Trump, Takaichi reaffirm US-Japan ties in phone call after Xi state visit

Trump, Takaichi reaffirm US-Japan ties in phone call after Xi state visit

SCMP •

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said she and Donald Trump had reaffirmed their collaboration on issues relating to Beijing in a phone call on Saturday. The call followed the US president’s nostalgic invocation of the World War II alliance with China during his summit with Xi Jinping, remarks that sent shock waves through Tokyo. Trump made the references as he welcomed the Chinese president ...

Will the Trump-Xi wartime ally nostalgia prompt a Japanese rethink on China ties?

Will the Trump-Xi wartime ally nostalgia prompt a Japanese rethink on China ties?

SCMP •

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly trying to arrange a phone call with Donald Trump following the US president’s nostalgic invocation of the alliance with China during World War II, references that sent shock waves through Tokyo. Trump made the references as he welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday for his first state visit to Washington in over a d...

Oklahoma is home to seven venomous snakes, from Rattlesnakes and Copperheads to Cottonmouths

Oklahoma is home to seven venomous snakes, from Rattlesnakes and Copperheads to Cottonmouths

Times of India •

Oklahoma is home to seven species of venomous snakes, all classified as pit vipers. These snakes include the Prairie Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, Western Cottonmouth, and others. Each species shares common traits, such as triangular-shaped heads and heat-sensing pits. Various habitats are inhabited by these snakes, from wetlands to forested areas. Identifying characteristics, including colorat...

‘Never too late’: Filipino domestic helpers pursue degree dreams they put on hold

‘Never too late’: Filipino domestic helpers pursue degree dreams they put on hold

SCMP •

When Dyan Agonoy left the Philippines to work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, she had to leave her family behind. “I’ve missed a lot of my kids’ milestones, our special occasions. I’m always the only one missing from the pictures,” she said. Agonoy left university, married young and started a family. Without the bachelor’s degree required for many jobs, she took up domestic work abroad. Gelanie...

Trump reportedly rejects Iran’s seven-day plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Trump reportedly rejects Iran’s seven-day plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

France 24 •

US President Donald Trump has reportedly rejected an Iranian plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi presented the proposal to Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of a UN gathering in New York. The plan stipulated that the important waterway would reopen seven days after an agreement was reached.

Trump reportedly rejects Iran’s 7-day plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Trump reportedly rejects Iran’s 7-day plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz

France 24 •

US President Donald Trump has reportedly rejected an Iranian plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal was presented by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of a UN gathering in New York. The plan stipulated that the important waterway would reopen seven days after an agreement was reached.

British climber, 28, dies in fall in northern Spain

British climber, 28, dies in fall in northern Spain

The Guardian •

Mountaineer’s body recovered about 20 metres below the summit of Torrecerredo, the highest peak of the Picos de Europa rangeA British man has died after falling about 61 metres (200ft) while descending from the summit of a mountain in northern Spain, according to local law enforcement.The 28-year-old mountaineer fell down a vertical gully on the east side of the Torrecerredo – the highest peak of ...

China couple have 13 kids to avoid village bullying, elderly loneliness, dividing public opinion

China couple have 13 kids to avoid village bullying, elderly loneliness, dividing public opinion

SCMP •

A middle-aged couple in rural China has recently trended on social media for having 13 children. The family, living in a village in Qinzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, stands out in mainland China, particularly in light of the country’s declining birth rate. This situation has prompted authorities to implement various policies encouraging marriage and larger families. According to Jiu...

Offshore wind farm could create radar blind spots and ‘ghost’ targets, Chinese study warns

Offshore wind farm could create radar blind spots and ‘ghost’ targets, Chinese study warns

SCMP •

Offshore wind farms can reduce the coverage of shore-based radar systems and create areas where targets become harder to detect, according to a new study. The researchers found that at a range of 5km (3 miles), effective radar coverage fell by 6.9 per cent while blind spots increased by 14.9 per cent. The research, published online last month in the peer-reviewed Chinese journal Radio Engineering,...

TikTok settles lawsuit with Alabama for at least US$100m, to apply safety steps

TikTok settles lawsuit with Alabama for at least US$100m, to apply safety steps

SCMP •

Alabama said on Friday it had reached a settlement with TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, that requires the social media platform to impose new usage limits and enhanced age-verification measures for users in the US state, resolving claims that the platform endangered children and misled consumers about its safety. The agreement, which came days before a scheduled trial, calls for ...

White House blocks CNN from Air Force One in latest escalation with news media

White House blocks CNN from Air Force One in latest escalation with news media

The Guardian •

Outlet had been scheduled to fly with Donald Trump to Tennessee for a college football game, network said FridayThe White House has blocked CNN from traveling aboard Air Force One on Saturday, impeding its TV press pool duties in the latest escalation of the administration’s battle with the news media.CNN had been scheduled to fly with Donald Trump to Tennessee for a college football game, the net...

Trump cancels nearly $1bn in funding approved by Congress

Trump cancels nearly $1bn in funding approved by Congress

The Guardian •

President using rare power to revoke expenditure with bipartisan approval to aid immigrant servicesDonald Trump is canceling nearly $1bn in spending approved by Congress, the White House announced on Friday, using a rare and contested power to axe funding for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives.Trump’s office of management and budget described the funding cut as focused on “the mo...

How Hong Kong firms are future-proofing business in challenging times

How Hong Kong firms are future-proofing business in challenging times

SCMP •

Hong Kong’s economic transformation is at a critical juncture, and the private sector must adapt along with it, as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has noted. In the first of a two-part series, Ambrose Li and Wynna Wong examine the forces driving change among established enterprises. Before visiting a vendor in mainland China’s Jiangsu province, a salesman from Hong Kong bottling giant Swire Coca-...

China’s biotech firms move up value chain as drug deals evolve beyond licensing: analysts

China’s biotech firms move up value chain as drug deals evolve beyond licensing: analysts

SCMP •

Chinese biotech deal making is moving beyond the licensing of individual drug candidates, as the country transforms from a follower to a global innovation leader, according to analysts. The latest transaction underscores that shift. Beijing-based cancer drug developer InnoCare Pharma said on Thursday that it had entered into a strategic research collaboration and licensing agreement with US pharma...