17 h. ago China’s central bank reaffirms commitment to digital asset ban

China’s central bank reaffirms commitment to digital asset ban  CoinGeek

Economics

20 h. ago China’s success in modernization beyond the West’s expectation

China’s success in modernization beyond the West’s expectation  ecns.cn

Politics

20 h. ago China’s risky shadow banks back in spotlight after debt crackdown

China’s crackdown on borrowing by local governments is forcing state-run entities in even some of the wealthiest provinces to tap costly credit from non-bank lenders, a stopgap that is increasing risk in an opaque corner of the financial system. The borrowing marks a return of China’s shadow-banking market, which is more loosely regulated than traditional lenders and had been reined in over the past few years in a bid to reduce risk. Since September, industrial investment arms and financing...

Economics

27 h. ago HSBC to occupy over 40,000 sq ft at Hong Kong’s Capitol Centre in 2026

HSBC is set to occupy more than 40,000 sq ft of space in Capitol Centre in Causeway Bay, as Hong Kong’s largest bank joins a growing list of finance and banking firms snapping up commercial space in the city. The London-headquartered lender signed a five-year lease, which starts May 18, 2026, for five levels – ground plus four floors of the building, according to Land Registry records. The deal was registered in late November. The records did not show the size or rent for the leased space, but...

Events

29 h. ago Admiral denies ‘kill them all’ order in boat attack but video alarms lawmakers

A Navy admiral commanding the US military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers on Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth but a stark video of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinises the campaign that killed two people. Admiral Frank Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers conduct an investigation after a report that he ordered the follow-on attack that...

Events

29 h. ago US admiral denies ‘kill them all’ order in Caribbean boat strike

A US Navy admiral commanding the US military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, but a stark video of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinises the campaign that killed two survivors. Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers conduct an investigation after a report that he ordered the follow-on...

Events

32 h. ago Israel cleared to stay in Eurovision; Spain, Ireland and others boycott

Israel on Thursday was cleared to enter the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to follow through on their threats to withdraw from the competition over the war in Gaza. After a meeting in Geneva, contest organiser the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) decided not to call a vote on Israel’s involvement and said it had instead passed rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest. Right after that announcement, the Dutch,...

Politics

32 h. ago Israel cleared to stay in Eurovision as several countries boycott contest

Israel was cleared on Thursday to enter the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest by the organiser, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to withdraw over the Gaza war and plunging the competition into one of the biggest rows in its history. The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the death count in Gaza and accused Israel of flouting rules meant to guard the contest’s neutrality. Israel accuses its critics of mounting a global smear campaign against it. After a...

Politics

37 h. ago Satellite Imagery Reveals Chinese Naval Group in West Pacific

Satellite Imagery Reveals Chinese Naval Group in West Pacific  Newsweek

Politics

39 h. ago ‘Strong breakwaters’: China’s central bank vows to shield from external shocks

Central bank governor Pan Gongsheng has stressed the importance of China maintaining a sound monetary system that remains resilient to external shocks and systemic risks, signalling a focus on stability ahead of a key policy meeting. Pan said monetary policy must balance internal and external pressures, “primarily taking into account domestic economic and financial conditions”, while also factoring in the “spillover effects” from other economies, in an editorial for the Communist Party’s...

Events

39 h. ago China to provide $100 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza, Xi says

China to provide $100 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza, Xi says  The Times of Israel

Economics

40 h. ago China Flaunts Combat Robot That Copies a Soldier’s Actions With AI

China Flaunts Combat Robot That Copies a Soldier’s Actions With AI  The Defense Post

Events

43 h. ago China calls for ‘effectively’ implementing ceasefire in Gaza amid Israeli attacks

China calls for ‘effectively’ implementing ceasefire in Gaza amid Israeli attacks  Anadolu Ajansı

Events

44 h. ago “China is building real hypersonic systems and the West must close this gap”

“China is building real hypersonic systems and the West must close this gap”  CTech

Politics

47 h. ago Kenya inquiry denounces ‘disturbing sexual misconduct’ at UK army base

A Kenyan parliamentary inquiry has denounced a “disturbing trend of sexual misconduct” at a British Army base in the east African country “marked by rape, assault, and abandonment of children fathered by soldiers”. Since Kenya’s independence in 1963, the former colonial power has maintained the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) on the outskirts of Nanyuki, about 200km (130 miles) north of the capital Nairobi. The inquiry by the Kenyan parliament’s Defence Committee said there was little...

Politics

49 h. ago Oxford slammed for not naming Indonesian researchers in rare flower find

A recent rediscovery of the extremely rare Rafflesia hasseltii, a giant parasitic red flower, in a forest in Indonesia’s West Sumatra has sparked backlash following an initial social media post by Oxford University that left out local researchers involved in the search and credited only its scientist. The uproar has exposed the perceived lack of equal recognition for Western researchers and their Global South counterparts when they collaborate, and the lingering legacy of colonialism in...

Politics

52 h. ago China Slams Israel for Joining UN Human Rights Statement Condemning Beijing

China Slams Israel for Joining UN Human Rights Statement Condemning Beijing  Algemeiner.com

Politics

58 h. ago Israel receives body from Hamas, says Rafah crossing could soon open

Israel received a body that Hamas said was one of the last two deceased hostages in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as Israel said it would allow Gaza’s gateway to Egypt to open once all hostages were returned. A body has been transferred by the Red Cross to the Israeli military and will undergo forensic identification, a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said. Hamas also handed over remains on Tuesday, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office later said were not of any...

Politics

61 h. ago China slams Israel Over UN rights statement, accuses it of 'smearing' Beijing

China slams Israel Over UN rights statement, accuses it of 'smearing' Beijing  Ynetnews

Politics

61 h. ago China unveils military robot that mimics soldiers’ combat moves in real time

China unveils military robot that mimics soldiers’ combat moves in real time  Interesting Engineering

Events