Noontime News Recap: Evergrande founder jailed as Hormuz flows jump and regional tensions deepen
A Chinese court has sentenced Evergrande founder Xu Jiayin to life in prison and imposed a larger financial penalty on the property giant, in one of the most significant rulings yet in the country’s debt and fraud crackdown. 🔗Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz rose sharply during a 60 day memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, but the deal expired without a peace agreement, leaving the strategic waterway under renewed scrutiny. 🔗In the occupied West Bank, Human Rights Watch says settler attacks and rapid settlement expansion are driving forced displacement of Palestinians, adding to pressure on... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 20 Aug 2026 12:21 LONDON
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North Korea fires about 10 short-range ballistic missiles after drills are scaled back
North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea on Thursday, according to South Korea's military. The launches were detected from North Korea's capital region and were reported to have taken place around 5pm local time, or 0800 GMT. South Korea said the missiles were fired towards the country's eastern waters.The South Korean joint chiefs of staff said the launches were closely monitored and that Seoul was coordinating information with the United States and Japan. South Korea's presidential national security council held an emergency meeting after the launches and urged North Korea to stop ballistic missile tests, which... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 12:02 LONDON
China Blames U.S. 'Hostile Policy' for Korean Peninsula Tensions After Wang Yi Visit to Seoul
China has blamed the United States for rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula after Foreign Minister Wang Yi met South Korea's national security adviser in Seoul on Thursday. During the meeting, Wang urged South Korea not to take sides between Beijing and Washington and called for what he described as peaceful coexistence with North Korea. The comments came as Seoul also disclosed a higher estimate of North Korea's nuclear arsenal, adding to concern about the security situation in the region.Wang said the fundamental solution to tensions lay in addressing what he called the root causes of the problem and pressing... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 11:00 LONDON
Tokyo Close: Nikkei Slides as Gold and Ether Surge, Asia Mixed on Risk Rotation
Executive summary: Tokyo and Asia-Pacific trading ended with a sharp split across risk assets and havens. The Nikkei 225 fell -3.6% and the Nikkei 225 ETF also dropped -3.6%, while the Kospi rose +4.2% and the Hang Seng gained +1.6%. Gold climbed +3.1%, silver added +1.6%, and Ether jumped +20.6%, underscoring a session defined by strong rotation rather than a uniform regional trend. [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Markets Intelligence | 20 Aug 2026 07:45 LONDON
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North Korea says Trump's scale-back of joint military exercises with South Korea 'changes nothing'
North Korea has said that Donald Trump's decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea "changes nothing," in a fresh reaction to the long-running dispute over drills on the Korean Peninsula. The statement was reported on 20 August 2026 and follows an earlier response from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who said she had "no interest" in the move. The latest comment suggests Pyongyang is continuing to downplay any diplomatic significance in the adjustment.The supplied material does not give details on the size of the reduction, the timing of the exercises, or whether... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 05:59 LONDON
Trump orders South Korea-US drills cut to five days amid Iran dispute
US and South Korean forces have agreed to cut their annual joint military exercise from 11 days to five after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce the drills. The change came as the exercise was already under way, and it has intensified concern in Seoul about the reliability of US security guarantees. South Korean officials were caught off guard by the announcement, which Trump made on social media just hours before the drills were due to begin.Trump said the exercises sent an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea and linked his decision to what he described... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 03:32 LONDON
Trump says he will meet Kim Jong Un later this year amid North Korea nuclear claims
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, adding a new diplomatic dimension to a week already marked by a sharp reduction in joint US-South Korea military drills. He made the remarks while speaking to reporters at the White House and said it was important to "get along" with Kim. Trump also repeated an unusually specific claim that North Korea has 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons.The comments came as concern grew among US allies over Washington's approach to the Korean peninsula. Trump did not give details on... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Aug 2026 02:29 LONDON
Tokyo Opens Lower as Nikkei Slips, Kospi Surges on a Risk-On Commodity and FX Mix
Executive summary: Asia-Pacific trading opened with a sharp split: South Korea’s Kospi surged +8.3% while Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell -1.2% and Australia’s ASX 200 dropped -1.5%. WTI crude climbed +3.9%, gold edged higher, and the yen weakened slightly against the dollar, a mix that points to a market still balancing geopolitical energy risk, rate pressure, and sector rotation. [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Markets Intelligence | 19 Aug 2026 01:15 LONDON
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Tokyo Close: Kospi Surges Nearly 9% as Oil and Gold Jump, Nikkei Edges Lower, ASX 200 Slips
Executive summary: Asia-Pacific trading ended with a sharp split, led by a powerful rally in South Korea’s Kospi, which jumped +8.97% to 6865.02. WTI crude climbed +5.22%, gold rose +2.01%, and platinum gained +2.38%, while Australia’s ASX 200 fell -1.95% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped -0.09%. The move set points to a market still reacting to higher energy prices, firmer precious metals, and a softer tone in parts of regional equities. [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Markets Intelligence | 18 Aug 2026 07:45 LONDON
