
The United States Justice Department has filed a host of criminal charges against Chinese telecoms giant Huawei and its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. The charges against the world's second largest smart-phone maker include accusations of bank fraud, obstruction of justice and theft of technology.

President Donald Trump agreed under mounting pressure on Friday to end a 35-day-old partial U.S. government shutdown without getting the US$5.7 billion he had demanded from Congress for a border wall, handing a political victory to Democrats.

Pope Francis wasted no time wading in on the standoff over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall on Wednesday as he started his trip to Panama, saying on the plane from Rome that hostility to immigrants was driven by irrational fear. In a brief conversation between the pope and journalists on the flight, one reporter described the barrier that juts out into the Pacific Ocean between the two countries in San Diego, California, as a “folly”.

General Motors Brazil unit is in advanced talks with Sao Paulo state to receive tax incentives, the company told public officials and union representatives at a meeting on Tuesday, a few days after telling workers in a memo that it was losing money in the country.

US President Donald Trump would be ready to recognize the opposition leader and president of the National Assembly (AN) of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, as the legitimate president of Venezuela after his probable inauguration on Wednesday, according to CNN sources.

The United States is reportedly investigating Huawei for stealing trade secrets from American business partners in the latest action against the Chinese technology giant. The criminal inquiry was first reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

President Donald Trump has postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's upcoming trip to Brussels and Afghanistan, asking her to stay to negotiate an end to the partial US government shutdown.

Democrats have asked President Donald Trump to postpone a speech to Congress, arguing security cannot be guaranteed due to the government shutdown. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to Mr Trump that he should deliver the speech in writing instead unless federal agencies reopen.

Leading automakers on Monday called on the Trump administration and Congress to resolve trade disputes, and end the US government shutdown, saying political uncertainty is costing the industry, Reuters reports.

Chinese exports saw the steepest fall for two years in December, according to the latest trade figures. Exports from China fell 4.4% last month compared with the year before, while imports fell 7.6%. The figures indicate a further weakening in the strength of the world's second biggest economy and sent Asian stock markets lower on Monday.