China can’t rely on technology as a panacea for economic recovery
By Chengxin Zhang
Since 2022, China’s economy has been haunted by a weak recovery. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth has fallen below 5 per cent for two consecutive quarters this year, posing challenges for Beijing to achieve its annual growth target of around 5 per cent.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that the proportion of China’s nominal GDP in US dollars relative to that of the US will be around 62.6 per cent in 2024.
How can China get out of its current economic dilemma? Domestic technological advancement is usually thought of as a solution. The history of each industrial revolution tells us that technological advancement can raise productivity so it’s imperative for China to move forward in this regard.
As the Chinese economy slows down, the US is tightening tech sanctions. Recently, in an escalation of the tech war, 140 Chinese chip-related entities were added to the Entity List of the US Department of Commerce. Now, at least 1,000 Chinese entities across multiple industries have been added to the Entity List, restricting them from accessing US technologies.
In addition to the blacklist, Chinese companies face warped supply chains due to other restrictive measures such as rigorous tariff and foreign investment reviews, laws that limit tech cooperation with China and attempts to put pressure on allies to restrict tech exports.
That’s why Beijing is pushing forward its campaign to become self-reliant in core technology, with industrial policies such as Made in China 2025 and the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, also known as the “Big Fund”. This is the only way China can mitigate its dependence on foreign technology, decrease its vulnerability to fluctuations in the global market and safeguard economic security.
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By Chengxin Zhang
Since 2022, China’s economy has been haunted by a weak recovery. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth has fallen below 5 per cent for two consecutive quarters this year, posing challenges for Beijing to achieve its annual growth target of around 5 per cent.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that the proportion of China’s nominal GDP in US dollars relative to that of the US will be around 62.6 per cent in 2024.
How can China get out of its current economic dilemma? Domestic technological advancement is usually thought of as a solution. The history of each industrial revolution tells us that technological advancement can raise productivity so it’s imperative for China to move forward in this regard.
As the Chinese economy slows down, the US is tightening tech sanctions. Recently, in an escalation of the tech war, 140 Chinese chip-related entities were added to the Entity List of the US Department of Commerce. Now, at least 1,000 Chinese entities across multiple industries have been added to the Entity List, restricting them from accessing US technologies.
In addition to the blacklist, Chinese companies face warped supply chains due to other restrictive measures such as rigorous tariff and foreign investment reviews, laws that limit tech cooperation with China and attempts to put pressure on allies to restrict tech exports.
That’s why Beijing is pushing forward its campaign to become self-reliant in core technology, with industrial policies such as Made in China 2025 and the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, also known as the “Big Fund”. This is the only way China can mitigate its dependence on foreign technology, decrease its vulnerability to fluctuations in the global market and safeguard economic security.
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Desert ant shows Chinese team the way to high-definition polarised light sensor chip
By Victoria Bela
Chinese researchers inspired by the eyes of the desert ant have developed a compact chip to detect the orientation of polarised light.
The chip can have a wide range of uses including in navigation, fingerprint detection, and even identifying cancerous tissue, the team said.
Polarisation photodetectors (pol-PDs) are special light sensors that can sense the direction of polarised light. By identifying differences in incoming light, these photodetectors can distinguish contrast and enhance image quality.
Such photodetectors have widespread applications in areas including “geological remote sensing, machine vision [and] biological medicine”, the team wrote in a paper published in peer-reviewed journal Science Advances on December 4.
The challenge is that commercial polarised photodetectors are hard to miniaturise, as they are made bulky and complex by the complicated optical systems and parts needed for them to function, the team said.
In the new study led by bio-inspired materials expert Li Mingzhu’s team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who worked alongside researchers from Beihang University and Imperial College London, the scientists turned to the eyes of desert ants to inspire a simpler design.
While our eyes consist of a single eye unit, compound eyes found in insects and crustaceans are made up of many small units containing photoreceptor cells.
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By Victoria Bela
Chinese researchers inspired by the eyes of the desert ant have developed a compact chip to detect the orientation of polarised light.
The chip can have a wide range of uses including in navigation, fingerprint detection, and even identifying cancerous tissue, the team said.
