Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

News

Hard Numbers: HK “protest,” Lebanese time warp, US Veep in Africa, Taiwan’s few friends, straight outta Helsinki

Protest against a land reclamation and waste transfer station project in Hong Kong.

Protest against a land reclamation and waste transfer station project in Hong Kong.

REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

80: That’s how many Hong Kongers joined the first authorized protest in the territory since China passed a sweeping national security law in 2020. Demonstrators were obliged to show numbered tags on lanyards and were not allowed to wear masks during the demonstration against a land reclamation and rubbish processing project, where attendance was restricted to 100 participants.


2: What’s the time in Beirut? Good question. Lebanese are confused following a sectarian spat between authorities over when to begin Daylight Savings Time. PM Najib Mikati, a Sunni Muslim, announced that clocks will go forward at the end of Ramadan in late April so Muslims can end the fast earlier, while the influential Christian Maronite Church wants to do it on the last Sunday of March.

3: US Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday began a week-long tour of three African countries: Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia. Harris, the highest-ranking Biden administration official so far to visit the continent, will focus on economic development, food security, and leveraging Africa’s youth population as the US president continues his efforts to win African hearts and minds amid China’s growing influence.

13: After Honduras established diplomatic ties with China and broke off relations with Taiwan, the self-ruled island’s international recognition has dwindled to only 13 countries. The shift demonstrates Beijing’s rising diplomatic clout in Central America on the heels of a visit to the region by Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.

2: Two Finnish MPs are spinning rhymes as they battle for votes, releasing rap music videos ahead of the April 2 election. Johan Kvarnstrom, from the ruling center-left Social Democratic Party, and Coel Thomas from the Green Party have been winning rave reviews for their vids, done in collaboration with a local rapper.

More For You

​Then-US President George W. Bush with then-People's Republic of China President Jiang Zemin following their meeting at Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, on October 25, 2002.

Then-US President George W. Bush waves as he stands with then-People's Republic of China President Jiang Zemin after the two gave statements to the press following their meeting at Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, on October 25, 2002.

Twenty-five years ago, Destiny’s Child, NSYNC, and Britney Spears were atop the US charts, “Google” was a little known search website with a weird name, and two things happened that would shape the world we live in today, where populism defines politics and great power competition is back. First, Congress passed a bill that paved the way for China [...]
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on AI next to Sriram Krishnan, Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence on December 11, 2025.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on AI next to Sriram Krishnan, Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence on December 11, 2025.

REUTERS/Al Drago
38: Large tech firms will be celebrating after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at undercutting the ability of states to introduce regulations on artificial intelligence. Thirty-eight states have adopted AI laws. Trump’s order aims to just have one federal law be the standard. [...]
​December 9, 2025, Rome, Italy: Italian politicians from parties +Europa, Democratic Party, Azione, Europa Now gather to welcome Ukraines President Zelensky with a banner made up of 27 EU flags and the Ukrainian flag.

December 9, 2025, Rome, Italy: Italian politicians from parties +Europa, Democratic Party, Azione, Europa Now gather to welcome Ukraines President Zelensky with a banner made up of 27 EU flags and the Ukrainian flag.

Marco Di Gianvito/ZUMA Press Wire
EU poised to unfreeze Russian cash for Ukraine aidThe EU is set to indefinitely freeze more than $247 billion in Russian central bank assets today, clearing the path to use the money to keep Ukraine funded as the war grinds on. The move would end the precarious six-month renewal cycle — and reduce the chances of Kremlin-friendly countries like [...]
​Miami Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins points as she thanks her staff and supporters on the night of the general election, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.

Miami Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins points as she thanks her staff and supporters on the night of the general election, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.

Carl Juste/Miami Herald/TNS/ABACAPRESS.COM
For the second time in a month, Republicans lost a mayoral race in a state US President Donald Trump has called home. This time it happened in Florida.Democrat Eileen Higgins defeated Republican Emilio González in Miami’s mayoral election on Tuesday to become the first female leader of Florida’s largest city, and the first Democrat to win this [...]