TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China has named Liu Haixing, a diplomat with experience in European affairs, at the top of its International Department, state media said Wednesday. He replaces Liu Jianchao, who has not been seen in public since July amid speculation he has been detained over disciplinary reasons. The International Department is the Communist…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Plunged into a government shutdown, the U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration. Many…
The Circle K convenience store chain in Hong Kong has resumed digital payment services after suspending them for more than a week due to a cyberattack, but bill payment services and loyalty programme functions remain unavailable. Circle K Hong Kong, which operates nearly 400 outlets in the city, said on Tuesday evening that its stores…
The US military’s expanded joint cyber and AI-integrated exercises with Japan and South Korea pose a risk to regional security, a Chinese military commentary has warned. The opinion piece – by Ji Cheng from the People’s Liberation Army Academy of Military Sciences and published in the PLA Daily on Tuesday – referred to the growing…
A woman weeps as rescue works are underway for victims (Image credits: AP) SIDOARJO: Dozens of parents waited Wednesday near a collapsed school building on Indonesia’s main island of Java, an AFP correspondent said, as rescue teams searched for survivors under the rubble.At least three people died when the multi-storey building gave way in the…
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will meet with the boss of BHP amid a shock report that the world’s largest mining company faces a Chinese blockade on its iron ore shipments. Beijing’s state iron ore buyer has told steelmakers to pause imports of BHP ore, amid hardball negotiations over the price of the crucial resource, Bloomberg…
When Congress fails to pass appropriations or a continuing resolution, parts of the federal government must shut down operations that are funded by discretionary spending. In practice, this means many federal jobs are disrupted—some workers are furloughed (put on temporary unpaid leave), others must keep working without pay, and a small number continue to be…
Hong Kong insurance companies and brokers from Wednesday are barred from paying excessive referral fees to unlicensed individuals, as the city’s insurance regulator bolsters efforts to curb misconduct and enhance customer protection. The city’s Insurance Authority has put a 50 per cent cap on commissions for referral fees in life insurance policies, a move that…
The Trump administration has announced a significant tightening of export controls on Chinese companies, particularly those in the semiconductor industry, in a move aimed at impeding China’s technological advancement. US Tightens Export Rules, Adding Entity List Subsidiaries The U.S. Department of Commerce has introduced stricter regulations that automatically add subsidiaries of entities on the government’s…
(Reuters) -New York Attorney General Letitia James on Tuesday filed a lawsuit and an emergency motion seeking a temporary restraining order against U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the department, accusing them of unlawfully withholding nearly $34 million in funding requested by the state’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The MTA is the state…