China
China reportedly operating Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, as economic ties deepen
China is now operating the former United States military facility at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, The Telegraph reports citing anonymous officials and satellite imagery analyses.
Global sea temperatures reach 21°C to set new all-time record high in June
According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average sea surface temperature reached 20.96°C in June, the highest for the month since records began.
South Asia looks southeast as trade ties strengthen to counterbalance China
This tilt has been most pronounced in India’s expanding economic outreach to Southeast Asia under its "Act East" policy, which has evolved from a diplomatic slogan to a trade and connectivity strategy.
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East and Southeast Asia react to Trump’s tariff delay with unease, strategic reassessment
Cynics are even claiming the US president doesn’t want to push his controversial tariffs into the spotlight as the US reels from devastating flash floods in Texas that claimed over 100 lives in recent days.
Lavrov hits back at Nato’s Rutte, denies Russian plans to invade Europe or attack Nato
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hit back at Nato General Secretary Mark Rutte's claims that Chinese President Xi Jinping could ask Russia to attack Nato to clear a path for China’s occupation of Taiwan, or that it plans to invade Estonia.
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Brazil opens door to Chinese AI investment while avoiding Belt and Road
Brazil and China have unveiled plans for a joint artificial intelligence research facility targeting agricultural development, in a significant expansion of technological cooperation between the two emerging powers.
Global South unity on display at BRICS summit, leaders avoid criticising Russia
The BRICS leaders gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6 for the annual meeting, where they condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, the US airstrikes on Iran and Ukraine’s drone strikes on trains, but not Russia's war in Ukraine.
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China overtakes US to become world’s R&D research leader on the back Trump’s academic research cuts
China’s lead over the United States in global scientific output has leapt, as new data shows that the gap between the two powers has more than quadrupled in the space of a year, according to Nature’s 2025 index of research papers leaders.
Experts warn of “cascading” climate tipping points that will kill the climate without immediate global action
World leaders must act with “immediate, unprecedented” urgency to prevent cascading climate tipping points that could have catastrophic consequences for billions of people, according to the Global Tipping Points Conferenrence delegates.
BERTRAND: Conflicting views of the future - China chooses renewables, US chooses oil
We’re now in a fascinating, and probably unprecedented, situation where the world’s two greatest superpowers - China and the US - are actively building two entirely different visions of what the world's energy future should look like.
BRICS leaders gather in Rio to challenge Western dominance
Leaders from the BRICS group have convened in Rio de Janeiro for their 17th annual summit, casting the expanded bloc as a counterweight to Western institutions whilst grappling with internal divisions over key geopolitical flashpoints.
LNG in Asia: A transitional step on the way to a greener future
As the global push for decarbonisation intensifies, liquefied natural gas - LNG - is emerging as a pivotal player in Asia’s energy transformation.
Southern Ocean current reverses for first time, signalling risk of climate system collapse
A major ocean current in the Southern Hemisphere has reversed direction for the first time in recorded history, in what climatologists are calling a “catastrophic” tipping point in the global climate system.
Russia becomes first country to formally recognise Taliban government in Afghanistan
Russia has formally recognised the Taliban administration in Afghanistan, becoming the first country to do so since the group seized power in August 2021, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on July 4.
Taiwan ambassador reaffirms Guatemala partnership amid China's regional expansion
Taiwan's Ambassador to Guatemala has reaffirmed the nations' "transparent, sustainable, and mutually beneficial" relationship in an interview with bne IntelliNews following Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo's visit to Taiwan on June 5.
Where startups are born, global firms grow and capital flows — Asia in 2025
From 2017 to 2023, private equity and venture capital assets under management in Asia surged by 130%, significantly outpacing growth in Western markets.
Trump pressure pushes BYD out of Mexico
China’s electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD has shelved plans to build a major manufacturing plant in Mexico, citing geopolitical volatility and the current trade stance of the United States under President Donald Trump.
Ecuador to receive $1bn in energy investments from China and Spain
Ecuador has secured $1bn in energy sector investments from Spain and China through 2026, marking an early success from President Daniel Noboa's recent diplomatic tour.
Global banking’s new powerhouse: Asia
Asia's level of digital banking infrastructure has enabled it to challenge and even surpass traditional Western players such as Citi and HSBC in key regional markets.
ASIA BLOG: Southeast Asia should pivot away from Trump’s America and steer in the direction of Europe
Trump's confrontational approach to China, while superficially aligned with concerns within ASEAN, is neither strategic nor consultative. It is built more on spectacle than substance, more on division than dialogue.