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Young people in Japan are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make before-and-after cosmetic surgery photographs which look like they are two “different” versions of themselves in a single setting. Data suggests the country is relatively relaxed about cosmetic procedures, but the latest trend is raising concerns about the effect it might have on youngsters. A…
The Australian frigate HMAS Toowoomba sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Friday and Saturday, monitored closely by the People’s Liberation Army, which remained on alert throughout the transit, according to a mainland Chinese media report. The Global Times, a nationalist newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, reported the vessel’s passage on Saturday,…
US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Saturday that President Donald Trump is questioning why Iran has not “capitulated” in the face of Washington’s military build-up aimed at pressuring them into a nuclear deal. The United States and Iran this week resumed Oman-mediated talks in Geneva aimed at averting the possibility of military action, after Washington…
Resorts are near capacity in Pattaya, Bangkok restaurants are doing a roaring trade and the strict time slots to visit the Louis Vuitton pop-up “hotel” in the Thai capital are fully booked. As this year’s Lunar New Year holiday draws to a close, Thailand’s tourist businesses are totting up the receipts from what many hope…
On the top floor of a trendy anime-themed mall near Beijing’s Chaoyang Park, a three-minute trailer gave a taste of what is expected to be China’s next blockbuster role-playing video game. On the large screen, characters called Eastern Heretic, Western Venom, Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar appeared in exquisitely rendered martial arts duels. Rising above…
If you are an Asian exporter, port operator or supply-chain manager, “trade geopolitics” is not an abstract debate. It is the volatility premium paid in freight, contracts, inventory and investment decisions. Trump’s latest move—lifting a new global tariff rate to 15% after the Supreme Court struck down his earlier duties imposed under emergency powers—highlights a…
A former Trump administration official to blame for Afghanistan falling into the Taliban’s hands seeks a political comeback despite championing the terror group and a convicted pro-Taliban narco baron. Zalmay Khalilzad, 73, an American-Afghan lobbyist-turned-diplomat, served as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation under the first Trump administration and was the architect of the botched…
In a consequential decision with billions of dollars on the line, the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower-court ruling striking down President Donald Trump’s tariffs, coming just as the White House confirmed his visit to Beijing from March 31 to April 2. By invalidating tariffs imposed under emergency presidential powers, the decision removes…
As US President Donald Trump prepares for a possible visit to China in April, analysts say that one issue is likely to “cast a shadow” over his looming negotiations with Beijing: America’s need to maintain access to supplies of gallium and other strategic resources. With China’s suspension of a ban on exports of gallium and…
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi highlighted what she called Chinese “coercion” as she delivered her first parliamentary speech since her party’s landslide victory about two weeks ago, while also calling for continued communication with Beijing. Analysts say this indicates Tokyo will prioritise its ties with Washington but also attempt to maintain pragmatic engagement with Beijing…
