1 hour ago Israel advances West Bank annexation bill during J.D. Vance visit

A bill applying Israeli law to the occupied West Bank, a move tantamount to annexation of land which Palestinians want for a state, won preliminary approval from Israel’s parliament on Wednesday. The vote was the first of four needed to pass the law, and it coincided with the visit of US Vice-President J.D. Vance to Israel, a month after President Donald Trump said that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party did not support the...

Politics

2 h. ago China pushes trilateral currency swap, new drone sighted: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China eyes currency swap with Japan and South Korea amid trade tensions: source China is in talks with Japan and South Korea – both US allies – about a possible trilateral currency swap to bolster the region’s financial safety net and deepen economic cooperation amid US President Donald Trump’s trade war, according to a source familiar with the issue. 2....

Events

3 h. ago China wants US semiconductor companies to submit sensitive data as part of probe — 'anti

China wants US semiconductor companies to submit sensitive data as part of probe — 'anti-dumping' investigation requests sales and profit data  Tom's Hardware

Politics

3 h. ago Retreating globally, US finds a new arena to flex power – at home

The Donald Trump administration is executing not merely a restructuring but a fundamental redefinition of American military purpose. The clearest evidence emerged in June, when the US president deployed 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles alongside 4,000 federalised National Guard troops to confront immigration enforcement protests – without California Governor Gavin Newsom’s consent. A federal judge subsequently ruled that this deployment violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which...

Politics

4 h. ago Trump, China’s Xi Are Due to Meet—But Will They? Why It Matters for Rare Earth Stocks.

Trump, China’s Xi Are Due to Meet—But Will They? Why It Matters for Rare Earth Stocks.  Barron's

Politics

4 h. ago China’s Exports to US Looked Dented Not Defeated by Trump Tariffs

China’s Exports to US Looked Dented Not Defeated by Trump Tariffs  Bloomberg.com

Politics

5 h. ago The Rise of a Bipolar Global Energy Order? Trump Slams China and India at the UN Over “War Funding”, While the EU Pivots Westward

The Rise of a Bipolar Global Energy Order? Trump Slams China and India at the UN Over “War Funding”, While the EU Pivots Westward  China-US Focus

Politics

5 h. ago Trump’s Words Aren’t Stopping China, Brazil And Other Countries From Setting Higher Climate Goals

Trump’s Words Aren’t Stopping China, Brazil And Other Countries From Setting Higher Climate Goals  Honolulu Civil Beat

Politics

7 h. ago China Seeks Sensitive Data From US Firms in Semiconductor Probe

China Seeks Sensitive Data From US Firms in Semiconductor Probe  Bloomberg

Politics

7 h. ago US safety agency investigators to assist Hong Kong with fatal plane crash probe

A United States’ transport safety agency is deploying five investigators to Hong Kong to assist with the city’s probe into the cargo plane crash that killed two security workers, while the four aircrew involved have met with local authorities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government agency responsible for investigating civil transport accidents, said on social media that it would send its team to Hong Kong to assist with the probe into the plane crash. “The...

Events

7 h. ago US investigators, Turkish experts to help Hong Kong with fatal plane crash probe

A US transport safety agency is sending five investigators to Hong Kong to help with a local probe into a cargo plane crash that killed two security workers, while experts from the Turkish civil aviation authority will also provide assistance. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an independent US government agency responsible for investigating civil transport accidents, said on social media on Wednesday that it would send five people to the city. “The NTSB is sending a team of five...

Events

7 h. ago Russia launches deadly barrage on Ukraine after Putin–Trump summit shelved

Russia launched multiple drone and missile strikes on Ukraine as the latest peace attempts by US President Donald Trump appeared to be floundering. The attack killed at least six civilians, including two children, with more than a dozen injured across the country in the early hours of Wednesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X. Zelensky said that 10 regions came under attack, including Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, adding that while the attack primarily targeted energy...

Politics

9 h. ago Watch Trump sees successful Xi meeting—if it happens | The China Show 10/22/2025

Watch Trump sees successful Xi meeting—if it happens | The China Show 10/22/2025  Bloomberg.com

Politics

10 h. ago Outspoken Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong, 55, will not seek second term in Legco

Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, known for her outspoken views, has announced that she will not seek a second term in the coming Legislative Council election, saying she wants to shift her focus back to her legal practice. Her decision, revealed on Wednesday, brings the number of incumbent legislators who are stepping down to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current 89 members. Kong, 55, also said she was preparing an online platform which would allow her to analyse public affairs and...

Politics

10 h. ago Outspoken Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong, 55, will not seek second Legco term

Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, known for her outspoken views, has announced that she will not seek a second term in the coming Legislative Council election, saying she wants to shift her focus back to her legal practice. Her decision, revealed on Wednesday, brings the number of incumbent legislators who are opting not to run to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current 89 members. Kong, 55, also said she was preparing an online platform which would allow her to analyse public affairs and...

Politics

10 h. ago China’s youth jobless rate falls but remains high after record graduation season

China’s urban youth unemployment rate edged lower last month but remained at a concerning level amid ongoing struggles for many young people to find work in a challenging and crowded job market. The jobless rate for the 16 to 24 age group, excluding students, dipped to 17.7 per cent in September from 18.9 per cent in August. Financial news outlet Cailian reported the figure on Wednesday, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The August figure had hit the highest level since the...

Politics

11 h. ago What’s behind the calls for Mindanao to secede from the Philippines?

Calls for Mindanao’s secession from the Philippines have erupted anew after a sitting lawmaker released a viral video echoing rhetoric once championed by former president Rodrigo Duterte, in a move analysts warn risks inflaming tensions and destabilising an already volatile political landscape. Observers say the renewed push, amplified by the ex-president’s allies and a network of online influencers, appears aimed at deflecting attention from corruption scandals and an ongoing International...

Politics

12 h. ago ‘Want to be nice, but ’: Donald Trump says China to face 155% tariffs from November 1 | Hindustan Times

‘Want to be nice, but ’: Donald Trump says China to face 155% tariffs from November 1 | Hindustan Times  Hindustan Times

Politics

13 h. ago China's vice president calls for 'partnership' with US ahead of possible Xi

China's vice president calls for 'partnership' with US ahead of possible Xi-Trump meeting  TRT World

Politics

13 h. ago Doing ‘fantastic job’: Australian PM defends envoy Rudd amid Trump’s dislike

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese endorsed Australia’s ambassador in Washington as doing a “fantastic job”, describing comments by US President Donald Trump that he does not like Kevin Rudd as “lighthearted”. Australia’s main conservative opposition party has called for Rudd, a former Labor prime minister, to be sacked after Trump made the comments at a press briefing in Washington on Monday. Asked by an Australian reporter about Rudd’s past criticism of the president on social media, and told...

Politics