Polarisation photodetectors (pol-PDs) are special light sensors that can sense the direction of polarised light. By identifying differences in incoming light, these photodetectors can distinguish contrast and enhance image quality.
Such photodetectors have widespread applications in areas including “geological remote sensing, machine vision [and] biological medicine”, the team wrote in a paper published in peer-reviewed journal Science Advances on December 4.
The challenge is that commercial polarised photodetectors are hard to miniaturise, as they are made bulky and complex by the complicated optical systems and parts needed for them to function, the team said.
In the new study led by bio-inspired materials expert Li Mingzhu’s team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who worked alongside researchers from Beihang University and Imperial College London, the scientists turned to the eyes of desert ants to inspire a simpler design.
While our eyes consist of a single eye unit, compound eyes found in insects and crustaceans are made up of many small units containing photoreceptor cells.
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K-pop star G-Dragon’s gender-bending ‘auntie’ style prompts explosion of memes, imitations
By Fran Lu
The K-pop superstar G-Dragon, who made a major comeback in October with Power, his first new song in seven years has become an “auntie” for many social media users across Asia, thanks to his new avant-garde style.
In November, the 36-year-old singer and rapper was spotted at the Incheon International Airport wearing a red cardigan and an eye-catching pink flower-patterned scarf draped over a baseball cap that reportedly relates to the traditional Korean Bojagi wrapping cloth.
The Chanel ambassador was on his way to Hong Kong to attend the brand’s show.
His look at the event, a pink Chanel tweed jacket over a floral blouse and a pair of sparkling loafers, once again evoked a style commonly seen on middle-aged women.
His new androgynous look has sparked a wave of memes and copying.
A Chinese online observer jokingly posted a photo of a group of peasant women wearing colourful cardigans and head scarves, with the prompt “please find G-Dragon in the photo”.
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By Fran Lu
The K-pop superstar G-Dragon, who made a major comeback in October with Power, his first new song in seven years has become an “auntie” for many social media users across Asia, thanks to his new avant-garde style.
In November, the 36-year-old singer and rapper was spotted at the Incheon International Airport wearing a red cardigan and an eye-catching pink flower-patterned scarf draped over a baseball cap that reportedly relates to the traditional Korean Bojagi wrapping cloth.
The Chanel ambassador was on his way to Hong Kong to attend the brand’s show.
His look at the event, a pink Chanel tweed jacket over a floral blouse and a pair of sparkling loafers, once again evoked a style commonly seen on middle-aged women.
His new androgynous look has sparked a wave of memes and copying.
A Chinese online observer jokingly posted a photo of a group of peasant women wearing colourful cardigans and head scarves, with the prompt “please find G-Dragon in the photo”.
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Long-haul flights to cost Hongkongers more this Christmas, travel firms say
By Cannix Yau
Long-haul travellers will have to pay more for economy-class airfares this Christmas season, with some return flights costing over HK$32,000 (US$4,110) due to higher demand, rising operational costs and staff shortages, industry players have said, adding they expect prices to fall next year as capacity returns.
Lily Agonoy, managing director of Jebsen Travel, said passengers could expect rising economy-class airfares to destinations such as London, New York, Sydney and Vancouver compared with last year, with prices ranging from HK$3,650 to HK$32,640, while short-haul airfares had largely returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Ticket prices for the class have soared by up to 43 per cent compared with long-haul trips in December 2019.
“Flights to London have seen a significant increase in prices. Higher fuel surcharges and increased taxes, along with a rise in demand due to more people travelling, have contributed to this increase,” she said.
“Airfares to New York have also increased. The limited number of outbound flights from Hong Kong has driven up prices.
“Overall speaking, rising operational costs, increasing fuel prices and staff shortages have caused airlines to raise airfares.”
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By Cannix Yau
Long-haul travellers will have to pay more for economy-class airfares this Christmas season, with some return flights costing over HK$32,000 (US$4,110) due to higher demand, rising operational costs and staff shortages, industry players have said, adding they expect prices to fall next year as capacity returns.
