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

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

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

7 h. ago Trump offers more US troops to Poland’s nationalist president

US President Donald Trump hosted new Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday at the White House with a military flyover and an offer to send more US troops to the eastern European ally. Talks were expected to focus on efforts to end the war in Ukraine, where Trump’s peacemaking efforts have been struggling to get traction. Trump called it a “stupid war” and said he thought ending it would have been “much easier” for him. “It’s going to get done,” he vowed to reporters in the Oval Office,...

Politics

7 h. ago Hegseth suggests more US operations coming after strike on Venezuela boat

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that military operations against cartels would continue, setting the stage for a sustained military campaign in Latin America even as basic questions about a deadly strike against a vessel from Venezuela remained unanswered. The US military killed 11 people on Tuesday in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics, in the first known operation since President Donald Trump’s recent deployment of warships to the...

Events

7 h. ago Hegseth signals more US operations coming after strike on Venezuela boat

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that military operations against cartels would continue, setting the stage for a sustained military campaign in Latin America even as basic questions about a deadly strike against a vessel from Venezuela remained unanswered. The US military killed 11 people on Tuesday in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics, in the first known operation since President Donald Trump’s recent deployment of warships to the...

Events

9 h. ago From bruises to misstatements, how should a president’s health be covered?

Early in Donald Trump’s news conference on Tuesday, Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked a question that surely baffled people who avoided social media for Labour Day. “How did you find out over the weekend that you were dead?” Doocy said to the president. Doocy was referring to speculation about Trump’s health that spread online during the long weekend, fuelled in part by the president’s relative absence from the public for several days. The incident has renewed – for a different president – questions...

Politics

11 h. ago China parades statecraft and hardware as world faces ‘critical’ choices

China crowned a busy week of grand diplomacy with a spectacular military parade on Wednesday, sending a message to the world that it has the determination and strength to champion a multipolar global order as geopolitical challenges rise. Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and leaders from 26 countries, President Xi Jinping gave a keynote speech on top of the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the war against...

Events

12 h. ago Paraded mainland China weaponry shows Beijing’s focus on Taiwan: analysts

The latest weapons systems featured in China’s Victory Day parade have shown Beijing’s sharp focus on safeguarding its sovereign integrity over Taiwan and its capability to defend against any attempt to break away, analysts observed. Although Taiwan was not directly mentioned in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s keynote address on Wednesday, it is often used by military observers as a yardstick to measure the People’s Liberation Army’s capabilities and progress. The cutting-edge weapons showcased...

Events

13 h. ago Venezuelan president shows off phone from China’s Xi Jinping

Venezuelan president shows off phone from China’s Xi Jinping  CNN

Politics

15 h. ago As protests simmer, Prabowo’s China trip carries political risks

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto made a swift trip to Beijing to attend China’s World War II victory commemoration parade on Wednesday, with his spokesman citing the importance of maintaining strategic ties and the easing of unrest at home. Analysts said the tightly timed visit reflected Jakarta’s effort to reassure key diplomatic partners and project stability abroad following global coverage of Indonesia’s violent protests over the weekend, but warned it carried “political risks” at home...

Events

17 h. ago Kim pledges help in ‘any way’ for Russia’s war in Ukraine during Putin meeting

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to continue helping Moscow’s war in Ukraine in “any way” as he met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday. That meeting came only hours after US President Donald Trump made harsh accusations against both leaders as the brutal war in Ukraine continued. The bilateral summit between the two neighbours – the first in more than a year – revealed that it was Kim who took the initiative in sending military aid to Russia for its...

Politics

18 h. ago Indonesia’s Prabowo attends China’s military parade as protests rage at home

Despite a deadly anti-government protest raging across his country, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stood overlooking Beijing’s Tiananmen Square watching China’s grand military parade with a group of world leaders. His one-day trip was appreciated by Beijing, with the Chinese foreign ministry saying it “welcomed” the visit. Earlier this week, when Prabowo decided to skip the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, the ministry said it “respected” Jakarta’s decision. Prabowo joined...

Events

21 h. ago Trump health misinformation swirls despite denials of illness

From manipulated images to out-of-context photos, false claims that Donald Trump is seriously ill - or even dead - have swirled online, with the misinformation persisting even after the US president publicly rejected it on Tuesday. At a White House press conference, Trump dismissed social media rumours about his health as “fake news”, following his noticeable absence from public appearances and press events last week. Recently, Trump has been seen with bruising on the back of his right hand,...

Politics

22 h. ago China parade as it happened: Xi Jinping presides over show of military might attended by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un

China parade as it happened: Xi Jinping presides over show of military might attended by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un  Financial Times

Events

23 h. ago Live news — Xi presides over show of China’s military might attended by Putin and Kim

Live news — Xi presides over show of China’s military might attended by Putin and Kim  Financial Times

Events

24 h. ago Chinese, Algerian presidents hail successful launch of communications satellite

President Xi Jinping and his Algerian counterpart Abdelaziz Bouteflika exchanged congratulatory messages on the successful launch of Alcomsat-1 in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's southwestern province of Sichuan early Monday.

Politics