Escalating Trade Tensions, Regional Shiftsactive

Older workers face employment challenges due to both discrimination and the economic calculations of recruiters, according to a report from the research and statistics office of the French Ministry of Labor (DARES).

The European Union (EU) stated this Friday afternoon that it is fulfilling the commitments it made to the United States and reserves the right to respond to protect its own interests, following President Donald Trump's announcement that he would raise tariffs on vehicles manufactured in Europe to 25%. "The EU is fulfilling the commitments of the Joint Declaration," and "we are keeping the U.S. administration fully informed at all times," a spokesperson for the European Parliament's Commission told Europa Press. The same source stated that "we maintain close contact with our counterparts, among other things, to obtain clarifications regarding the commitments of the United States." Furthermore, the spokesperson emphasized that the EU is "fully committed to a predictable and mutually beneficial transatlantic relationship." The spokesperson also warned that "in the event that the United States adopts measures incompatible with the Joint Declaration," all options will remain open to protect the interests of the European Union. Meanwhile, Bernd Lange, the President of the International Trade Committee (INTA) of the European Parliament, stated that this measure demonstrated that the United States was "unreliable." 1/2 Trump's plan to impose 25% tariffs on EU cars is unacceptable. The European Parliament is still honoring the Scotland deal and working to finalize legislation. While the EU is delivering, the…

Fujian province, the closest mainland Chinese province to Taiwan, is an important site for Beijing’s messaging towards the island. In the first of a two-part series, Xinlu Liang examines how Beijing is framing the executions of Communist Party spies in Taiwan within a reunification narrative. A courtyard house in an old quarter of Fuzhou, capital of the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian, has become the unlikeliest of national pilgrimage sites. For decades, the residence at No 1...

US president says EU 'not complying' with current trade deal; launches latest tariffs amid global economic uncertainty.

The European Union is not complying with a fully agreed to trade deal, the US president said

Beijing's special representative for Hong Kong affairs and a senior national energy official have met with CLP Holdings chairman Michael Kadoorie. Observers believe this signals that the company is expected to help minimize disruptions to people's lives during the ongoing global fuel crisis and to support the Northern Metropolis megaproject. The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office stated that its director, Xia Baolong, spoke with Kadoorie, his son Philip Kadoorie, and the senior management of the energy company CLP Power.

Hong Kong recorded over 76,000 visitor arrivals from mainland China on the first morning of the five-day Labour Day "golden week," with many heading to the countryside for scenic views, while others chose "city walks" to explore picturesque areas of the city. Some early arrivals went directly to the countryside after arriving at the West Kowloon rail terminus on Friday morning. University student Chen Hongjie, 18, was prepared to hike the MacLehose Trail on his first day in the city...

A cancer patient in southeastern China initiated a viral chain of kindness after ordering "companionship" through a food delivery platform. Little Li, a 24-year-old woman from Foshan, Guangdong province, is battling a rare blood cancer, according to Southern Daily. After undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy, her condition is stable, although she continues to receive care at the hospital. With her father working away to fund her treatment and her younger brother balancing an internship, Li often...

The head of Taiwan’s main opposition party said she has asked to meet with President Donald Trump on a planned trip to the US, casting herself as a leader who could prevent a conflict with China through dialogue with the world’s largest economies.

Fresh from consultations with Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping in April, Cheng Li-wun, the Chairwoman of Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT), plans to visit the US in June.  It will be awkward. During her US visit, at which she hopes to talk with US officials and politicians and visit think tanks and elite universities, Cheng says she […] The post Taiwan’s Cheng will face a tough crowd on US visit appeared first on Asia Times.

The state legislature of Florida, a state in the southern United States, has approved a proposal to redraw the boundaries of the federal House of Representatives districts in a way that favors the ruling Republican Party, ahead of the midterm elections this fall.

At least two Hong Kong residents have been penalised for vaping in Admiralty as health authorities begin enforcing a new law banning the public use of alternative tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. “We will issue penalty tickets without warning, and step up publicity in high-traffic areas such as business districts,” Head of Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office Dr Manny Lam Man-chung said, stressing that the new measure would not undermine tourism. A patrol in a business district in...