Lily Agonoy, managing director of Jebsen Travel, said passengers could expect rising economy-class airfares to destinations such as London, New York, Sydney and Vancouver compared with last year, with prices ranging from HK$3,650 to HK$32,640, while short-haul airfares had largely returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Ticket prices for the class have soared by up to 43 per cent compared with long-haul trips in December 2019.
“Flights to London have seen a significant increase in prices. Higher fuel surcharges and increased taxes, along with a rise in demand due to more people travelling, have contributed to this increase,” she said.
“Airfares to New York have also increased. The limited number of outbound flights from Hong Kong has driven up prices.
“Overall speaking, rising operational costs, increasing fuel prices and staff shortages have caused airlines to raise airfares.”
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Outrage in Philippines over deep cuts forces Marcos to halt US$108 billion budget signing
By Raissa Robles
Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has delayed signing the 6.35 trillion pesos (US$108 billion) national budget following public anger over the diversion of funds intended for the country’s poorest citizens to the “pork barrel” of the president and lawmakers.
The presidential palace belatedly announced the decision on Friday to allow more time for a thorough review of a measure “that will determine the course of the nation for the next year”.
“The public outrage has influenced him to backtrack,” health reform advocate Dr Anthony Leachon told This Week in Asia.
Leachon, a former president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said “if the president allows the budget to pass into law, he becomes complicit” in what Congress did.
The uproar began after both chambers of Congress approved the 2025 budget, which includes major cuts of about 361 billion pesos (US$6.1 billion) to government agencies that offer social protection and medical services to the poorest sectors of the economy.
The state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), which provides medical insurance to paying members as well as to the non-paying poor, elderly and disabled, had 74 billion pesos proposed national government subsidy for 2025 slashed – effectively cutting the legally required yearly contribution of the Marcos administration to zero.
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By Raissa Robles
Philippine leader Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has delayed signing the 6.35 trillion pesos (US$108 billion) national budget following public anger over the diversion of funds intended for the country’s poorest citizens to the “pork barrel” of the president and lawmakers.
The presidential palace belatedly announced the decision on Friday to allow more time for a thorough review of a measure “that will determine the course of the nation for the next year”.
“The public outrage has influenced him to backtrack,” health reform advocate Dr Anthony Leachon told This Week in Asia.
Leachon, a former president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said “if the president allows the budget to pass into law, he becomes complicit” in what Congress did.
The uproar began after both chambers of Congress approved the 2025 budget, which includes major cuts of about 361 billion pesos (US$6.1 billion) to government agencies that offer social protection and medical services to the poorest sectors of the economy.
The state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), which provides medical insurance to paying members as well as to the non-paying poor, elderly and disabled, had 74 billion pesos proposed national government subsidy for 2025 slashed – effectively cutting the legally required yearly contribution of the Marcos administration to zero.
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Rome’s Trevi Fountain reopens to limited crowds after 3-month clean-up
By Agence France-Presse
Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain reopened on Sunday following a three-month clean-up, but visitors will for now be limited to 400 to avoid the crowds of the past, said the city’s mayor.
Imposing the limit, which might later be modified, will “allow everyone to better enjoy the fountain, without crowds or confusion”, Roberto Gualtieri told journalists in front of Italy’s famous landmark.
Gualtieri also said the city authorities were considering charging a modest entry price to finance, among other things, the fountain’s upkeep.
The clean-up of the fountain and other major city sites is aimed at “returning most of the monuments to the city in time for the start of the jubilee” Claudio Parisi Presicce, Rome’s superintendent for cultural heritage sites, told AFP-TV.
The jubilee of the Catholic Church begins on December 24.
The Trevi fountain, a baroque masterpiece, is one of the most visited sites in Rome.
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By Agence France-Presse
Rome’s famous Trevi Fountain reopened on Sunday following a three-month clean-up, but visitors will for now be limited to 400 to avoid the crowds of the past, said the city’s mayor.
Imposing the limit, which might later be modified, will “allow everyone to better enjoy the fountain, without crowds or confusion”, Roberto Gualtieri told journalists in front of Italy’s famous landmark.
Gualtieri also said the city authorities were considering charging a modest entry price to finance, among other things, the fountain’s upkeep.
