China says US ‘playing with fire’ by giving Taiwan more military aid

China says US ‘playing with fire’ by giving Taiwan more military aid

China has warned the United States of “playing with fire” after Washington announced more military aid and sales to Taiwan. A statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday urged the US to stop its “dangerous moves that undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait”. China, which has ramped up political and…

‘An ethical crisis of its own making’: Democrats blast Supreme Court ethics

‘An ethical crisis of its own making’: Democrats blast Supreme Court ethics

A report from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee has detailed new allegations about the “lavish gifts” justices on the United States Supreme Court received from donors. The 93-page report, released on Saturday, culminates a nearly 20-month investigation led by outgoing Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin. It builds on previous reporting from the news outlet…

Trump threatens to take back control of Panama Canal over ‘ridiculous fees’

Trump threatens to take back control of Panama Canal over ‘ridiculous fees’

United States President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to demand control of the Panama Canal after accusing Panama of charging excessive rates on US ships passing through one of the busiest waterways in the world. “Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are…

US says it conducted strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen’s capital

US says it conducted strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen’s capital

The United States military says it has conducted air strikes against targets linked to the Houthi rebels in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, including a missile storage facility and a “command-and-control” site. US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US Army operations in the Middle East, said on Saturday that the strikes aimed “to disrupt and degrade Houthi…

‘No concern for Palestinian suffering’: Ex-official slams US’s Gaza policy

‘No concern for Palestinian suffering’: Ex-official slams US’s Gaza policy

Mike Casey says he has never seen anything like it. In fact, the former States Department official — who served as a deputy political counsellor at the United States Office of Palestinian Affairs — described his experience as a diplomat in Jerusalem as a humiliation. “It’s frankly embarrassing … to see just the way we…

Biden signs funding bill into law, averting US government shutdown

Biden signs funding bill into law, averting US government shutdown

United States President Joe Biden has signed into law a bipartisan funding bill that averts a government shutdown, days after Congress was thrown into turmoil after President-elect Donald Trump rejected an initial deal. The White House announced on Saturday that Biden had signed the legislation, which funds the government through mid-March. “This agreement represents a…

Governments and banks once mocked Bitcoin. Now they want in on it

Governments and banks once mocked Bitcoin. Now they want in on it

Bitcoin has proven to be one of the best-performing assets in modern history. The value of the cryptocurrency has increased some 1,000 times over the past decade, far outpacing US stocks and real estate. Buoyed by United States President-elect Donald Trump’s crypto-friendly stance, Bitcoin’s record rally hit a new high of $107,000 on Monday after…

Last-minute budget bill to prevent US government shutdown prevails in House

Last-minute budget bill to prevent US government shutdown prevails in House

A last-minute budget bill has passed in the United States House of Representatives to keep the federal government funded and running through mid-March, averting an impending shutdown. The continuing resolution now progresses to the Senate with only hours to spare before the shutdown is slated to take effect on Saturday at 12:01am local time (05:01…