Capital of China, global hub across politics, economy, and culture
Hong Kong's High Court has convicted former Hong Kong Alliance leaders Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung of inciting subversion under the national security law. They have been detained since 2021, face up to 10 years in prison, and a third defendant, Albert Ho, pleaded guilty earlier. Sentencing will take place later this year.
Ox Alpha, a free, anonymous preview of Z.ai’s GLM-5.3-Flash, has sparked wide online discussion as developers test its capabilities and weights are released on Hugging Face. The model is described as a reasoning tool for coding and production workloads, with open-weight access and potential ties to Chinese labs. Debates focus on origin, on-device use, and open-source leadership in AI.
The Treasury has expanded its bond-buyback program to support longer-dated debt, but yields on the 10-year and 30-year Treasuries have remained elevated as debt levels and deficits draw scrutiny. Investors are weighing the impact on mortgages, AI infrastructure funding, and policy uncertainty across multiple outlets.
Olympic and world champion Alysa Liu has announced she will not compete this season to recalibrate her artistry and further develop her skating. She says she will return later, after time to focus on personal growth and technique.
The Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine in Devon has secured up to £71 million from the National Wealth Fund to restart operations. The government will ringfence 50% of production for domestic use. The investment comprises equity and debt, with aims to ramp to full production by 2027 and support hundreds of UK jobs.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has left the Middle East and has begun its journey back to San Diego after a record continuous deployment of more than 250 days. Thai officials have confirmed a brief port visit next week to allow the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines to rest and receive logistical support amid reports of supply shortages and declining morale aboard the ship.
Signatories from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and other leaders have warned there is a limited window to strengthen cyber-defences against AI-powered attacks. The open letter urges coordinated government action, funding for cyber defence, and wider access to capable defensive AI for critical infrastructure, as attacks on hospitals, water systems and airports rise.
UEFA member federations have convened in Monaco ahead of the Champions League draw to end a boycott threat following Gianni Infantino’s private investor plan. The discussions aim to ensure teams prepare for the upcoming fixtures while reaffirming leadership support. News flows from AP, Al Jazeera and The Independent.
Massive floods across Nepal and Tibet have killed dozens and left hundreds missing. Rescue efforts are underway, with thousands of troops deployed and international aid flowing in as authorities warn of continuing danger from dammed lakes and downstream river surges.
Shein is set to debut in Hong Kong with an expected price range of HK$47.60–HK$49.50 per share, valuing the company at about $27bn. The IPO follows years of regulatory scrutiny and previous failed listings in New York and London. Cornerstone investors and major firms are backing the float, while the company aims to fund technology and global expansion.
OpenAI unveils a privacy-centric safety monitoring approach, while Anthropic maintains a 30-day data retention policy for its covered models, prompting enterprise concerns and competitive tension in the AI safety space.
A PanStar Acro voyage from Busan has begun testing Arctic passage to Europe, with stops in Felixstowe, Rotterdam and Gdansk. Governments see potential for shorter routes and reduced travel time, but environmental and political risks persist.
President Trump has announced what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever" against Iran, warning any country or company that provides a lifeline to Tehran will face "tremendous economic consequences." Treasury officials have signalled stepped‑up secondary sanctions while Iran has warned it will hit back; markets have reacted with higher oil prices and weaker US equities this week.
A Shenzhen court has sentenced Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan to life in prison and ordered confiscation of his assets, while a Guangzhou court has accepted bankruptcy liquidation for Evergrande’s mainland property unit. Courts have fined Evergrande and its unit about 15.8 billion yuan, and dozens of executives have also received prison terms.
North Korea has fired ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, prompting an emergency security meeting in Seoul. South Korea and the US have coordinated responses and warned Pyongyang against further launches as tensions rise amid scaled-down Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises.
China’s humanoid robotics sector is expanding as World Robot Conference showcases domestic firms deploying robots in logistics and manufacturing, while overseas demand and investor interest drive IPOs and automation adoption across factories.
The US State Department has designated Myanmar scholar Min Zin as wrongfully detained after Chinese authorities arrested him in Yunnan on June 3 while he attended a government‑invited conference. Washington has made his release a diplomatic priority ahead of a planned meeting between US and Chinese leaders and is publicly pressing Beijing to free him.
The drills Ulchi Freedom Shield are being halted ahead of planned meetings with North Korea, following President Trump’s order to scale back the exercise amid regional tensions.
Settlers have returned to Kadim, north of Jenin, with around 30 pioneer families arriving under military escort. The reopening follows the 2005 disengagement and signals a broader push to revive four northern West Bank settlements, amid a wider surge in settlement activity under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. Palestinian residents fear displacement as tensions rise alongside new outposts and tenders in nearby areas.
Humanoid robots are advancing rapidly, with demonstrations in Bangkok and Beijing showing impressive athletic and AI-enabled capabilities. Industry leaders say true breakthroughs hinge on AI brains capable of general, unsupervised task performance, not just physical prowess.
Indonesia and China have expanded defence and economic cooperation through high-level talks. The two countries will boost joint exercises, training, and defense-industry links, with a new bilateral dialogue to safeguard development and security. Trade neared $167 billion in 2025 amid Belt and Road projects, while collaboration spans AI, satellites, and critical minerals.
