2026, day 9 Good morning from Asia: the U.S. paying Greenlanders to join it is now a thing - $10,000 to $100,000 per person floated. Whocouldanooed? 'Trump: 'My own morality' is only

China warns of ‘law of the jungle’ as US exits global bodies

Opportunity and challenge for Beijing on world stage amid Donald Trump’s order suspending support for 66 international organizations.

9 Jan 2026 - 6:00AM

Trump wants US$1.5 trillion for military. Will China boost spending too?

Analysts say Donald Trump’s military budget proposal aims to blunt China’s influence, but some dismiss the spending plan as ‘fanciful’.

9 Jan 2026 - 5:53AMvideocam

US President Donald Trump says his administration’s tariffs on other countries will help fund his proposed increase in defence spending. Photo: Getty Images via AFP

Japan’s Takaichi tipped for snap election gamble as poll ratings soar

The Japanese prime minister has won plaudits at home over her tough stance towards China, but inflation remains a major voter concern.

9 Jan 2026 - 8:00AM

Chinese financial firms press on with debt issuance to fund overseas expansion

Guangzhou-based GF Securities announces plan to raise US$780 million after mainland Chinese finance firms raise over US$10 billion in 2025.

9 Jan 2026 - 7:30AM

China’s role in Korean peninsula stability tested amid nuclear submarine moves

Seoul’s calls for Chinese mediation seen to underscore Beijing’s central role in preserving stability between two Koreas.

8 Jan 2026 - 11:04AMvideocam

Shanghai unveils US$10 billion investment spree as US-China tech race heats up

Shanghai announces 50 new projects across an array of hi-tech industries as China’s cities heed Beijing’s call to double down on innovation.

7 Jan 2026 - 8:00AM

Explainer | Trump says Greenland is ‘surrounded’ by Chinese ships. What’s the real story?

China has engaged with Greenland in areas ranging from oil and minerals to tourism. But its footprint is far smaller than Trump claims.

7 Jan 2026 - 11:12PM

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8 Jan, 2026 21:18

Trump’s Caracas strike aimed at China – Seymour Hersh

Venezuela was targeted because it sells oil to Washington’s arch-rival, the veteran journalist has claimed

The primary reason the US targeted Venezuela is because the oil-rich South American country has been willing to export its crude to China, veteran American journalist Seymour Hersh has claimed.

Commenting on the US military raid in Caracas and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Hersh wrote on Thursday that US President Donald Trump’s ultimate objective is to “cut off China, America’s economic rival, from its ongoing purchases of Venezuela’s cheap heavy crude oil.”

“The next target [after Venezuela], I have been told, will be Iran, another purveyor to China whose crude oil reserves are the world’s fourth largest,” the eminent reporter claimed in an article published on his personal website. He noted that Tehran has been weakened by the US and Israeli joint bombing campaign last June, as well as the ongoing mass protests across the country.

Venezuela to ‘turn over’ sanctioned oil to US – Trump

Appearing on CNN on Monday, Stephen Miller, deputy White House chief of staff and Homeland Security adviser, charged that “it is absurd that we would allow a nation in our own backyard to become the supplier of resources to our adversaries but not to us.”

That same day, US ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz told the Security Council that “you cannot continue to have the largest energy reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the United States.”

On Tuesday, ABC News cited anonymous sources as saying that the Trump administration had demanded that Venezuela cut economic ties with Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba and instead partner exclusively with the US on oil production and favor it when selling its crude.

During the raid in Caracas last Saturday, US special forces abducted President Maduro and his wife, who were subsequently flown to New York. They appeared in court on Monday on charges of drug-trafficking conspiracy, to which both pleaded not guilty.

Russia – along with many other BRICS and global South nations – has strongly condemned the US actions.

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US President Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that the Venezuelan operation could set a precedent in the Taiwan Strait. Photo: Getty Images

US-China relations

Taiwan is ‘up to’ Xi Jinping and ‘nothing like’ Venezuela: Donald Trump

In a New York Times interview, the US president says he does not believe the island would be attacked during his term.

3 hours agovideocam

China and US coexistence in Venezuela possible, US energy chief says

9 Jan 2026 - 2:31AM

PLA drills target swarms of suicide drones – Taiwan’s front line of defence

8 Jan 2026 - 11:15PMvideocam

What will top the agenda when Canada’s Mark Carney heads to China?

8 Jan 2026 - 9:59PMvideocam

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will arrive in Beijing on Tuesday for a five-day trip. Photo: The Canadian Press

China says US seizure of Russian-flagged tanker breached international law

8 Jan 2026 - 8:16PMvideocam

The Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, was seized in the Atlantic after a two-week chase.
Photo: AFP

China launches Woody Island fresh food link as disputed Paracels hub expands

8 Jan 2026 - 4:57PM

More than three dozen varieties of fresh vegetables are now available for sale in Sansha, China’s southernmost city, following the launch of a fresh food supply chain. Photo: Handout

At US$1,455 per ounce, China’s e-waste gold recovery is world’s most efficient

5 hours agovideocam

Thursday, January 08, 2026

Reputed Birthplace of Aphrodite, Ancient Greek
Goddess of Love

Jan 8, 2026 #UrsulaVonDerLeyen #UkraineEU #EuropeanUnion

Ursula von der Leyen stated that Ukraine belongs to the European Union.

Europe’s security depends on Ukraine’s security.

This view was expressed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the opening of the Republic of Cyprus’s presidency of the Council of the EU.

GIS Reports

Divided Cyprus: Greek and Turkish tensions on the rise

In particular, Ursula von der Leyen mentioned Ukraine while commenting on a statement by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, who said that Europe is “united in purpose and founded on solidarity.”

“We clearly see this in the central priority of your presidency — to build a safer and more independent Europe. This responsibility begins in Ukraine. Because Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security. Together, we will work to achieve a just and lasting peace, my dear friend Volodymyr Zelenskyy. And yesterday’s meeting in Paris was a very significant step in this direction,” Ursula von der Leyen said.

In essence, "united in purpose and founded on solidarity" describes the EU's aspirational framework for collective action, shared values, and mutual support among its member states, according to sources like Vatican News, The Conversation, and the European Union official website

Cyprus - Mediterranean, Divided, Island | Britannica

Friday, January 09, 2026