Headlines

World’s first quantum battery is well within reach

You’re late for an important appointment. Just as you are leaving your house, you realize your phone is flat. Imagine you could charge it almost instantly by exploiting the strange rules of quantum physics. That’s the promise of quantum batteries. My colleagues and I at CSIRO

Indonesia’s closing window for a demographic dividend

Indonesia is often seen as one of Asia’s great demographic opportunities. With a population of more than 275 million and a still-expanding working-age cohort, it has long been expected to ride the same labour-driven growth wave that powered East Asia’s rise. But that window is

Japan trades its shield for a sword sharpened for China

In the early hours of a quiet morning in March 2026, a tightly guarded military convoy moved through Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan. Its destination was Camp Kengun, a base operated by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The vehicles carried launch units of the upgraded

Japan PM meets Trump under pressure on Hormuz

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi risks the wrath of US President Donald Trump at the White House Thursday after rebuffing his call to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The first female premier in Japan's history, conservative Takaichi has had a strong supporter in Trump,

Iran targets Gulf energy sites after gas field strike

Iran targeted energy facilities across the Gulf and threatened further destructive attacks after a key gas field was hit, raising fears Thursday of a wider assault on fuel supplies that could jolt already rattled global markets. The warning came after Israel killed the Islamic