The Paraguayan government announced that President Santiago Peña will make his third official visit to Taiwan next week, with an agenda focused on diplomatic and economic matters. The trip aims to reaffirm a bilateral alliance established in 1957. Javier Giménez, head of the Presidential Civil Cabinet, stated in an interview with Radio Monumental that Peña will remain in Taiwan for at least four days, although the exact date has not yet been determined because "the agenda is still being finalized." Paraguay is the only country in South America and one of the 12 in the world that maintains formal relations with Taiwan. This situation occurs in a context where diplomatic pressure from China has reduced the number of official allies of Taipei. The Peña government has repeatedly stated that the relationship with Taipei is based on "shared values," despite the fact that some voices within the country propose a closer relationship with Beijing. Peña first visited Taiwan in 2023 as the elected president, and in 2024 he returned to the island to attend the inauguration of the current Taiwanese leader, William Lai. In 2025, beef exports generated $2.112 billion in revenue for Paraguay, and Taiwan was the third-largest destination for these shipments, with purchases totaling $288.3 million, according to data from the National Secretariat of Animal Quality and Health (Senacsa). Furthermore, in 2025, both countries finalized an…

On the morning of the 29th, a Chinese marine research vessel was confirmed to be operating within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, without the consent of the Japanese government. The Japan Coast Guard is continuing to issue warnings and conduct surveillance, urging the vessel to cease its activities.

Guangdong province will "actively align" with Hong Kong's strategy for the Northern Metropolis megaproject and emphasize areas of collaboration as part of the province's 15th five-year plan. The Guangdong provincial government on Tuesday published its development blueprint, with the term "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area" mentioned 57 times in the document and a chapter dedicated to the region's development. Its proposal for economic and social development, as part of Beijing's...

US suspect held in south-east Asia after genealogical DNA identified him in Tampa-area case involving 7-year-old girl A man accused of kidnapping and sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl in Florida in 1989 was recently arrested in the Philippines, according to authorities. Preserved DNA and genealogical research allowed investigators to identify Young Tom Talmadge, 69, as the suspect in the Tampa-area case, the Philippines’ government said in a statement. Continue reading...

Kim Jong Un has shown no sign that the US president can entice him to abandon nuclear ambitions.

Plans to build a mosque in Fujisawa, a city southwest of Tokyo, have become the latest flashpoint for Muslim communities in Japan, as a growing need for places of worship meets resistance from some local residents. Muslim community leaders and scholars said the opposition in Fujisawa reflected a broader pattern in Japan, where resistance to mosques has increasingly been shaped by negative overseas coverage of Islam and claims spread on social media. A public meeting in February called to allow...

For years, the global auto industry has been enveloped in the promise of the software-defined vehicle. But at the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, a more grounded reality came into focus: without sufficiently powerful hardware, software ambitions risk remaining just that—ambitions.

Thousands of Japanese are ignoring rising prices at home and the negative effects of the weak yen to take one last foreign holiday during "golden week" before airlines increase fuel surcharges. The operator of Narita International Airport anticipates that 1.59 million travelers will pass through the airport on the outskirts of Tokyo between Friday and May 10, an increase of approximately 2 percent from last year's "golden week" holiday season. Sunday was the peak day for departures, with nearly 57,000 people flying.

Beijing is ready to take risks as Tokyo backs Taiwan.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has initiated a process to overhaul the country's major security policies, arguing that Japan must strengthen its military capabilities in the face of geopolitical threats, including those from China. A Chinese expert stated that Takaichi's remarks during a meeting of experts tasked with revising key policy documents indicated a "fundamental" shift in Tokyo's strategy, suggesting that the country's security roadmap would likely become "more aggressive." Beijing, meanwhile,...

A meeting on maritime traffic safety was held at the United Nations Security Council, where Japan expressed serious concerns about the ongoing maritime activities of China in the East China Sea and the South China Sea. China countered these concerns and engaged in a back-and-forth exchange of criticisms.

China's central tech hub Wuhan has unveiled its 2026 major project plan, targeting 355 city-level projects with total investment exceeding CNY260 billion (approx. US$38.1 billion).

