- Is China’s military really built for war? New report questions Beijing’s arms buildup CNN
- How Xi put China's army in order Le Monde
- China, Taiwan, and the PLA’s 2027 milestones The Interpreter
- PLA modernising rapidly but still lacks key capabilities to conquer Taiwan: MAC report The Tribune India
- China’s military is proving to be a Paper Dragon The Sunday Guardian
UK marketplace sellers face ‘second Brexit’ hit from Trump’s US import rules
End of ‘de minimis’ policy for Chinese goods also expected to hit bigger fashion retailers such as Asos and Boohoo
Many UK-based independent sellers on marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon could suffer a significant hit to US sales from planned changes to import rules under Donald Trump, with experts comparing the impact to a second Brexit.
The new rules, which mean all parcels originating or made in China and being sold into the US must pay import duty – of as much as 15% on fashion items – and an additional 10% tariff, are also expected to impact bigger online clothing retailers such as Asos and Boohoo.
Continue reading...European leaders regroup in Paris for strategy huddle after Trump diplomatic blitz on Ukraine – The Associated Press
- European leaders regroup in Paris for strategy huddle after Trump diplomatic blitz on Ukraine The Associated Press
- European leaders seek to prevent rewarding Russian aggression, Spain says Reuters
- Costa says Europe needs to negotiate ‘new security architecture’ with Russia Financial Times
- Europe live: European leaders meet in Paris to discuss Ukraine’s future The Guardian
- European leaders scramble ahead of Trump's Ukraine summit with Putin NPR
Can Europe and UK persuade Trump they’re relevant to Ukraine’s future?
Europe's hastily convened security summit in Paris is proof of leaders' anxiety about their role in defending Ukraine, the BBC's Katya Adler writes.
South Korea blocks downloads of DeepSeek from local app stores – TechCrunch
- South Korea blocks downloads of DeepSeek from local app stores TechCrunch
- New downloads of DeepSeek suspended in South Korea, data protection agency says Reuters
- Downloads of DeepSeek’s AI apps paused in South Korea over privacy concerns The Associated Press
- South Korea bans new downloads of China's DeepSeek AI BBC.com
- DeepSeek AI model lacks protection mechanism, open to use by pedophiles, Israeli study finds Ynetnews
Man from uncontacted tribe filmed emerging from Amazon and asking for fire – The Independent
- Man from uncontacted tribe filmed emerging from Amazon and asking for fire The Independent
- Man from uncontacted tribe emerges from rainforest, signals to villagers Popular Science
- Isolated indigenous man makes brief contact with community in Brazil’s Amazon The Associated Press
- Indigenous Man From Uncontacted Tribe Shows Up in Brazilian Village Gizmodo
Singapore opposition leader, found guilty of lying to parliament, could face electoral ban
Pritam Singh’s conviction is a blow to the city state’s struggling political opposition, which is seeking to challenge the entrenched ruling party in upcoming elections
Singapore’s opposition leader has been convicted of lying to parliament while helping a fellow party member to cover up a false witness account, in a case that could disqualify him from running in upcoming national elections.
Pritam Singh, 48, secretary-general of the Workers’ Party, was found guilty on Monday on two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee that was investigating a fellow MP.
Continue reading...Australia news live: embattled casino operator Star offered $650m lifeline; name of next cyclone changed from Anthony to avoid using PM’s name
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Hume rules out working with teals if Coalition wins 70-72 seats
Jane Hume was asked whether the Coalition was in a position to form any alliances with the crossbench, amid new polling from YouGov showing neither party looks to be coming out with a clear majority.
That would cause chaos, and would cause chaos politically and economically as well.
On average, the teals have voted with the Greens around 78% of the time, with Labor around 75% of the time, and with the Coalition around 18% of the time.
I think it’s really important to look at what people do rather than what people say. We’re planning on going to this election to win the election, because Australians deserve better than what they’ve had for the last three years.
Continue reading...‘Public policy failure’: number of public school students in Australia falls to record low – again
Only states where enrolments to government schools grew in 2024 were Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia – all by less than 2%
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The proportion of students enrolled in public schools has fallen to another record low, new data shows, placing Australia at risk of a “full blown flight” from the sector.
Of the 45,008 students who enrolled at schools in 2024, only 5,419 went to government schools while 39,589 went to the private sector.
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Continue reading...‘No safe place’: the BBC documentary showing Gaza through a child’s eyes
BBC Two’s Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone gathers intimate footage of three children surviving in the besieged strip
“Have you ever wondered what you’d do if your world is destroyed?” asks 13-year-old Abdullah, speaking at the beginning of an intimate BBC Two documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, that airs on Monday night. “Most important, could you stay alive? After all this, you could say we’re experts.”
