Continue reading Indian cough syrup: mystery middleman may be new clue
Concerned about China's first population drop in six decades and its rapid ageing, the government's political advisers proposed in March that single and unmarried women should have access to egg freezing and IVF treatment, among other services. China's leaders have not commented publicly on the recommendations. As China tries to slow its demographic decline, women … Continue reading China weighs giving single women IVF access to stem population decline
Like most people in Hong Kong, taxi driver Leung Tat-chong says it feels like the city is recovering after years of protests, crackdowns, and pandemic restrictions, while it also has changed forever. He’s earning almost as much as he did before the pandemic. But, Leung said, the city has been divided since the 2019 protests, … Continue reading Hello Hong Kong, and goodbye: The city is recovering but some things will never be the same again
Australia’s economic and diplomatic relations with China are in recovery mode, with tensions over issues ranging from foreign investment to security receding as Beijing tamps down its punitive efforts to bend one of its key commodity suppliers to its will. In the strongest sign yet that years of frosty relations are warming again, more than … Continue reading China rebuilds Australia ties after failing to press economy
Once jailed for murder, Cao Yongsheng now makes a living caring for the dead, benefitting from a bold rehabilitation scheme that's giving some of China's most serious criminals a second life as funeral workers. It is a rare campaign to help former prisoners, many of whom say a lack of reform programs, a resultant skills … Continue reading China rehabilitation scheme makes morticians of murderers
Tighter U.S. rules to ban imports from China's Xinjiang are compounding pressure on Vietnam's apparel and footwear makers, hitting a sector that has already shed nearly 90,000 jobs since October in the global manufacturing hub as demand slowed. Among garment exporters, Vietnam has faced the worst hit from the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA), … Continue reading World’s apparel, sneakers hub Vietnam struggles as US ban on Xinjiang cotton bites
Chinese leader Xi Jinping's plan to send an envoy to Ukraine allows his government to deflect criticism of its support for Moscow and pursue a bigger role as a diplomatic force, but Xi faces daunting obstacles if he is serious about trying to help end the 14-month-old war. The biggest: Neither Ukraine nor Russia is … Continue reading Analysis: China’s Ukraine plan mixes peace, self-interest
Robots performing kung fu, interactive murals and deluxe camps -- tourists returning to Chinese scenic spots this year may find many new services on offer. Chinese tourists are coming back with a vengeance, having made 1.22 billion domestic tourist trips in the first quarter of this year. In response, the country's tourism sector is actively … Continue reading Music robots and motorhomes: China’s tourism upgrades amid accelerated recovery
China is pushing ahead with the largest-ever expansion of its nuclear arsenal, modernising the atomic deterrent with an eye on any future conflicts with the United States, experts say. The SIPRI think tank estimates that China has a stockpile of around 350 nuclear warheads -- small potatoes when compared with the United States and Russia. … Continue reading China pushes largest-ever expansion of nuclear arsenal
The coronation is luring royal enthusiasts fascinated by the ceremonial spectacle — and drama — of the monarchy and far-flung visitors eager to experience a piece of British history. Kelly Curto is taking her first trip outside the U.S., and the die-hard fan of the British royal family is making it the one at the … Continue reading Coronation gives tourism boost, but UK economy still reeling
Pummelled by a housing crisis that caused a record-breaking slump last year, some Chinese property developers are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, but analysts warn the sector is still on course to slow down in the long term. The real estate industry grew at lightning speed after restrictions were eased … Continue reading Signs of hope for China property market, but boom is over: analysts
The holiday of Eid al-Fitr ushered in a day of prayers and joy for Muslims around the world on Friday. The celebration was marred by tragedy amid the explosion of conflict in Sudan, while in other countries it came against the backdrop of hopes for a better future. After the Ramadan month of fasting, Muslims … Continue reading Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr holiday with feasts, prayers
This year's Shanghai Auto Show signalled the end of the petrol engine era in China, as domestic electric vehicle brands drive change across the sector and leave foreign companies in the dust, analysts and industry insiders said. Government support for EVs and growing interest from a vast consumer base has assured Chinese companies' dominance of … Continue reading Chinese EV dominance hastens end of petrol engine era
Fighting in Sudan's capital entered a second week Saturday as crackling gunfire shattered a temporary truce, the latest battles between forces of rival generals that have already left hundreds dead and thousands wounded. Overnight, the heavy explosions that had previously rocked the city in recent days had subsided, but on Saturday morning, bursts of gunfire … Continue reading Fighting in Sudan enters a second week as truce breaks
Europe's CERN laboratory has taken its first steps towards building a huge new particle accelerator that would eclipse its Large Hadron Collider -- and hopes to see light at the end of the tunnel. The Future Circular Collider (FCC) particle smasher would be more than triple the length of the LHC, already the world's largest … Continue reading CERN takes first small steps towards new giant particle accelerator
SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft exploded minutes after liftoff in an uncrewed test flight from South Texas on Thursday, cutting short a key step in Elon Musk's development of a rocket vessel to eventually take humans to the moon and Mars. The flight test was the first for Starship mounted atop the company's new Super Heavy … Continue reading Elon Musk’s Starship explodes minutes after first test flight’s liftoff
U.S. lawmakers have accused embattled Swiss bank Credit Suisse of limiting the scope of an internal investigation into Nazi clients and Nazi-linked accounts, including some that were open until just a few years ago. The Senate Budget Committee says an independent ombudsman initially brought in by the bank to oversee the probe was “inexplicably terminated” … Continue reading Credit Suisse faulted over probe of Nazi-linked accounts
Senior US defense officials warned lawmakers about the growing risks of Chinese military power and the need to accelerate US development of hypersonic weapons. Admiral John Aquilino, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, said Tuesday that “we need to go faster” in developing and fielding the new hypersonic weapons, which can fly and maneuver at … Continue reading Pentagon cites China’s military threat as Beijing declines dialogue
Senior Russian officials privately raised concerns some 10 months ago about the risks of becoming too dependent on Chinese technologies after sanctions by the US and the European Union shut off access to alternative suppliers. A previously unreported assessment from inside Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media suggests that some senior officials … Continue reading Russia worried too reliant on Chinese tech: memo
Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc have raised concerns with Amazon.com Inc after learning that sexually explicit photographs could be accessed by children on the popular Kindle app and called on Amazon to strengthen its content moderation. The warnings were sparked by questions posed by Reuters to spokespeople at the three companies about users’ ability, via … Continue reading Porn on Amazon’s Kindle app prompts warnings from Apple, Alphabet
Chonthicha "Lookkate" Jangrew is going door-to-door asking people to vote for her in Thailand's May 14 election even though she faces possible jail time on charges of sedition and defaming the king during unprecedented protests in 2020. The 30-year-old is one of more than a dozen activists from a student-led protest movement who are taking … Continue reading Young Thais who questioned monarchy look to win seats in parliament
Months after the “white paper movement” protests, most participants who weren't picked up by the Public Security Bureau remain silent, in hiding, but one young Chinese man is speaking out about his experience, from the relative safety of Germany. Dazed and terrified, Yicheng Huang narrowly managed to escape being detained by police in Shanghai while … Continue reading Protester breaks silence on China’s crackdown on Covid demonstrators
Having missed the property train, China’s millennials – with few options – think outside the box to create wealth. Like millions of other young Chinese, Byron Zhang thinks he’s missed out. For his parents’ generation, investing in real estate was the surefire route to prosperity and security. Now, as prices slump, the population shrinks and … Continue reading Chinese millennials are looking beyond property to build wealth
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and past leaders of the U.K. and Ireland gathered in Belfast on Monday, 25 years after their charm, clout and determination helped Northern Ireland strike a historic peace accord. They met to remember a moment, said former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, “when history opened itself to hope," in since 1998 … Continue reading Clinton, Blair marking Northern Ireland peace milestone
Lamian noodles, or hand-pulled noodles, is a traditional Chinese dish. It has a variety of appetizing flavors such as Qinghai Lamian noodles and Lanzhou beef Lamian noodles. In recent years, Lamian noodles have become a calling card and important industry in northwest China, including the provinces of Qinghai and Gansu. In Qinghai, there are 199,500 … Continue reading Aroma of Chinese Lamian noodles wafts to Belt and Road countries
The United States, South Korea and Japan conducted a joint missile defense exercise Monday in waters near the Korean Peninsula as they expand military training to counter the growing threats of North Korea’s nuclear-capable missiles. Last week, North Korea conducted one of its most provocative weapons demonstrations in years by flight-testing for the first time … Continue reading US, allies conduct more drills in face of N. Korean threat
Sudan's army appeared to gain the upper hand on Sunday in a bloody power struggle with rival paramilitary forces, pounding their bases with air strikes, said witnesses. At least 97 civilians had been killed and 365 injured since the fighting in Sudan started, said one doctor's group. The fighting erupted on Saturday between army units … Continue reading Sudan’s army pounds paramilitary bases with air strikes in power struggle
China is expected to announce an economic rebound on Tuesday, when Beijing releases its first quarterly GDP figures since abolishing growth-sapping Covid restrictions late last year. The Asian giant’s virus containment policy – an unstinting regime of strict quarantines, mass testing and travel curbs – strongly constrained normal economic activity before it was abruptly ditched … Continue reading China’s economy expected to rebound as zero-Covid era fades
Japan needs to increase security as Group of Seven officials visit, the country's prime minister said Sunday, a day after an explosive was thrown at him during a campaign event. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida escaped unharmed after the device, reportedly a pipe bomb, was thrown towards him as he campaigned in the western city of … Continue reading Japan PM urges better security after blast targets speech
The WTA's decision this week to return to China, despite unresolved questions around the safety of player Peng Shuai, betrays the financial and strategic importance of the country to the tennis organisation, analysts and former players say. Peng, a former doubles world number one, has not been seen outside China since 2021, when she made … Continue reading WTA return shows China key to women’s tennis on and off court
China's ambassador for the Korean peninsula on Friday accused the US of "using" regional tensions to reinforce an anti-Beijing alliance, after weeks of mounting rhetoric and missile tests by Pyongyang. "We are concerned about the US' intention to use Korean peninsula issues as a tool for containing China," Special Representative Liu Xiaoming told AFP in … Continue reading China’s Korea envoy accuses US of ‘using’ tensions
Liu Baoxiang, who runs a mahjong parlor in a city on China's rust belt, no longer splurges on extravagant fashion items after seeing the two flats he owns lose roughly a third of their value over the past two years. "I was previously considered wealthy in the area," said Liu, who also owns some commercial … Continue reading Rich feel the pinch as property slump hurts Chinese consumers, clouding recovery
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Beijing Friday to ask "the Russian aggressor to stop the war" in Ukraine, saying "no other country has more influence on Russia than China". Speaking after a meeting with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in Beijing, Baerbock said she had also expressed concerns about human rights issues and warned … Continue reading Germany FM urges China to tell Russia to stop war
The FBI on Thursday arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air National Guard, over the leaks online of classified documents that embarrassed Washington with allies around the world. Federal agents in an armored car and military gear swooped in on Teixeira, dressed in gym shorts, a T-shirt and trainers, at his … Continue reading US arrests 21-year-old National Guardsman for online intelligence leaks
North Korea said Friday it flight-tested a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time, a possible breakthrough in its efforts to acquire a more powerful, harder-to-detect weapon targeting the continental United States. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency issued the report a day after the country’s neighbors detected a launch of a long-range … Continue reading North Korea says it tested new solid-fuel long-range missile
Hundreds of thousands of people are set to take to the streets across France again on Thursday to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's pension reforms, in a final day of demonstrations before a crucial court decision on the legislation. Police expect around 400,000 to 600,000 people to take part nationwide. That would be fewer than … Continue reading Last-ditch protests in France over Macron’s pension reform
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was in the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai on Thursday as he looks to boost ties with the South American giant’s biggest trade partner and win political support for attempts to mediate the conflict in Ukraine. Lula arrived late Wednesday and is due to meet with his Chinese … Continue reading Brazil’s Lula in Shanghai on visit to boost ties with China