Taiwan has received its final shipment of US-made M1A2T Abrams tanks, completing a long-delayed order aimed at modernising the island’s ageing armoured forces. Considered among the world’s most powerful tanks, these vehicles are expected to bolster the island’s defence amid rising military pressure from Beijing. The shipment of 28 tanks arrived at the Port of Taipei over the weekend and was moved overnight under police and military escort to the army’s Armour Training Command in Hsinchu county’s...

The Chinese military aired footage over the weekend of YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile launches, as joint US-Philippines-Japan drills heighten tensions in the disputed South China Sea. China Military Bugle, a social media account run by the People’s Liberation Army, posted a video on Sunday of the PLA Navy conducting strike tests at sea, including multiple YJ-20 launches. The post did not specify when and where the missiles were fired. However, the footage was released two days after Beijing...

Woman’s body found in Iwate prefecture last week, soon after a police officer was injured in bear attack nearby Rested but famished bears emerging from hibernation in Japan are already coming into contact with humans, with the pace of sightings outstripping that seen in 2025, a record year for bear attacks. According to media reports, the animals have been spotted with surprising frequency in urban areas in the country’s north-east, with authorities urging caution among people planning to spend the coming Golden Week public holidays in the countryside. Continue reading...

Japan is planning to build what could become the world’s largest floating wind farm – a gigawatt-scale project off the Izu Islands to power the island chain and Tokyo. But the plan, championed by Governor Yuriko Koike, is facing questions over whether it can be delivered by 2035. There are also doubts about the power generation forecast and whether Japan could tackle the technical demands of such a megaproject. Koike first announced the wind farm project at a climate change conference in...

More than 5,000 Guangdong motorists have been approved to drive into Hong Kong’s urban areas under a southbound travel scheme as of March, while 90 per cent of the 3,500 travellers who booked to visit have stayed for one or two days. The Transport Department said on Sunday that the urban access portion of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles arrangement was operating smoothly and had become increasingly popular since its launch near the end of 2025. The scheme currently grants access to...

Hong Kong authorities have increased publicity efforts with mainland Chinese media in anticipation of a ban on possessing alternative smoking products, including e-cigarettes, in public places. This ban will take effect before the Labour Day "golden week" holiday. Director of Health Ronald Lam Man-kin stated on Sunday that the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office had conducted over 11,000 inspections and issued approximately 2,200 fixed penalty notices of HK$3,000 (US$383) so far this year. Of these, 23 were related to the...

Huge crowds of visitors during cherry blossom season have put a picturesque Japanese town on edge. Some residents are trying to take charge.

Authorities confirmed that Matthew James Sullivan died from an accidental overdose, which has intensified scrutiny as 14 space experts are currently missing or deceased.

From Taiwan to Tibet, French President Emmanuel Macron has touched Beijing’s nerves on a range of sensitive issues over the past few weeks. On a trip to Japan earlier this month, he and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi “emphasised the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and urged a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues through constructive dialogue”. The irritation for Beijing was less about the language and more about the timing, with the joint statement coming...

While other major airport terminals are grappling with rodent infestations, staff strikes, and collapsing ceilings, the futuristic and serene atmosphere of Changi Airport in Singapore seems like a world apart.

Hong Kong will intensify law enforcement efforts against forced shopping, unlicensed tour guides, and unfair sales practices targeting visitors during mainland China's Labour Day "golden week," according to the city's tourism minister. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui stated on Saturday that hotel occupancy rates in Hong Kong are expected to exceed 90 percent during the period, with the government estimating 980,000 visitors from mainland China, an increase of 7 percent compared to the same holiday last year.

A turret explosion that killed three Japanese crew members inside a Type 10 tank during manoeuvres earlier this week has caused shock and confusion in military circles. Japan’s defence ministry and experts concur that a round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of and the cause of the accident will need to be traced before the Ground Self-Defence Force’s (GSDF) newest and most advanced tank can return to training. An analyst suggests the investigation will look closely at...

The White House has introduced a beehive shaped like a miniature presidential mansion.

