Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images The largest labor groups are urging senators to oppose a rules-of-the-road crypto bill scheduled to have an initial vote on Thursday. In a letter and email first seen by CNBC, the AFL-CIO, as well as the Service Employees International Union, American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, and the American Federation of State, County and Mu...
Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images The largest labor groups are urging senators to oppose a rules-of-the-road crypto bill scheduled to have an initial vote on Thursday. In a letter and email first seen by CNBC, the AFL-CIO, as well as the Service Employees International Union, American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees warned senators that the bill could jeopardize retirement accounts for millions of workers. The push from unions comes ahead of the Senate Banking Committee's vote on the crypto bill scheduled for Thursday. Despite Democrats working with Republicans on the bill over the last few months, it is not clear if any Democrats will back the measure given ongoing concerns about security and ethics provisions in the bill. As of Monday evening, the committee had yet to release final legislative text for the bill. The SEIU, AFT, NEA and AFSCME said in the previously unreported letter sent to all senators on Friday that the bill "jeopardizes the stability of workers' retirement plans, including public pensions, and introduces significant volatility to retirement savings accounts." "This legislation invites the cryptocurrency industry to take outsized risks, knowing that if those risky bets do not pay off, it is working people and retirees, not crypto billionaires, who will pay the price," the groups said in the letter. The AFL-CIO sent an email to Banking Committee members on Friday as well, saying that "absent sufficient regulation, embedding cryptocurrencies ... and other digital assets into the real economy will have a destabilizing effect, while benefiting issuers and platforms at the expense of working people." Labor groups aren't the only ones actively opposing the bill. The banking industry is also fighting a provision in the bill it says would threaten bank deposits by allowing crypto companies to offer payment on stablecoin holdings similar to interest. The cr...
Most Americans see China as one of the United States' biggest rivals or adversaries, but largely as an economic threat, according to a new Chicago Council/NPR/Ipsos poll. (Image credit: Andrew Harnik)
Most Americans see China as one of the United States' biggest rivals or adversaries, but largely as an economic threat, according to a new Chicago Council/NPR/Ipsos poll. (Image credit: Andrew Harnik)
A federal program that pays airlines to operate in small and rural communities could have its budget cut in half, leaving parts of the country with no flight options. (Image credit: Agata Storer for NPR)
A federal program that pays airlines to operate in small and rural communities could have its budget cut in half, leaving parts of the country with no flight options. (Image credit: Agata Storer for NPR)
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously lethal. But new treatments mean that may be changing, and people with the disease now have more reason to hope than ever before. (Image credit: Gavin McIntyre for NPR)
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously lethal. But new treatments mean that may be changing, and people with the disease now have more reason to hope than ever before. (Image credit: Gavin McIntyre for NPR)
The three high-school birders, dubbed The Pete Dunnelins, have one day to count as many bird species across the state of New Jersey as physically possible. Here's what it takes. (Image credit: Mohamed Sadek for NPR)
The three high-school birders, dubbed The Pete Dunnelins, have one day to count as many bird species across the state of New Jersey as physically possible. Here's what it takes. (Image credit: Mohamed Sadek for NPR)
Short-form clips of long interviews and shows are taking over the internet. But behind the sea of social media clips are marketplaces offering freelance clippers money per view. (Image credit: Emrah Bayraktar)
Short-form clips of long interviews and shows are taking over the internet. But behind the sea of social media clips are marketplaces offering freelance clippers money per view. (Image credit: Emrah Bayraktar)
BEIJING, China, May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Li Auto Inc. (“Li Auto” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: LI; HKEX: 2015), a leader in China’s new energy vehicle market, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the first quarter of 2026 before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The Company’s management will hold an earnings conference call on Thursday, May 28...
BEIJING, China, May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Li Auto Inc. (“Li Auto” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: LI; HKEX: 2015), a leader in China’s new energy vehicle market, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the first quarter of 2026 before the U.S. market opens on Thursday, May 28, 2026. The Company’s management will hold an earnings conference call on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 8:00 A.M. U.S. Eastern Time or 8:00 P.M. Beijing/Hong Kong Time on the same day. For part
German businesses’ outlook on the Chinese economy improved from last year despite the Iran war impacting their operations and persistent geopolitical tensions. Nearly 40% of the more than 210 members of the German Chamber of Commerce in China surveyed in April predicted an improvement in China’s economy over the next six months, up from 22% last year. Over a third of companies reported improving b...