U.S. President Joe Biden is not anti-British and his pride in his Irish roots does not preclude him from playing a supportive role in Northern Ireland's peace process, a White House official said on Wednesday. Biden, who is fiercely proud of his Irish heritage, arrived in Belfast late on Tuesday and will spend just over … Continue reading U.S. President Biden is not ‘anti-British’, White House official says
Syed Mohammed Talha says he is proud that his seven-year-old daughter attends a prestigious Montessori school in India’s national capital region. The school is expensive, with annual fees at 255,000 rupees ($3,113), but the Muslim businessman says he is happy he can afford it. "If I had a second child I couldn’t have afforded to … Continue reading India’s birth control measures resonate among its Muslims, priests play a role
Kentucky and Tennessee political leaders on Tuesday called for tighter controls on guns, including tougher laws preventing people in crisis from accessing firearms, after two mass shootings killed 11 people in Louisville and Nashville. A bank employee shot dead five colleagues and wounded nine other people at his workplace in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday. On … Continue reading Kentucky, Tennessee leaders call for tighter gun control after mass shootings
England’s health service is girding for a fresh four-day strike by junior doctors, compounding Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s struggle to end months of labor unrest that has slowed the UK’s post-pandemic recovery. Tens of thousands of junior doctors, who are qualified medics in clinical training, will walk off the job across England for 96 hours … Continue reading England’s health service braces for ‘most disruptive’ strike yet
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to enhance his nuclear arsenal in more “practical and offensive” ways as he met with senior military officials to discuss the country’s war preparations in the face of his rivals’ “frantic” military exercises, state media said Tuesday. The meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Military Commission on … Continue reading North Korean leader vows ‘offensive’ nuclear expansion
China's military carried out aerial and naval blockade drills around Taiwan on Monday, its last scheduled day of exercises, with a Chinese aircraft carrier joining in combat patrols as Taipei reported another surge of warplanes near the island. China announced the three days of drills on Saturday, after Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen returned to Taipei … Continue reading China practices blockades on last scheduled day of Taiwan drills
The Taiwan defence ministry said it spotted 59 Chinese military planes near Taiwan up until 10am on Monday. The ministry said that, among them, 39 Chinese planes crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered Taiwan's air defence zones. The news came as China's military simulated precision strikes against Taiwan in a second day of … Continue reading Taiwan defence ministry says it spotted 59 Chinese military planes near Taiwan
As China launches three days of military drills around Taiwan, AFP looks at the history of relations between the self-ruled island and Beijing: 1949: separation Mao Zedong’s communists take power in Beijing in October 1949 after defeating Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists in a civil war. The KMT flee to the island of Taiwan and … Continue reading Seven decades of China-Taiwan relations
India has confronted Myanmar in recent months with intelligence showing that China is providing assistance in building a surveillance post on a remote island in the Bay of Bengal, according to Indian officials with knowledge of the matter. Indian government representatives at various levels have shared satellite imagery with Myanmar counterparts that they said depicted … Continue reading India confronts Myanmar over alleged Chinese spying post
China sent warships and aircraft near Taiwan for a second day on Friday, Taipei said, after President Tsai Ing-wen angered Beijing by meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Three Chinese warships sailed in waters surrounding the self-ruled island, while a fighter jet and an anti-submarine helicopter also crossed the island's air defence identification zone, … Continue reading China sends warships, aircraft near Taiwan for second day in response to US meeting
Airbus SE will double production capacity in China of its top-selling jet in a bold bet on future demand in one of the world’s biggest aviation markets. The European plane maker will add a second final assembly line for A320 narrow-bodies at its existing factory in Tianjin, under a deal signed by Chief Executive Officer … Continue reading Airbus to build plane factory in China
Seven civilians were reported killed by Ukrainian artillery strikes in Russian-controlled areas as the battle for Bakhmut, the devastated eastern city that has become a symbol of Kyiv's defiance of Russia, raged with no end in sight. A top Russian official said there was no chance of peace talks this year as French President Emmanuel … Continue reading Ukrainian forces cling onto besieged city, China pressed to help end war
Between 2019 and 2022, groups of Tesla employees privately shared via an internal messaging system sometimes highly invasive videos and images recorded by customers’ car cameras, according to interviews by Reuters with nine former employees. Some of the recordings caught Tesla customers in embarrassing situations. One ex-employee described a video of a man approaching a … Continue reading Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars
Beijing’s initial reaction to President Tsai Ing-wen’s unprecedented meeting on US soil with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been muted. After former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi touched down in Taiwan last year, it took less than an hour for China to announce missile tests and military drills encircling the island. China released statements condemning … Continue reading China restraint on Taiwan shows Xi has bigger concerns
French President Emmanuel Macron urged China's Xi Jinping on Thursday to reason with Russia and help bring an end to the war in Ukraine as the two held the first of a series of high-level meetings in Beijing. "The Russian aggression in Ukraine has dealt a blow to (international) stability," Macron told Xi, standing alongside … Continue reading Macron tells Xi to reason with Russia on Ukraine war
Large delegations of Chinese city and business officials have made hundreds of trips to Asia and Europe since December, seeking to drum up foreign investment as local governments scramble to hit growth and employment targets. District officials have joined their supervisors at city and provincial levels, along with local businesses, in crossing the border more … Continue reading Chinese officials step up foreign travel in race to find investors
Violence resumed for a second straight night in Jerusalem on Wednesday when Palestinian worshippers barricaded themselves inside Al-Aqsa Mosque at the Old City’s sensitive compound and Israeli police used force to remove dozens of worshippers. The unrest was less intense than the previous night. But the situation remained combustible as Muslims marked the Ramadan holy … Continue reading Violence erupts at Jerusalem holy site for a second night
Macau casinos have been forced to close off thousands of hotel rooms and cut back on guest services like housekeeping, as a labor shortage leaves the gambling hub struggling to cater to a surge of tourists from a newly-reopened China. Some five-star hotels in Macau’s casinos only have fewer than half of their rooms available … Continue reading Macau casinos shutter thousands of rooms as they run on skeleton staff
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a trip to Warsaw on Wednesday that Poland would help form a coalition of Western powers to supply warplanes to Kyiv, adding that Ukrainian troops were still fighting for Bakhmut in the east but could withdraw if they risked being cut off. Neighboring Poland is a close ally of … Continue reading Ukraine’s Zelenskiy aims for Western warplane coalition; Russians pressure Bakhmut
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, becoming the most senior U.S. figure to meet a Taiwanese leader on U.S. soil in decades and stressed the need to accelerate arms deliveries to Taiwan in the face of rising threats from China. McCarthy - the third highest ranking official … Continue reading US Speaker meets Taiwan leader and stresses need to speed up arms deliveries
French unions said last-ditch talks with the prime minister on Wednesday had failed to ease tensions over a divisive pension reform and called for record turnout at protest rallies the next day. President Emmanuel Macron is facing the biggest challenge of his second term over his flagship pension overhaul, which includes hiking the minimum retirement … Continue reading French pension talks end in ‘failure’ ahead of new protests
The Philippines has pulled off a diplomatic U-turn, reviving its traditional defence ties with Washington years after spurning it in favor of Beijing. The pivot appears to indicate Manila believes a robust partnership with Washington can help it stop China from trampling on its rights in the South China Sea, analysts said. But the rapprochement … Continue reading Philippines’ defence shift towards US risks China’s fury
French President Emmanuel Macron landed in China on Wednesday shortly ahead of EU chief Ursula von der Leyen as the two European leaders seek to smooth ties with a key economic partner while broaching thorny issues like Ukraine and trade risks. Macron on his first trip to China since 2019, spoke to US President Joe … Continue reading EU leaders return to reopened China
As the national power grid crumbles, leaving Africa's most advanced economy in the dark for up to 10 hours a day, mobile operators including Vodacom, MTN and majority state-owned Telkom are scrambling to ensure their networks stay up and running. On a recent Friday morning north of Johannesburg, the head of South Africa's largest telecoms … Continue reading South Africa fights to keep phone networks up as lights go out
India is muscling in on the increasingly lucrative business of space, taking advantage of the geopolitical isolation of China and Russia to pitch itself as a reliable alternative to SpaceX. State-owned NewSpace India Ltd. launched three dozen communications satellites last month from an island off the nation’s eastern coast for OneWeb Ltd. The move not … Continue reading India elbows out China, Russia in commercial space race
Donald Trump, the former U.S. president and front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, will appear in court on Tuesday to be fingerprinted, photographed and formally charged in a watershed moment ahead of next year's presidential election. Trump, 76, is the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges. He was indicted by a Manhattan … Continue reading Trump to turn himself in, facing historic day in New York court
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) continues to strengthen the strategic partnership with AstraZeneca, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies. The goal of this collaboration is to position Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area as a trailblazer in life science innovation and serve as a model for the region. This marks a … Continue reading HKSTP and AstraZeneca signs MOU on strategic collaboration
Finland becomes the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, in a historic strategic shift provoked by Moscow's war on Ukraine, which doubles the US-led alliance's border with Russia. Last year, the Kremlin's all-out invasion of Ukraine upended Europe's security landscape and prompted Finland -- and its neighbor Sweden -- to drop decades of non-alignment. Awkward … Continue reading Finland joins NATO as Russian war prompts shift
French President Emmanuel Macron will visit China from Wednesday, hoping to dissuade Beijing from supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine but without alienating a crucial trade and geopolitical player. "China is the only country in the world capable of having an immediate and radical impact on the conflict, in one direction or the other," an official … Continue reading Macron faces delicate Ukraine balancing act in China
Donald Trump, the ex-president and frontrunner for the Republican 2024 nomination, flew into New York City on Monday for an historic court appearance to face charges stemming from a probe into hush money paid to a porn star. With New York taking security precautions and the mayor telling potential "rabble-rousers" to behave, Trump was due … Continue reading Indicted Trump arrives in New York for his day in court
China is for the first time keeping at least one nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine constantly at sea, according to a Pentagon report - adding pressure on the United States and its allies as they try to counter Beijing's growing military. The assessment of China's military said China's fleet of six Jin-class ballistic missile submarines were … Continue reading China’s intensifying nuclear-armed submarine patrols add complexity for US, allies
Former President Donald Trump faces the most urgent legal challenge of his life this week in New York, where he’s set to be arraigned Tuesday on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. But as much of the attention will be on the courthouse in lower Manhattan, investigations from Atlanta to Washington … Continue reading Trump faces setbacks in other probes as NY case proceeds
HSBC Holdings Plc’s senior executives faced off with its large Hong Kong investor base, pledging to keep up dividend payments while they fended off calls from some local shareholders to split up the global lender. At a meeting on the city’s Kowloon-side, Chairman Mark Tucker once again said he regrets cutting out dividend payments during … Continue reading HSBC executives pledge dividends at HK shareholder meeting
It is almost midnight, and above a semi-abandoned Bangkok shopping centre, Ghost Radio is on air. Rapid-fire comments ping across the studio's screens as thousands tune in online to hear callers describe their encounters with Thailand's supernatural. Belief in spirits runs deep in the kingdom, which has a celebrated canon of ghosts from individuals like … Continue reading Ghosts in their machines: Thai livestream spooks a new generation
The city is back into the swing of things as the Hong Kong Golf Club hosted the World City Championship at the Fanling golf course last week, laying down the marker in Hong Kong’s status as a mega sporting event capital and further popularizing golf as a sport for the entire community. The announcement earlier … Continue reading International golf tournaments are magnets for golf fans in Greater Bay Area
The patch of irregular vertical lines that revolutionised checking out at the supermarket and facilitated the globalisation of retail is turning 50. But as the barcode celebrates its birthday on Monday, its days might be numbered as it faces competition from the younger QR code, the information-filled squares used in smartphones. The trademark beep as … Continue reading Barcode turns 50 but its days might be numbered