The discovery of hundreds of toxic mothballs on St. Pete Beach triggered an official investigation in Florida, posing a direct threat to a protected bird colony and necessitating an urgent cleanup operation. The incident, detected on April 20, 2026, in a coastal area approximately 48 kilometers southwest of Tampa, mobilized the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), volunteers, and environmental organizations such as Audubon Florida and the Coastal Wildlife Advocacy Group. The presence of these banned pesticides in the open air has raised concerns about the safety of wildlife and visitors, as detailed by USA Today and confirmed by state authorities. The FWC explained that the use of mothballs outdoors violates state and federal laws, as these products contain toxic compounds such as naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, which can severely harm birds, pets, and people. The official investigation is focused on determining whether the dispersal of the pesticides was intentional and whether it was aimed at preventing the nesting of the black skimmer, a threatened species in the region. According to a report by Axios Tampa Bay, the placement of new mothballs after an initial cleanup reinforces the hypothesis of a deliberate action. St. Pete Beach is an ecologically important area due to the seasonal presence of black skimmer colonies, a species protected by Florida law. The intervention…

Belgium is loosening closing-time rules for its stores, to give them a fighting chance against online retailers. The federal government announced Friday it formally scrapped the requirement for shops to close for a mandatory 24-hour period each week. It also relaxed closing-time rules, allowing shops to stay open until 9 p.m. every day. Previously, shops had to close at 8 p.m. on most days. The changes to physical merchants’ opening hours were announced last summer to help them compete with online vendors. “The current law is no longer adapted to the expectations of consumers and retailers, nor to the development of e-commerce, which is much more flexible than physical stores, causing distortions of competition,” Eléonore Simonet, Belgium’s minister for small businesses, the self-employed and SMEs, said in a statement in July 2025. “More flexibility should ensure that retailers can adapt to current expectations,” she added. While large retailers have welcomed the increased flexibility, employees have raised concerns. Earlier this week, workers at Aldi, one of Belgium’s largest supermarket chains, went on strike after the company told unions it would start exploring the option of opening branches on Sundays. Smaller and self-employed retailers fear the measures will put pressure on them, as larger companies will find it easier to adapt. The Neutral Union for the Self-Employed (NSZ) has argued that the reforms will lead to higher operating costs without increasing income. Since July 2025, the legislation has undergone a formal consultation procedure before being approved by the Council of Ministers on Friday. The law, which forms part of the current government’s coalition agreement, must now be approved by the Belgian parliament and is expected to enter into force later this summer.

As the US Navy moves to deploy thousands of unmanned surface vessels in the Indo-Pacific, questions are mounting over whether these drone swarms can deliver meaningful combat and deterrent effects against China. This month, USNI News reported that the US Navy is looking to field thousands of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in the Indo-Pacific by […] The post US Navy’s audacious drone swarm bet against China appeared first on Asia Times.

Taiwanese analysts have broadly welcomed a new US Navy plan to deploy thousands of uncrewed surface vessels across the Indo-Pacific by 2030, saying it could complicate Beijing’s military planning and strengthen deterrence. But they also warned that unless Taipei pressed ahead with its own stalled drone fleet ambitions, the approach might offer Taiwan only limited direct benefit, given Washington’s production, logistics and surveillance challenges. The assessments follow remarks this week by...

Data also indicates that the impact of prices increases as more renewable energy sources are added to the grid.

A hotel operator's planned entry into the Xiongan New Area, southwest of Beijing, underscores a tentative but growing alignment between Hong Kong's private sector and the state-backed development project, as leaders renew efforts to accelerate the zone's transformation into a high-tech growth hub. Hong Kong-based Langham Hospitality Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Great Eagle Holdings, announced on Thursday that it had signed a management agreement with China Xiongan Group Public Service Management to...

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Jonah Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Dispatch, about President Trump's declining public approval.

A long-awaited cross-border solo travel scheme will allow yachts from Macau and Hong Kong to easily sail to about six designated ports in the western waters off the Greater Bay Area, with the policy to be finalised as early as this summer, the South China Morning Post has learned. A Guangdong provincial government document, seen by the SCMP, also showed several routes that were recommended for leisure, such as the waters off Castle Peak Bay, the Pearl River Delta and Fan Lau Kok of the Lantau...

