3 h. ago Cuba captures Chinese drug fugitive ‘Brother Wang’ after Mexico escape

A Chinese national who United States authorities accuse of trafficking large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl into the US before being arrested and then escaping custody in Mexico was recaptured in Cuba, Mexican authorities said Wednesday. Zhi Dong Zhang, alias “Brother Wang”, was indicted in federal court in Atlanta in 2022 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Mexican authorities captured him in Mexico City in October 2024 at the request of the US government. But a judge granted...

Events

7 h. ago China car sales to slump in 2026 if Beijing scraps subsidies, JPMorgan says

Car sales in mainland China are likely to slide in 2026, breaking a six-year streak, if Beijing stops granting cash subsidies and tax incentives to buyers, according to a JPMorgan forecast that looms over the earnings outlook for the country’s 100-odd vehicle assemblers. “We expect retail [car] sales to see flat growth next year in a bullish scenario,” Nick Lai, head of auto research in Asia-Pacific at JPMorgan, said in an interview. “The market has more than a 50 per cent chance of seeing...

Events

12 h. ago US widens campaign on suspected drug boats with first deadly strike in Pacific

The US military struck a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, expanding an aggressive campaign of air strikes that so far had been limited to the Caribbean Sea. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the strike in a social media post on Wednesday, saying two people were killed. “Narco-terrorists intending to bring poison to our shores, will find no safe harbour anywhere in our hemisphere,” Hegseth wrote. In a brief video Hegseth posted, a small boat,...

Events

12 h. ago US widens campaign on suspected drug boats with first lethal strikes in Pacific

The United States has announced strikes on two alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Pacific Ocean that left five people dead, expanding the Trump administration’s campaign against drug trafficking in South America. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the two strikes on boats in the Pacific - one on Wednesday and another the day before - in social media posts showing the vessels being engulfed in flames. “Just as Al Qaeda waged war on our homeland, these cartels are waging war on our...

Events

16 h. ago US, China trade officials to meet in Malaysia amid escalating rare earths dispute

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday that he and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would travel to Malaysia later that day as scheduled to meet with Chinese officials over what he called Beijing’s “incredibly aggressive” measures to curb rare earth exports. The meeting is seen as a stepping stone to a sit-down in South Korea next week on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a time of...

Politics

17 h. ago In Beijing and Delhi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Aimed to Balance Consequential Relationships

In Beijing and Delhi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Aimed to Balance Consequential Relationships  The Diplomat – Asia-Pacific Current Affairs Magazine

Politics

21 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

21 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

23 h. ago Russia launches deadly barrage on Ukraine after Putin–Trump summit shelved

Russia launched multiple drone and missile strikes on Ukraine as the latest peace attempts by US President Donald Trump appeared to be floundering. The attack killed at least six civilians, including two children, with more than a dozen injured across the country in the early hours of Wednesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X. Zelensky said that 10 regions came under attack, including Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, adding that while the attack primarily targeted energy...

Politics

26 h. ago Hong Kong police hunt for girl, 17, who allegedly threw knives at ex

Hong Kong police are searching for a 17-year-old girl who allegedly threw knives at her 18-year-old ex-girlfriend during a fight, injuring her head, neck, waist and legs. A source said on Wednesday that the dispute stemmed from relationship issues between the victim and the suspect, who fled the scene. “The victim and suspect were ex-girlfriends and the dispute arose from relationship issues,” the insider said. Police received a report shortly after 10pm on Tuesday from a neighbour at 10...

Events

26 h. ago China’s Innovent Strikes Cancer Drug Deal With Takeda for Up to $11.4 Billion

China’s Innovent Strikes Cancer Drug Deal With Takeda for Up to $11.4 Billion  The Wall Street Journal

Economics

28 h. ago Pandas give Hong Kong’s Ocean Park boost but deficit worsens to HK$275 million

The fervour for giant pandas and their cubs in Hong Kong brought in more visitors and revenue to Ocean Park, their home, but other expenses ate into its financial health and worsened its deficit last year. The theme park’s deficit widened to HK$274.7 million (US$31.8 million) in the 12 months to June 30 from HK$71.6 million in the same period a year earlier, due to higher expenses such as depreciation, at HK$414 million, according to a document it submitted to the Legislative Council on...

