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• The human and financial cost of the Indian Ocean tsunami – interactive

  25-12-2014 22:30
  
  On 26 December 2004, an undersea earthquake off the coast of Indonesia sent a wall of water surging across the Indian Ocean. When the water hit land, thousands of people were killed and vast damage was caused to buildings, roads and farmland. See how the waves spread, and discover the massive human and financial cost to the countries involved Continue reading...
  
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• Chinese state media celebrates Trump’s cuts to Voice of America and Radio Free Asia

  18-03-2025 06:55
  
  Global Times hails US president’s order to strip back government funding to news organisations he deems ‘radical’Chinese state media has reacted gleefully to the Trump administration’s decision to slash government funding to media organisations such as Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America (VOA).The Global Times, a daily English-language tabloid and Chinese Communist party mouthpiece, celebrated the cuts to the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees broad
  
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• Once named world’s ugliest animal, blobfish wins New Zealand’s fish of the year

  18-03-2025 06:22
  Made up of blobby tissue and living deep in the ocean, the distinctive species beat the longfin eel and pygmy pipehorse in the annual contestIt was once crowned the “world’s ugliest animal” and now the disgruntled-looking gelatinous blobfish has a new gong to its name: New Zealand’s fish of the year.The winning species of blobfish, Psychrolutes marcidus, lives in the highly pressurised depths off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia and has developed a unique anatomy t
  
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• Asian defence stocks soar to record highs as Europe prepares to re-arm

  18-03-2025 04:53
  
  Japanese and South Korean contractors gear up after Donald Trump threatens to withdraw US security umbrella
  
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• India’s $1bn bet on the creator economy

  18-03-2025 02:30
  
  Also in this newsletter: a surge of new millionaires, and Ajit Dayal’s mantra
  
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• Trump says China’s Xi to visit US in ‘not too distant future’

  17-03-2025 23:04
  Hint at summit comes amid escalating trade conflict between Washington and Beijing
  
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• Trump says China’s Xi to visit the US in ‘not too distant future’

  17-03-2025 23:04
  
  Hint at future summit comes amid escalating trade conflict between Washington and Beijing
  
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• FirstFT: Berkshire Hathaway raises stakes in Japan’s trading houses

  17-03-2025 22:51
  
  Also in today’s newsletter, Trump hints at future summit with Xi, and HSBC and UBS expand India wealth management arms
  
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• Soaring energy bills put Albanese on defensive in Australian election

  17-03-2025 22:00
  Opposition blames government’s renewable energy policy for higher prices amid concerns over cost of living
  
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• Melbourne residents receive letter offering $200k for information on Hong Kong pro-democracy activist

  17-03-2025 15:12
  
  Exclusive: The anonymous ‘wanted’ letter contained a photograph of Kevin Yam, a lawyer who has criticised the crackdown on dissent in the territoryFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA small number of Melbourne residents have received anonymous letters purporting to offer a police bounty of $203,000 if they inform on Kevin Yam, an Australian citizen and pro-democracy activist wanted for alleged national secu
  
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• China plans to ‘vigorously boost consumption’ to shore up economy

  17-03-2025 12:31
  
  Communist party aims to ‘promote reasonable wage growth’ and to reduce financial burdens amid Trump tariffsBusiness live – latest updatesChina’s government has announced ambitious plans to “vigorously boost consumption” by putting up pay and reducing financial burdens, in its latest attempt to increase consumer confidence and lift its struggling economy.The plans, announced by the ruling Chinese Communist party’s (CCP) central committee and state council
  
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• Japan to deploy long-range missiles able to hit North Korea and China

  17-03-2025 12:26
  
  Planned missiles on Kyushu said to be part of ‘counterstrike capabilities’, as fears grow over US security pactJapan is planning to deploy long-range missiles on its southern island of Kyushu amid concerns around the Trump administration’s stance towards its security pacts and continuing regional tensions.The missiles, with a range of about 1,000km, would be capable of hitting targets in North Korea and China’s coastal regions, and are due to be deployed next year in two
  
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• Trump’s trade war will damage global growth, OECD warns

  17-03-2025 11:01
  
  Forecasts downgraded for a dozen G20 economies and alarm sounded on ‘ratcheting up’ of trade barriers
  
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• Trump’s escalating trade war will damage global growth, OECD warns

  17-03-2025 11:01
  
  Forecasts downgraded for a dozen G20 economies and alarm sounded on ‘ratcheting up’ of trade barriers
  
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• Buffett’s Berkshire lifts stakes in Japanese trading houses

  17-03-2025 10:09
  
  Move comes after US investment group agreed with companies last month to relax 10% cap on holdings
  
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• Monday briefing: Is Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest a sign of the ICC’s strength or its limitations?

