Finance news

The art of the deal: how Beijing pushed Trump to ‘arrest’ the trend on Taiwan arms sales

When US President Donald Trump returned from Beijing earlier this month, he hailed his visit as a historic breakthrough, trumpeting the “fantastic trade deals” he sealed and boasting about his close ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. But on the margins, Beijing had sought to extract a price by pushing Washington for concessions on Taiwan. According to people familiar with the matter, Beijing pressed Washington to reduce the size of the arms packages sold to Taiwan and slow the pace of...

Rescuers find 6 more bodies after US paper mill disaster

US authorities have found six more bodies following a chemical leak at a paper plant in Washington state, an official said on Thursday, with three of a total 11 victims still missing. A huge tank holding tens of thousands of gallons of a highly caustic substance imploded on Tuesday at the plant in Longview, Washington state, sparking a major search operation. Rescuers had initially confirmed two people were dead, and ruled out finding survivors as the search turned to recovering victims’...

How will South Korean nuclear submarines alter underwater balance near first island chain?

South Korea’s plans to build nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030s will spur a US-allied network of advanced underwater capabilities near the first island chain, strengthening deterrence against potential adversaries such as China and North Korea, analysts say. The South Korean defence ministry this week announced its basic plans to build the country’s first nuclear-powered submarine, giving its first detailed outline of the programme since US President Donald Trump granted initial...

Hegseth at Asia defence gathering, China-EU tensions, Computex

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will address Asia’s main annual defence gathering on Saturday, with US allies perhaps hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s ticking off. Hegseth’s morning speech will be the main event at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, particularly as Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun is not attending for the second year in a row. Other speakers on the agenda include the defence ministers of Australia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Qatar. Australia, Japan and South..

How Trump’s war on Iran is jeopardising Asia’s remittance lifeline

There seems to be no end to the harm arising from US President Donald Trump’s madcap war on Iran. Go beyond the direct tragic impact across Iran itself, the collateral damage from Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and its ad hoc assaults on US allies in the region: beyond the burgeoning impact of shortages of oil, gas, hydrogen, helium and sulphur, and the prospect of food shortages arising from the collapse in fertiliser supplies; beyond the hardships of tens of thousands of..

Can direct commercial sales fix Taiwan’s US$20 billion weapons backlog?

US defence industry leaders are pushing for deeper commercial cooperation with Taiwan to strengthen its military capabilities, as the island seeks faster ways to bolster deterrence amid Beijing’s mounting military pressure. But they cautioned that such business deals could not replace traditional American arms sales regarded as the backbone of Taiwan’s defence. Speaking at the Taiwan-US Defence Industry Forum in Taipei on Thursday, retired US General Charles Flynn and senior American executives.

Japan’s hefty visa fees, new digital entry system move closer to implementation

Japan’s parliament on Friday passed an immigration control law revision to raise the maximum fee for residence status applications by foreigners and introduce an online pre-entry travel authorisation system for overseas arrivals. Once the fee changes are implemented later this financial year, the upper limit will be set at 100,000 yen (US$630) for visa renewals and 300,000 yen for permanent residency applications, marking a sharp increase from the existing threshold of 10,000 yen. The fees are..

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, May 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the leaders of Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan and the US during May, reflecting Beijing’s increasing importance on the global stage. In total, 15 national leaders have visited the Chinese capital this year, also including the prime ministers of Canada, Spain and the UK, and the chancellor of Germany. Xi’s May summit with US President Donald Trump could be the first of four meetings between the pair this year. Trump has invited Xi to the White House in late...

Iran, US Tentatively Agree to Renew Truce for 60 Days

The US and Iran have reached a tentative deal to extend a ceasefire by 60 days and launch further talks on Tehran's nuclear program, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

US price-fixing probe on Singaporean tycoon signals consistent legal approach

The US indictment of Singapore-based shipping tycoon Teo Siong Seng in a price-fixing scandal has raised questions about Washington’s determination to pursue prominent figures from friendly countries, though legal experts say the case conforms to established American antitrust practice. Teo, the 71-year-old chief executive of Hong Kong company Singamas Container Holdings, has several prominent executive roles, including sitting as chair of the Singapore Business Federation and on the...

Crude Mixed on Iran Truce Talks

Traders balanced Iran deal optimism against falling US crude inventories.