After gaining 30 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Murillo is finally getting back into fighting shape. Early pandemic lockdowns, endless hours on his laptop and heightened stress led Murillo, 27, to reach for cookies and chips in the barracks at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Gyms were closed, organized exercise … Continue reading Pandemic pounds push 10,000 U.S. Army soldiers into obesity
French President Emmanuel Macron will head to China next week for a rare visit to the rising superpower, in an awkward balancing act between his global statesman ambitions and his struggle to contain embarrassing pension protests at home. The French leader, whose decision to ram much-disputed pension legislation through parliament earlier this month sparked clashes … Continue reading Embattled Macron heads to China, leaving burning Paris behind
Without billions of dollars more to feed millions of hungry people, the world will see mass migration, destabilized countries, and starving children and adults in the next 12 to 18 months, the head of the Nobel prize-winning U.N. World Food Program warned Friday. David Beasley praised increased funding from the United States and Germany last … Continue reading Riots, starvation if billions not found to feed the poor, says UN food chief
As Taiwan’s diplomatic partners dwindle and turn instead to rival China, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen is aiming to shore up ties with the self-governing island’s remaining allies during a trip this week to Central America. Tsai touched down in Guatemala on Friday afternoon, walking from the plane along a red carpet alongside Guatemala’s foreign minister. … Continue reading Taiwan leader scrambles for allies in Central America visit
Fans of late Canto-pop icon Leslie Cheung, one of the first singers to come out as gay in Hong Kong, flocked to the city this week to commemorate their idol’s death 20 years ago — revisiting his legacy of pioneering work made during a socially conservative time. Cheung, who was 46 when he died, was … Continue reading Pop icon Leslie Cheung’s legacy endures 20 years after death
If you’d like to walk for miles in concrete burrows built to defend an isolationist totalitarian regime that nobody wanted to attack, Kukes in northeastern Albania is the place for you. The small Balkan country’s post World War II communist dictatorship reveled in massive defensive works; the countryside is still littered with the crumbling remains … Continue reading Poor Albanian town pins tourism hopes on communist tunnels
Russia charged an American journalist with spying while NATO moved closer to adding Finland as a member, deepening Moscow's tensions with the West as the war in Ukraine reached its 400th day on Friday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy spoke in his Thursday evening video address of the "tremendous path" his country had taken in 400 … Continue reading Russia’s isolation over Ukraine grows with US reporter arrest, NATO expansion
Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury after a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, becoming the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges even as he makes another run for the White House. The charges from an investigation led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg come … Continue reading Trump criminally charged in New York, a first for a US ex-president
President Joe Biden wants to bring the world’s most sophisticated chipmakers to the US. Taiwan says he should offer them a better tax deal –- one that could infuriate China. Taiwanese officials are pushing hard for an agreement to eliminate the burden of double taxation, like the US has with dozens of countries. In Congress … Continue reading Biden risks China fury with Taiwan chipmaker tax deal
Russian forces have had some success in the eastern frontline city of Bakhmut, Ukrainian military officials said, adding that their fighters were still holding on in a months-long battle in which both sides have suffered heavy casualties. In southern Ukraine, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief said there had been a significant build-up in the … Continue reading Ukraine says Russian forces make progress in frontline city of Bakhmut
Painters in a Chinese village once known for churning out replicas of Western masterpieces are now making original art worth thousands of dollars, selling their own works in a booming domestic art market. Home to more than 8,000 artists, southern China's Dafen has been producing near-perfect copies of timeless masterpieces for years. In its heyday, … Continue reading China’s ‘art factory’ painters turn from fakes to originals
The UN General Assembly took a major step towards urgent global climate action Wednesday as members adopted a resolution calling for the world body's top court to outline nations' legal obligations related to curbing warming. Cheers rang out as the measure -- hailed as a victory for the climate justice movement which hopes it will … Continue reading UN adopts landmark resolution on climate justice
Premier Li Qiang called China an “anchor for world peace” while expressing optimism about the recovery in the world’s second-biggest economy in a keynote speech at a forum that included business and government leaders from around the globe. “Chaos and conflicts must not happen in Asia, otherwise the future of Asia would be lost,” Li … Continue reading Chinese Premier Li calls China “anchor for world peace” in first keynote address
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen left for the United States on Wednesday, a stop on her way to firm up ties with Guatemala and Belize after China snapped up another of the self-ruled island's few diplomatic allies last week. "External pressure will not hinder our determination to go global," Tsai told reporters at the airport before … Continue reading Taiwan president heads to US, Central America to shore up ties
Investors cheered a major revamp of Alibaba Group as a sign Beijing's crackdown on the corporate sector was nearing an end, sending shares of the Jack Ma-founded company and it peers soaring on Wednesday. Alibaba said on Tuesday it was planning to split into six units and explore fundraisings or listings for most of them, … Continue reading Alibaba’s breakup lifts hopes China’s regulatory winter is thawing
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. plans to split its $220 billion empire into six units that will individually raise funds and explore initial public offerings, the biggest overhaul of China’s online commerce leader since its inception more than two decades ago. The move frees up the Chinese company’s main divisions from e-commerce and media to the … Continue reading Alibaba splits into six, plans new IPOs in historic overhaul
Alibaba founder Jack Ma has returned to China, ending a more than year-long stay overseas that was viewed by industry as reflecting the sober mood of China's private businesses and troubled policymakers trying to spur the economy. The return of China's best-known entrepreneur may help to quell the concerns of the country's private-sector businesses after … Continue reading Jack Ma returns to China as govt tries to quell private sector fears
NATO slammed Vladimir Putin for "dangerous" nuclear rhetoric after the Russian president announced plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, while Russian forces intensified shelling of the frontline Ukrainian city of Avdiivka. Putin likened his Belarus plan on Saturday to the U.S. stationing its weapons in Europe, insisting Russia would not violate its nuclear … Continue reading NATO slams Putin rhetoric on tactical nukes in Belarus; Russia pounds Avdiivka
Some 100,000 Chinese sturgeons were released from their normal captive breeding environment to the Yangtze River in Yichang, Central China's Hubei Province on Saturday morning in a bid by the China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) to boost aquatic biodiversity conservation. In total, some 200,000 Chinese sturgeons will be eventually released into the Yangtze River in … Continue reading 100,000 Chinese sturgeons released to Yangtze River to boost aquatic biodiversity
Donald Trump used his first election rally in Waco, Texas, to cast the 2024 presidential vote in apocalyptic terms, slam his leading Republican rival Ron DeSantis and rail against prosecutors pursuing him with criminal investigations he likened to a "Stalinist Russia horror show." Speaking to several thousand of his diehard supporters, some flashing signs saying … Continue reading Trump, facing potential indictment, holds defiant Waco rally
Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, sending a warning to NATO over its military support for Ukraine and escalating a standoff with the West. Although not unexpected and while Putin said the move would not violate nuclear non-proliferation promises, it is one of the Russia's most pronounced … Continue reading Putin says Moscow to place nuclear weapons in Belarus, US reacts cautiously
Russian forces attacked northern and southern stretches of the front in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region on Friday, even as Kyiv said Moscow's assault was flagging near the city of Bakhmut. Ukrainian military reports described heavy fighting along a line running from Lyman to Kupiansk, as well as in the south at Avdiivka on the outskirts … Continue reading Russia presses along Ukraine front after reports of Bakhmut slowdown
Filipino diplomats are expected to unleash a slew of protests over China’s aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, including targeting a Philippine coast guard ship with a powerful military laser, when they meet with Chinese officials Friday, an official said. Territorial disputes in the busy waterway have long loomed as a potential flashpoint in … Continue reading Philippines confronting Chinese diplomats over sea disputes
New evidence that raccoon dogs were at the Chinese market where Covid is suspected to have first infected humans has reignited debate over the origin of the pandemic. The researchers who unexpectedly stumbled over the genetic data say that it supports -- but cannot definitively prove -- the theory that the virus originated in animals, … Continue reading Raccoon dog data sparks new debate about Covid origins
Temples in China, which used to be the realm of the silver-haired, have been receiving more and more visitors from the younger generations - young people take pictures in smoky temple yards and share them on social media, buy Buddhism-themed souvenirs and offer incense and tributes as well as make wishes. But after talking with … Continue reading Young people visit temples to catch the trend, relieve pressure
Chinese leader Xi Jinping just concluded a three-day visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a warm affair in which the two men praised each other and spoke of a profound friendship. It’s a high point in a complicated, centuries-long relationship during which the two countries have been both allies and enemies. Chinese and Russian states … Continue reading China and Russia: explaining a long, complicated friendship
Ukraine faced more Russian drone attacks Wednesday that killed at least three people shortly after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida left Kyiv. Kishida was back in Poland Wednesday morning, according to Japan’s Kyodo News, and is expected to return to Japan Thursday. Kishida’s surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital stole some of the attention from … Continue reading China, Japan leaders end visits to warring capitals
Complexes of McMansions, fast food restaurants, real estate offices and half-constructed high-rises line wide highways in Irbil, the seat of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. Many members of the political and business elite live in a suburban gated community dubbed the American Village, where homes sell for as much as US$5 million, with … Continue reading Kurds remain biggest winners from US-led invasion of Iraq
Xi Jinping used two days of talks in Moscow to firmly align with Russia against the US. But the Chinese leader held back from offering Vladimir Putin something he’s been looking for: A commitment to buy a lot more gas. The visit by Xi, his first to Russia since Putin invaded Ukraine just over a … Continue reading Xi aligns with Putin against US, but hesitates on big gas deal
After two days of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin pledged even closer ties with Russia’s most powerful backer and hailed Beijing’s proposals for ending his war in Ukraine. “Many of the provisions of the peace plan proposed by China are in line with Russian approaches and could be used as the basis … Continue reading After talks with Xi, Putin hails China’s proposals for Ukraine
Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived at the Kremlin on Tuesday for formal talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the Ukraine conflict a closely-watched matter on the agenda. Xi entered the Kremlin on a red carpet and was greeted by a military band and a delegation of senior Russian officials including Putin, as both nations … Continue reading Xi, Putin begin talks at Kremlin with Ukraine on agenda
Days after it was rescued in an emergency buyout, Credit Suisse gathered hundreds of clients in an upscale Hong Kong hotel on Tuesday for a glitzy investment conference where they were told to "embrace the new reality". Executives at the event from the troubled Swiss lender were eager to offer reassurances, even as details of … Continue reading Credit Suisse tells Hong Kong clients to ’embrace new reality’
Days before a hastily convened press conference late on Sunday that would make the world's front pages, Switzerland's political elite were secretly preparing a move that would jolt the globe. While the nation's central bank and financial regulator publicly declared that Credit Suisse was sound, behind closed doors the race was on to rescue the … Continue reading Switzerland’s secretive Credit Suisse rescue rocks global finance
When China suddenly scrapped onerous zero-Covid measures in December, the country wasn’t ready for a massive onslaught of cases. Hospitals turned away ambulances, crematoriums burned bodies around the clock, and relatives hauled dead loved ones to warehouses for lack of storage space. Chinese state media claimed the decision to open up was based on “scientific … Continue reading Ignoring experts, China’s sudden zero-Covid exit cost lives
Too young for a driver's license at 15, Evelina Christiansen is already cruising in a sleek BMW in Sweden, where teens can drive any car modified to roll no faster than a golf cart. An almost century-old regulation originally applied to agricultural vehicles allows kids 15 and older to drive without a proper driver's license, … Continue reading Swedish teens drive Porsches and BMWs, no license required
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping were set to hold a second day of talks on Tuesday, as the internationally isolated Russian leader said he was open to discussing China's proposals on the fighting in Ukraine. Xi's three-day visit to Moscow is a major coup for Putin -- and comes days after a war crimes tribunal … Continue reading Ukraine to dominate Xi and Putin’s second day of talks
