Headlines

Trump extends ceasefire but continues blockade of Iran

President Donald Trump extended a two-week ceasefire for his and Israel’s war on Iran, but the US leader also said that a naval blockade of the Mideast nation will continue, and fears of fresh attacks remain high. Two weeks after threatening to take out the “whole civilization”

Asia

Fed chair nominee vows he’ll be independent of Trump

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, vowed in congressional testimony that the central bank will remain “strictly independent” if he’s confirmed to the top spot, even as the president has broadcast his demand for the new Fed chair

Asia

Petroyuan will mature in bursts of crisis

The petroyuan — oil and energy trades settled in Chinese yuan rather than US dollars — is not emerging exclusively because countries want to ideologically hammer the dollar, although that it is inevitably part of it. It is emerging as a financial force because, under pressure,

Asia

Trump’s Iran war: three goals, three failures, one debacle

Trump chose to believe Netanyahu. Announcing the US-Israeli assault, Trump told Iranians that this was their opportunity to reclaim their country. To win the war on Trump’s terms, the Iranian theocracy needed only to survive. The attack killed the Supreme Leader of Iran and top

Asia

Japan is becoming the hinge of Indo-Pacific deterrence

China’s latest move at Scarborough Shoal may appear routine. By tightening access controls with a barrier and layered vessel presence, Beijing has once again signaled that its strategy aims to normalize its presence along key maritime lanes. Yet this move signals a broader

Asia