Headlines

China’s zero-tariff play aims to lock in African loyalty

China’s expanding zero-tariff access for 63 lower-income countries — 53 of them African — is far more than a developmental courtesy or a technical adjustment of customs schedules. It is a deliberate geostrategic lever in Beijing’s long-term competition with the United States

Asia

France is right to ban social media for children

France has joined Australia and the United Kingdom in moving to restrict children’s access to social media. By banning under-15s from holding accounts, it will become the first European state to introduce such a policy, writes Dr Helena Ivanov, Associate Fellow, The Henry

China’s Fields Medals triumph raises bigger math questions

When Hong Wang and Yu Deng received Fields Medals at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia on July 23, they became the first citizens of the People’s Republic of China to hold mathematics’ highest honor in its 90-year history. Wang is also only the third

Asia

Belgium's best tourist attraction just got even better

It is easily Belgium’s most popular tourist attraction…and has just got even better. Pairi Daiza attracted neary 3 million visitors last year and has won an armful of top international awards. It has recently opened a new feature which is sure to cement its place at the top of

AI’s ceiling: intelligence, too, faces diminishing returns

“[I]ntelligence, that counterentropic conjoined twin of information, must become the most powerful force in the universe, the energy to which all other physical laws must eventually kneel…Intelligence was destiny, manifest.” — Ian McDonald, “Verthandi’s Ring” Not a lot of

Asia

China takes satellite race with SpaceX to sea

China’s latest sea-based rocket launch shows how mobile launch platforms, onboard artificial intelligence and expanding commercial constellations are converging into a broader Chinese effort to strengthen military resilience, accelerate satellite deployment and compete for

Asia

Ukraine’s worst week becomes much better, but not the best

Last week was a momentous one for Ukrainian democracy, and possibly for how the war develops over the next period. After two and a half years, overall command of the Ukrainian army was transferred from General Oleksandr Syrskyi to General Mykhailo Drapatyi. The move was greeted

Asia