America readied itself Monday ahead of the possible historic indictment of Donald Trump over a hush-money case, with the former president calling for mass demonstrations if he is charged. New York police tightened security Monday ahead of a possible historic indictment of Donald Trump over hush money paid to a porn actress, with the ex-President … Continue reading US prepares for likely historic arrest of former president Trump
Vladimir Putin hosted his "dear friend" Xi Jinping for dinner at the Kremlin on Monday, showing off his relationship with his most powerful ally just days after an international court called for the Russian president's arrest for war crimes in Ukraine. Washington denounced Xi's visit, saying the timing indicated Beijing was providing Moscow with "diplomatic … Continue reading Putin flaunts alliance with Xi as ‘dear friends’ meet in Kremlin
Rising airline traffic is expected to trigger global emissions-related requirements for some carriers as early as next year, according to a top airline trade group, even as debate broadens on the effectiveness of that approach. A United Nations-led scheme seeks to cap emissions from international flights at 85% of 2019 levels under the first phase … Continue reading Rising airline emissions could trigger global caps as early as 2024 -trade group
UBS is set to take over its troubled Swiss rival Credit Suisse for $3.25 billion following weekend crunch talks aimed at preventing a wider international banking crisis, but Asian equities sank Monday on lingering worries about the sector. The deal, in which Switzerland's biggest bank will take over the second largest, was vital to prevent … Continue reading UBS announces Credit Suisse buyout to calm markets, but Asian equities sink
After more than five years navigating the bureaucratic maze of Hong Kong's asylum system, John faces a new fear: deportation under a recently amended "removal policy". "When you're running for your safety, you never know where you go. You just want to go where you can be safe," said John, an African man in his … Continue reading Hong Kong asylum seekers fear deportation under tightened policy
UBS is set to take over its troubled Swiss rival Credit Suisse for $3.25 billion following weekend crunch talks aimed at stopping the stricken bank from triggering a wider international banking crisis. The deal, in which Switzerland's biggest bank will take over the second largest, was vital to prevent economic turmoil from spreading throughout the … Continue reading UBS takes over Credit Suisse in move to calm the markets
The rise of artificial general intelligence -- now seen as inevitable in Silicon Valley -- will bring change that is "orders of magnitude" greater than anything the world has yet seen, observers say. But are we ready? AGI -- defined as artificial intelligence with human cognitive abilities, as opposed to more narrow artificial intelligence, such … Continue reading How AI could upend the world even more than electricity or the internet
Talks over rescuing Credit Suisse rolled into Sunday as UBS AG sought $6 billion from the Swiss government to cover costs if it were to buy its struggling rival, a person with knowledge of the talks said. Authorities are scrambling to resolve a crisis of confidence in the 167-year-old Credit Suisse, the mostly globally significant … Continue reading Crunch time for Credit Suisse talks as UBS seeks Swiss assurances
Europe’s efforts to foster the investment needed to build a sustainable economy and fend off challenges from the US and China are still in the very early stages. While the European Union has made an initial push to respond to a massive US green subsidies program, it’s only starting to wake up to the challenges … Continue reading EU lags behind China, US in tech development
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week highlighted China’s aspirations for a greater role on the world stage. But they also revealed the perils of global diplomacy. Hours after Friday’s announcement of the trip, an international arrest warrant was issued for Putin on war crimes charges, … Continue reading How arrest warrant for Putin puts new spin on President Xi’s visit to Russia
Genetic material collected at a Chinese market near where the first human cases of Covid-19 were identified show raccoon dog DNA comingled with the virus, adding evidence to the theory that the virus originated from animals, not from a lab, international experts say. “These data do not provide a definitive answer to how the pandemic … Continue reading New Covid origins data point to raccoon dogs in China market
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging Moscow's forcible deportation of Ukrainian children is a war crime, as the Kremlin reacted with outrage. Russia has not concealed a program under which it has brought thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia but presents it as a … Continue reading International court issues warrant for Putin’s arrest
The Biden administration released dramatic footage of an encounter between Russian fighter jets and an American surveillance drone as the US sought to show that Russia was lying with claims that its warplane never hit the US aircraft. The 42-second video, filmed from the bottom of the MQ-9 Reaper, shows a jet approach in a … Continue reading US releases drone crash video, says shows Russia “flat-out lying”
For the first time since protests began in June 2019, Hong Kong has returned to a state resembling business as usual, with residents no longer facing transport shutdowns, quarantine, social distancing restrictions or a mask mandate. Yet the legacy of the past few years means the city has a number of obstacles to overcome to … Continue reading Hong Kong is healing but many challenges remain
It took a loaded pistol pointed at Lazzaro D'Auria's head for the Italian landowner to finally say yes to the country's newest and most violent mafia. The Puglia farmer had resisted their extortion attempts in the past –- the threats, the fires, the damage to his crops and property. But surprised by the early morning … Continue reading Italy’s ‘Fourth Mafia’, little-known but extremely violent
From a small, non-descript house in a badly bombed village in eastern Ukraine, Andrii "Tuman", who goes by his call sign meaning "fog", commands his battalion around the clock to hold intensifying Russian attacks at bay. What Ukrainian forces have long described in the city of Bakhmut is also playing out to the north in … Continue reading From the frontlines north of Bakhmut, more war rages
Arnold came out as gay years ago, but last month, the Kenyan guitarist removed a rainbow flag from his Twitter profile, fearing for his safety as a new wave of virulent homophobia sweeps East Africa. The 35-year-old musician, who asked not to be identified by his real name, told AFP he was worried the government … Continue reading ‘Nowhere to hide’: Anti-gay crackdown grips East Africa
Chinese consumers, unshackled from Covid-19 restrictions, are returning to hotels, restaurants and some shops, but they are choosy about what they buy, disappointing hopes for an immediate post-pandemic splurge. China's battered property market, lingering worries over job stability, and government parsimony in wages, pensions and medical benefits are keeping shoppers cautious. Analysts say their prudence … Continue reading Chinese consumers out of Covid gates with caution, rather than zest
The Black Cats, formally known as the 35th Squadron, was a U2 spy plane squadron stationed in Taiwan during the Cold War. In a striking parallel to today's balloon saga, the planes were being flown not by US pilots or under a US flag but by Taiwanese pilots who claimed to be involved in weather … Continue reading The Black Cats, America’s Cold War spy plane squadron in Taiwan
Shockwaves from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank pounded global bank stocks further on Tuesday as assurances from President Joe Biden and other policymakers did little to calm markets and prompted a rethink on the interest rate outlook. Biden's efforts to reassure markets and depositors came after emergency U.S. measures to shore up banks by … Continue reading Global bank stock rout deepens as SVB collapse fans crisis fears
Volleys of Russian missiles struck a series of Ukrainian regions early on Thursday, including the Black Sea port of Odesa and the second city of Kharkiv, knocking out power to several areas, regional officials said. The governor of Odesa region, Maksym Marchenko, said on Telegram that a mass missile attack had hit an energy facility … Continue reading Russia unleashes missile barrage on Ukraine as ground battle rages in the east
The United States and China thought they had a narrow window to improve relations. It may now have closed. Weeks after the US discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon, tensions that had been easing have spiked back up, with little sign that either power is ready to make nice again. Chinese President Xi Jinping, … Continue reading After brief window, US-China relationship back on rocky path
In China's northern “rust belt” province of Heilongjiang, most became old before they became rich, missing out on much of the wealth generated in the years of opening up and development. Wang Fengqin suffered from hunger in her youth, when Mao Zedong was running China, so it brings her joy to cook a nice dinner … Continue reading Rust belt province got old before it got rich, as much of China will
Scientists have yet to determine the origins of Covid-19, years after it touched off the worst pandemic in more than a century. Some of the closest related viruses to the one that causes it, SARS-CoV-2, were found in bats roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the disease erupted … Continue reading We don’t know where Covid-19 really came from, but here’s what we know so far
Hong Kong is under pressure to rein in spending when it unveils its annual budget on Wednesday, after racking up huge fiscal deficits during the Covid-19 pandemic and as it struggles to kick-start the economy and regain its financial luster. The sustainability of the city's fiscal reserves has come under the spotlight after the authorities … Continue reading Hong Kong under pressure to cut spending in budget as deficit soars
Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan faces a tough task this week as he unveils a budget that needs to provide incentives to revive the city’s international image while preventing the fiscal deficit from spiraling out of control. Economists largely expect Chan to focus his budget address Wednesday on what the city will do to … Continue reading Paul Chan’s budget dilemma to cut costs and revive city
Shares slipped in Europe and Asia on Friday after benchmarks on Wall Street had their biggest drop in four weeks as investors registered disappointment over an inflation reading that came in hotter than expected. Oil prices and U.S. futures also declined after the S&P 500 fell 1.4 percent Thursday following news that inflation at the … Continue reading World shares skid after inflation report thumps Wall Street
This company collects used fat from Chengdu restaurants and exports it to makers of sustainable jet fuel. There’s a ritual involved in creating the perfect Sichuan hot pot and it involves fat — lots of it. Diners first immerse slivers of meat in a spicy soup rich in molten animal tallow, then dip each morsel … Continue reading Turning fat into fuel, how hotpot is powering planes
The World Health Organization will continue pushing until it finds an answer to how the Covid-19 pandemic started, the agency's chief said Wednesday following a report suggesting it had abandoned the search. Solving the mystery of where the SARS CoV-2 virus came from and how it began spreading among humans is considered vital for averting … Continue reading WHO chief to ‘push until we get the answer’ on Covid origins
Billionaire Elon Musk said Wednesday that he anticipates finding a CEO for Twitter “probably toward the end of this year." Speaking via a video call to the World Government Summit in Dubai, Musk said making sure the platform can function remained the most important thing for him. “I think I need to stabilize the organization … Continue reading Elon Musk hopes to have Twitter CEO toward the end of year
In two months, India is projected to become the world's most populous country with over 1.4 billion people. But for at least a year, and possibly longer, the country won't know how many people it has because it hasn't been able to count them. India's once in a decade census, due in 2021 and delayed … Continue reading India, soon world’s most populous nation, doesn’t know how many people it has
Ricky Lam has always stayed away from guns. But since two mass killings in the space of a couple of days rocked California's Asian community, this 35-year-old Chinese-American is thinking again. "I'm still on the fence. I don't know if I want to purchase a gun. But the last shootings reminded me that I need … Continue reading Pandemic racism, mass shootings spur Asian-Americans to take up guns
Vladimir Putin casts the war in Ukraine as a watershed when Russia finally stood up to the West - but some within the elite fear he has committed his country to a long and fruitless drain on lives and resources. When the Russian president ordered troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, he expected to win … Continue reading Putin, secure in power, sets stage for long and draining war
Western tourists, who flocked to Iran just a few years ago, are being advised by their governments to stay away, forcing the Islamic republic's struggling tourism industry to look elsewhere. Hoping for better days, tourism professionals are wooing visitors from countries like China and Russia which maintain good ties with Iran. Westerners have long been … Continue reading Iran woos Chinese tourists as Westerners stay away
The European Parliament on Tuesday gave its final approval to a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars by 2035, with a view to getting them off the continent's roads by mid-century. European Union member states have already approved the legislation and will now formally nod it into law at an upcoming … Continue reading EU approves 2035 ban on new fossil fuel car sales
As Vitalii Khroniuk lay facedown on the ground taking cover from Russian artillery fire, the Ukrainian solider had just one regret: He had never had a child. Aware that he could die at any moment, the 29-year-old decided to try cryopreservation — the process of freezing sperm or eggs that some Ukrainian soldiers are turning … Continue reading Some Ukrainian soldiers freeze sperm amid war with Russia
An economist was nominated Tuesday to head Japan's central bank and take on the daunting task of guiding the world's third-largest economy to stronger, stable growth. The government's choice of Kazuo Ueda, who earlier served on the central bank's policy board, to succeed Haruhiko Kuroda came as a surprise to many when it was leaked … Continue reading Scholar nominated to follow Kuroda as Bank of Japan chief
A U.S. fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday on orders from President Joe Biden. It was the fourth such downing in eight days and the latest military strike in an extraordinary chain of events over U.S. airspace that Pentagon officials believe has no peacetime precedent. Part of the reason … Continue reading US jets down 4 objects in 8 days, unprecedented in peacetime
