Is this China’s next economic tsar? Central bank visit by He Lifeng ramps up public profile

Beijing again puts He Lifeng alongside senior cadres during a high-profile stop at the People’s Bank of China, leading to increased speculation about major economic policy changes.

6m

Death of Hong Kong woman forced to wait for Covid-19 quarantine spot came as health staff overloaded by fourth wave of cases, coroner hears

Centre for Health Protection official tells inquest that expansion of Covid-19 task force did not keep pace with fourth wave surge.

16m

UK sees strike disruption as hundreds of thousands join action amid cost-of-living crisis

One estimate said half a million workers, including teachers, border officials and train and bus drivers, would walk out of their jobs across the country.

16m

Ukraine authorities raid homes of billionaire Kolomoisky, former interior minister Avakov

Kolomoisky’s is one of Ukraine’s richest men and one-time ally of President Zelensky; ex-interior minister Avakov said his own house was searched as part of investigation into fatal helicopter crash last month.

56m

3 Hong Kong teenage boys arrested after customs discovers narcotics worth HK$3 million

Customs inspector warns young people against joining drug trade and urges them to ignore promises of easy money.

1h

Malaysia’s Anwar fires back against ‘nepotism’ claims after giving daughter job

The PM insists his appointment of Nurul Izzah doesn’t go against his government’s stance against corruption, because it is an unpaid position.

1h

Tiny radioactive device found in Australia after desert hunt by government agencies

Specialist search equipment picked up radiation emitting from the widget, which went missing last month, apparently while being moved from a Rio Tinto iron ore mine.

1h

Beijing urges US to ‘end obsession with containing China’ ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit

A commentary in the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily appeals to Washington to seek common ground and shun a ‘blind anti-China approach’.

1h

China’s CATL, world’s biggest maker of electric-car batteries, weighs US$5 billion Swiss GDR sale

The world’s biggest maker of batteries for electric cars is seeking to raise at least US$5 billion via a global depositary receipt (GDR) sale in Switzerland, according to a source.

2h

Chinese carmaker Geely in race to take EVs to the skies as subsidiary Aerofugia completes trial run of five-seater flying car

Geely subsidiary Aerofugia has completed the trial run of its five-seater AE200 flying car, moving the Chinese auto giant closer to its goal of delivering electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles to market.

2h