Economics

33 h. ago Can Trump’s gut instinct win over Xi Jinping at Apec summit?

US President Donald Trump is expected to approach his coming summit with Xi Jinping by relying on personal chemistry and his “gut”, but his ability to charm the Chinese leader will be limited at best, analysts and former government officials in Washington said on Tuesday. The first meeting in six years between the heads of the world’s two largest economies is expected to take place shortly before the October 31-November 1 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in South Korea. Among the topics...

Politics

33 h. ago Can Donald Trump’s gut instinct win over Xi Jinping at Apec summit?

US President Donald Trump is expected to approach his coming summit with Xi Jinping by relying on personal chemistry and his “gut”, but his ability to charm the Chinese leader will be limited at best, analysts and former government officials in Washington said on Tuesday. The first meeting in six years between the heads of the world’s two largest economies is expected to take place shortly before the October 31-November 1 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in South Korea. Among the topics...

Politics

37 h. ago California man Sun Yaoning to plead guilty to acting as Chinese agent

A California man has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government in Southern California while working as a campaign adviser for a local politician. Sun Yaoning, also known as Mike Sun, is expected to appear in court in Los Angeles on Monday to enter his plea under a deal with federal prosecutors, according to a copy of the agreement available in online court records. It was signed by Sun, his lawyer and a prosecutor earlier this month. If the plea is accepted...

Politics

43 h. ago A ‘Pacific eyes’ intelligence body would offset China’s growing presence: report

Australia should lead the creation of a formal Five Eyes-style intelligence club in the Pacific amid the alleged threat of China’s growing presence in the region, a prominent foreign policy think tank suggests. Dubbed “Pacific Eyes”, the proposed intelligence-sharing alliance could help plug institutional gaps that “external powers” – particularly Beijing – were eager to exploit, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute argued in a report released on Tuesday. It recommended that the dedicated framework...

Politics

43 h. ago Call for ‘Pacific Eyes’ intelligence body to offset China’s growing presence

Australia should lead the creation of a formal Five Eyes-style intelligence club in the Pacific amid China’s growing presence in the region, a prominent foreign policy think tank has suggested. Dubbed “Pacific Eyes”, the proposed intelligence-sharing alliance could help to plug institutional gaps that “external powers” – particularly Beijing – were eager to exploit, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute said in a report released on Tuesday. It recommended that the dedicated framework initially consist...

Politics

44 h. ago From pledges to policy: Indonesia’s Prabowo marks 1 year in office

As Prabowo Subianto marks his first year as Indonesia’s president, the former general is grappling with the challenge of turning his populist campaign promises into lasting policy. While early initiatives such as free meals for children have drawn praise, concerns over civil liberties, economic sluggishness and foreign policy decisions threaten to overshadow his administration’s achievements. Prabowo, who was sworn in on October 20 last year, campaigned on a platform of ambitious social...

Events

48 h. ago Air strikes and insults: Trump’s feud with Colombia threatens key alliance

For decades, Colombia and the United States have been devoted allies, sharing military intelligence, a robust trade relationship and a multibillion-dollar fight against drug trafficking. Now that is all at risk as the US ramps up deadly air strikes off Colombia’s coast and the leaders of both nations trade scathing verbal attacks. US President Donald Trump called Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla fighter and Colombia’s first leftist president, an “illegal drug dealer”. Petro called Trump “rude”...

Events

61 h. ago Trump downplays Beijing threat to Taiwan as Australia touts rare earths deal

After nearly a year waiting to meet US President Donald Trump, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sought to argue his country’s strategic value Monday – only for the “America first” leader to dominate the encounter by opining that Beijing had no plans to invade Taiwan and posed no real threat in the Indo-Pacific. “China doesn’t want to do that,” he insisted on Taiwan, during a press gaggle alongside Albanese, but later stated that the island will be one of the topics of discussion when...

Politics