Rescuers pulled more survivors from the rubble on Sunday, nearly a week after one of the worst earthquakes to hit Turkey and Syria, as Turkish authorities sought to maintain order across the disaster zone and began legal action over building collapses. With chances of finding more survivors growing more remote, the toll in both countries … Continue reading Earthquake death toll tops 33,000, Turkey starts legal action
Microsoft-backed OpenAI has kept its hit ChatGPT app off-limits to users in China, but the app is attracting huge interest in the country, with firms rushing to integrate the technology into their products and launch rival solutions. While residents in the country are unable to create OpenAI accounts to access the artificial intelligence-powered (AI) chatbot, … Continue reading ChatGPT frenzy sweeps China as firms scramble for home-grown options
President Joe Biden is ready to offer a reassuring assessment of the nation's condition rather than roll out flashy policy proposals as he delivers his second State of the Union address seeking to overcome pessimism in the country and concerns about his own leadership. His speech before a politically divided Congress comes Tuesday night as … Continue reading Biden aims to deliver reassurance in State of Union address
China’s rapid dismantling of Covid restrictions caught some embassies and consulates in the country off guard and understaffed, leading to complications in issuing visas and delaying the resumption of international business activity. Joerg Wuttke, head of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, said some Chinese executives are waiting as long as six to … Continue reading China’s sudden Covid-zero exit catches foreign embassies off guard
Rescue teams from overseas began arriving in Turkey on Tuesday after a pair of powerful earthquakes a day earlier killed at least 4,000 people in the country and neighboring Syria, leaving millions to suffer without power or heat throughout a snowy night. As dawn neared, people in both countries were set to spend a second … Continue reading Turkey, Syria earthquake death toll hits 4,000 as international rescue teams arrive
Chinese police have prevented a woman from returning to her home in Florida in an effort to compel her husband to return to China, she wrote in a letter he made public. The case appears to be the latest example of Chinese authorities placing an “exit ban” on a person’s relatives to pressure them to … Continue reading Former Shanghai bookseller’s wife hit with ‘exit ban’
A Japanese whaling operator, after struggling for years to promote its controversial products, has found a new way to cultivate clientele and bolster sales: whale meat vending machines. The Kujira (Whale) Store, an unmanned outlet that recently opened in the port town of Yokohama near Tokyo, houses three machines for whale sashimi, whale bacon, whale … Continue reading Japan launches whale meat vending machines to promote sales
US authorities on Thursday charged five former police officers with murder over the fatal beating of a Black man in Memphis, as the southern city braced for possible civil unrest and President Joe Biden urged demonstrators to protest peacefully. Tyre Nichols, 29, was stopped on January 7 for what the Memphis Police Department said was … Continue reading Five US police officers charged with beating Black man to death
The German parliament will for the first time on Friday focus its annual Holocaust memorial commemorations on people persecuted and killed for their sexual or gender identity. Campaigners worked for two decades to establish an official ceremony for LGBTQ victims of the Nazis, saying their experience had long been forgotten or marginalized. "This group is … Continue reading In a first, German parliament spotlights Nazis’ LGBTQ victims
President Xi Jinping’s decision to dismantle Covid travel restrictions is accelerating an exodus by wealthy Chinese, who could fuel billions in capital outflows as they plow cash into property and assets abroad. Since the end of Covid Zero in December, many rich Chinese have begun traveling overseas to check out real estate or firm up … Continue reading Exodus of wealthy Chinese accelerates with end of Covid zero: Bloomberg
The focus of the luxury industry is shifting back to China, with hopes that its high-end spenders will once again splurge on designer goods during Lunar New Year festivities as Beijing relaxes Covid curbs after three long years. Quarterly results from LVMH and Europe's other luxury goods companies will offer glimpses of the toll of … Continue reading Luxury giants bank on Chinese return as Western shoppers sober up
As technicians in a distant control room watch on display screens, an automated crane at one of China’s busiest ports moves cargo containers from a Korean freighter to self-driving trucks in a scene tech giant Huawei sees as its future after American sanctions crushed its smartphone brand. The backbone of the “smart terminal” at the … Continue reading Huawei looks to ports, factories to rebuild sales
Millions of Chinese gamers have lost access to World of Warcraft after a furious dispute between US title owner Activision Blizzard Inc. and NetEase Inc., its longtime local partner in the world’s biggest gaming market. Devotees of the popular game took to social media networks to bemoan the loss, with one posting an image of … Continue reading World of Warcraft China shutdown cuts off millions of gamers
Chinese are turning to social media influencers and celebrities for tips about treating Covid, after the country’s whipsaw reversal in virus strategy undermined trust in government advice and health officials. China’s rapid dismantling of pandemic restrictions over a matter of weeks at the end of last year led to a quick surge in infections, with … Continue reading Covid misinformation spreads like wildfire on Chinese internet
Macau's streets were packed in the run-up to the Lunar New Year after pandemic controls were abruptly lifted but it is far from business as usual as the Chinese casino hub wrestles with questions about its future. Mainland Chinese tourists filled winding passages leading up to the historic Ruins of Saint Paul's, and stores selling … Continue reading Macau ponders future even as tourists and gamblers return
The president of the European Parliament will seek Monday to get ahead of a graft scandal that has rocked the legislature, by officially unveiling a series of reforms to clean up the multinational assembly. But many MEPs and observers believe the changes to be presented by Roberta Metsola don't go far enough to be able … Continue reading EU parliament chief to unveil reforms amid graft scandal
When Li's 83-year-old father with diabetes started coughing and complaining of body aches last month, the Beijing resident became anxious about finding a treatment for Covid-19 in case his parent had caught the virus sweeping the city. He heard at that time that Pfizer's (PFE.N) anti-viral drug Paxlovid was an effective treatment, but patients could … Continue reading In China, no easy way to get Pfizer’s Covid drug Paxlovid
China’s announcement that it had almost 60,000 Covid-related deaths in a month has spurred new calls for the government to provide more data about the wave of infections that is sweeping the country. The country’s National Health Commission said on Saturday that 59,938 people died at hospitals from Covid-related causes between Dec. 8 and Jan. … Continue reading China’s 60,000 Covid death toll spurs calls for more data
Chinese authorities are set to allow Didi Global's ride-hailing and other apps back on domestic app stores as soon as next week, five sources told Reuters, in yet another signal that their two-year regulatory crackdown on the technology sector is ending. Didi has been awaiting authorities' approval to resume new user registrations and downloads of … Continue reading China to allow Didi apps back online, in latest sign of regulatory thaw
China's exports shrank sharply in December as global demand cooled, while imports also tumbled again as surging Covid infections and a property downturn weighed heavily on domestic demand, highlighting risks to the country's economic recovery this year. Exports had been one of the few bright spots in the world's second-largest economy during the pandemic but … Continue reading China imports, exports plunge in December
The peak of China's Covid-19 wave is expected to last two to three months and will soon swell over the vast countryside where medical resources are relatively scarce, a top Chinese epidemiologist has said. Infections are expected to surge in rural areas as hundreds of millions travel to their hometowns for the Lunar New Year … Continue reading China Covid peak to last two-three months, hit rural areas next
Six months ago Pope Francis brushed off speculation he was about to resign due to health problems, but even if he had toyed with the idea, he faced one major obstacle: there was already another ex-pope in retirement. The death on Saturday of Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to … Continue reading Benedict’s death clears path for Pope Francis to retire of old age in future
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will lead the tributes Tuesday as Brazil says a final farewell to football legend Pele, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time. After holding three days of national mourning, Brazil has been paying its last respects to the player known as "The King," who died Thursday at … Continue reading Brazil says final farewell to ‘King’ Pele
China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone nearly doubled in 2022, with a surge in fighter jet and bomber sorties as Beijing intensified threats towards the island democracy. Self-ruled Taiwan lives under constant threat of invasion. Communist Party rulers claim the island as part of China's territory and have vowed to seize it one … Continue reading China’s air incursions into Taiwan zone doubled in 2022
A fresh aerial strike targeted Kyiv in the early hours of Monday, after a New Year's day marked by dozens of Russian assaults that killed at least four people in the capital and other cities. The Ukrainian capital and other cities came under fire from missiles and Iranian-made drones on Saturday, killing three people, and … Continue reading New air attacks on Kyiv after Russia’s New Year assaults
Thousands of Chinese took to the streets to mark the New Year as authorities and state media sought to reassure the public that the COVID-19 outbreak sweeping across the country was under control and nearing its peak. Though many people in major cities have continued to isolate as the virus spreads through the population, New … Continue reading Chinese state media seek to reassure public over COVID-19
Pope Francis will address the Catholic faithful on Sunday at the Vatican, the day after the death of his predecessor at the age of 95. The pontiff led tributes on Saturday to the "kind" and "noble" emeritus pope, who died almost a decade after becoming the first head of the Catholic church in six centuries … Continue reading Pope Francis addresses faithful after ex-pope’s death
The world's eight billion people Saturday ushered in 2023, bidding farewell to a turbulent 12 months marked by war in Europe, stinging price rises, Lionel Messi's World Cup glory and the deaths of Queen Elizabeth, Pele and former pope Benedict. Many were ready to set aside pinched budgets and a virus that is increasingly forgotten … Continue reading World steps into 2023 after turbulent year
Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed on Friday to import more oil and natural gas from energy-rich Gulf Arab states while not interfering in their affairs, likely seeking to cast Beijing in a more favorable light than Washington as America’s attention in the region wanes. Xi also urged the Arab countries to conduct energy sales in … Continue reading China’s Xi vows to buy more Mideast oil as US focus wanes
World stocks rose on Friday on expectations China's economy would strengthen as Covid-19 curbs ease, but stocks were heading for a 2 percent weekly loss in nervy markets ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting next week. U.S. S&P futures were up 0.18 percent, while European stocks were steady. China's Premier Li Keqiang, in comments … Continue reading China economy hopes give world stocks a boost, Fed nerves remain
As many Chinese embraced new freedoms on Thursday after the country dropped key parts of its tough zero-Covid regime, there was mounting concern that a virus that had largely been kept in check could soon run wild. Three years into the pandemic, many in China had been eager for Beijing to start to align its … Continue reading Covid spread fears grow as China unwinds zero-tolerance curbs
After months of painstaking negotiations with Moscow, it became clear to President Joe Biden's administration that it faced a grave choice - to exchange notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner or else get no American to bring home. Thursday's prisoner swap, approved personally by Biden, came together in the … Continue reading For Brittney Griner, months as Russian prisoner end on UAE tarmac
Russian forces shelled the entire front line in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said, part of what appeared to be the Kremlin's scaled-back ambition to secure only the bulk of lands it has claimed. The fiercest fighting was near the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, the region's governor Pavlo Kyrylenko … Continue reading Russia shells eastern front, Ukraine says, as war aims appear to shift
When North Korea lofted a missile over Japan in October, setting off emergency alerts across cell networks, Megumi Morohoshi made a decision: she was going to buy a bomb shelter. Morohoshi had been concerned about the ever-present danger from Japan's earthquakes, and she had been wanting to expand the house to accommodate her three young … Continue reading Keeping up with the Morohoshis: Buying a bomb shelter in the Tokyo suburbs
This was supposed to be the comeback year for the world economy following the Covid pandemic. Instead, 2022 was marked by a new war, record inflation and climate-linked disasters. It was a "polycrisis" year, a term popularised by historian Adam Tooze. Get ready for more gloom in 2023. "The number of crises has increased since … Continue reading World economy faces more pain in 2023 after a gloomy year
Two months after snubbing US President Joe Biden’s pleas for oil, Saudi Arabia is rolling out the red carpet for his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Xi will visit Saudi Arabia for several days starting Wednesday, during which he will take part in a regional summit with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Arab … Continue reading President Xi gets Saudi red carpet as Middle East looks beyond US
Elon Musk’s Neuralink, a medical device company, is under federal investigation for potential animal-welfare violations amid internal staff complaints that its animal testing is being rushed, causing needless suffering and deaths, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the investigation and company operations. Neuralink Corp is developing a brain implant it hopes … Continue reading Musk’s Neuralink faces federal probe, employee backlash over animal tests