German businesses’ outlook on the Chinese economy improved from last year despite the Iran war impacting their operations and persistent geopolitical tensions. Nearly 40% of the more than 210 members of the German Chamber of Commerce in China surveyed in April predicted an improvement in China’s economy over the next six months, up from 22% last year. Over a third of companies reported improving business conditions, up from 19% in 2025, according to a report released on Tuesday. “To our surprise I have to say, on this occasion we see an improvement,” Oliver Oehms, the executive director of the chamber, said in a briefing. The results indicated that although pressures still remain, German companies demonstrated resilience in navigating the China market. The country remains one of the most important markets for German businesses but Beijing and Berlin are navigating a reset in the relationship over market access, industrial subsidies and EU de-risking disputes. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz went to China in February, and Economy Minister Katherina Reiche will visit at the end of May to discuss key issues such as trade practices and access to key raw materials. German Economy Chief Plans First Trip to China to Talk Trade Almost half of the chamber’s members are in two industries, machinery and industrial equipment, and automobiles. The latest survey was conducted a year after US President Donald Trump unveiled his Liberation Day tariffs. Even as challenges remain in the time since, German companies have shown resilience in mitigating the situation, such as by adjusting supply chains, according to Oehms. Investment intentions also saw a recovery, with 61% of companies saying they plan to further invest in China in the next two years, the highest level since 2023. “We believe this is quite remarkable. It shows that despite the domestic challenges and the geopolitical risks, we continue to see a strong commitment of the German industry to the Chinese market,” Oehms sai...
UK Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Spying Allegation Authored by Dorothy Li via The Epoch Times, The British Foreign Ministry on May 9 stated that it had summoned the Chinese ambassador after a London court convicted two men, including a former British immigration officer, of spying for the Chinese communist regime. Bill Yuen Chung Biu (L) and Peter Wai Chi Leung (R), both charged with assisting H...
UK Summons Chinese Ambassador Over Spying Allegation Authored by Dorothy Li via The Epoch Times, The British Foreign Ministry on May 9 stated that it had summoned the Chinese ambassador after a London court convicted two men, including a former British immigration officer, of spying for the Chinese communist regime. Bill Yuen Chung Biu (L) and Peter Wai Chi Leung (R), both charged with assisting Hong Kong intelligence service, arrive separately ahead of their trial at the Old Bailey in central London, on March 2, 2026. Carlos Jasso/AFP via Getty Images The Chinese ambassador, Zheng Zeguang, was called to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office on May 8 for an official reprimand, according to a British government statement. The UK Foreign Office stated that it had made clear that “any attempts by foreign states to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities” on British soil will not be tolerated and that such activities constitute “a serious breach of the UK’s sovereignty.” “We will continue to use the full range of tools available to protect our security and hold China to account for actions which undermine our safety and democratic values,” it stated. The British government’s move came just a day after a jury found Wai Chi-leung and Yuen Chung-biu guilty under the National Security Act 2023 of assisting a foreign intelligence service, following a weeks-long trial at the Central Criminal Court in London. Wai was also convicted of misconduct in a public office in relation to misusing the UK Interior Ministry’s systems to track targets while working for the British Border Force at London Heathrow airport. Prosecutors said Wai used his access to the UK government’s databases to conduct unauthorized searches while off duty and improperly shared the personal information obtained. Helen Flanagan, head of counterterrorism policing in London, which led the investigation into the high-profile case, called the pair’s activists “both sinister and chill...
At Asia’s biggest metal industry gathering last week, a single word dominated almost every conversation — fapiao , China’s humble tax receipt. At their most basic, these official forms — printed and distributed by the government, and vital for closing payments — offer proof of purchase and ensure tax compliance. Crucially, they can also be used to secure financing, meaning these slips also grease ...
At Asia’s biggest metal industry gathering last week, a single word dominated almost every conversation — fapiao , China’s humble tax receipt. At their most basic, these official forms — printed and distributed by the government, and vital for closing payments — offer proof of purchase and ensure tax compliance. Crucially, they can also be used to secure financing, meaning these slips also grease the trade that keeps metals and other commodities flowing around the world’s largest consumer. Now Beijing is pulling apart the so-called ‘invoice economy’ in order to crack down on fraudulent trades and to rein in a system that can inflate revenue, blurring the line between real demand and financial engineering. Traders say that not every business will survive the strain of a halt that is already paralyzing parts of the copper trade. “The crackdown has left many physical metals traders unable to do their businesses,” said Jia Zheng, a trading manager at Suzhou Chuangyuan Harmony-Win Capital Management Co. According to estimates from more than 20 traders surveyed by Bloomberg during last week’s meetings in Hong Kong, over half of China’s spot copper trading volumes have been hit by defaults on contracts or delays. Some merchants and smelter-linked units have been left unable to complete transactions. Traders also cited the rising cost of inventories, as metal cannot be shipped. With the campaign expected to last until the end of July, several said they expected to see small and medium-sized trading houses pushed over the edge. They asked not to be named as the issue is sensitive. “Some importers are already worried,” Tiger Shi , an industry veteran and the chief executive officer of brokerage BANDS Financial Ltd. , said. “With fewer tax invoices available, it’s going to get harder to bring copper into China.” Read More: China Tax Authorities Rattle Metal Market With Invoice Crackdown A crackdown by authorities in Shanghai has added to moves in other provinces, like Guangdon...