31 m. ago More than 60 UN members sign cybercrime treaty in Vietnam amid rights concerns

Countries signed their first UN treaty targeting cybercrime in Hanoi on Saturday, despite opposition from an unlikely band of tech companies and rights groups warning of expanded state surveillance. The new global legal framework aims to strengthen international cooperation to fight digital crimes, from child pornography to transnational cyberscams and money laundering. More than 60 countries were seen to sign the declaration on Saturday, which means it will go into force once ratified by those...

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3 h. ago China, US trade talks start in Kuala Lumpur ahead of possible Xi

Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have started a new round of trade talks in Kuala Lumpur, paving the way for a possible meeting between the presidents of the world’s two largest economies. The two sides are expected to discuss issues crucial to China-US economic and trade relations, China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Thursday. The meeting in the Malaysian capital marks the fifth face-to-face meeting between He and Bessent since US President Donald...

Politics

9 h. ago The STEM crisis in China’s universities: how outdated courses are wasting talent

At a conference in December, Wang Xingxing – the robotics guru who founded China’s industry-leading Unitree Robotics – had a sharp critique. “China is at a disadvantage in terms of talent reserves because its education system has decided that knowledge learned in school is often outdated, whereas overseas students study the world’s most cutting-edge technologies,” he told the audience. “The education system fundamentally shapes future development potential and opportunities,” Wang said, adding...

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13 h. ago Trump deploys world’s largest aircraft carrier amid soaring Venezuela tensions

US President Donald Trump dramatically escalated a US military build-up in the Caribbean on Friday by deploying the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier group to Latin America, a show of force that far exceeds any past counter-narcotics need and represents Washington’s most muscular move yet in the Latin America region. “The enhanced US force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster US capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of...

Politics

14 h. ago Marsha Blackburn questions Bowser over decision to remove Beijing as DC’s ‘sister city’

Marsha Blackburn questions Bowser over decision to remove Beijing as DC’s ‘sister city’  Washington Examiner

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14 h. ago Marine Corps’ latest Force Design update advances revamp geared toward countering China

Marine Corps’ latest Force Design update advances revamp geared toward countering China  Stars and Stripes

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15 h. ago Undercover Hong Kong police catch 31 minibus commuters not wearing seat belts

Hong Kong police will issue summons to 31 minibus passengers after undercover officers discovered that commuters were not wearing their seat belts. The force said that the operation took place on Friday and involved undercover officers from its Kowloon East traffic enforcement and control division checking for anyone not wearing seat belts on minibuses. Footage of a crackdown on one vehicle went viral on social media. A clip shows a man rising from his minibus and shouting: “Everyone don’t move!...

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15 h. ago Scammers use fake courier messages to steal Hong Kong bank details from victims

Two people have fallen victim to scammers who impersonated courier workers and sent fake text messages to steal bank account information in Hong Kong, with one person losing more than HK$1 million. Police revealed the cases on their CyberDefender social media account on Friday, warning that the force had recorded more than 60 phishing scams over the past two weeks, with more than HK$6 million in total stolen from victims. The force said a victim recently received a phishing text message from a...

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16 h. ago Beijing sets October 25 as day to commemorate Taiwan’s restoration

Beijing has formally designated October 25 as the day to commemorate Taiwan’s restoration, as it again asserts its sovereignty over the self-ruled island. The National People’s Congress Standing Committee, the country’s top legislative body, ratified the decision on Friday. State news agency Xinhua reported that commemorative events would be held on Saturday, the 80th anniversary of the surrender of the Japanese forces in Taiwan to the then ruling Kuomintang (KMT). The surrender ended Japan’s...

Politics

18 h. ago Gaza peace in limbo as US plan fuels fears of prolonged division

Hopes for peace and reconstruction in Gaza have suffered a deadly blow after US envoys unveiled a plan that analysts say will split the territory in two and set the stage for the prolonged, if not permanent, Israeli occupation of more than half the Strip. With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making any further military withdrawal conditional upon the disarmament of a recalcitrant Hamas, the future of the proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF) meant to take control of peaceful...

