Latest

China lifts final bans on Australian red meat as trade row nears end
China lifts final bans on Australian red meat as trade row nears end
Economy
by  AFP

China has fully lifted suspensions on Australian red meat, Canberra said Tuesday, dismantling one of the final barriers in a four-year trade war that hammered US$13 billion of exports. China lifted suspensions on eight Australian slaughterhouses in May this year but kept barriers in place for two facilities.

Biden kicks off two-day Angola visit
Biden kicks off two-day Angola visit
Economy
by  AFP

US President Joe Biden is in Angola on Tuesday for the first and only visit to sub-Saharan Africa of his presidency, which is focused on a major infrastructure project that is a counterpoint to China's investments.

Trump vows to defend US dollar hegemony, but is it under threat?
Trump vows to defend US dollar hegemony, but is it under threat?
Economy
by  AFP

US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened retaliation against governments that challenge the US dollar, vowing "100 percent tariffs" on countries that undercut the US currency. The system has evolved since that time and several countries have stopped indexing their currencies to the dollar, but without challenging its status as the global reserve currency.

Vietnam court upholds death sentence for property tycoon
Vietnam court upholds death sentence for property tycoon
Economy
by  AFP

A Vietnamese court upheld the death penalty Tuesday for a property tycoon in a multi-billion dollar fraud case -- but said her life could still be spared if she paid back three quarters of the assets she embezzled. The court said Tuesday that if she returns three quarters of the stolen assets, her sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment.