Kyiv under Russian missile attack as Ukraine war discussed at UN meeting
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meetin...
China’s economy ended 2024 on a stronger note than expected, driven by government stimulus measures. However, with rising tensions with the United States and ongoing domestic challenges, the outlook for 2025 remains uncertain.
China’s economy wrapped up 2024 with stronger-than-expected growth, bolstered by government stimulus efforts. However, challenges on the horizon—such as strained relations with the United States and weak domestic demand—raise questions about the recovery prospects heading into 2025.
According to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s economy grew by 5.0% in 2024, meeting the government’s annual target. The fourth-quarter growth, in particular, was the strongest in over a year, reflecting the positive impact of the government’s support efforts.
Quarter-on-quarter, China’s GDP rose by 1.6%, a slight improvement from the previous quarter’s revised 1.3%, highlighting the effectiveness of Beijing’s efforts to stabilize the economy amidst ongoing challenges.
Despite the positive growth figures, China continues to face significant hurdles. The country’s property crisis remains unresolved, local government debt continues to rise, and domestic consumer demand remains weak. On the international stage, tensions with the United States are escalating. President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office next week, has proposed new tariffs on Chinese goods, which could further destabilize China’s export sector—a key driver of the country’s growth.
Although China reported a trade surplus of $992 billion in 2024, the yuan has been under pressure, hitting a 16-month low. Analysts point to a combination of factors, including a strong U.S. dollar, declining Chinese bond yields, and concerns about increased trade barriers.
December’s economic data suggests that Beijing’s stimulus measures are beginning to yield results. Industrial output and retail sales showed solid gains, spurred by government efforts and the seasonal boost from preparations for the upcoming Lunar New Year.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low on Thursday, as Iran reiterated that it will neither enter into new negotiations with the United States nor re-open the Strait as long as its conditions are not met, despite recent indirect talks in New York mediated by Qatar.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
The 81st UN General Assembly returns for its third day in New York on Thursday, with world leaders delivering high-level speeches and holding diplomatic meetings. Restoring trust, managing global transformation, peace and security, and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
Australia says an OpenAI AI agent gained unauthorised access to a government Medicare statistics portal in June, in what officials say could be an unprecedented case of an AI system breaching a government network.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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