President Xi Jinping praised Jiang Zemin as a leader who led China’s boom despite Western pressure and domestic turmoil after the Tiananmen crackdown, using his predecessor’s memorial service to bolster his own assertive agenda. Xi credited Jiang, who took power right after Chinese troops crushed pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in 1989, with carrying out … Continue reading President Xi hails Jiang as leader who stood up to West after Tiananmen
Hundreds of demonstrators and police clashed in Shanghai on Sunday night as protests over China's stringent Covid restrictions flared for a third day and spread to several cities in the wake of a deadly fire in the country's far west. The wave of civil disobedience is unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping assumed … Continue reading Clashes in Shanghai as Covid protests flare across China
As Taiwan hurtles towards becoming a "super-aged" society, a new political party has emerged with an unusual and somewhat singular platform -- making mahjong great again. The centuries-old Chinese tile game is popular in Taiwan, especially among the elderly, but thanks to a quirk of legal history from the island's martial law era, it inhabits … Continue reading (Pictures) Taiwan’s newest party wants to make mahjong great again
Chinese authorities are poised to impose a fine of more than US$1 billion on Jack Ma's Ant Group, said six sources with direct knowledge of the matter, setting the stage for ending the fintech company's two-year long regulatory overhaul. The People's Bank of China (PBOC), which has been driving the revamp at Ant after the … Continue reading China set to fine Ant Group over US$1b, signaling revamp nears end: sources
Ukrainians braced for a winter with little or no power in several areas including Kyiv where temperatures have already dropped below freezing as relentless Russian strikes crippled half of the country's energy capacity. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged people to conserve power, particularly in hard-hit areas such as Kyiv, Vinnytsia in the southwest, Sumy in the … Continue reading Ukraine braces for harsh winter as Russian strikes cripple power facilities
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday visits the Philippine island of Palawan in the South China Sea, part of a three-day trip to an Asian ally that is central to America's bid to counter China's increasingly assertive stance in the region. Beijing claims almost all the South China Sea, which is believed to contain … Continue reading US VP Harris visits Philippine island on edge of contested South China Sea
President Xi Jinping started his week overseas mending ties with the US, and ended it with European leaders making the case for resisting the Biden administration’s sweeping chip curbs on China. The shift in sentiment amounts to a victory for Xi on just his second foray outside of China since the pandemic began -- a … Continue reading Europe reasserts middle path on China, pushing back on Biden
Hong Kong's controversial shark fin trade may face its biggest shakeup in years if conservationists get their way in securing tighter regulations at an international wildlife conference in Panama. The city is one of the world's largest markets for shark fin, which is viewed by many Chinese communities as a delicacy and often served as … Continue reading Wildlife summit could upend Hong Kong’s shark fin trade
It’s China’s longest pandemic lockdown, and probably its least well-known. But residents in the country’s dry and mountainous far west have just marked 100 days of living under some of the toughest, and most strictly enforced, Covid Zero measures in the world. Urumqi, the capital of the sprawling Xinjiang region, imposed its first major lockdown … Continue reading Xinjiang lockdown hits 100 days
The war in Ukraine, great power rivalry Asia, inflation and food and energy shortages are on the agenda as leaders prepare for the third back-to-back gathering this week, a Pacific-Rim summit taking place in a heavily guarded venue in Thailand’s capital. Leaders from the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum will meet formally in closed-door sessions … Continue reading Asia-Pacific leaders tackle trade, sustainability in Bangkok
Ukraine said it faced fierce fighting in the east from Russian troops that withdrew from Kherson in the south, while NATO and Poland concluded a missile that crashed in Poland was probably a stray fired by Ukraine's air defenses. The government in Kyiv was working to restore power across the country on Wednesday after intense … Continue reading Ukraine conflict intensifies in east; NATO, Poland say missile likely not from Russia
Republicans were projected to win a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, setting the stage for two years of divided government as President Joe Biden's Democratic Party held control of the Senate. The victory gives Republicans the power to rein in Biden's agenda, as well as to launch potentially politically damaging probes … Continue reading Republicans win US House majority, setting stage for divided government
As customers withdrew billions of dollars from crypto exchange FTX one frantic Sunday this month, founder Sam Bankman-Fried worked the phones in a futile bid to raise US$7 billion in emergency funds. Hunkered in his Bahamas apartment, Bankman-Fried toiled through the night, calling some of the world's biggest investors, including Sequoia Capital, Apollo Global Management … Continue reading FTX’s Bankman-Fried begged for a rescue even as he revealed huge holes in firm’s books
Donald Trump, who has mounted relentless attacks on the integrity of U.S. voting since his 2020 election defeat, on Tuesday launched a bid to regain the presidency in 2024, aiming to pre-empt potential Republican rivals. Trump, seeking a potential rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden, made his announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida a … Continue reading Trump launches 2024 US presidential run, getting jump on rivals
To cushion the impact of extreme weather due to climate change, a Chinese landscape architect has been making the case for China and other countries to create so-called “sponge cities.” Yu Kongjian, who spoke to The Associated Press in Beijing, uses sweeping language to express his vision for cities that can withstand variable temperatures, drought … Continue reading As climate warms, a China planner advocates “sponge cities”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accused Russian soldiers of committing war crimes and killing civilians in Kherson, parts of which were retaken by Ukraine's army last week after Russia pulled out. "Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes. Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found," Zelenskiy said in his nightly … Continue reading Zelenskiy says investigators document more than 400 Russian war crimes in Kherson
Democrats kept control of the Senate on Saturday, repelling Republican efforts to retake the chamber and making it harder for them to thwart President Joe Biden's agenda. The fate of the House was still uncertain as the GOP struggled to pull together a slim majority there. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto's victory in Nevada gave Democrats … Continue reading Democrats keep Senate majority as GOP push falters in Nevada
Jubilant residents welcomed Ukrainian troops arriving in the centre of Kherson on Friday after Russia abandoned the only regional capital it had captured since its invasion began in February. "Today is a historic day. We are getting the south of the country back, we are getting Kherson back," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an … Continue reading Ukrainians celebrate soldiers retaking Kherson, Russia’s latest defeat
The U.S. will buy 100,000 rounds of howitzer artillery from South Korean manufacturers to provide to Ukraine, a U.S. official said Thursday, in a deal the two governments have been working on for some time. The agreement comes as Ukrainian leaders press for more weapons and aid to take advantage of a counteroffensive that is … Continue reading US to buy South Korean howitzer rounds to send to Ukraine
Ukrainian troops have reclaimed dozens of landmine-littered settlements abandoned by Russian forces in southern Ukraine, officials said, the day after Moscow announced its withdrawal from the strategic capital city of Kherson province. There were indications on Thursday night that Ukrainian forces were getting closer to the city of Kherson, a port at the mouth of … Continue reading Ukrainian troops reclaim dozens of towns from Russian control, close in on Kherson
President Joe Biden will meet Monday with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next week’s Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, a face-to-face meeting that comes amid increasingly strained U.S.-China relations, the White House announced Thursday. It will be the first in-person meeting between the leaders of the world’s two biggest economies since … Continue reading Biden to meet China’s Xi on Monday for Taiwan, Russia talks
A year ago, one of China’s most famous internet celebrities sold about US$1 billion of products -- from shampoo to scarves -- in a 14-hour livestream as part of Singles’ Day, the country’s annual e-commerce extravaganza. This year, the 37-year-old super saleswoman known as Viya won’t take part in the world’s biggest shopping event at … Continue reading China US$131b ‘singles day’ faces stagnation after scandals
The climate change generation is saying officials are talking too much, listening too little and acting even less. And they are fed up. “Instead of talking about how to solve the climate crisis, they negotiate about how to continue polluting,” said Mitzy Violeta, a 23-year-old indigenous activist from Mexico. “Youth movements are realizing the solution … Continue reading Fed up young climate activists: ‘Adults aren’t listening’
From prime ministers and millionaires to laborers and ascetics, Hindu faithful dream of trekking at least once in their lives to Gaumukh, where the waters of India's holiest river, the Ganges, emerge from a Himalayan glacier. But the ice at the end of the arduous journey is receding rapidly and portends an increasingly dry future … Continue reading India at 75: Melting glaciers, heatwaves and climate crisis
The new chief executive of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. faces many challenges when he starts on Jan. 1, from reviving the carrier’s international network after the Covid crisis to appeasing unhappy pilots. Cathay said Wednesday that Ronald Lam, 50, will replace Augustus Tang as CEO, confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report. The Cambridge University graduate … Continue reading New Cathay Pacific chief has work cut out for him
Moscow ordered troops to withdraw from near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in a major setback as a top U.S. general estimated Russia has suffered more than 100,000 killed or wounded since invading its neighbor in February. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday announced Russian forces would retreat from the west bank of … Continue reading Russia says troops leaving strategic Kherson, Ukraine doubts full withdraw
Republican hopes for a sweeping rebuke of President Joe Biden in congressional elections failed to materialize with both parties picking up seats following a campaign fought against a backdrop of stubbornly high inflation and fears for US democracy. Republicans needed one seat to wrest control of the evenly divided Senate but by early Wednesday the … Continue reading Republican ‘red wave’ hopes fizzle in US midterm vote
Trafficked, beaten and locked up far from his family in China, Lu was one of thousands of people in Cambodia forced to operate online scams to line their captors' pockets. Covid shutdowns had left the builder out of work, so when he heard he could earn US$2,000 a month on a construction project in Cambodia, … Continue reading Inside the ‘living hell’ of Cambodia’s scam operations
Once carefree and comfortable, Huang is now haunted by debt -- the target of a scheme operated by international crime groups that force human trafficking victims to do online scamming work. She is among a growing number of Chinese people lured into handing over large sums of cash by scammers posing as potential love interests. … Continue reading Online scams push Chinese victims into debt and shame
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his forces would not yield "a single centimeter" in battles for the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk while Russian-installed officials said Ukrainian forces were moving into a southern town with tanks. The focal points of the conflict in the industrial region of Donetsk are around the towns of Bakhmut, Soledar and … Continue reading Ukraine promises not to give up ‘a single centimeter’ to Russia in east
New coronavirus cases surged in Guangzhou and other Chinese cities, official data showed on Tuesday, with the global manufacturing hub becoming China's latest Covid-19 epicenter and testing the city's ability to avoid a Shanghai-style lockdown. Nationwide, new locally transmitted infections climbed to 7,475 on Nov. 7, according to China's health authority, up from 5,496 the … Continue reading China’s Covid epicenter shifts to Guangzhou as outbreaks widen
Princess Märtha Louise, the daughter of Norway’s King Harald, said Tuesday she no longer will officially represent the Norwegian royal house following “many questions relating to me and my fiancé's role.” The 50-year-old princess, who is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, got engaged in June to Durek Verrett, an American who describes himself … Continue reading Norway: Princess gives up royal duties amid fiancé questions
Polls opened Tuesday in crucial US midterm elections that could decide the political future of both President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump -- who has all but announced he will seek the White House again in 2024. Biden's Democrats are facing a gargantuan struggle to hang on to Congress, after a race the … Continue reading US votes with Biden agenda at stake — and Trump in the wings
A scaled-down version of China's biggest air show opened on Tuesday, with some delegates unable to attend because of the country's zero-COVID policy as virus case numbers there reached their highest level in six months. The organisers of Airshow China in the southern city of Zhuhai last week told attendees they must arrive three days … Continue reading China’s biggest air show opens under cloud of zero-COVID policy
Ukraine accused Russia of looting empty homes in the southern city of Kherson and occupying them with troops in civilian clothes to prepare for street fighting in what both sides predict will be one of the war's most important battles. In recent days, Russia has ordered civilians out of Kherson in anticipation of a Ukrainian … Continue reading Ukraine says Russia forces pillage, occupy Kherson homes ahead of battle
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday the brutal attack on her husband will impact her decision on whether to remain in Congress after the midterm election, as she called on Republicans to stop the misinformation that is fueling political violence and urged Americans to “vote to defend our democracy.” In a wide-ranging CNN interview, the … Continue reading Pelosi says attack on husband weighs on her future plans
