35 y. ago State Visit to the People's Republic of China by HM King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV and Queen Halaevalu Mata‘aho

State Visit to the People's Republic of China by HM King Taufa‘ahau Tupou IV and Queen Halaevalu Mata‘aho  Matangi Tonga

Politics

57 m. ago China advances in AI agentic tools as Tencent, ByteDance weigh in

China is making progress in artificial intelligence “agentic frameworks”, the tools required to make AI agents, as the country’s tech giants begin to take on US players such as AutoGen and OpenAI Swarm. Tencent Holdings was the latest to join the fray after the Shenzhen-based company open-sourced its new Youtu-Agent agentic framework on Tuesday. Developed by Youtu Labs, Tencent’s AI research department, the framework was released on Microsoft’s open-source code-hosting platform GitHub last...

Politics

57 m. ago Top China tour sites assign staff to limit photo time, triggering mixed reactions

A famous tourist site in eastern China has introduced a time limit for photo-taking, captivating social media, and addressing a common complaint among visitors about long queues for pictures at key attractions. The Huangling Scenery Zone in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi province, implemented this rule in August. Workers now hold a timer near a major attraction, allowing each tourist one minute for photography, as reported by state media CCTV. This location has become an “online-celebrity spot,”...

Politics

86 m. ago Beijing military parade marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II

Beijing military parade marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II  Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Events

1 hour ago Local Chinese government stimulus pushes big spenders to dig in while dining out

A local government in China’s provincial economic powerhouse of Zhejiang has announced plans to subsidise the restaurant meals of high-value consumers, in a move that is intended to stimulate consumption but could raise questions about whether it runs contrary to the central government’s austerity drive. Shaoxing – a city known for its textile industry and a prized variety of cooking wine – will offer subsidies of up to 5,000 yuan (US$700) to banquet holders if they host five or more tables and...

Politics

2 h. ago Epstein victims compiling their own list of sex abusers: ‘We know the names’

Victims of notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein said on Wednesday they were compiling a confidential list of his associates who abused underage girls. US President Donald Trump, a one-time close friend of the deceased financier, sought meanwhile to dampen the enduring political furore over the Epstein case. “This is a Democrat hoax that never ends,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “They’re trying to get people to talk about something that’s totally irrelevant to the success that we’ve...

Events

2 h. ago Trump says China should've mentioned U.S. at "very, very impressive" military parade

Trump says China should've mentioned U.S. at "very, very impressive" military parade  Axios

Events

3 h. ago What China’s display of military might and diplomacy mean for the U.S.

What China’s display of military might and diplomacy mean for the U.S.  PBS

Events

3 h. ago How an SCO development bank could shift the global financial order

At the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged member states to accelerate the creation of an SCO development bank, a proposal that could mark a turning point in Asia’s financial landscape. While headlines focused on the high-profile presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Xi’s proposal points to the SCO’s evolution from a security bloc into a financial actor. Xi also pledged US$1.4...

Economics

3 h. ago Feds seize 1,300 barrels stuffed with meth precursor chemicals shipped from China to Mexico

Feds seize 1,300 barrels stuffed with meth precursor chemicals shipped from China to Mexico  New York Post

Politics

3 h. ago China unveils full land, sea and air nuclear triad for first time, weaponized 'robot wolves' at largest

China unveils full land, sea and air nuclear triad for first time, weaponized 'robot wolves' at largest-ever military parade  New York Post

Events

4 h. ago 'All risk no reward': China spectacle shows dangers of Trump trade policy

'All risk no reward': China spectacle shows dangers of Trump trade policy  BBC

Events

4 h. ago Harvard scores big win over Trump as judge overturns billions in funding cuts

A federal judge in Boston on Wednesday ordered the reversal of the Trump administration’s cuts to more than US$2.6 billion in funding for research grants for Harvard University. US District Judge Allison Burroughs sided with the Ivy League school, ruling the cuts amounted to illegal retaliation for Harvard’s rejection of White House demands for changes to its governance and policies. The ruling delivers a significant victory to Harvard in its battle with the Trump administration, which has also...

Politics

4 h. ago China Unveils Large Unmanned Stealth Fighter Design During Military Parade

China Unveils Large Unmanned Stealth Fighter Design During Military Parade  The War Zone

Events

5 h. ago Senate hearing raises doubts about NASA’s ability to get astronauts to the moon before China

Senate hearing raises doubts about NASA’s ability to get astronauts to the moon before China  SpaceNews

Technology

5 h. ago US sanctions China’s Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical for alleged fentanyl trafficking

The United States on Wednesday sanctioned a Chinese chemical company that it alleges is manufacturing and coordinating shipments of illicit opioids, such as fentanyl, and chemical agents into the country. The move comes amid recent stepped-up moves in Washington to target China on the fentanyl issue despite stabilising bilateral ties. A Treasury Department statement said sanctions have been placed on Guangzhou Tengyue Chemical, based in China’s southern Guangdong province, and two of the...

Politics

5 h. ago Trump hints US troops could go into New Orleans, a blue city in a red state

US President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that New Orleans could be his next target for deploying the National Guard to fight crime, potentially expanding the number of cities around the nation where he may send federal law enforcement. Trump has already said he plans to send the National Guard into Chicago and Baltimore following his administration deploying troops and federal agents to patrol the streets of Washington last month. “So we’re making a determination now,” Trump told reporters...

Politics

5 h. ago Trump suggests US troops could go into New Orleans, a blue city in a red state

US President Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that New Orleans could be his next target for deploying the National Guard to fight crime, potentially expanding the number of cities around the nation where he may send federal law enforcement. Trump has already said he plans to send the National Guard into Chicago and Baltimore following his administration deploying troops and federal agents to patrol the streets of Washington last month. “So we’re making a determination now,” Trump told reporters...

Politics

5 h. ago Western leaders parse China military parade displaying authoritarian strength

US and European leaders reacted with veneration, concern and stiffened resolve on Wednesday to China’s epic military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Over 25 foreign leaders – including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – joined Chinese President Xi Jinping at the showcase event marked by intimidating weaponry and choreographed troop manoeuvres. “I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing...

Events

5 h. ago Western leaders parse China military parade displaying national pride

US and European leaders reacted with veneration, concern and stiffened resolve on Wednesday to China’s epic military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Over 25 foreign leaders – including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – joined Chinese President Xi Jinping at the showcase event marked by intimidating weaponry and choreographed troop manoeuvres. “I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing...

Events