The clean-up of the fountain and other major city sites is aimed at “returning most of the monuments to the city in time for the start of the jubilee” Claudio Parisi Presicce, Rome’s superintendent for cultural heritage sites, told AFP-TV.
The jubilee of the Catholic Church begins on December 24.
The Trevi fountain, a baroque masterpiece, is one of the most visited sites in Rome.
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Woman dies after being set on fire on New York subway train, man arrested
By Reuters
Police arrested a man they said set a woman on fire while she appeared to be asleep on a New York City subway train on Sunday morning, killing her.
The woman, who has not been identified, sat motionlessly aboard a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn at about 7:30am local time when an unknown man approached her and used a lighter to set her clothing on fire, the New York Police Department said. Police said there was no interaction before the attack and they did not believe the two people knew each other.
The man got off the subway car as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the blaze.
“What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference.
The officers used fire extinguishers to put out the fire and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders, police said.
Police arrested a suspect, who has not been publicly identified, as he travelled on the subway later on Sunday.
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By Reuters
Police arrested a man they said set a woman on fire while she appeared to be asleep on a New York City subway train on Sunday morning, killing her.
The woman, who has not been identified, sat motionlessly aboard a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue subway station in Brooklyn at about 7:30am local time when an unknown man approached her and used a lighter to set her clothing on fire, the New York Police Department said. Police said there was no interaction before the attack and they did not believe the two people knew each other.
The man got off the subway car as police officers on patrol in the station rushed to the blaze.
“What they saw was a person standing inside the train car fully engulfed in flames,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference.
The officers used fire extinguishers to put out the fire and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders, police said.
Police arrested a suspect, who has not been publicly identified, as he travelled on the subway later on Sunday.
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How Chinese science and technology has influenced the West … and vice versa
By Victoria Bela
Han Qi is a professor of Chinese history and culture at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has published a large body of work on East-West cultural exchanges in history – in particular the transmission of science between China and Europe. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here.
In what ways has Chinese scientific knowledge influenced Western scientists – especially in fields that are still salient today?
There are people who believe that China only has traditions in technology, but not in science. However, in fields like astronomy, China actually has a very long tradition of astronomical observation dating back more than 2,000 years. China has the longest and most complete records of astronomical observations, including solar and lunar eclipses, and records of stars, meteors and supernovas. Europeans do not have the same level of observational astronomy records, so Chinese records have actually had an influence on the West.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, many people began to study the universe. For a long time both Western and Chinese astronomers were not sure about the changing rule of the values of the obliquity of the ecliptic. In 1722, a French Jesuit missionary named Antoine Gaubil arrived in Beijing and checked over numerous Chinese historical records. After compiling the records, he sent them to France. In the early 19th century, there was a famous French astronomer and mathematician named Pierre-Simon Laplace who read the compiled manuscript and performed some calculations and conducted research based on it. This was a way in which Chinese astronomical observations have had a very direct impact on science up until today.
In the 20th century, contemporary astronomers also searched for new evidence from China’s records. In the 1950s, a Russian astrophysicist met the then vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The astrophysicist said they were studying radio astronomy and wanted to know about Chinese records of supernovas. So researchers at the academy went and found the records, and later they ended up writing a paper that was originally published in Chinese and later translated into English. This became one of the most cited astrophysics papers, and was of great importance to the field.
So these ancient Chinese scientific observations have influenced both European and American astronomers. Even now, some people are still using these records to find the earliest star explosions using large telescopes. This is the influence of Chinese astronomical records on both current and past astronomy.
Have Chinese historical records also enabled the development of climate modelling and the study of climate change?
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By Victoria Bela
Han Qi is a professor of Chinese history and culture at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has published a large body of work on East-West cultural exchanges in history – in particular the transmission of science between China and Europe. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here.
In what ways has Chinese scientific knowledge influenced Western scientists – especially in fields that are still salient today?