The US has threatened the toughest sanctions on Iran, with Treasury officials detailing measures while Tehran warns of a crushing response. Iran’s armed forces have pledged broad, decisive retaliation across land, sea, air, and cyberspace as Gulf energy shipments face renewed pressure and global oil markets react.
Olympic medallist Jenny Simpson has disclosed she has arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) after collapsing during a Raleigh, North Carolina event. She has asked fans not to offer pity, saying her story continues. The diagnosis means returning to running would be dangerous, and she will not pursue competitive racing in the future.
Chinese regulators have announced recalls affecting more than four million vehicles, largely driven by safety concerns over hidden, electronically operated door handles. Tesla has accounted for about 2.98 million cars; Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng and Geely are also recalling vehicles. Automakers will add warning labels and push software updates to improve emergency egress and driver monitoring.
Iran faces intensified pressure from U.S. sanctions while the Strait of Hormuz remains bottlenecked. Washington warns of the toughest sanctions yet; Tehran vows crushing responses. Iraqi tankers seek passage; global oil flows are at risk.
Humanoid robots at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing have achieved sprint times under the human 100m world record, with Tiangong Ultra and Lightning showcasing rapid improvements amid U.S. tech scrutiny. The events feature 2,000+ robots across 51 contests, highlighting China’s push in robotics and AI integration.
Beijing hosts a five‑day World Humanoid Robot Games as robots outperform humans in sprint and other tasks. The events test autonomy, perception and control, with industrial and service tasks featured alongside sports.
The United States has signaled severe, coordinated sanctions targeting Iran’s economy. Officials say the measures, described as the greatest financial offensive against Iran, are aimed at pressuring Tehran as tensions rise over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
Alibaba has priced an 80 billion Hong Kong dollar placement to fund AI expansion; JD.com gains in a shifting Chinese e-commerce scene as investors scrutinize AI spends. Xpeng reports weaker Q3 forecast while its robotics arm attracts a multibillion-dollar valuation, signaling a broader AI-driven reshaping of the tech landscape.
Japan’s lawmakers are in Beijing to restore channels after Tokyo’s Taiwan remarks soured ties; discussions with Chinese officials run through Thursday as both sides seek to mend diplomatic and economic links.
The United States has imposed new sanctions on nearly 60 entities linked to Iran’s oil revenue, cyber operations and nuclear-related procurement as part of a broader effort to sever Tehran’s economic lifelines. Tehran has rejected the measures, while allies weigh responses and potential countermeasures.
The United States has expanded its sanctions campaign against Iran, aiming to sever economic lifelines and isolate Tehran further. Beijing rejects unilateral penalties and pledges to protect its interests, while analysts weigh the risks of Chinese retaliation amid upcoming US-Chinese talks.
Gao Zhen, a U.S.-based artist of the Gao Brothers, has been sentenced to three years in a Hebei prison for works the Chinese authorities deem insulting to revolutionary figures. He has been detained since August 2024. Amnesty International and UN rights groups condemn the ruling as a crackdown on artistic expression. His wife aims to reunite with him in the U.S. and continues to pursue an appeal.
Xi has scheduled a three-day visit to Egypt from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, following the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan. The talks with Egyptian President el-Sisi aim to deepen strategic partnership, bolster trade and defence links, and signal China’s regional footprint amid turbulence in the Hormuz corridor and Middle East tensions.
The Justice Department has seized web domains linked to two hacking platforms, QScan and QTRouter, and federal agencies have said the tools were used since 2018 to probe and breach U.S. networks including NASA, the Federal Reserve, Energy Department labs, NIH and the U.S. Senate. Authorities say a Nanjing firm tied the platforms to Chinese intelligence and military customers.
A glacial collapse on the Nepal–Tibet border has caused a debris-laden flood that has killed hundreds, left more than 1,500 people missing and swept away villages, roads and bridges. Rescue teams are searching across Rasuwa district and Tibet while authorities are trying to identify bodies and account for hundreds of missing foreign tourists.
Renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has died at 97. Her career spanned New York’s avant-garde scene to global museum retrospectives, with recurring motifs of dots, nets and infinity. She faced childhood trauma and mental-health struggles, but continued painting until her final days, influencing artists like Andy Warhol and shaping modern pop and minimalist art.
China and the United States keep urging cooperation while engaging in targeted actions. Talks between Wang Yi and the U.S. ambassador underline attempts to manage differences and push high-level exchanges, even as both nations pursue separate sanctions and caution against escalation.
A glacier-triggered flash flood has collapsed into rivers near Nepal and Tibet, creating a barrier lake that has swelled to about 2.5 million cubic metres. Officials warn of a high risk of breach as authorities monitor rising water levels and potential secondary floods. Rescues continue, with hundreds dead and many missing as relief operations press on.
Rescuers are grappling with widespread floods triggered by a glacier collapse, as barrier lakes pose ongoing risk. Officials say hundreds remain missing and hundreds killed, with foreign nationals among the missing. Rescue operations face access challenges and dangerous terrain, while Nepal has paused foreign assistance amid a national effort.
The United States is moving to sever UAE access to Banque Misr’s banking system, with a 30-day comment period before rules take effect. The move targets Iran-aligned financing and follows Treasury warnings that Iran’s enablers cannot access the US dollar and global financial system.
Rescuers have recovered 586 bodies and are racing to locate survivors as floods triggered by a glacier collapse devastate Nepal and Tibet. Authorities warn of rising water and new flood risks as missing persons numbers climb into the thousands.