3 h. ago Ukraine war: US unveils heavy Russia sanctions, says Putin wasn’t ‘honest’

US President Donald Trump has slapped major sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies after concluding that Vladimir Putin was not being “honest and forthright” in Ukraine talks, the US treasury chief said on Wednesday. The sanctions came a day after a planned Trump-Putin summit in Budapest was shelved, with Washington expressing its disappointment at the lack of progress in ceasefire negotiations with Moscow. “Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is...

Politics

7 h. ago Ukraine could buy up to 150 Gripen fighter planes from Sweden

Ukraine could buy up to 150 Gripen fighter jets, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Wednesday after the signing of a letter of intent on stepping up aviation cooperation between the two countries. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a press conference, Kristersson said the letter of intent would create the conditions for a “very large defence industry deal”. “Probably somewhere between 100 and 150 fighter jets of the model Gripen E that are now beginning to be...

Politics

10 h. ago China Publishes Landmark National Fuel Cell Vehicle Report Based on Real

China Publishes Landmark National Fuel Cell Vehicle Report Based on Real-World Operation Data  Fuel Cells Works

Politics

11 h. ago Chinese state media says US ‘dying’ as Beijing drafts next 5

Chinese state media has labelled the US a failed state, claiming it is “dying from within” as its global hegemony declines. The commentary published in Beijing Daily on Tuesday came as China’s policymakers prepared to outline long-term plans amid intensifying competition with Washington. Beijing on Monday began a key four-day conclave that will determine the country’s development over the next five years. The fourth plenum of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, which runs through Thursday,...

Events

11 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

12 h. ago Prince Harry, Meghan join calls to halt AI surpassing human intelligence

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have joined prominent computer scientists, economists, artists, evangelical Christian leaders and American conservative commentators Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck to call for a ban on AI “superintelligence” that threatens humanity. The letter, released on Wednesday by a politically and geographically diverse group of public figures, is squarely aimed at tech giants like Google, OpenAI and Meta Platforms that are racing each other to build a form of artificial...

Politics

15 h. ago Hong Kong customs seize HK$10 million of bogus Nike, Adidas shoes

Hong Kong customs officers have seized HK$10 million (US$1.29 million) worth of suspected counterfeit sports and luxury shoes such as Nike, Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Gucci, believed to be intended for overseas markets to capitalise on a demand driven by global mega-events. “At mega-events such as sports shoes exhibitions, many collectors and enthusiasts will trade items on site, driving up demand for high-quality counterfeit sports shoes,” said Inspector Yeung Tit-fung of the Customs and Excise...

Economics

15 h. ago Hong Kong customs seizes HK$10 million of bogus Nike, Adidas shoes

Hong Kong customs officers have seized HK$10 million (US$1.29 million) worth of suspected counterfeit sports and luxury shoes such as Nike, Adidas, Louis Vuitton and Gucci, believed to be intended for overseas markets to capitalise on a demand driven by global mega-events. “At mega-events such as sports shoes exhibitions, many collectors and enthusiasts will trade items on site, driving up demand for high-quality counterfeit sports shoes,” said Inspector Yeung Tit-fung of the Customs and Excise...

Economics

16 h. ago Hyatt and Homeinns Hotel Group Expand Strategic Relationship With Plans to Bring Hyatt Studios Brand to China

Hyatt and Homeinns Hotel Group Expand Strategic Relationship With Plans to Bring Hyatt Studios Brand to China  Hyatt Newsroom

Society

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

China Seeks Sensitive Data From US Firms in Semiconductor Probe  Bloomberg

Politics

16 h. ago Trade in Central Asia: China Deepens Influence, Europe Expands Presence, Region Seeks New Markets

Trade in Central Asia: China Deepens Influence, Europe Expands Presence, Region Seeks New Markets  The Times Of Central Asia

Politics

18 h. ago Sixfold surge in flu outbreaks at Hong Kong schools as 13 severe cases reported

Hong Kong schools have reported a more than sixfold surge in influenza outbreaks since the start of the academic year compared with the winter flu season earlier this year, with 13 children hospitalised since September. The government renewed its calls on Wednesday for children to receive flu jabs after another three severe paediatric cases were reported on consecutive days. The Centre for Health Protection said the latest severe case involved an 11-year-old girl who had previously been in good...

Science

19 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

26 h. ago Can Trump’s pragmatism override China hawks to keep ties from rupture?

China’s rocky trade relationship with the United States was on full display this month as US President Donald Trump threatened to impose additional tariffs on Chinese imports. Separately, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent denounced China’s move to expand curbs on rare earth exports, calling it “a sign of how weak their economy is”. He also described Li Chenggang, one of China’s trade negotiators, as “pretty unhinged and very aggressive”. Trade ties between the rival powers remain fraught, even...

Politics

31 h. ago Europe, Ukraine prepare plan to end war, proposing peace board headed by Trump

European nations are working with Ukraine on a 12-point proposal to end Russia’s war along current battle lines, pushing back against Vladimir Putin’s renewed demands to the US for Kyiv to surrender territory in return for a peace deal. A peace board chaired by US President Donald Trump would oversee implementation of the proposed plan, according to people familiar with the matter. Once Russia follows Ukraine in agreeing to a ceasefire and both sides commit to halting territorial advances, the...

Politics

32 h. ago The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China opens deliberations on the 15th Five

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China opens deliberations on the 15th Five-Year Plan  Peoples Dispatch

Politics

34 h. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee champions Shaw Prize vision, pays tribute to late physicist

Hong Kong’s leader has said late entertainment mogul Run Run Shaw’s vision of celebrating education and the pursuit of knowledge with his prestigious science prize is central to the city government’s own aspirations. Speaking at the award ceremony for the prestigious Shaw Prize on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also paid his respects to late Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Chen-ning Yang, who was one of the local award’s founding council members. The award, dubbed the “Nobel...

Politics

34 h. ago Top analyst says China is playing a 'key role' in the price of gold going through the roof, and he's got the data to prove it

Top analyst says China is playing a 'key role' in the price of gold going through the roof, and he's got the data to prove it  Fortune

Politics

35 h. ago China’s Unitree builds course for students to learn how to train robot dogs

Unitree Robotics has launched an education platform for students to train robot dogs and understand how they operate based on the start-up’s Go2 system, as adoption of these quadruped machines expands from enthusiasts to mainstream consumers. According to its social media post on Tuesday, Unitree has developed an in-person training course with ready-to-use tools that would enable students to learn the operation, maintenance and applications of a quadruped robot – specifically, the company’s...

Politics

36 h. ago Why Trump’s ‘best for business’ diplomacy will fail with Russia or China

“All I’ve done all my life is deals,” US President Donald Trump told the Gaza peace summit, going on to say “maybe this is going to be the greatest deal of them all”. Trump has cultivated his image on being the greatest deal-maker, a legacy central to his identity as a business tycoon and now fundamental to his reputation as a world leader. The ceasefire in Gaza has been framed as a crowning achievement in this repertoire. “Together we’ve achieved what everyone said was impossible, but at long...

Politics