There are people who believe that China only has traditions in technology, but not in science. However, in fields like astronomy, China actually has a very long tradition of astronomical observation dating back more than 2,000 years. China has the longest and most complete records of astronomical observations, including solar and lunar eclipses, and records of stars, meteors and supernovas. Europeans do not have the same level of observational astronomy records, so Chinese records have actually had an influence on the West.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, many people began to study the universe. For a long time both Western and Chinese astronomers were not sure about the changing rule of the values of the obliquity of the ecliptic. In 1722, a French Jesuit missionary named Antoine Gaubil arrived in Beijing and checked over numerous Chinese historical records. After compiling the records, he sent them to France. In the early 19th century, there was a famous French astronomer and mathematician named Pierre-Simon Laplace who read the compiled manuscript and performed some calculations and conducted research based on it. This was a way in which Chinese astronomical observations have had a very direct impact on science up until today.
In the 20th century, contemporary astronomers also searched for new evidence from China’s records. In the 1950s, a Russian astrophysicist met the then vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The astrophysicist said they were studying radio astronomy and wanted to know about Chinese records of supernovas. So researchers at the academy went and found the records, and later they ended up writing a paper that was originally published in Chinese and later translated into English. This became one of the most cited astrophysics papers, and was of great importance to the field.
So these ancient Chinese scientific observations have influenced both European and American astronomers. Even now, some people are still using these records to find the earliest star explosions using large telescopes. This is the influence of Chinese astronomical records on both current and past astronomy.
Have Chinese historical records also enabled the development of climate modelling and the study of climate change?
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China’s ties with Global South show a different world order is possible
By Wang Huiyao
The Global South’s quest for a more equitable world order gained fresh momentum at the 22nd Doha Forum in early December. During the two-day event, world leaders gathered to discuss China’s evolving role in international development. The high-level dialogue came at a critical time when the global trade landscape faces new uncertainties.
As major economies like the United States and European Union signal a return to protectionist policies – with tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, solar panels and semiconductors and carbon border adjustment mechanisms – China’s recent announcement that it would cut tariffs for more than 40 least-developed countries has drawn significant attention.
This strategic approach was evident at the sub-forum session “China’s Role in the Rising Global South: Redefining the Future World Order” where leaders from around the world shared perspectives on development partnerships, highlighting a stark contrast to the bleak future of international economic engagement.
China’s expanding engagement with the Global South represents more than just trade statistics; it represents an alternative model of international cooperation. While serving as the primary trading partner for at least 120 countries, China has moved beyond mere commercial relationships to establish comprehensive development partnerships.
The Belt and Road Initiative, now encompassing 150 nations, has become a platform for sustainable development beyond simply building infrastructure. Bolstered by institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the New Development Bank and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, China’s approach is reshaping how developing nations think about economic partnerships.
The impact of this cooperation model is already evident. Rwandan President Paul Kagame revealed that his country’s trade with China surged from US$30 million to over US$150 million after recent tariff reductions, with a remarkable 274 per cent growth since 2018.
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By Wang Huiyao
The Global South’s quest for a more equitable world order gained fresh momentum at the 22nd Doha Forum in early December. During the two-day event, world leaders gathered to discuss China’s evolving role in international development. The high-level dialogue came at a critical time when the global trade landscape faces new uncertainties.
As major economies like the United States and European Union signal a return to protectionist policies – with tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, solar panels and semiconductors and carbon border adjustment mechanisms – China’s recent announcement that it would cut tariffs for more than 40 least-developed countries has drawn significant attention.
This strategic approach was evident at the sub-forum session “China’s Role in the Rising Global South: Redefining the Future World Order” where leaders from around the world shared perspectives on development partnerships, highlighting a stark contrast to the bleak future of international economic engagement.
China’s expanding engagement with the Global South represents more than just trade statistics; it represents an alternative model of international cooperation. While serving as the primary trading partner for at least 120 countries, China has moved beyond mere commercial relationships to establish comprehensive development partnerships.
The Belt and Road Initiative, now encompassing 150 nations, has become a platform for sustainable development beyond simply building infrastructure. Bolstered by institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the New Development Bank and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, China’s approach is reshaping how developing nations think about economic partnerships.
The impact of this cooperation model is already evident. Rwandan President Paul Kagame revealed that his country’s trade with China surged from US$30 million to over US$150 million after recent tariff reductions, with a remarkable 274 per cent growth since 2018.
