asia
Xi Snubs Donald Trump: China Refuses to Enforce US Sanctions on Iran
China has told Iran it will not comply with Washington's new sanctions, rejecting US pressure just days after the Trump-Xi summit. As Iran's biggest oil buyer, taking over 80% of its exports, Beijing's refusal could decide whether the US campaign to economically isolate Tehran succeeds or fails.
Bangkok Under Water: All 50 Districts Declared Disaster Zones
Bangkok has declared all 50 districts disaster zones after nearly 300mm of rain in 48 hours filled canals, submerged roads and pushed 980 people into shelters. With pumps at full capacity, the prime minister rushing home and more rain forecast, the Thai capital faces days of flooding.
Xi’s Military Purge Deepens as China Expels Two Senior Generals
China has expelled Generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli from the Communist Party and military over alleged corruption, faction-building and disloyalty. The removal of two combat veterans leaves Xi Jinping’s top command body with only two active members and deepens an extraordinary military purge.
South Korea’s Lee Proposes Sanctions Relief for North Korean Nuclear Freeze
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has urged sanctions relief for North Korea in return for a freeze on its expanding nuclear and missile programmes. His phased proposal replaces an immediate denuclearisation demand with a sequence of stopping, reducing and eventually dismantling the arsenal.
Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan’s Kunar, Killing at Least Three as Tensions Rise
Pakistan has reportedly struck Afghanistan’s Kunar province, killing at least three people. The attack brings the TTP insurgency, Taliban–Islamabad tensions and the unresolved Durand Line drawn through the Pashtun homeland back into dangerous focus.
China’s Djibouti Base Is Becoming a Bigger Military Intelligence Hub
Satellite imagery shows China has added new communications, satellite and surveillance systems to its Djibouti military base near Bab el-Mandeb. Analysts say the upgrades could give Beijing a much wider intelligence picture across the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Middle East and East Africa.
Trump Administration Approves $24.3 Billion Saudi Fighter Jet Sale
The US State Department has approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighters and 49 engines to Saudi Arabia. The deal still needs congressional approval and could reshape Gulf air power while testing Washington’s commitment to preserving Israel’s military edge.
China’s Huawei Unveils New AI Chip Roadmap to Take on Nvidia
Huawei will launch the 960DT and Ascend 960PR AI chips in 2027 as it intensifies its challenge to Nvidia. The Chinese company is betting on large-scale chip clusters and its UnifiedBus networking technology to narrow the performance gap despite continuing US export restrictions.
Nearly Three Weeks Later, Thousands Remain Missing in the Nepal-Tibet Flood Disaster
More than 5,600 people remain missing weeks after a glacial collapse sent a wall of mud, rock and water through Nepal and Tibet. With official updates slowing, families are searching hospitals, sharing photographs, submitting DNA and holding on to the possibility that someone may still return home.
China Tightens Exit Controls to Protect Sensitive Technology
China has introduced new exit rules allowing authorities to stop citizens from leaving when export-control or technology-transfer violations are deemed a threat to industrial or technological security, bringing the movement of people deeper into Beijing's widening national-security system.
China Calls Push to Slow AI a ‘Cold War’ Tactic Aimed at Containing Beijing
Calls to slow AI development are colliding with the US-China rivalry. A Chinese state-backed newspaper says the safety push risks becoming a “Cold War” strategy to contain Beijing, exposing a deeper problem: neither superpower wants to slow down first.
Dead or Alive? Al-Qaeda Releases New Footage of Osama bin Laden's Son
Al-Qaeda has released previously unseen footage of Hamza bin Laden, nearly seven years after the US announced his death. With no verified date for the recording and al-Qaeda never having confirmed his death, the video has revived questions over what really happened to Osama bin Laden’s son.