WASHINGTON: In a stunning reversal, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he would temporarily lower the hefty duties he had just imposed on dozens of countries while further ramping up pressure on China, sending U.S. stocks rocketing higher. Trump’s turnabout, which came less than 24 hours after steep new tariffs kicked in on most trading partners, followed the most intense episode of financial market volatility since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The upheaval erased trillions of dollars from stock markets and led to an unsettling surge in U.S. government bond yields that appeared to catch Trump’s attention.…
Author: Asia News Network
China said on Wednesday that it will raise the tariff rate on all imported goods from the United States to 84 percent, and add 12 more US entities to the export control list. Beijing’s latest countermeasures followed the US President Donald Trump’s decision to increase the “reciprocal tariffs” on Chinese goods to 84 percent, up from 34 percent. The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, the country’s Cabinet, said in a statement on Wednesday that the US’ decision to escalate tariffs on Chinese goods is “a mistake upon a mistake”. The US tariff hike, which severely infringes on China’s…
At the top of the list is Thailand, with a cheating rate of 51%, driven by the cultural practice of double dating, known as Mia Noi (little wife), and a thriving sex industry. The research indicated that economic difficulties, similar to those in certain regions of Scotland—referred to as the “cheating capitals” of the world—can contribute to infidelity. Other factors such as anger, low self-esteem, lack of love, and a desire for variety are often cited as reasons people cheat. Interestingly, many individuals who cheat still value monogamy, with motivations varying between genders. Men are more likely to stray when…
SEOUL – The South Korean government on Tuesday lodged a strong protest against Japan’s recurring sovereignty claim over the Dokdo islets in its annual diplomatic policy publication, denouncing the move as a “provocation.” South Korea’s Foreign Ministry also summoned Taisuke Mibae, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, Tuesday morning. The commentary by the Foreign Ministry in Seoul was issued shortly after the Diplomatic Bluebook 2025, an annual report on Japan’s foreign policy and activities published by Japan’s Foreign Ministry, was publicly released after reporting to a Cabinet meeting in Tokyo. “The government strongly protests against the…
WASHINGTON – Relations between the world’s two largest economies are at a dangerous impasse after China doubled down on its threat to retaliate against US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs. It is hard not to see it as a battle of wills between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr Trump. Both leaders have for years pursued world-changing goals and have a lot to lose if they are seen as weak by their political constituents. China reacted within hours to Mr Trump’s threat of escalating tariffs by an additional 50 per cent unless Beijing scraps the retaliatory 34 per cent tariff…
SEOUL – A wave of once-disgraced South Korean celebrities are returning to the spotlight following high-profile public blowups. Actor Seo Ye-ji recently appeared on TV for the first time since stepping away from the public eye following a series of media firestorms. The allegations against her included mistreating staff, falsifying her academic credentials, engaging in school bullying and pressuring her then-boyfriend, actor Kim Jung-hyun, to cut romantic scenes and physical contact with a female co-star. She was also entangled in rumors of alleged romantic ties to actor Kim Soo-hyun and Lee Ro-be, the co-founder and co-executive producer of Kim Soo-hyun’s…
TOKYO/ SEOUL – They are not household names, but the nuts and bolts they manufacture are used in vehicles bearing the logos of Japan’s Toyota, South Korea’s Hyundai and America’s General Motors (GM). These businesses, many of which are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the industrial heartland of Japan and South Korea, are invisible to car buyers but crucial in firing up the engines of the auto industries. However, without the wherewithal of their big-name clients to weather the storm, they are expected to be hard-hit by American tariffs. Levies of 25 per cent on cars kicked in on…
JAKARTA – A new National Police regulation outlining procedures surrounding permits for foreign journalists has sparked criticism from press and law organizations, which say the policies could harm press freedom and restrict foreign media coverage of the country. Police Regulation No. 3/2025 on the functional supervision of foreigners was signed on March 10 by National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo. The regulation aims to prevent, among other concerns, “security threats, espionage, sabotage and propaganda activities against the government”. Critics and the public raised eyebrows over Articles 5 and 9 of the regulation, which specify certain “requirements” for foreigners to…
BANGKOK – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the current ASEAN Chair, posted a message and photo on his Facebook page “Anwar Ibrahim” on March 5, stating that he had a telephone discussion with leaders of ASEAN countries—namely Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore. The purpose was to exchange views and coordinate a joint response to the United States’ reciprocal tariff measures. As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia seeks consensus among member states to establish principles of fairness and equality in international trade negotiations, including in ASEAN-US dialogue relations. Anwar added that the upcoming ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for next week,…
HANOI – Cybercriminals in Việt Nam are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to orchestrate highly sophisticated scams, authorities have warned, marking a sharp evolution from traditional fraud tactics. Deputy Director of the Hà Nội Police Department’s Criminal Police Division Lý Hoài Nam said that while scams once relied on simple impersonation, perpetrators are now employing advanced techniques. “The methods have become far more intricate,” Nam said, highlighting how criminals scour social media platforms, photo-sharing sites and even personal data leaks to harvest victims’ images. Using deepfake software, fraudsters superimpose victims’ faces onto explicit or compromising videos, creating highly realistic fakes.…