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) on Wednesday said he will appeal an injunction on the state’s redistricting referendum approved by voters. “As I said last night, Virginia voters have spoken, and an activist judge should not have veto power over the People’s vote,” Jones said in a statement shared on the social platform X.…

The U.S. Department of State on Wednesday condemned the pressure exerted by China on three African nations to block the airspace for the plane carrying Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, which forced him to cancel his official visit to Eswatini – the island's only African ally. A spokesperson for the State Department described the maneuver as an abuse of the international civil aviation system and demanded that Beijing cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan. This was the first time in history that a Taiwanese president had to cancel a trip abroad due to the refusal of third countries to open their airspace. Seychelles, Madagascar, and Mauritius unilaterally revoked the overflight permits granted to President Lai's plane, which was scheduled to depart on Wednesday for Mbabane to attend the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III's coronation. The Secretary-General of the Presidential Office of Taiwan, Pan Meng-an, announced the cancellation at a press conference and clarified that the revocation was unilateral and without prior notification. This would have been Lai's first trip abroad since November 2024, when he visited the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, with stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. According to Reuters, the State Department spokesperson stated that the countries involved acted "at the behest of China, interfering with the safety and dignity of a routine trip..."

President Trump responded Wednesday to Virginia Democrats’ redistricting win the previous night, saying the results were “rigged” without citing evidence.  “A RIGGED ELECTION TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT IN THE GREAT COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA!” Trump wrote in a post on TruthSocial.  “All day long Republicans were winning, the Spirit was unbelievable, until the very end when,…

President Trump's political director, James Blair, expressed confidence on Wednesday regarding potential GOP victories in the upcoming midterm elections, despite declining economic approval ratings and a recent defeat on a redistricting measure in Virginia. "We are not oblivious to the history of midterm elections, of course, but it is far too early to declare defeat," Blair told CNN's Dana Bash.

Authorities have found the body of one of the six missing crew members from a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during a typhoon. US Air Force divers “used an underwater remotely operated drone to search the interior of the vessel” and recovered the body on Tuesday, the US Coast Guard said in a news release. Additional divers from the Japan Coast Guard further examined the ship. They did not find any additional crew members, the US Coast Guard said. “Coastguard...

China indicated it was pleased with three countries that apparently blocked Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s trip to an African diplomatic ally, as Beijing seeks to further isolate the self-ruled democracy.

LED packaging maker Brightek reported consolidated revenue of NT$161 million (US$5.1 million) in the first quarter of 2026, down 9.7% year on year, impacted by the transition period at its new Nantong plant in Jiangsu, China, which began operations at the end of 2025. The company posted a net loss after tax of NT$3.95 million for March alone, widening its losses from the same month last year, with a loss per share of NT$0.06.

Florida has opened a criminal investigation into OpenAI following a deadly shooting in 2025 at Florida State University, Attorney General James ​Uthmeier said Tuesday. Authorities are looking into claims that the company's ChatGPT chatbot provided information to the suspect prior to the attack.

China is backing Namibia’s bid to move beyond raw material exports by supporting the domestic processing of critical minerals and uranium. In a joint communique issued on Friday following bilateral talks in Beijing between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his counterpart Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, China pledged to help transform Namibia’s natural resources into higher-value products through domestic processing and downstream cooperation. Namibia, which has exported unprocessed minerals for decades, is...

Ahead of the midterm elections taking place this fall in the United States, the congressional district boundaries in southern Virginia are expected to be redrawn in a way that favors the opposition Democratic Party. This is seen as a blow to the ruling Republican Party and former President Trump.

Florida on Tuesday announced a criminal probe into whether artificial intelligence played a role in a deadly mass shooting at a university in the US state. The decision to launch an investigation came after prosecutors reviewed exchanges between OpenAI chatbot ChatGPT and the suspected gunman, who opened fire at Florida State University last year, according to state Attorney General James Uthmeier. “If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder,” Uthmeier said. Florida law...

The State Council, China’s cabinet, has published guidelines on innovative drug pricing that a bank analyst has described as “the most significant” in a decade, as they aim to reward drug innovation and ease pricing tension for domestic and multinational pharmaceutical companies. The framework document published this month said patented innovative drugs would be supported through value-based pricing, while the prices of generic drugs would be driven down through market competition and...