North Korea said on Monday that its recent missile launches were simulated strikes on South Korea and the United States as the two countries held a "dangerous war drill", while the South said it had recovered parts of a North Korean missile near its coast. Last week, North Korea test-fired multiple missiles, including a possible … Continue reading North Korea says launches were simulated attack, as South recovers missile parts
Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly endorsed the evacuation of civilians from parts of Ukraine's southern Kherson region on Friday, the latest sign of Russia's retreat in one of the most bitterly contested areas in Ukraine. "Now, of course, those who live in Kherson should be removed from the zone of the most dangerous actions, because … Continue reading Putin endorses evacuation of parts of Ukraine’s Kherson region
China will make substantial changes to its "dynamic-zero" Covid-19 policy in coming months, a former Chinese disease control official told a conference hosted by Citi on Friday, according to a recording of the session heard by Reuters. Separately, three sources familiar with the matter said China may soon further shorten quarantine requirements for inbound travelers. … Continue reading China to make ‘substantial’ Covid policy changes soon: ex-govt expert
With recent polls showing close contests for Congressional, state and local midterm elections, advocates are appealing to Asian American voters to repeat the record turnout that helped Democrats win states like Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania in 2020. Through grassroots partners, voting groups are canvassing and organizing multilingual outreach and voter registration by mail, phone and … Continue reading Asian Americans to play decisive role in US midterm elections
Chinese President Xi Jinping told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz he opposed the use of nuclear force in Europe, in his most direct remarks yet on the need to keep Russia’s war in Ukraine from escalating. During the two leaders’ first in-person talks on Friday in Beijing, Xi called on the international community to “reject the … Continue reading President Xi tells Germany’s Scholz he opposes use of nukes in apparent message to Putin
A Russian-installed official in southern Ukraine said Moscow will likely pull its troops from the west bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson and urged civilians to leave, possibly signaling a retreat that would be a setback to Russia's war. There was silence from senior officials in Moscow. The Kyiv government and Western military analysts … Continue reading Russia signals retreat in southern Ukraine but Kyiv fears trap
Barcelona's Gerard Pique announced his retirement on Thursday after a decorated career, saying "the moment has come to end this journey". "Saturday's match (against Almeria) will be my last at the Camp Nou," the 35-year-old posted on Twitter. The veteran defender bows out with four Champions League titles and the 2010 World Cup and Euro … Continue reading Barcelona’s Pique announces ‘end of this journey’ after stellar career
After more than 2 1/2 years under the cloud of the pandemic, Hong Kong is tentatively emerging by resuming one of its trademarks, big-ticket events, the Rugby Sevens. The Nov. 4-6 tournament, which follows a major banking summit, might not quite be the raucous, freewheeling experience of old. While the rest of the world outside … Continue reading Strangest Hong Kong Sevens set to kick off under raft of Covid rules
Zhang Yao recalls the moment he realized something had gone deeply wrong at the Chinese mega-factory where he and hundreds of thousands of other workers assembled iPhones and other high-end electronics. In early October, supervisors suddenly warned him that 3,000 colleagues had been taken into quarantine after someone tested positive for Covid-19 at the factory. … Continue reading Escape from Foxconn: Workers recount Covid chaos at iPhone factory
North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles on Thursday, including a possible failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that triggered an alert for residents in parts of central and northern Japan to seek shelter. Despite an initial government warning that a missile had overflown Japan, Tokyo later said that was incorrect. Officials in South Korea and Japan … Continue reading North Korea ICBM may have failed in flight, officials say; allies extend major drills
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be bringing Germany’s biggest brands to China this week to underscore close economic ties, but he’ll also have to navigate growing concerns about Europe’s broader dependence on Beijing. The powerhouse delegation — expected to include top executives from BASF SE, Volkswagen AG, Deutsche Bank AG and BioNTech SE — will showcase … Continue reading Germany’s trip to Beijing highlights EU’s China issues
With public housing scarce, the city’s poorest residents face increasingly unhealthy living conditions in tiny apartments and sweltering rooftop huts. As Hing Lam Leung summits the nine floors of staircases up to his rooftop home in the heart of Hong Kong, the 65-year-old former construction worker points to a tiny hut filled with trash, cigarette … Continue reading Hong Kong poor suffer as city struggles to tame housing crisis
Chinese regulators downplayed China’s real estate slump and slowing economic growth while Hong Kong's top leader pitched Hong Kong as a unique link to the rest of China at a high-profile investment summit Wednesday. About 200 global financial executives gathered to network and discuss issues such as global risks and sustainable finance at Hong Kong’s … Continue reading In Hong Kong, world bankers urged not to ‘bet against’ China
As he played to a crowd of supporters in Robstown, Texas, former President Donald Trump drew cheers as he talked up his first two runs for the White House — and teased a third. “In order to make our country successful, safe and glorious again, I will probably have to do it again,” he said … Continue reading Trump 2024 campaign prepares for post-midterms launch
As Wall Street’s biggest bosses gathered on a panel at Hong Kong’s big financial comeback summit, one topic was conspicuously avoided: China’s growing risks. Instead, the biggest risks discussed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer David Solomon and Morgan Stanley’s James Gorman were inflation, volatility in the markets and whether central banks would … Continue reading Hong Kong finance summit panel avoids China risk topic
It hasn’t even officially started yet, but Hong Kong’s long-awaited summit for global bankers is already tinged with drama. At least four top executives have pulled out, including Blackstone Inc. President Jonathan Gray and Citigroup Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jane Fraser, who both got Covid. The city’s financial secretary tested positive for the virus while … Continue reading Finance summit tinged with drama before it even begins
Some of the biggest names on Wall Street are descending on Hong Kong in their first trip since the pandemic began, defying criticism by US lawmakers amid growing tensions with China. Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s David Solomon, Morgan Stanley’s James Gorman and Blackrock Inc.’s Rob Kapito will be among the 200 or so attendees at … Continue reading Global bankers fly into Hong Kong amid US criticism
Tom Brady, widely considered the greatest NFL quarterback of all time, and supermodel Gisele Bundchen have ended their 13-year marriage, the seven-time Super Bowl winner said on Friday, marking the end for one of the sport and entertainment world's power couples. Brady, who plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said on Instagram they had decided … Continue reading Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen finalize divorce to end 13-year marriage
Mere hours after Elon Musk kicked off a new era at Twitter Inc, the billionaire owner was deluged with pleas and demands from banned account holders and world leaders. The flood of requests underscores the challenge the CEO of electric car maker Tesla Inc faces, balancing a promise to restore free speech while preventing the … Continue reading As Elon Musk takes over Twitter, free speech limits tested
When occupying Russian forces came knocking on doors in his small village in east Ukraine in late April to check the identities of residents, 64-year-old retiree Volodymyr Zelensky was terrified. Then, one of the Russian soldiers glanced at his passport and burst out laughing. "It's okay guys, the war is over," the soldier said. "We … Continue reading “Youve got the wrong guy!”; In eastern Ukraine, the plight of another Volodymyr Zelensky
Protests raged through the night in Iran after thousands of mourners marked 40 days since the death of Mahsa Amini which sparked a wave of unrest across the Islamic republic. Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian of Kurdish origin, died on September 16, three days after her arrest in Tehran by the notorious morality police for allegedly … Continue reading Iran protests rage overnight after Mahsa Amini commemoration
After 10 years at the helm of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, 69, once again stood in front of reporters as the Party's top leader, vowing to lead the country to pursue national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization. "We shall keep in mind the Party's nature and purpose and our … Continue reading Profile: Xi Jinping leads China on new journey
Germany's government agreed on a compromise Wednesday that will allow a Chinese shipping group to take a reduced stake in the operator of a container terminal at the Hamburg port following concerns the deal might pose a national security risk. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz' Cabinet agreed to allow COSCO Shipping to only acquire a stake … Continue reading Germany finds compromise over Chinese Hamburg terminal deal
Russian forces are digging in for the "heaviest of battles" in the strategic southern region of Kherson, a senior Ukrainian official said, as the Kremlin prepares to defend the largest city under its control from Ukraine's counter-offensive. Russian forces in the region have been driven back in recent weeks and risk being trapped against the … Continue reading Russia digging in for ‘heaviest of battles’ in Kherson – Ukrainian official
Microsoft Corp is stocking up on Chinese video game content to emulate Sony Group Corp's success with "Genshin Impact", sources said, solidifying China's transition from a land only of players to a hub of blockbuster developers. The U.S. software giant and Japan's vanguard of technology have for some years been offering big money to small … Continue reading Microsoft powers up search for Chinese gaming hits in race against Sony
Rebuffed by Western countries, Russia doubled down on its warning that Kyiv is preparing to use a "dirty bomb" in Ukraine and said it would bring the issue to the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday. Russia sent a letter on its assertion about Kyiv to the United Nations late on Monday, and diplomats said Moscow … Continue reading Russia brings Ukraine ‘dirty bomb’ warning to U.N. as it evacuates Kherson
A Uyghur organization and a human rights group are taking the U.K. government to court to challenge Britain’s failure to block the import of cotton products associated with forced labor and other alleged abuses in China’s far western Xinjiang region. Tuesday’s hearing at the High Court in London is believed the first time a foreign … Continue reading UK court to hear Uyghur demands to ban Xinjiang cotton
The former Portuguese colony of Macau has been limping for nearly three years as coronavirus restrictions have kept away mainland Chinese tourists, depriving the gaming sector of its chief revenue source and tanking the wider economy. When Pinky Tam lost her job in Macau last year, she found herself among the many thousands cast adrift … Continue reading Tough odds for Macau as casinos pray for a pandemic shift
Russia fired missiles and drones into the Ukrainian-held southern town of Mykolaiv, destroying an apartment block, and said the war was trending towards "uncontrolled escalation" in a flurry of telephone calls to Western defence ministers. The strike on the shipbuilding town about 35 km (22 miles) northwest of the front line in Kherson came as … Continue reading Russia hits Ukraine homes, evacuates Kherson, warns of escalation
Rishi Sunak looked set to become Britain's next prime minister after Boris Johnson withdrew from the contest on Sunday, saying that although he had enough support to make the final ballot he realized the country and the Conservative Party needed unity. Johnson had raced home from a holiday in the Caribbean to try and secure … Continue reading Sunak favorite to be UK PM after Johnson drops comeback bid
Conservative rivals Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak held face-to-face talks late Saturday, reports said, as the feuding pair who once headed Britain's government were poised to battle for the leadership of their fractured ruling party. Former prime minister Johnson, who returned from a Caribbean holiday earlier in the day aiming to launch an audacious political … Continue reading UK’s Johnson, Sunak meet amid private battle for Tory leadership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the West to warn Russia not to blow up a dam that would flood a large area of southern Ukraine, as his forces prepared to push Moscow's troops from the occupied city of Kherson. In a television address, Zelenskiy said Russian forces had planted explosives inside the huge Nova Kakhovka … Continue reading Zelenskiy calls on West to warn Russia not to blow up dam
The Chinese coastal province of Gunagdong, which borders Hong Kong, has built hundreds of thousands of public charging points — the EV equivalent of gas pumps — over the past few years. With 345,126 public chargers and 19,116 charging stations as of the end of September, Guangdong has the largest EV charging network in China, … Continue reading This Chinese province has more electric car chargers than the entire USA
Boris Johnson and his former finance minister Rishi Sunak were leading the potential contenders to replace British Prime Minister Liz Truss on Friday, with candidates canvassing support to become Conservative Party leader in a fast-tracked contest. After Truss quit on Thursday, ending her six weeks in power, those who want to replace her were trying … Continue reading Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak lead race to be UK’s next prime minister
The United States has said Iranian military trainers were in Crimea helping Russian forces operate Iranian-made drones to attack targets in Ukraine, adding an alarming strand to a war that has heightened geopolitical tensions. Ukrainian citizens endured the first day of nationwide scheduled power outages since the war began eight months ago so repairs could … Continue reading Iranian trainers on the ground help Russia with Ukraine drone attacks, US says
Liz Truss quit on Thursday after the shortest, most chaotic tenure of any British prime minister, forced out after her economic programme shattered the country's reputation for financial stability and left many people poorer. The Conservative Party, which holds a big majority in parliament and need not call a nationwide election for another two years, … Continue reading Who will replace Truss as UK prime minister? Sunak? Mordaunt? Johnson?
