While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Oct 15, 2025
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Washington and Beijing have had strained ties for years, especially with Mr Trump in office.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Trump mulls ending some trade ties with China, including in relation to cooking oil
US President Donald Trump said on Oct 14 Washington he was considering terminating some trade ties with China, including in relation to cooking oil.
“I believe that China purposefully not buying our Soybeans, and causing difficulty for our Soybean Farmers, is an Economically Hostile Act. We are considering terminating business with China having to do with Cooking Oil, and other elements of Trade, as retribution,” Mr Trump wrote on social media.
“As an example, we can easily produce Cooking Oil ourselves, we don’t need to purchase it from China.”
US news outlets reject Pentagon press access policy
At least 20 news organisations declined to sign a new Pentagon access policy for journalists, warning of the potential for less comprehensive coverage of the world’s most powerful military ahead of a Oct 14 deadline to accept new restrictions.
The policy requires journalists to acknowledge new rules on press access, including that they could be branded security risks and have their Pentagon press badges revoked if they ask department employees to disclose classified and some types of unclassified information.
Reuters is among the outlets that have refused to sign, citing the threat posed to press freedoms. Others that have announced their refusal to accept the new press access rules in statements or their own news stories are: the Associated Press, Bloomberg News, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, CBS, NBC, ABC, NPR, Axios, Politico, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Hill, Newsmax, Breaking Defense and Task & Purpose.
French PM to suspend Macron’s flagship pension reform
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised on Oct 14 to suspend a landmark pension reform until after the 2027 election, sacrificing one of President Emmanuel Macron’s legacy achievements to ensure the government’s survival.
By bowing to pressure from leftist lawmakers who revile the 2023 reform, Mr Lecornu has managed to stave off a stark escalation in France’s months-long political crisis.
The Socialists welcomed his concession, saying they would not vote to topple him in no-confidence votes on Oct 16, meaning Mr Lecornu will almost certainly live to fight another day.
Israel confirms its absence from World Championships as Indonesia denies visas
Israel confirmed it will not take part in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta after its athletes were denied visas, with the Israel Gymnastics Federation calling the decision shocking and heartbreaking.
Indonesia said on Oct 10 it had denied visas to Israeli gymnasts amid an outcry over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, costing Israeli athletes a spot in the world championships that start on Oct 12 in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed on Oct 14 that it had received two appeals submitted by the Israeli federation.
Celebrated soul musician D’Angelo dead at 51: US media
Celebrated soul musician D’Angelo has died at the age of 51 after battling pancreatic cancer, several US media outlets reported Oct 14.
“The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life... After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer, we are heartbroken to announce that Michael D’Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D’Angelo, has been called home,” his family said in a statement to Variety.
D’Angelo was an acclaimed R&B singer and won plaudits for albums including his 1995 debut Brown Sugar and Voodoo, released in 2000.