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Trump says talk that he has ceded presidency to Elon Musk is a ‘hoax’
By Bloomberg
Donald Trump said on Sunday that he will be president of the United States - not Elon Musk.
“No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump told a conservative audience in Phoenix, Arizona, addressing growing complaints about the outsized role the Tesla boss has already had in his incoming administration.
“You know, they’re on a new kick,” he said. “All the different hoaxes. The new one is that President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk. No, no, that’s not happening.”
That Trump would be compelled to address Musk’s power is testimony to the unusual influence that the world’s richest man has displayed in a second Trump presidency that will not begin for another month.
Trump has tapped Musk to head a cost-cutting and deregulation effort he calls the Department of Government Efficiency. It is not an official department, but rather a small group of people working from the Washington offices of Musk’s SpaceX and organised around an account on Musk’s social media platform, X.
The appointment has already brought complaints of conflicts of interest, as Musk’s many businesses - including car-maker Tesla, tunnel-drilling Boring Co, rocket-launcher SpaceX and its sister satellite company Starlink - are regulated by the federal government and receive federal contracts.
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By Bloomberg
Donald Trump said on Sunday that he will be president of the United States - not Elon Musk.
“No, he’s not taking the presidency,” Trump told a conservative audience in Phoenix, Arizona, addressing growing complaints about the outsized role the Tesla boss has already had in his incoming administration.
“You know, they’re on a new kick,” he said. “All the different hoaxes. The new one is that President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk. No, no, that’s not happening.”
That Trump would be compelled to address Musk’s power is testimony to the unusual influence that the world’s richest man has displayed in a second Trump presidency that will not begin for another month.
Trump has tapped Musk to head a cost-cutting and deregulation effort he calls the Department of Government Efficiency. It is not an official department, but rather a small group of people working from the Washington offices of Musk’s SpaceX and organised around an account on Musk’s social media platform, X.
The appointment has already brought complaints of conflicts of interest, as Musk’s many businesses - including car-maker Tesla, tunnel-drilling Boring Co, rocket-launcher SpaceX and its sister satellite company Starlink - are regulated by the federal government and receive federal contracts.
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Trump favours keeping TikTok in US after ‘billions of views’ during election campaign
By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he favoured allowing TikTok to keep operating in the United States for at least a little while, saying he had received billions of views on the social media platform during his presidential campaign.
Trump’s comments before a crowd of conservative supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, were one of the strongest signals yet that he opposes a potential exit of TikTok from the US market.
The US Senate passed a law in April requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app, citing national security concerns.
TikTok’s owners have sought to have the law struck down, and the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case. But if the court does not rule in ByteDance’s favour and no divestment happens, the app could be effectively banned in the United States on January 19, one day before Trump takes office.
It is unclear how Trump would go about undoing the TikTok divestiture order, which passed overwhelmingly in the Senate.
“I think we’re going to have to start thinking because, you know, we did go on TikTok, and we had a great response with billions of views, billions and billions of views,” Trump told the crowd at AmericaFest, an annual gathering organised by conservative group Turning Point.
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By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump indicated on Sunday that he favoured allowing TikTok to keep operating in the United States for at least a little while, saying he had received billions of views on the social media platform during his presidential campaign.
Trump’s comments before a crowd of conservative supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, were one of the strongest signals yet that he opposes a potential exit of TikTok from the US market.
The US Senate passed a law in April requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app, citing national security concerns.
TikTok’s owners have sought to have the law struck down, and the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case. But if the court does not rule in ByteDance’s favour and no divestment happens, the app could be effectively banned in the United States on January 19, one day before Trump takes office.
It is unclear how Trump would go about undoing the TikTok divestiture order, which passed overwhelmingly in the Senate.
“I think we’re going to have to start thinking because, you know, we did go on TikTok, and we had a great response with billions of views, billions and billions of views,” Trump told the crowd at AmericaFest, an annual gathering organised by conservative group Turning Point.