Amid all the tensions in the Middle East, the situation in East Asia looks a lot calmer. That’s especially true after a visit to Beijing by Taiwan’s opposition leader Cheng Li-wun, a positive sign for peace and an encouraging step toward Washington’s longstanding interest in peaceful cross-strait relations. Cheng’s visit to China was not unprecedented. The opposition […] The post Taiwan’s KMT offers US an off-ramp from war with China appeared first on Asia Times.

The US Navy’s F/A-XX fighter bid underscores a deeper contest with China not just over next-generation carrier aircraft, but over which side can sustain carrier aviation as a credible instrument of power, deterrence and influence in the Indo-Pacific. The Navy will select a builder for its next-generation F/A-XX carrier-based fighter in August, Chief of Naval […] The post F/A-XX fighter tests future of US carrier power against China appeared first on Asia Times.

Half of Taiwanese not only doubt the US would send troops to defend Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait conflict but also question whether American weapons would prove effective, a poll this week has revealed. The results highlighted mounting scepticism on the island over Washington’s security guarantees, according to the survey released on Monday by the Taipei-based Democracy Foundation. The poll found that 57 per cent of respondents did not believe the US would send troops to defend the...

A Japanese prefecture is paying its singles to use dating apps as the country grapples with record-low birth rates. Kochi prefecture announced on April 10 that it would subsidise private matchmaking app fees for its young residents, according to a Sankei News report. Residents aged between 20 and 39 will get a subsidy of up to 20,000 yen (US$125) for the 2026 financial year to use apps that have received “internet-based marriage partner introduction service certification”. One of these verified...

State attorney general said inquiry will look into whether AI tool offered ‘significant advice’ to campus shooting suspect Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Florida’s top prosecutor is to launch a criminal investigation into how the tech company OpenAI and its software tool ChatGPT may influence users’ threats of harm to themselves or others, including whether it “offered significant advice” to a gunman accused of conducting a mass shooting in the state last year. State attorney general James Uthmeier said at a news conference on Tuesday that his office is expanding an examination of OpenAI, saying a “criminal investigation is necessary” and the state had issued subpoenas to the $852bn California-based tech firm. Continue reading...

China's next-generation "drone-carrier" amphibious assault ship is en route to the South China Sea for critical sea trials, China's military announced Tuesday. This is the same area where the US, the Philippines, and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises, and where the aircraft carrier Liaoning is reportedly sailing. "The Sichuan, our country's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, has set sail from Shanghai for relevant waters in the South China Sea to carry out scientific..."

WASHINGTON. – Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer is leaving the cabinet of U.S. President Donald Trump, the White House announced on Monday, following multiple allegations of abuse of power, including having a relationship with a subordinate and consuming alcohol during work hours. Chavez-DeRemer is the third member of Trump's cabinet to leave their position, after the president dismissed then-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in March and removed Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month. "It has been an honor and a privilege to serve in this historic Administration and work for the greatest President of my lifetime." "At the Department of Labor, I am proud that we made significant progress in advancing President Trump’s mission to bridge the gap between business…" — Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer (@SecretaryLCD) April 20, 2026 In a statement posted on social media, Chavez-DeRemer praised the Republican president and wrote: "I am proud that we have made significant progress in advancing President Trump's mission to bridge the gap between businesses and workers, and to always put the American worker first." Unlike other recent departures from the cabinet, Chavez-DeRemer's resignation was announced by a White House aide and not by the president himself on his social media account. "Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, is leavin…

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida has intensified its dispute with OpenAI and the ChatGPT tool on Tuesday, as the state pursues potential criminal charges related to the popular bot's involvement in a deadly campus shooting at Florida State University last year. Florida's Attorney General, James Uthmeier, stated that the state's investigation into OpenAI is expanding because a "criminal investigation is necessary" after state prosecutors determined that ChatGPT "offered significant advice" to the suspected FSU shooter. The state issued subpoenas to the tech firm on Tuesday, indicating that "legal action" is expected soon. "If this were a person on the other end of the screen, we would be charging them with murder," Uthmeier said during an event in Tampa. Uthmeier, a Republican appointee of Governor Ron DeSantis, earlier this month indicated that Florida would investigate OpenAI and ChatGPT over public safety and national security concerns. The attorney general elaborated on the investigation on Tuesday, explaining that Florida is now pursuing criminal and civil investigations into OpenAI surrounding the FSU shooting, child sex abuse material, and the encouragement of suicide and self-harm. New revelations from the FSU shooting are expected to play a central role in Florida's criminal investigation into OpenAI. The suspected FSU gunman, Phoenix Ikner, who was a 20-year-old student during the April 2025 shooting, allegedly communicated frequently with the ChatGPT bot about a campus attack. Specifi…