Politics

18 h. ago State rare earth giant throws support behind China’s broad export controls

One of China’s largest producers of rare earth elements has pledged to “strictly enforce government guidance” on export controls, a show of support from a major industry player as US officials harshly criticise Beijing’s recent expansion of licensing requirements for the crucial minerals. The statement from China Rare Earth Group – a conglomerate of state metals firms formed in 2021 – serves as a reaffirmation of Beijing’s resolve in consolidating its oversight of the rare earths trade, despite...

Politics

19 h. ago To win wars, PLA must fight corruption, China’s military mouthpiece declares

Following a reshuffle at a Communist Party conclave that endorsed continuing China’s military anti-corruption drive, the mouthpiece of the People’s Liberation Army said on Friday that political loyalty and fighting corruption were crucial for winning wars. At the fourth plenum of the party’s Central Committee, which concluded on Thursday, the military’s anti-corruption chief Zhang Shengmin was promoted to vice-chair of the powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) headed by President Xi...

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20 h. ago What killed hundreds of seals? Bird flu spread raises fears, questions

Bird flu is spreading rapidly in Europe, with the highest number of countries in at least a decade reporting early outbreaks, raising concerns about a repeat of past crises that led to the culling of tens of millions of birds and higher food prices. Meanwhile, Australian scientists have found hundreds of dead seal pups on Heard Island in the sub-Antarctic with signs that suggest they were killed by bird flu, authorities said on Friday. The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly...

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21 h. ago ‘Rape, sexual violence’: women in Australia’s military sue government

Women in Australia’s defence forces (ADF) launched a class-action lawsuit on Friday alleging widespread and systematic sexual violence, harassment and discrimination. The case was served against the Australian government on behalf of women subjected to abuse at any time in a 21-year period between November 2003 and May 2025. “The threat of war often isn’t the biggest safety fear for female ADF personnel; it is the threat of sexual violence in their workplace,” said lawyer Josh Aylward of legal...

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22 h. ago Hong Kong teen among 7 arrested over alleged razor blade intimidation letters

Hong Kong police have arrested seven individuals including a 13-year-old boy, linked to an online group known for filming controversial public stunts, on suspicion of criminal intimidation after three victims reported receiving razor blades in the post. The force said on Friday that the suspects, aged between 13 and 36, had been held on suspicion of criminal intimidation, acts outraging public decency and disorderly conduct in a public place. Between October 15 and 22, police said it received...

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24 h. ago Top Beijing office on Hong Kong affairs warns of ‘interference and destruction by anti

Top Beijing office on Hong Kong affairs warns of ‘interference and destruction by anti-China forces’ in legislative race  Hong Kong Free Press HKFP

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41 h. ago Is the ‘Big One’ coming? Earthquake mania grips Philippines as fears mount

A spate of powerful earthquakes across the Philippines has triggered widespread panic, sparked a flood of misinformation and prompted officials to take decisions that experts warn could undermine long-term disaster readiness. Analysts say the anxious public reaction – from mass hysteria in schools to viral conspiracy theories about “The Big One” – underscores a pressing need for better science communication and coordination between government agencies, especially in a country highly exposed to...

Politics

46 h. ago China cautions against ‘raging storms’ as fourth plenum comes to a close

Beijing has pledged to make “notable progress in pursuing high-quality development” and “substantially improve” its capacity for technological self-reliance and innovation in the next five years, as the fourth plenum of the Communist Party’s Central Committee – where the country's political leadership deliberated on the next five-year plan – came to a close. China will make new breakthroughs in “further deepening reforms across the board” while continuing to improve people’s living standards,...

Events

46 h. ago Breaking | China cautions against ‘raging storms’ as fourth plenum comes to a close

Breaking | China cautions against ‘raging storms’ as fourth plenum comes to a close  South China Morning Post

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46 h. ago Examining the next threat from Communist China: Our healthcare system

Examining the next threat from Communist China: Our healthcare system  Fox News

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