6 h. ago China reports bumper April exports ahead of crucial trade talks with US

Trade data shows a rise in shipments to south-east Asia and Europe offsets drop to America

Politics

38 h. ago US wants UK military to focus more on Europe and away from Asia

Pentagon believes British should place more emphasis on their own region in policy shift from Biden administration

Events

3 d. ago Beyond a possible Asian or African pope, what are the priorities of the cardinals in the conclave?

Cardinals electing a new pope have some fundamental questions to weigh, beyond whether to give the Catholic Church its first Asian or African pope

Politics

3 d. ago Killer fungus could soon ravage Europe infecting millions as world at tipping point

Fungal condition aspergillosis could be set to spread across Europe, Asia and America as a result of climate change, with people with pre existing conditions particularly at risk

Events

7 d. ago A plea to the West: help us save America’s democracy | Anonymous

Countries from Canada to Japan must take steps to isolate the United States in world diplomacyDonald Trump and his political allies in Washington have undertaken far-sweeping actions to undermine the foundations of American democracy, while simultaneously pursuing policies that erode and disrupt eight decades of trust and cooperation with democratic allies in Europe, North America and Asia.While leaders in these countries grapple with what is happening in Trump’s America, they must now ask themselves a new and critical question of immense relevance – one that has never been asked before in the modern era: Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago FACT FOCUS: Trump credited with rising military recruitment. Growth started before his reelection

Posts circulating on social media this week have praised President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for sending military recruitment skyrocketing

Politics

2 w. ago Two teens and 5,000 ants: how a smuggling bust shed new light on a booming trade

Two Belgian 19-year-olds have pleaded guilty to wildlife piracy – part of a growing trend of trafficking ‘less conspicuous’ creatures for sale as exotic petsPoaching busts are familiar territory for the officers of Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), an armed force tasked with protecting the country’s iconic creatures. But what awaited guards when they descended in early April on a guesthouse in the west of the country was both larger and smaller in scale than the smuggling operations they typically encounter. There were more than 5,000 smuggled animals, caged in their own enclosures. Each one, however, was about the size of a little fingernail: 18-25mm.The cargo, which two Belgian teenagers had apparently intended to ship to exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, was ants. Their enclosures were a mixture of test tubes and syringes containing cotton wool – environments that authorities say would keep the insects alive for weeks. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago FTSE 100 opens higher as Macron warns Trump tariff suspension only a ‘fragile pause’ – business live

European markets open following a mixed picture across Asia with the Nikkei showing another fallUS stocks fall again after rally following Trump’s shock retreat on tariffsLife in Shanghai, China’s commercial capital, goes on but anti-US sentiment is hardeningThe US dollar slumped on Friday as waning confidence in the US economy prompted investors to ditch US assets to the benefit of safe havens like the Swiss franc, yen and euro, as well as gold.The yellow metal recorded a new all-time peak in early Asia trade, and the franc notched a fresh decade high, Reuters reports.There has been a pronounced ‘sell US’ vibe flowing through broad markets and into the classic safe-haven assets, with the USD losing the safe-haven bid. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago ‘Leave the Maga cap at home!’ Is the world really becoming hostile to American tourists?

As reservations for travellers heading from the US to Europe fall, some have suggested it’s about more than Trump’s tariffsName: American tourists.Age: They come in all ages – from college backpackers travelling around Europe, Asia and South America, to senior passengers on a Caribbean cruise. Continue reading...

Society

4 w. ago China retaliates with 84% tariffs as Trump says ‘great time to move companies to the US’ – business live

Stock markets down in UK and across Europe after steep declines in Asia, while turmoil spreads to bond market China announces 84% tariffs on all US goods in response to Trump’s 104%Bank of England warns Trump tariffs threaten global growth and raise risk of ‘severe shocks’Today’s tariffs follow Trump’s 10% tariff on all imports from many countries, including Australia, which came into effect at the weekend.US customs agents began collecting the unilateral tariff at US seaports, airports and customs warehouses on Saturday. Today’s measures are higher levies on goods from 57 larger trading partners. Continue reading...

Politics