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1. How new C100 chief plans to help Chinese-Americans strike the middle ground with China

   Paul Cheung was recently named president of the Committee of 100, a non-profit organisation of influential Chinese-Americans that promotes bilateral exchanges between China and the United States on all fronts. In this Open Questions interview, Cheung talks about the role of C100 in addressing anti-Asian hate in the US and bridging the gap between the two biggest economic powers in their...

2. Is Hainan the next Hong Kong? That’s the wrong question to ask

   On December 18, China made a bold move on the global economic chessboard. It launched a massive free-trade experiment by turning the entire island province of Hainan – an area, comparable in size to Belgium, whose gross domestic product was US$113 billion last year – into a duty-free customs zone. A new narrative has now taken hold: with its free-trade port status, Hainan is on track to rival or...

3. Trump issues first vetoes, as ally who backed Epstein vote fears ‘retaliation’

   US President Donald Trump issued the first vetoes of his second term, killing two bills sponsored by Republicans in Congress, including one from a prominent lawmaker who bucked the administration over the release of files pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump vetoed legislation late on Tuesday to help complete a water pipeline project, a measure backed by congresswoman Lauren Boebert, a Colorado...

4. World begins to bid goodbye to 2025 with fireworks and icy plunges

   As Wednesday turned to Thursday, people around the world said goodbye to a sometimes challenging 2025 and expressed hopes for the ‍new year to come. In Croatia, revels got off to an early start. Since 2000, the town of Fuzine has held its countdown at noon, a tradition that has since spread across the country. Crowds cheered, toasted each other with champagne and danced ⁠to music – all in the...

5. 6 patients spared higher fees as new hospital charges take effect in Hong Kong

   Six patients visiting accident and emergency (A&E) departments at public hospitals in Hong Kong shortly after midnight were spared higher fees despite a new pricing regime taking effect on Thursday, while others said they had no choice but to pay more or opted to see private doctors instead. The revamped pricing regime, which took effect on New Year’s Day, requires patients with milder...

6. China buys two-thirds of pledged US soybeans as 2025 closes

   China has bought at least 8 million tons (7.25 million tonnes) of US soybeans this year, according to people familiar with the matter, putting the world’s top importer on track to meet a pledge it made two months ago as part of an apparent trade truce with Washington. State-owned buyers have continued to book US cargoes into late December, the people said, asking not to be named as they are not...

7. France plans social media ban for children under 15

   France will make a fresh attempt to protect children from excessive screen time, proposing a ban on social media access for children under 15 by next September, according to a draft law seen by Agence France-Presse. The initiative is backed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said earlier this month that parliament should start debating such a proposal in January. Australia this month...

8. Hong Kong leader vows to boost livelihoods, fast-track housing projects in 2026

   Hong Kong’s leader has vowed to improve livelihoods, put public housing projects on the fast track and foster growth in innovation and technology (I&T) in the new year. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also described 2025 as a year full of challenges but also one that showcased perseverance. Lee made his pledges in his annual New Year’s speech, which was uploaded to his social media account on...

9. Australia sees defiant start to 2026 after mass shooting

   Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant celebration in Australia in the aftermath of a horrific mass shooting. South Pacific countries were the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks struck midnight in Auckland 18 hours before the famous ball drop in New York’s Times Square. The...

10. China’s January 1 silver curbs to deepen global crunch, analysts warn amid volatility

    China’s move to restrict silver exports is set to keep the metal in the spotlight, with analysts warning of a supply crunch following weeks of volatile price swings. Effective Thursday, the Ministry of Commerce will implement a two-year special government licence for exports of silver, along with tungsten and antimony. While Beijing says the measure is aimed at protecting resources and the...