Global issues

WASHINGTON — What began as a festive White House gathering quickly turned into a moment of personal announcements for several prominent figures in former President Donald Trump’s political orbit, as engagement news rippled through the crowd and lit up conservative social media. Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, confirmed his engagement during the event, marking the third such milestone in his personal life. Trump Jr. married his first wife, Vanessa Trump, i

WASHINGTON — Standing beneath the bright lights of the White House on the evening of the 17th, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered an 18-minute nationally televised address aimed squarely at American voters uneasy about the economy. With midterm elections looming next year and inflation still weighing on household budgets, Trump cast himself as the architect of a dramatic turnaround — and his predecessor as the source of the nation’s troubles. “I inherited a country in chao

NEW YORK — On a gray weekday morning outside a federal loan servicing office in downtown Manhattan, recent graduates shuffled past with envelopes in hand, many of them unopened. “I already know what it says,” said 26-year-old Emily Rodriguez, who finished college two years ago and has yet to make her first student loan payment. “I don’t have the money.” Scenes like this are becoming increasingly common across the United States as student loan delinquencies spike following the

A Hong Kong court on Monday found jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty under the city’s sweeping national security law, a verdict that could see the outspoken critic of Beijing spend the rest of his life behind bars. Lai, 78, the founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily, has been held for more than 1,800 days despite sustained international pressure for his release. The High Court said sentencing will be announced as soon as possible, with final arguments expected in January.

As the year-end shopping season unfolds, American consumers are zeroing in on essentials—from home appliances to basic household goods—while pulling back on discretionary spending. Although headline inflation has cooled compared with earlier this year, many households say the economic squeeze still feels intense, reshaping how and where they spend. Shoppers are spending more time hunting for discounts, comparing rock-bottom prices, and scaling back both the size and scope of