Japanese policymakers made fresh threats of intervention on Thursday after the yen tumbled past the key psychological level of 150 to the dollar, keeping investors on high alert in case Tokyo steps into markets again to support the fragile currency. After the yen's first break beyond the symbolic mark since 1990, top currency diplomat Masato … Continue reading Japan ramps up intervention threats after yen slides past key 150 level
President Vladimir Putin ordered all of Russia to support the war effort in Ukraine on Wednesday, as the Russian-appointed administration of Kherson prepared to evacuate the only regional capital Moscow has captured during its invasion. Images of people using boats to flee the strategic southern city were broadcast by Russian state TV, which portrayed the … Continue reading Putin boosts Russia’s war footing as battle looms for Ukraine’s Kherson
Russian missiles crashed into infrastructure targets across Ukraine on Tuesday morning as Moscow stepped up what looked like a deliberate campaign to destroy electricity and water facilities before winter. The major of Zhytomyr, a city of 263,000 people, said the attacks had knocked out the power and water supply, and two explosions rocked an energy … Continue reading Russia hits infrastructure targets across Ukraine, targets power and water
Danny Masterson, former star of the long-running sitcom “That ’70s Show,” is about to face three women in court who say he raped them two decades ago at a trial whose key figures are all current or former members of the Church of Scientology. Opening statements could begin as early as Tuesday in the Los … Continue reading ‘That ’70s Show’ actor Danny Masterson on trial on 3 rape charges
Moscow on Monday stepped up attacks across Ukraine, cutting electricity and killing eight people, including in kamikaze drone strikes on the capital, as a Russian warplane crashed near the border. The plane struck a residential area of Yeysk, a town in southwest Russia, according to Russian authorities.The final toll was 13 dead and 19 injured, … Continue reading Deadly drone strikes hit Kyiv as Russian warplane crashes
In his first two terms as commander of the world's largest military, Chinese President Xi Jinping has unleashed sweeping changes to its structure, posture and potency. Over those 10 years, China has rapidly expanded and advanced its naval and rocket forces, purged thousands of officers over corruption, reformed its command operations and built bases deep … Continue reading Xi’s new generals face tough military challenges post-congress
Intense fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces was taking place around two towns in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Bakhmut and Soledar, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday. Fighting has been particularly intense this weekend in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which make up the larger industrial Donbas, and the strategically important Kherson … Continue reading Intense fighting flares in Ukraine’s Donetsk region
Elon Musk often wields his Twitter account as a weapon -- threatening to back out of his deal to buy Twitter or insulting President Joe Biden as a damp sock puppet “in human form.” More recently, the world’s richest person veered into more treacherous geopolitical territory by offering head-scratching proposals to end Russia’s invasion of … Continue reading Musk tweets complicate US diplomacy from Ukraine to Taiwan
On the eve of the opening of a key Chinese Communist Party congress, party leader, head of state and commander of the armed forces Xi Jinping seems more in charge than ever, having given no indication of stepping away from power or anointing a successor. Xi had given few signs during his steady rise through … Continue reading President Xi on eve of historic third term as Communist Party meets
Sunday brings a historic moment for Xi Jinping’s political legacy, but investors are far less excited about the prospects of a market turnaround: Chinese stocks have never performed so poorly in the run-up to any Communist Party Congress. The Shanghai Composite Index lost more than 5 percent over the past month, its worst pre-Congress showing … Continue reading Unprecedented pre-Congress gloom from Chinese investors
China’s party congress in Beijing will likely take place under crisp, blue skies -- a symbol of President Xi Jinping’s environmental stewardship that is being tested by darkening economic clouds and political strife around the world. More than any other leader of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi has sought to make the environment part of … Continue reading President Xi’s climate victories clouded by economic and global political storms
A group of young enthusiasts are fighting to give Hong Kong’s famed neon signs a new lease on life, before they disappear completely from the city due to tightened government regulations and dwindling demand. Once ubiquitous in Hong Kong, the signs — which became familiar to foreign audiences through movies like Blade Runner and Ghost … Continue reading Neon signs that lit Hong Kong’s city streets a dying art
Iranian security forces stepped up their crackdown on Kurdish regions of the country overnight, deploying militia troops, as authorities pursued their deadly suppression of nationwide protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in police custody. Nearly four weeks after Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, was detained in Tehran for "inappropriate attire", the protests show no sign … Continue reading Iran intensifies crackdown on Kurdish areas as protests rage
England's National Health Service has drafted new guidelines for treating transgender youth that would call for local authorities to be alerted in some cases where young people have obtained puberty blockers and hormone therapies on the private market, according to a copy of the guidelines reviewed by Reuters. The guidelines are part of a wide-ranging … Continue reading NHS drafts stricter oversight of trans youth care
Evacuees from Ukraine's southern Kherson region were expected to begin arriving in Russia on Friday after a Moscow-installed official suggested residents should leave for safety, a sign of Moscow's weakening hold on territory it claims to have annexed. "We suggested that all residents of the Kherson region, if they wish, to protect themselves from the … Continue reading Civilians in ‘annexed’ Kherson urged to flee to Russia as Ukrainians advance
North Korea early Friday launched a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters and flew warplanes near the border with South Korea, further raising animosities triggered by the North’s recent barrage of weapons tests. South Korea’s military also said it detected North Korea firing about 170 rounds of artillery from eastern and western coastal areas … Continue reading North Korea fires another missile, flies warplanes near border
For decades, residents of Japan's Okinawa have strongly opposed the US military bases that dot the region, but a subtle shift is under way, driven by Chinese saber-rattling and economic challenges. The bases are often seen as a disproportionate burden for Japan's sub-tropical southernmost region. Okinawa comprises 0.6 percent of the Japanese archipelago's territory but … Continue reading ‘Inevitable’: Views on US bases shift in Japan’s Okinawa
The Covid-induced economic crunch has led usually lavish spending Chinese to dial it down and turn to the little things in life to keep them satisfied. Chinese consumers are typically known for lavish spending on high-end handbags, clothes and accessories that sustain Western luxury brands. This year, however, economic ill winds have sapped much of … Continue reading Posh ice cream, craft beer in vogue as Chinese downsize their love of luxury
Inflation in the United States accelerated in September, with the cost of housing and other necessities intensifying pressure on households, wiping out pay gains that many have received and ensuring that the Federal Reserve will keep raising interest rates aggressively. Consumer prices rose 8.2% in September compared with a year earlier, the government said Thursday. … Continue reading US inflation pressures further intensified in September
Russian missiles pounded the city of Mykolaiv on Thursday, officials said, after a U.N. General Assembly resolution called Moscow's annexation of Ukrainian territory "illegal" and Ukraine's allies committed more military aid. "A five-story residential building was hit, the two upper floors were completely destroyed, the rest – under rubble. Rescuers are working on the site,” … Continue reading Russian missiles target Ukraine’s Mykolaiv, U.N. denounces ‘annexations’
China's 20th Communist Party Congress, which begins on Sunday, is expected to deliver President Xi Jinping a historic third term in control of a country his zero-Covid policy has closed off from much of the rest of the world. Should everything go to plan, by the end of the twice-in-a-decade meeting, the 69-year-old will be … Continue reading President Xi on course for historic third term at zero-Covid Congress
Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay at least US$965 million in damages to numerous families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting for falsely claiming they were actors who faked the tragedy, a Connecticut jury said on Wednesday. The verdict, which came after three weeks of testimony in a state court in … Continue reading Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook families nearly US$1b for hoax claims, jury says
President Xi Jinping, China’s most influential figure in decades, gets a chance to install more allies who share his vision of an even more dominant role in the economy for the ruling Communist Party and tighter control over entrepreneurs at a party meeting that starts this weekend. The only question, economists and political analysts say, … Continue reading President Xi gets chance to tighten hold on economy at meeting
Earlier this month, a record 302,000 people attended Singapore’s first Formula 1 car race in three years. Some forked out US$900 for a grandstand seat for three days, while others booked hotel suites overlooking the Marina Bay track for as much as US$10,000. Nightclub tables were fetching up to US$70,000 per evening. It was a … Continue reading Singapore’s pockets overflow amid bubble fears
As Japan throws open its doors to visitors this week after more than two years of pandemic isolation, hopes for a tourism boom face tough headwinds amid shuttered shops and a shortage of hospitality workers. From Tuesday, Japan will reinstate visa-free travel to dozens of countries, ending some of world's strictest border controls to slow … Continue reading Japan reopens to tourists with shuttered souvenir shops, hotel staff shortage
A Russian barrage pounded apartment buildings and other targets in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 17 people and wounding dozens, officials said Sunday. The blasts in the city, which remains under Ukrainian control but sits in a region Moscow has claimed as its own, blew out windows in adjacent buildings and left … Continue reading Ukraine: Russian strikes kill 17 following bridge attack
With deluxe match packages selling for thousands of dollars and five-star hotels doing a brisk trade, a sheen of glamour coats Qatar's World Cup despite football's working-class roots. A penchant for luxury in the energy-rich Gulf state, which has one of the world's highest GDPs per head, has rubbed off on an unusually high-end edition … Continue reading Hey big spenders: Qatar woos the rich with luxury World Cup
Traffic resumed Saturday over a key bridge linking Russia with Crimea -- seen as a symbol of the Kremlin's annexation of the peninsula -- after it was partially destroyed by an explosion Moscow blamed on a truck bomb. The Kremlin announced on the same day the appointment of a new general to lead its Ukraine … Continue reading Crimea bridge resumes traffic after blast, Russian army leadership changed
The U.S. on Friday targeted an alleged Malaysian wildlife trafficker and what officials called his transnational criminal organization for financial sanctions related to the illegal shipment of rhino horn, ivory and other specimens. The Treasury Department said Malaysian national Teo Boon Ching, his alleged trafficking organization and the Malaysian firm Sunrise Greenland Sdn. Bhd. engage … Continue reading Alleged Malaysian wildlife trafficker hit with US sanctions
The Biden administration on Friday published a sweeping set of export controls, including a measure to cut China off from certain semiconductor chips made anywhere in the world with U.S. equipment, vastly expanding its reach in its bid to slow Beijing's technological and military advances. The rules, some of which go into effect immediately, build … Continue reading US aims to hobble China’s chip industry with sweeping new export rules
Hong Kong United Times 