Headlines

US-Japan yen intervention is also a tug of war

NEW YORK — A pointed question now hangs over global markets as the US Treasury links arms with Japan to confront yen bears: who actually holds the leverage — Washington or Tokyo? Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent plainly wants his Japanese counterpart, Finance Minister Satsuki

Asia

Don’t believe Sam Altman, we’re not in the AI Singularity

“We are now, like, in the singularity.” These are the words of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, speaking on the Relentless podcast on July 25. He added: “I’ve been waiting for this my whole life, and I think it’s going to be incredible, hugely positive, awesome for the world.” Days

Asia

Beyond the Singularity: China owning the physical AI revolution

The global discourse on artificial intelligence is preoccupied with a dramatic possibility: The Singularity, the moment a disembodied artificial general intelligence awakens in a server farm, escapes human control and either elevates or destroys civilization. This is largely a

Asia

How India’s ‘Cockroach’ movement grew its wings

Young people across India recently made international headlines for mass protests over the recurring leaks of entrance exams that help students qualify for medical schools and highly coveted government jobs. The Gen Z protesters won a major victory within a matter of weeks when

Asia

The China positivity, US negativity illusion

For nearly two decades, one line in the global opinion charts held steady: the United States was better liked than China. That line has now crossed. Pew Research Center’s July 15 report, based on 42,151 interviews in 36 countries between February and May 2026, finds China

Asia

China’s MANPADS for Iran could cost US airpower dearly

Iran’s reported acquisition of Chinese shoulder-fired air-defense missiles could turn the war’s lower altitudes into a costly battlefield of attrition for US and Israeli airpower. Iran was set to receive its first shipment within weeks under a signed US$60-$70 million deal for

Asia

China cues start of leaders' secretive Beidaihe summer retreat

BEIJING, Aug 3 - China's Communist Party appeared to kick off its annual closed-door retreat in the seaside resort of Beidaihe, an informal gathering that perennially sparks rumours of power jostling among senior cadres and comes this year ahead of a major party conclave in

Asia

‘How can the United States possibly compete with China?’

Yes, China certainly seems daunting. Go there and take a look at massive modern factories operating 24/7, millions of industrial and domestic service robots, along with what look like never-ending shiny skyscrapers in Shenzhen, Shanghai and other cities. The sheer scale of it

Asia