Digital Sovereignty: The Difficult Move Away from the American Cloud

European alternatives to the offerings of US tech companies have been around for years - but they are hardly used by local institutions. But now a rethink is beginning.

US Army turns resupply drone into rocket launcher in new test

Though the drone was designed to haul supplies across the battlefield, the Army recently tried turning it into a rocket launcher.

US Strikes Iran Military Targets Near Hormuz

The U.S. carried out airstrikes on an Iranian military site and imposed new sanctions to prevent Tehran from profiting from vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the fragility of recent diplomatic momentum.

Ships Desert Hormuz amid Fresh US Strikes

Tensions spiked following a second round of U.S. strikes against Iranian military targets this week.

US troops are reportedly being targeted using location data, Pentagon says

U.S. forces deployed to war zones have been targeted using commercially available location data, according to reports fielded by military officials.

Oil Settles Below $89 On Deal Hopes

Oil futures plunged as traders bet on a possible US-Iran peace deal.

US munitions depleted by Iran war will take years to restore, analysis finds

Replenishing stockpiles of critical weapons systems could take until 2030 or 2031, creating a "window of vulnerability," a new analysis found.

How US Army combat medics are preparing for an Indo-Pacific fight

Distance, contested air, communication disruptions, weather and limited evacuation platforms could greatly impact timely access to medical care.

US Army integrates veterinarians into human combat care

The Army wants to better utilize veterinarians in combat medicine to prepare for the possibility of large-scale operations in the Indo-Pacific.

US Army receives first lightweight Javelin launchers

The U.S. Army has received its first batch of new, lighter Javelin launchers, defense contractor RTX announced in a statement Tuesday.

Defense-driven demand powers surge in US listings by mining firms

This year’s transactions have brought producers of antimony, rare earths, tungsten and uranium to the NYSE and Nasdaq.

Iran’s president orders reopening of international internet access, state media reports

⁠Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an order to reopen international internet access, Iranian state media reported on Monday, citing an official after a ‌near-90-day blackout in the wake of the war against US and Israel. The report cited the head of public relations at Iran’s Communications Ministry. The mechanism for how and when Iran would reconnect to ⁠the global web following the decision was unknown. “The decree aimed at restoring internet access to its pre-January state was...

Deal with US not imminent, Iran says

Excerpts from article by the BBC's Paulin Kola: Iran says some progress has been reached in talks with the US, but a deal "is not imminent". Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai's remarks came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said an agreement could possibly be reached on Monday. "It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion," Baqai said in Tehran on Monday. "But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent -

Iran to open Hormuz 30 days after US deal to end fighting: source

Estranged husband of former Scottish leader pleads guilty to embezzlement from party

The estranged husband of former Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling more than £400,000 (US$540,000) from the Scottish National Party to fund a lavish lifestyle when he was its chief executive. Peter Murrell, 61, who was remanded into custody in the High Court in Edinburgh after his plea, admitted he used the money to buy a motorhome, two cars and luxury goods. “By embezzling from the SNP, Peter Murrell was stealing the hopes, the dreams and the aspirations of..

Trump says Iran deal should include additional countries joining Abraham Accords

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that any agreement with Iran should include a requirement for several additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to join the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered agreements aimed at normalising relations with Israel that were forged during Trump’s first term. In a social media post, Trump said negotiations are “proceeding nicely” but tied any eventual agreement to expanded participation in the agreements first signed in 2020. He pointed to Saudi

Mexico to host Iran's World Cup team after US refusal, president says - Reuters

Mexico to host Iran's World Cup team after US refusal, president says Reuters

Delivery Hero Aktie und Uber: Die Schlacht um den Lieferdienst aus Berlin

Um den ehemaligen Dax-Konzern ist ein Übernahmekampf ausgebrochen. Bei Aufsichtsratschefin Kristin Skogen Lund sind wohl gleich mehrere Interessenten vorstellig geworden. Allen voran der US-Konzern Uber.

US chipmakers in China see revenue rise, defying trade tensions: Hurun list

Twenty-six US semiconductor firms, from Qualcomm to Nvidia, saw their China revenue climb by an average of 20 per cent last year, despite trade tensions, according to a new analysis. The data, featured in the latest “Hurun Top 100 US Enterprises in China 2026” report released by the Hurun Research Institute on Monday, tracks the performance of 100 publicly listed American companies based on their revenue in China last year. Among the top 100 earners in China, 26 were from the semiconductor...