Abdullah, now 14 and heading back to his prewar home in the north of the shattered territory, is the English-speaking narrator – one of three children whose stories of hope and endurance are at the heart of an hour-long film, a distinctive and deliberate choice intended to make the film resonate after 15 months of war.
Continue reading...Brazil asks UN to ditch proposed levy on global shipping
Those supporting the deal hope it will raise billions to help poor countries deal with climate breakdown
Brazil has asked the UN to throw out plans for a new levy on global shipping that would raise funds to fight the climate crisis, despite playing host to the next UN climate summit.
The proposed levy on carbon dioxide emissions from shipping will be discussed at a crunch meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that begins on Monday. Those supporting the deal, including the UK, the EU and Japan, are hoping the levy will raise billions of dollars a year, which could be used to help poor countries cope with the effects of climate breakdown.
Continue reading...Reeves warned UK inflation will push public sector unions to seek higher pay rises
Plan for ‘reasonable’ 2.8% rises may prove insufficient, forcing chancellor to find billions in extra funding
Rachel Reeves has been warned public sector unions will demand higher pay increases to compensate for accelerating inflation, heaping pressure on the chancellor to find billions of pounds in extra funding.
The government made recommendations in December for a 2.8% pay rise for teachers, NHS staff and other public sector workers for the financial year beginning in April, saying it was a “reasonable amount” given forecasts for the economy.
Continue reading...Trump policies make US ‘scary place to invest’ and risk stagflation, says Stiglitz
Uncertainty created by tariffs and contempt for rule of law will deter investment, says top economist
Donald Trump’s tariff threats have made the US “a scary place to invest” and may unleash stagflation, the Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has said.
“It risks the worst of all possible worlds: a kind of stagflation,” Stiglitz said in an interview with the Guardian.
Continue reading...Netanyahu vows to ‘finish the job’ against Iran with support from Trump – Yahoo
- Netanyahu vows to ‘finish the job’ against Iran with support from Trump Yahoo
- Rubio, Netanyahu affirm 'common strategy' for Gaza, set sights on Iran in joint statement Fox News
- News Wrap: Rubio reaffirms Trump’s Gaza takeover plan on trip to Israel PBS NewsHour
- Rubio says Hamas 'must be eradicated': 'It sounded as if, almost, the war still had to begin' FRANCE 24 English
- Rubio Came to Israel to Save Netanyahu. But What Does Trump Get Out of It? Haaretz
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events – day 1,089
Here are the key developments on the 1,089th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
US drops wording saying it does not support Taiwan independence
US State Department plays down changes as 'routine' update after Taipei welcomes 'positive and friendly' wording.
The Hottest Job in a World at War: Gun-for-Hire – The Wall Street Journal
The Hottest Job in a World at War: Gun-for-Hire The Wall Street Journal
U.S.-Russia meeting on Ukraine war expected on Tuesday, sources say – Axios
- U.S.-Russia meeting on Ukraine war expected on Tuesday, sources say Axios
- Rubio arrives in Saudi Arabia before Russia talks to end Ukraine war Reuters
- U.S. and Russian officials to discuss how to end Ukraine war The Washington Post
- Trump says he could meet Putin ‘soon’ as Ukraine, Europe reel from outreach Al Jazeera English
- US-Russia Talks Set for Saudi & Europe's Leaders Urgent Ukraine Talks | Daybreak: Europe 02/17/2025 Bloomberg
Postcard from Munich: American carnage – EURACTIV
- Postcard from Munich: American carnage EURACTIV
- Europe's leaders divided over their tactics with Trump BBC.com
- Opinion | A Message to Europe From Western Disunion The Wall Street Journal
- Trump and Vance have smashed the old order – how should Europe respond? The Guardian
- Trump Team Leaves European Alliance in Crisis; Macron Calls for Emergency Summit The New York Times
Friends of Russian anti-war singer cast doubt on official version of his death
Vadim Stroykin reported to have killed himself by jumping from a ninth-floor window during visit by security services
No one knows exactly what happened in the final moments of Vadim Stroykin’s life.
The 59-year-old Russian singer-songwriter’s vibrant career came to a sudden end on 5 February when a team from Russia’s security services arrived at his cramped ninth-floor St Petersburg flat at 9am. They were investigating him for what has become one of the gravest offences in today’s Russia — donating to the Ukrainian army.
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