Reading Time : 2 minutesByteDance and Alibaba unleash AI image models rivaling Google, with web search and top benchmarks igniting a fierce global contest. Efficiency gains and real-time smarts challenge Western leads— is China’s tech surge unstoppable?
Reading Time : 2 minutesChina is steadily advancing its renminbi as a global currency, raising questions about the future balance of financial power. While the US dollar still dominates, Beijing’s patient strategy suggests a slow transformation rather than a sudden challenge. The real story lies in how influence, trust, and long-term positioning could quietly reshape global finance.
Reading Time : 2 minutesTikTok’s U.S. operations have shifted to a majority American ownership structure, but questions linger about data control, algorithm influence, and lingering ties to China. Users and lawmakers are closely watching how this deal will reshape content, privacy, and the app’s role in U.S. tech policy.
Reading Time : 2 minutesTaiwan merges four state asset firms into a $12B powerhouse to challenge Asia’s wealth giants. Is this diversification masterstroke or risky consolidation? Unpacking the motives and hurdles ahead
Reading Time : 2 minutesChina’s Unitree shipped 5,500+ humanoid robots in 2025, crushing US rivals at ~150 units each. With 80% global dominance, Beijing’s factories surge ahead while America lags. Explosive growth looms—will the West wake up before it’s too late?
Reading Time : 2 minutesFor more than a century, the Times Square ball drop has marked the final seconds of the year. Born from a simple idea, it became a global ritual of pause and renewal. As the ball descends, millions share the same moment, reflecting on what passed and quietly stepping into what comes next.
Reading Time : 3 minutesChina has achieved a historic milestone by developing a working prototype of extreme ultraviolet lithography technology, challenging the global monopoly on advanced chipmaking. This monumental feat of engineering, driven by a massive mobilization of talent and resources, marks a shift toward technological independence. With a bold 2028 target for chip production, this breakthrough signals a more vibrant and competitive future.
Reading Time : 2 minutesNasdaq is proposing a shift toward nearly 24-hour weekday trading, reflecting growing global demand and changing investor habits. The move could allow faster reactions to news and closer alignment with international markets, while also raising questions about liquidity, volatility, and operational costs. If approved, it would reshape how and when U.S. stocks trade.
Reading Time : 2 minutesWall Street banks are increasingly aligned around one idea: the U.S. dollar may weaken in the coming years. With expected interest rate cuts, shifting global growth, and changing capital flows, the long-standing strength of the dollar could give way to a more balanced currency landscape, reshaping trade, investments, and market strategies worldwide.
Reading Time : 2 minutesThe U.S. has decided to let Nvidia sell its H200 AI chips to selected customers in China, reopening part of a market that was blocked by earlier export controls. Washington will take a share of the revenue, while China gains access to hardware it struggled to replace. The move reshapes commercial, political, and technological dynamics across the Pacific.
Reading Time : 2 minutesThe new $250 U.S. visa fee is stirring frustration among international travelers, sparking bold headlines that talk about “chaos” in American cities. The reality is less dramatic but still worrying, with tourism-dependent regions bracing for a slowdown. The fee is pushing many visitors to reconsider their plans, raising questions about how this policy will reshape the travel economy.
Reading Time : 2 minutesThe ECB is warning eurozone banks to brace for a wave of unusual and persistent risks driven by geopolitics, climate events, shifting trade dynamics and rapid technological change. While banks remain well-capitalized, vulnerabilities linked to dollar funding and market volatility could trigger pressure. The ECB urges stronger buffers and tighter risk controls to withstand potential shocks.
Reading Time : 2 minutesCentral banks are gradually diversifying their reserves away from the U.S. dollar, turning to smaller G10 and emerging market currencies while boosting gold holdings. The shift is slow but steady, reflecting growing geopolitical caution and a search for stability in a multipolar financial world where the dollar’s long-standing supremacy is being quietly challenged.
Reading Time : 2 minutesThe United States asked Taiwan to move half its chip production to America, citing security and supply chain concerns. Taiwan firmly rejected the request, defending its semiconductor dominance as both an economic asset and strategic shield. The standoff exposes growing tension between US self-sufficiency goals and Taiwan’s vital role in global technology.
Reading Time : 2 minutesChina’s new K visa program is reshaping the global science landscape by drawing top US researchers at a time when America tightens its visa rules. With generous support and fewer barriers, China positions itself as a magnet for talent, sparking a potential reverse migration that could alter the future of global innovation.