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Albanian PM defends TikTok ban, says was not a ‘rushed reaction to a single incident’
By Associated Press
Albania’s prime minister said on Sunday the ban on TikTok his government announced a day earlier was “not a rushed reaction to a single incident”.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Saturday the government will shut down TikTok for one year, accusing the popular video service of inciting violence and bullying, especially among children.
Authorities have held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents since the November stabbing death of a teenager by another teenager after a quarrel that started on social media apps. Ninety per cent of them approve of the ban on TikTok.
“The ban on TikTok for one year in Albania is not a rushed reaction to a single incident, but a carefully considered decision made in consultation with parent communities in schools across the country,” said Rama.
Following Tirana’s decision TikTok, whose parent company Bytedance is based in China, asked for “urgent clarity from the Albanian government” in the case of the stabbed teenager.
The company said it had “found no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts, and multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok”.
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By Associated Press
Albania’s prime minister said on Sunday the ban on TikTok his government announced a day earlier was “not a rushed reaction to a single incident”.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Saturday the government will shut down TikTok for one year, accusing the popular video service of inciting violence and bullying, especially among children.
Authorities have held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents since the November stabbing death of a teenager by another teenager after a quarrel that started on social media apps. Ninety per cent of them approve of the ban on TikTok.
“The ban on TikTok for one year in Albania is not a rushed reaction to a single incident, but a carefully considered decision made in consultation with parent communities in schools across the country,” said Rama.
Following Tirana’s decision TikTok, whose parent company Bytedance is based in China, asked for “urgent clarity from the Albanian government” in the case of the stabbed teenager.
The company said it had “found no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts, and multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok”.
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Russia’s Putin holds talks with Slovakian PM Fico, in rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader
By Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met Putin one-on-one on Sunday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency. According to Peskov, the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.
Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at European Union sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining Nato.
Fico has also been a rare senior EU politician to appear on Russian state television following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with the Rossiya-1 channel in October, he vowed to attend a military parade in Moscow next May that will mark the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
The Kremlin has used the annual “Victory Day” celebrations to tout its battlefield prowess, and Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine as “heroes” at this year’s event.
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By Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in the Kremlin on Sunday with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met Putin one-on-one on Sunday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency. According to Peskov, the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.
Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.
Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at European Union sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining Nato.
Fico has also been a rare senior EU politician to appear on Russian state television following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with the Rossiya-1 channel in October, he vowed to attend a military parade in Moscow next May that will mark the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in World War II.
The Kremlin has used the annual “Victory Day” celebrations to tout its battlefield prowess, and Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine as “heroes” at this year’s event.
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Small plane crashes in Brazil tourist city, killing at least 9
By Agence France-Presse
At least nine people died on Sunday when a small plane crashed in the tourist city of Gramado, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, authorities said.
“There are nine deaths confirmed by the civil defence, and there are no survivors of the plane,” Cleber dos Santos Lima, director of the Interior Police Department of the state civil police, told Agence France-Presse.
“Unfortunately, initial reports indicate that the aircraft’s occupants did not survive,” Governor Eduardo Leite said in a post on social media.
According to the public security office of Rio Grande do Sul state, at least 15 people were taken to the city’s hospital, most of them suffering from smoke inhalation caused by the fire triggered by the crash.
The plane reportedly first struck the chimney of a building, then the second floor of a house, before crashing into a furniture shop, authorities said. Debris also reached a nearby inn.
Nestled in a mountainous region, Gramado is the most popular tourist destination in Rio Grande do Sul, which was severely affected earlier this year by unprecedented floods that claimed dozens of lives, destroyed infrastructure and significantly disrupted the state’s economy.
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By Agence France-Presse
At least nine people died on Sunday when a small plane crashed in the tourist city of Gramado, in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, authorities said.
“There are nine deaths confirmed by the civil defence, and there are no survivors of the plane,” Cleber dos Santos Lima, director of the Interior Police Department of the state civil police, told Agence France-Presse.
“Unfortunately, initial reports indicate that the aircraft’s occupants did not survive,” Governor Eduardo Leite said in a post on social media.
According to the public security office of Rio Grande do Sul state, at least 15 people were taken to the city’s hospital, most of them suffering from smoke inhalation caused by the fire triggered by the crash.
