48 m. ago Did China, Russia, Iran joint naval drills in South Africa mark notable Brics shift?

Last week’s naval drills involving China, Russia, Iran and host country South Africa signalled a notable shift for Brics beyond its traditional focus on economic cooperation, analysts said, as the US noted it had closely monitored the exercise. However, observers also described the high-profile exercise as largely symbolic, calling it a diplomatic statement of intent rather than a step towards a formal military alliance. The Will for Peace 2026 drills were launched at a port in Cape Town on...

Politics

3 h. ago Trump wants nations to pay US$1 billion to stay on his Board of Peace

The Trump administration is asking countries that want a permanent spot on his new Board of Peace to contribute at least US$1 billion. According to a draft charter for the proposed group seen by Bloomberg, US President Donald Trump would serve as its inaugural chairman and would decide on who is invited to be members. Decisions would be taken by a majority, with each member state present getting one vote, but all would be subject to the chairman’s approval. “Each Member State shall serve a term...

Economics

10 h. ago Trump hits Denmark and 7 other Nato allies with tariffs for opposing US on Greenland

Opening a new front in his worldwide tariff onslaught, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would impose a 10 per cent import tax on the United Kingdom and six European countries for opposing his plan to purchase Greenland and that the rate would more than double if they did not let him acquire the Danish territory. His announcement on social media two weeks to the day after he abducted Venezuela’s president from Caracas marks the latest chapter in a tumultuous start to 2026, even by...

Politics

11 h. ago 2 Hong Kong pupils take top prizes in first global youth storytelling competition

Two Hong Kong students secured championship titles on Saturday in the first storytelling competition for global youth, delivering impassioned speeches on education and AI before an audience of about 100 people. Vanessa Jane Wong, a Form Four pupil from the Independent Schools Foundation Academy, won the top award in the senior category, while Wan Ruixi, a Form Two student from Hong Kong University Graduate Association College, took the junior prize. Organised by the South China Morning Post and...

Politics

12 h. ago PyroJam 2026 Moves To China After Venue Denial, U.S. Return Planned For 2027

PyroJam 2026 Moves To China After Venue Denial, U.S. Return Planned For 2027  The BayNet

Politics

14 h. ago Chinese, Japanese groups issue joint call for Japan to return Tang dynasty stele

Chinese researchers and Japanese activists have renewed calls for Japan to return a Tang dynasty relic looted over 120 years ago. The effort to recover the Tang Honglu Well Stele comes amid rising regional tensions and Beijing’s ongoing national campaign to reclaim cultural heritage. Shanghai University’s Research Centre for Chinese Relics Overseas and Japanese cultural groups issued a joint declaration on Friday urging Tokyo to “correct historical errors” and return the stone monument, Chinese...

Politics

15 h. ago Delhi eying ‘Beijing model’? CAQM proposes doubling Metro network to combat toxic air

Delhi eying ‘Beijing model’? CAQM proposes doubling Metro network to combat toxic air  The Financial Express

Events

16 h. ago Chinese man earns US$39,000 in 2 years teaching adults to ride bicycles amid surging demand

A master’s degree student in China, who has taught hundreds of adults and children to ride bicycles over the past two years and earned 270,000 yuan (US$39,000) from it, recently went viral on social media. The man, whose surname is Li, is a third-year master’s degree candidate at Shanghai University of Sport (SUP) majoring in sports education, as reported by the news outlet The Cover. Li shared that years ago, he and a friend recognised the demand for bike-riding instruction and decided to...

Politics

22 h. ago Joyful ice skating at the Summer Palace as Beijing welcomes first snowfall of 2026

Joyful ice skating at the Summer Palace as Beijing welcomes first snowfall of 2026  Global Times

Politics

22 h. ago ‘Will for Peace’ drills: Brics tests the waters of military cooperation

A week-long naval exercise off the South African coast involving the navies of China, Russia and the UAE has stirred debate over whether the primary purpose of Brics is evolving in the emerging post-Western global order. The exercise, held from January 9 to 16 under the banner “Will for Peace 2026”, was described by host nation South Africa as a routine maritime safety and interoperability operation. Officials said the drills aimed to improve coordination in protecting shipping routes and...

Events

26 h. ago Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ as Marcos, Duterte clash

For the Philippines, 2026 promises to be a roller-coaster ride of political intrigue as President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his deputy lock horns in an existential clash that risks tanking the economy, dividing military loyalties and derailing Asean’s regional diplomacy. “It will be a very messy year both in politics and the economy,” Philippine Congressman Edgar Erice told This Week in Asia. A showdown now seems all but inevitable: Vice-President Sara Duterte enters 2026 with an approval rating...

Politics

26 h. ago Philippines enters its ‘hour of danger’ in Marcos vs Duterte clash

For the Philippines, 2026 promises to be a roller-coaster ride of political intrigue as President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his deputy lock horns in an existential clash that risks tanking the economy, dividing military loyalties and derailing Asean’s regional diplomacy. “It will be a very messy year both in politics and the economy,” Philippine Congressman Edgar Erice told This Week in Asia. A showdown now seems all but inevitable: Vice-President Sara Duterte enters 2026 with an approval rating...

Politics

27 h. ago 2026 China FIC Innovation and Collaboration Summit Held in San Francisco, Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies Showcase Innovative Achievements

2026 China FIC Innovation and Collaboration Summit Held in San Francisco, Chinese Pharmaceutical Companies Showcase Innovative Achievements  PR Newswire

Politics

30 h. ago UH Mānoa professor named fellow in new initiative on U.S.–China relations

UH Mānoa professor named fellow in new initiative on U.S.–China relations  University of Hawaii System

Politics

32 h. ago China’s auto sales and exports expected to slow sharply in 2026

China’s auto sales and exports expected to slow sharply in 2026  CBT News

Politics

34 h. ago China Auto Market Boomed in 2025: Why Growth May Be Softer in 2026

China Auto Market Boomed in 2025: Why Growth May Be Softer in 2026  Yahoo Finance

Politics

35 h. ago Cathay welcomes findings and recommendations in Peking University’s study to accelerate China’s SAF ecosystem development

Cathay welcomes findings and recommendations in Peking University’s study to accelerate China’s SAF ecosystem development  Biodiesel Magazine

Politics

36 h. ago China’s Proposed Megaconstellations Would Flood Orbit With 200,000 Satellites

China’s Proposed Megaconstellations Would Flood Orbit With 200,000 Satellites  Gizmodo

Events

37 h. ago Experts: What to expect from China on energy and climate action in 2026

Experts: What to expect from China on energy and climate action in 2026  Carbon Brief

Science

39 h. ago Chinese scientists unlock possible key to dark matter after almost 90 years

Chinese scientists have made the first direct observation of a quantum effect that was proposed almost 90 years ago and could help detect dark matter, the universe’s invisible “glue”. Soviet physicist Arkady Migdal developed a theory in Leningrad in 1939 about what would happen when a neutral particle – such as dark matter – collided with an atomic nucleus. Migdal believed that the collision would cause the nucleus to recoil and trigger a secondary electronic recoil, generating a detectable...

Politics