International

China’s AI sector is surging as founders from DeepSeek, Z.ai, and Moonshot AI prioritize open-weight models and original innovation to challenge US dominance and foster a global, accessible technological ecosystem.

A UN report reveals that online scam losses in the Asia-Pacific region reached $147.2 billion in 2025, tripling since 2023 as organized syndicates adopt sophisticated, corporate-like transnational criminal models.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Manila for the ASEAN summit, condemning China’s aggressive South China Sea actions while reaffirming US support for regional security and freedom of navigation.

The 2026 World Cup in America has been a resounding success. This achievement stems from the nation's core values of openness and civility, proving that the tournament thrived because of these enduring American principles rather than in spite of the country's current political leadership.

The United States will oversee Israel's gradual withdrawal from pilot zones in southern Lebanon. Officials confirmed that new technical talks between Israel and Lebanon are scheduled for next week in Rome to coordinate the implementation of the framework agreement and restore Lebanese sovereignty.

The United States and Iran have adopted a volatile new ceasefire where diplomatic talks and military strikes function as integrated tools. Both nations maintain this risky balance to exert pressure and manage regional conflict without escalating into a full-scale war.

Oil prices rose on Thursday after the U.S. launched fresh strikes against Iran, ending hopes for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The escalation threatens the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil supply route, causing market uncertainty and higher crude futures.

Singaporean Lalita Devi Arjun Singh played a key role in NASA’s Artemis II mission. As a project manager at Leidos, she helped develop essential health monitoring kits and emergency nutrition pouches, contributing to vital research on astronaut well-being for future space exploration.

The Trump administration is leveraging a pragmatic "America First" strategy in ASEAN, promoting US technology and infrastructure solutions to counter Chinese influence while simultaneously imposing new tariffs on regional trading partners.

US President Donald Trump has declared the recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding over, yet he remains open to further negotiations. This shift returns both nations to square one, heightening tensions and leaving significant room for potential escalation in the Middle East.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has launched her fourth presidential bid after an appeals court cleared her to run despite a conviction for embezzlement. She now faces the challenge of winning over voters while navigating further legal appeals and internal policy debates.