China cites ‘early harvest’ benefits in Guadalcanal deal
Chinese companies will build and control power and port facilities, roads, rail and bridges on Guadalcanal, in the Solomon Islands, as part of an $825 million deal to revive an abandoned gold mine, according to new contract details.
Australia says it will hold China accountable on human rights
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Canberra will hold China to account on issues such as human rights, insisting that staying quiet on sensitive issues is not in Australia’s national interests.
China’s Hebei issues orange smog alert effective Nov. 1
China’s top steelmaking province of Hebei has issued an “orange” smog alert effective from Nov. 1, with pollution expected to be “severe”, the local environment bureau said on Wednesday.
Russia’s Putin, Hungary’s Orban to discuss TurkStream pipeline, nuclear energy
The TurkStream pipeline that would bring gas to Central Europe bypassing Ukraine and nuclear energy issues are expected to feature high on the agenda at a meeting between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wed…
Five Colombian indigenous guards killed, possibly by rebel dissidents, military says
Five Colombian indigenous guards, tasked with protecting the country’s tribal reservations, were killed in a confrontation, possibly with dissident rebel fighters on Tuesday, the military said.
U.S. set to disappoint Asia with downgraded delegation for Bangkok summits
The United States has downgraded its participation in back-to-back Asia-Pacific summits in Bangkok next week, a move bound to disappoint Asian partners worried by China’s expanding influence.
U.S.’s Pompeo calls for new, efficient government in Lebanon
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday urged Lebanon’s political leaders to help form a new government responsive to the needs of its people after Saad al-Hariri resigned as prime minister after huge protests against the ruling elite.
UK’s new Brexit deal worse than continued uncertainty: NIESR
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal would hurt Britain’s economy more than further delays and continued uncertainty about leaving the European Union, a think tank said on Wednesday.
China warns U.S. criticism at U.N. over Xinjiang not ‘helpful’ for trade talks
China’s U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun warned on Tuesday that U.S. criticism at the world body of Beijing’s policy in remote Xinjiang was not “helpful” for negotiations between the two countries on a trade deal.
China warns U.S. that criticism over Uighurs not ‘helpful’ for trade talks
The United States and 22 other countries at the United Nations pushed China on Tuesday to stop detaining ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims, prompting China’s U.N. envoy to warn it was not “helpful” for trade talks between Beijing and Washington.