  17-03-2025 07:35
  In today’s newsletter: the former Philippines president was arrested and taken to The Hague after a tense standoff. It’s a much needed win for the international criminal court – but success is far from a givenGood morning.Last Tuesday, chaos erupted at Manila’s main airport as authorities arrested the Philippines’ 79-year-old former president Rodrigo Duterte, who had arrived from Hong Kong. An arrest warrant issued in secret by the international criminal court (ICC)
  
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• US maritime regulator calls for levy on Chinese ships at ports

  17-03-2025 06:00
  
  FMC chair says ‘fight fire with fire’ by taxing Chinese-built vessels docking in US to create domestic champions
  
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• Maritime regulator says ‘fight fire with fire’ and levy China ships at US ports

  17-03-2025 06:00
  
  Federal Maritime Commission chair says taxes on Chinese vessels docking in US should be used to create domestic champions
  
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• HSBC and UBS expand India wealth management arms after IPO boom

  17-03-2025 06:00
  
  Banks to offer bespoke services and cater to households outside big cities as record listings create new millionaires
  
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• How Jack Ma’s pivot to AI rehabilitated Alibaba

  17-03-2025 06:00
  
  The Chinese tech giant is establishing a lead in a fiercely competitive sector, and its billionaire founder is back in favour
  
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• American maritime regulator calls for levy on Chinese ships at ports

  17-03-2025 06:00
  FMC chair says ‘fight fire with fire’ by taxing Chinese-built vessels docking in US to create domestic champions
  
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• China unveils plan to ‘vigorously boost’ weak consumption

  17-03-2025 05:24
  
  Markets rise on hopes of fiscal spending to spur demand as economy battles deflationary pressure
  
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• British tourist missing after boat catches fire off Thai island

  17-03-2025 00:12
  
  Alexandra Clarke, 26, was on a diving excursion near Koh Tao when blaze broke outA British tourist is missing in Thailand after the tour boat she was travelling on caught fire off the island of Koh Tao.Alexandra Clarke, 26, from Lambeth, south London, was onboard the Davy Jones Locker for a diving excursion. Continue reading...
  
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• Will the Federal Reserve speed up US rate cuts this year?

  16-03-2025 13:00
  
  Market Questions is the FT’s guide to the week ahead
  
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• US allies in Asia must also rethink their defence

  16-03-2025 12:00
  
  Trump’s foreign policy shake-up has profound implications for Japan and South Korea
  
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• Xi snubs EU-China anniversary summit

  16-03-2025 06:00
  Brussels sought visit to mark 50 years of ties, but move adds to scepticism about warm words from Beijing
  
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• Japanese companies pitch reforms as ‘vanilla’ buybacks fail to placate investors

  16-03-2025 06:00
  Conglomerates sack chief executives and sell assets to pre-empt shareholder demands at annual meetings
  
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• Japanese companies pitch reforms as buybacks fail to placate investors

  16-03-2025 06:00
  Conglomerates sack chief executives and sell assets to pre-empt shareholder demands at annual meetings
  
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• Half of Mexico’s exports to US risk steep tariffs

  16-03-2025 06:00
  
  Donald Trump’s one-month concession does not apply to large swaths of goods exported north
  
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• Demon-child movie wows China – and smashes global box office records

  16-03-2025 06:00
  
  Virtually unknown in the west, Ne Zha 2 is the world’s highest-grossing animation at £1.6bn – outdoing Inside Out 2 –just weeks after its releaseJust a few years ago, the biggest star of the Chinese box office was a brave army commander. Last year it was a woman who rediscovers herself through boxing. But in 2025 the hero that has caught everyone’s attention – and broken international box office records – is an animated demon child.Ne Zha 2, a Chinese an
  
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