The plane reportedly first struck the chimney of a building, then the second floor of a house, before crashing into a furniture shop, authorities said. Debris also reached a nearby inn.
Nestled in a mountainous region, Gramado is the most popular tourist destination in Rio Grande do Sul, which was severely affected earlier this year by unprecedented floods that claimed dozens of lives, destroyed infrastructure and significantly disrupted the state’s economy.
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Trump taps ex-Treasury official Stephen Miran to head Council of Economic Advisers
By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that Stephen Miran, a Treasury Department adviser in his first administration, would be the chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers.
The council advises the president on economic policy and is composed of three members, including the chair. The council helps in the preparation of an annual report that gives an overview of the country’s economy, reviews federal policies and programmes and makes economic policy recommendations.
Earlier this year, Miran and economist Nouriel Roubini wrote a hedge fund study that said the US Treasury last year effectively provided economic stimulus by moderating long-dated bond sales.
The study echoed suggestions by Republican lawmakers that the Treasury deliberately increased issuance of short-term Treasury bills to give the economy a “sugar high” ahead of the November elections. The Treasury denied any such strategy.
Miran, a senior strategist at Hudson Bay Capital, has also argued that fears over trade tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose after he takes office next month are overblown.
Trade and economic experts have said such duties would raise prices and would effectively be a new tax on consumers.
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By Reuters
US president-elect Donald Trump said on Sunday that Stephen Miran, a Treasury Department adviser in his first administration, would be the chairman of his Council of Economic Advisers.
The council advises the president on economic policy and is composed of three members, including the chair. The council helps in the preparation of an annual report that gives an overview of the country’s economy, reviews federal policies and programmes and makes economic policy recommendations.
Earlier this year, Miran and economist Nouriel Roubini wrote a hedge fund study that said the US Treasury last year effectively provided economic stimulus by moderating long-dated bond sales.
The study echoed suggestions by Republican lawmakers that the Treasury deliberately increased issuance of short-term Treasury bills to give the economy a “sugar high” ahead of the November elections. The Treasury denied any such strategy.
Miran, a senior strategist at Hudson Bay Capital, has also argued that fears over trade tariffs that Trump has threatened to impose after he takes office next month are overblown.
Trade and economic experts have said such duties would raise prices and would effectively be a new tax on consumers.
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Netanyahu says Israel will continue to act against Iran’s Houthi rebels
By Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday Israel would continue acting against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, whom he accused of threatening world shipping and the international order, and called on Israelis to be steadfast.
“Just as we acted forcefully against the terrorist arms of Iran’s axis of evil, so we will act against the Houthis,” he said in a video statement a day after a missile fired from Yemen fell in the Tel Aviv area, causing a number of mild injuries.
On Thursday, Israeli jets launched a series of strikes against energy and port infrastructure in Yemen in a move officials said was a response to hundreds of missile and drone attacks launched by the Houthis since the start of the Gaza war 14 months ago.
On Saturday, the US military said it conducted precision air strikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Houthis in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
Netanyahu, strengthened at home by the Israeli military’s campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon and by its destruction of most of the Syrian army’s strategic weapons, said Israel would act with the United States.
“Therefore, we will act with strength, determination and sophistication. I tell you that even if it takes time, the result will be the same,” he said.
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By Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday Israel would continue acting against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, whom he accused of threatening world shipping and the international order, and called on Israelis to be steadfast.
“Just as we acted forcefully against the terrorist arms of Iran’s axis of evil, so we will act against the Houthis,” he said in a video statement a day after a missile fired from Yemen fell in the Tel Aviv area, causing a number of mild injuries.
On Thursday, Israeli jets launched a series of strikes against energy and port infrastructure in Yemen in a move officials said was a response to hundreds of missile and drone attacks launched by the Houthis since the start of the Gaza war 14 months ago.
On Saturday, the US military said it conducted precision air strikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Houthis in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
Netanyahu, strengthened at home by the Israeli military’s campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon and by its destruction of most of the Syrian army’s strategic weapons, said Israel would act with the United States.
“Therefore, we will act with strength, determination and sophistication. I tell you that even if it takes time, the result will be the same,” he said.
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