BEIJING, CHINA | Xinhua | The U.S. military strike against Venezuela and capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro, has shocked the international community, triggering a steady stream of condemnation and serious concerns worldwide. On Saturday, the United States, as said by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social, “carried …
Read More »Can America win the new race for scientific leadership?
COMMENT | NANCY QIAN | As geopolitical tensions rise, competition for the cutting-edge science and talent that underpins advanced technology has heated up. The United States, China, and other major powers now regard leadership in areas like AI, semiconductors, quantum technologies, and biotechnology as central to military capability, economic security, …
Read More »Inside Israel’s foray into the Horn of Africa
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has set off alarm bells from Mogadishu to Addis Ababa, pulling the Horn of Africa into a widening geopolitical contest COVER STORY | RONALD MUSOKE | When Israel announced on Dec.26 that it had formally recognised Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, it triggered diplomatic shockwaves …
Read More »TRUMP: We have captured Maduro
WASHINGTON | Xinhua | The U.S. military launched a series of attacks against Venezuela early Saturday morning, reportedly capturing President Nicolas Maduro and flying him out of the country. Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, speaking on a state-run television station, said the whereabouts of Maduro and his wife are unknown, asking …
Read More »U.S. in 2025: Chaos and polarization
NEW YORK, the United States | Xinhua | The past year ended with an ugly drama for Americans: thousands of pages of documents from sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s case were finally made public, yet many appeared as little more than fields of blacked-out text, entire pages obscured by heavy redactions. …
Read More »Japan talks tough
COMMENT | IAN BURUMA | It didn’t take long for Japan’s hawkish new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, to rile the Chinese government. On November 7, just weeks after her election, Takaichi responded to a question in parliament about a possible Chinese attack or blockade against Taiwan by saying that it could constitute …
Read More »Unique tea leaf culture in Myanmar
YANGON | Xinhua | As the old Myanmar saying goes, “Mango is the best fruit and tea is the best leaf.” For centuries, tea leaves have held a special place in Myanmar culture — not only brewed as a drink, but also eaten as fermented leaves and deeply rooted in …
Read More »Mamdani sworn in as New York City’s first Muslim mayor
NEW YORK | Xinhua | Democrat Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor on Thursday, becoming the first Muslim leader of America’s largest city by population with a vow to combat the city’s affordability crisis. In his inauguration ceremony, Mamdani reiterated his campaign promises to make the …
Read More »YEAR-ENDER: Peace, development remain Asia-Pacific’s shared aspirations amid security challenges
HONG KONG | Xinhua | In 2025, the Asia-Pacific region faced a series of security challenges, ranging from recurring border conflicts, aggressive political rhetoric to domestic unrest in several countries. Despite these challenges, regional countries continue to express a shared commitment to peace and development, highlighting that dialogue and cooperation …
Read More »China’s sacred revolutionary heartland Yan’an launches high-speed rail link
* A bullet train departed Yan’an on Friday, linking the sacred revolutionary heartland to the country’s high-speed rail network. * More than half of the new route crosses soft, water-sensitive loess, presenting world-class engineering challenges. * The line’s opening has brought China’s high-speed rail mileage to over 50,000 km. XI’AN, …
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