News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

Oil prices slip on concerns over US-China trade tensions

Oil prices fell around 1% today as investors weighed a potential global glut, with US-China trade tensions adding to concerns about an economic slowdown and weaker energy demand.

Business • 20 Oct

China's Q3 GDP growth slows to one-year low

China's economic growth slowed to the weakest pace in a year in the third quarter as fragile domestic demand left it heavily reliant on manufacturing production and exports, stoking concerns about deepening structural imbalances.

Business • 20 Oct

Rescue workers at the wreckage of an AirACT cargo aircraft operated for Emirates Airline near the runway at Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, China, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. The aircraft skidded into the sea after hitting a ground crew vehicl

Two killed as cargo plane skids off Hong Kong runway

A cargo plane hit a vehicle on the runway at Hong Kong's airport during landing and skidded into the sea, killing two ground crew workers, authorities have said.

World • 20 Oct

Donald Trump unveiled additional levies of 100% on China's US-bound exports a week ago

Trump says 100% tariffs on China not sustainable

US President Donald Trump said his proposed 100% tariff on goods from China would not be sustainable but blamed China for the latest impasse in trade talks that began with Beijing tightening control over its rare earth exports.

Business • 17 Oct

Apple's Cook vows to boost investment in China

Apple's Tim Cook has today pledged to boost the tech giant's investment in China as it navigates the trade war between Beijing and Washington.

Business • 15 Oct

China's consumer price index - a key measure of inflation - dropped 0.3% year-on-year in September

China's consumer spending prices fell again last month

China's consumer prices continued to fall last month, with official data highlighting the battle leaders face in trying to kickstart domestic spending in the world's number two economy while fighting a trade war with the US.

Business • 15 Oct

A Chinese port with a truck and container in front of a large red crane

China trade beats forecasts as tariff fears rise

China's trade grew faster than expected last month, official data showed today, though fresh fears are rising of a major escalation in the tariff war between Beijing and Washington.

Business • 13 Oct

Metal cubes representing rare earth elements are stacked in front of China's flag

China tightens rare earth export controls

China has tightened its rare earth export controls, expanding restrictions on processing technology and spelling out its intention to limit exports to overseas defence and semiconductor users.

Business • 09 Oct

India and China to resume direct flights after five years

India and China will resume direct flights between their two countries this month after a five-year suspension, officials said, with bookings opening today.

Business • 03 Oct

Men and women working with cables in a factory in China

China factory activity shrinks for sixth month in a row

China's factory activity shrank for a sixth month in a row in September, official data showed today, as a domestic consumer slump and lingering trade uncertainty weigh on the economy.

Business • 30 Sep

The publication of the executive order shows Donald Trump is making progress on the sale of TikTok's US assets

Trump signs order declaring TikTok sale ready

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring that his plan to sell Chinese-owned TikTok's US operations to US and global investors will address the national security requirements in a 2024 law.

Business • 26 Sep

Power station with smoke bellowing out in China

China makes pledge to cut emissions for the first time

China has for the first time made specific emission cut pledges, though its goal of reducing planet-warming greenhouse gases to just 7-10% by 2035 is seen as far too modest.

Climate Change • 25 Sep

Social media app TikTok has 170 million US users

US, China in deal for TikTok to keep operating in US

US President Donald Trump has announced an agreement between the US and China to keep TikTok operating in the US, with three sources familiar with the matter saying the deal was similar to one discussed earlier this year.

Business • 17 Sep

A Nvidia chip is seen through a magnifying glass on a green motherboard

China claims Nvidia violated anti-monopoly law

China's market regulator today said a preliminary investigation had found that Nvidia had violated the country's anti-monopoly law, marking the latest hit for the US chip giant.

Business • 15 Sep

Chinese factory, consumer activity slow amid struggles

China's economy showed further signs of weakness last month, with key data today revealing factory output and consumption rising at their weakest pace for around a year.

Business • 15 Sep

Sainsbury's ends talks to sell Argos to China's JD.com

British supermarket group Sainsbury's said it has terminated talks with Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com over selling the Argos general merchandise retailer, a day after confirming discussions were underway.

Business • 15 Sep

China's consumer price index - a key measure of inflation - dropped 0.4% year-on-year in August

China's economy under pressure as consumer slump deepens

Consumer prices in China fell last month at their fastest rate in six months, official data showed today, as leaders struggle to reignite demand in the world's second-largest economy.

Business • 10 Sep

BEIJING, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 3: Chinese soldiers march during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, in Beijing, China. China's Victory Day military parade

China military parade: Goose steps to a new world order?

A grand military parade attended by the Chinese, Russian and North Korean leaders in Beijing this week seemed to herald a new world order. But what does that look like and what are the implications for the custodians of the old order?

Analysis and Comment • 07 Sep

China to impose temporary duties on EU pork

China said today it would impose temporary anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports, delivering another blow to shaky ties between the economic powerhouses.

Business • 05 Sep

A man walks past a Starbucks Coffee store in a traditional-style Chinese building with a decorative stone archway inscribed with Chinese characters at the entrance

Starbucks China valued at about $5 billion by bidders

Most of the bidders seeking to buy a portion of Starbucks' China operations have submitted offers valuing the business at as much as $5 billion, said two people who have knowledge of the deal discussions.

Business • 05 Sep

Anthropic said it has toughened restrictions on 'authoritarian regions'

US AI giant Anthropic bars Chinese-owned entities

US artificial intelligence giant Anthropic said it was expanding restrictions on Chinese entities to include subsidiary companies and organisations based overseas, citing national security risks in an industry first.

Business • 05 Sep

Yang Qin and Zhang Li with Pat Rigney in the Leitrim nature reserve

Leitrim nature reserve twinned with Chinese panda park

A nature reserve in Co Leitrim has twinned with the Sichuan Green Foundation and Giant Panda National Park in Wenchuan, China, home to the largest panda population in the world.

Connacht • 04 Sep

Chinese Soldiers march in unison in green uniform

Humanity facing choice of 'peace or war', says China's Xi

President Donald Trump accused the leaders of China, North Korea and Russia yesterday of conspiring against the United States as they gathered in Beijing for a massive military parade.

World • 03 Sep

A screengrab showing what is believed to be a train carrying North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un to Beijing.

North Korea's Kim arrives in Beijing for military parade

China's President Xi Jinping has convened his Russian and North Korean counterparts in Beijing for the first time, a show of solidarity with countries shunned by the West over their role in Europe's worst war in 80 years.

Asia • 02 Sep

A drone light show spelling out Amazing Shenzhen in the sky over a group of people's heads

Chinese cluster now world's top innovation hotspot - UN

Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou has overtaken Tokyo-Yokohama to become the world's top cluster for innovation, the United Nations said today.

Business • 01 Sep