12 h. ago As Trump urges cap on credit card rates, could China follow suit for online loans?

US President Donald Trump’s call for American credit card interest rates to be capped at 10 per cent for a year has sparked a debate in China about whether Beijing should impose a similar limit on online loans. The discussion comes as many in China – especially younger people – are being enticed by credit offers amid a weak job market and a boom in online loan services. “Apps now keep luring young people into borrowing,” a finance blogger with nearly 500,000 followers wrote in a social media...

Politics

12 h. ago In wake of Trump post, calls mount for China to impose rate cap on online loans

In wake of Trump post, calls mount for China to impose rate cap on online loans  South China Morning Post

Politics

27 h. ago China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception

China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception  Military Times

Events

58 h. ago China Opposes Use of Force in Iran Call as Trump Stirs Unease

China Opposes Use of Force in Iran Call as Trump Stirs Unease  Bloomberg.com

Politics

2 d. ago Trump prevails in US Senate showdown over Venezuela war powers

US President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to unify his party behind his takeover of Venezuela succeeded Wednesday when all but three Senate Republicans voted to block a resolution opposing further military action in the country. US Vice-President J.D. Vance broke a tie vote in order to stop the resolution. The 51-50 vote followed fiery phone calls from Trump to Republican defectors who last week voted to advance the resolution. Trump’s success in flipping votes effectively ends one of the...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump praises Venezuela’s ‘terrific’ interim president after call

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had held a “long call” with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez, the first known contact between the two leaders since the ousting of Nicolas Maduro. “We just had a great conversation today, and she’s a terrific person,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He later said on social media that he and Rodriguez had discussed “many topics”, including oil, minerals, trade and national security. “We are making tremendous progress,” Trump...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Fundamental disagreement’ with Trump remains over Greenland, Denmark says

A top Danish official said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with US President Donald Trump after highly anticipated talks in Washington with Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides, however, agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the...

Politics

3 d. ago Denmark cites ‘fundamental disagreement’ with Trump over Greenland after White House talks

A top Danish official said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remained with US President Donald Trump after holding highly anticipated White House talks with Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides, however, agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to...

Politics

4 d. ago Honduras rejects ‘illegal’ recount order of vote won by Trump

Honduras electoral authorities rejected on Monday an order by the outgoing president to recount November’s election won by Trump-backed candidate Nasry Asfura. Asfura, a conservative businessman, was declared the winner of Honduras’s presidential election on December 24, weeks after a tight race marred by delays and allegations of fraud. Outgoing Honduras President Xiomara Castro, who finishes her term January 27, called for a meeting with Trump last week saying his public backing of Asfura...

Politics

5 d. ago Why timing may be right for China to press North Korea on denuclearisation

The Ukraine war and Donald Trump’s return to the White House have significantly altered northeast Asia’s geopolitical landscape. North Korea’s defence treaty with Russia and leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to deploy troops to support Moscow have shattered any remaining illusions of strategic restraint. While Russia is believed to be supplying North Korea with finance and technology, Japan and South Korea are accelerating military spending and preparing for long-term confrontation, potentially –...

Events

5 d. ago Trump says might keep Exxon out of Venezuela after CEO called it ‘uninvestable’

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he might block ExxonMobil from investing in Venezuela after the oil major’s CEO called the country “uninvestable” during a White House meeting last week. Exxon CEO Darren Woods told Trump that Venezuela would need to change its laws before it could be an attractive investment opportunity, during the high-profile meeting on Friday with at least 17 other oil executives. Trump had urged the group to spend US$100 billion to revitalise Venezuela’s oil...

Politics

5 d. ago Trump says might keep Exxon out of Venezuela after CEO called country ‘uninvestable’

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he might block ExxonMobil from investing in Venezuela after the oil major’s CEO called the country “uninvestable” during a White House meeting last week. Exxon CEO Darren Woods told Trump that Venezuela would need to change its laws before it could be an attractive investment opportunity, during the high-profile meeting on Friday with at least 17 other oil executives. Trump had urged the group to spend US$100 billion to revitalise Venezuela’s oil...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump says Iran wants to ‘negotiate’ amid reports of hundreds killed in unrest

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s leadership had called him seeking “to negotiate” after he repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Tehran killed protesters. For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a protest movement that has swelled in spite of a crackdown rights groups warn has become a “massacre”. Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge of the theocratic system in place since the 1979...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump says Iran wants to negotiate after reports of hundreds killed in unrest

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s leadership had called him seeking “to negotiate” after he repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Tehran killed protesters. For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a protest movement that has swelled in spite of a crackdown rights groups warn has become a “massacre”. Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge of the theocratic system in place since the 1979...

Politics

8 d. ago Trump ‘cancelled’ second attacks on Venezuela after prisoner release, eyes oil investments

US President Donald Trump said on Friday he called off a second wave of attacks on Venezuela after the government, whose leftist president was removed by Washington, began releasing prisoners. Trump made the comments as he prepared to meet major oil corporations that he said will invest at least US$100 billion in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest oil reserves. Trump was implicitly making clear he is ready again to use force to get his way in Venezuela, which he has vowed to force to...

Events

8 d. ago Top South Korean official calls Trump’s Venezuela raid ‘violent atrocity’, stirring unease

Senior officials in South Korea’s Prime Minister’s Office are voicing concern over Park Seok-woon, a committee chairman under its authority, after he joined protests criticising US President Donald Trump and his administration over American military operations in Venezuela. Park, a long-time liberal activist, took part in a rally on Monday in front of the US embassy in Seoul, following an American military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who has been in power since 2013,...

Politics

8 d. ago It's up to Xi: Trump Says China's move on Taiwan is Beijing's call

It's up to Xi: Trump Says China's move on Taiwan is Beijing's call  India Today

Politics

9 d. ago Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for ‘dream military’. Will China boost spending in response?

US President Donald Trump’s proposal to boost next year’s military budget to US$1.5 trillion aims to blunt China’s global influence, a move analysts said could push Beijing to speed up its own military build-up with “greater urgency”. On Wednesday, Trump wrote on social media that the US military budget for the 2027 financial year should be raised in the face of “very troubled and dangerous times”. “This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more...

Events

9 d. ago Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for military. Will China boost spending too?

Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for military. Will China boost spending too?  South China Morning Post

Events

9 d. ago Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for ‘dream US military’. Will China boost spending too?

US President Donald Trump’s proposal to boost next year’s military budget to US$1.5 trillion aims to blunt China’s global influence, a move analysts said could push Beijing to speed up its own military build-up with “greater urgency”. On Wednesday, Trump wrote on social media that the US military budget for the 2027 financial year should be raised in the face of “very troubled and dangerous times”. “This will allow us to build the ‘Dream Military’ that we have long been entitled to and, more...

Events