Hong Kong police are investigating two separate traffic accidents on Tuesday that led to the deaths of two women. In the first case, police were alerted at about 8.51am to a light goods vehicle driven by a 36-year-old man travelling along Cha Kwo Ling Road towards Yau Tong. The vehicle was approaching Yau Tong MTR station when it reportedly knocked down a woman crossing the road. The woman, a 30-year-old from mainland China, sustained serious injuries to her head and limbs. She was rushed to...

The two main ferry operators running daily services between Hong Kong and Macau will raise fares by up to 11 per cent amid surging fuel prices, while a union said bus drivers were reporting lost income as companies cut services. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the government would continue to monitor oil prices as it pressed ahead with measures set out earlier by the interdepartmental task force on fuel supply. A day earlier, TurboJet and Cotai Water Jet said they would...

The country hopes to bolster national defense and boost economic growth. But the decision, seen as going against the country's pacifism, has caused unease among some of the Japanese public.

Despite Trump's criticisms of wind and solar power, countries are still increasingly turning to renewable energy sources for national security reasons.

Hong Kong’s top-ranking civil servants will be held accountable if they fail to provide adequate support in policy formulation, the city’s leader has said, despite a new investigation mechanism that primarily targets department heads. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the proposed “Heads of Department Accountability System” was intended to promote self-improvement within departments rather than “picking on” individuals. Under the new mechanism, the chief executive, department...

Hong Kong's leader has defended the government's decision to postpone the legalization of basketball betting, emphasizing that the policy was never intended to promote gambling and that all risks must be controlled before any further action is taken. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu made the remarks on Tuesday, following the government's unexpected reversal last week to halt the authorization of basketball betting, citing the rapid growth of prediction markets – cryptocurrency-based platforms that allow...

Trump’s labour secretary becomes the third cabinet member to leave the administration in less than two months. Earlier in March, the US president fired Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem and soon after dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi.

China recently pledged to expand military support to Somalia in its fight against al-Shabaab militants. Beijing has promised equipment, training and closer security cooperation with Mogadishu. This marks a shift from China’s traditionally cautious and small presence in the country. Brendon J Cannon has researched how external powers – including China – engage with sub-Saharan […] The post In jab at Taiwan, China ramps up military support for Somalia appeared first on Asia Times.

President Donald Trump's signature became the butt of jokes for late night talk show host Jon Stewart, who pointed to what he found to be peculiarities.

Pro-Trump Super Pac raises $35mn in March with donations from billionaire Diane Hendricks and Andreessen Horowitz

The number of members from China’s leading scientific and engineering institutes in the top ranks of the Communist Party has doubled over the course of a decade, according to a new report. It said the number of academicians in the party’s 18th Central Committee, selected in 2012, stood at 15, accounting for around 3.5 per cent of the total membership. But when the 20th Central Committee started its five-year term in 2022, this total had risen to 30, around 8 per cent of the total, including...

Chavez-DeRemer leaves the Trump administration after the recent departures of Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi.

President Donald Trump’s super political action committee raised $35.6 million in March, bolstering his war chest to $550 million as he tries to defy history by hanging onto congressional Republican majorities in an increasingly difficult midterm election environment.

Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is out of President Donald Trump’s cabinet, the administration announced on Monday, after a series of alleged abuses of her position’s power, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job. Chavez-DeRemer is the third Trump cabinet member to leave her post after Trump fired his embattled homeland security secretary Kristi Noem in March and ousted Pam Bondi as attorney general earlier this month. Unlike other recent cabinet...

In March, China's exports of magnets made with rare earth elements to Japan decreased by more than 27% compared to the same month last year. Some analysts believe this decline is a result of the Chinese government's strengthened export controls on dual-use items destined for Japan.