Category: Asia

Asia

AI BOOM’S INFLATION TRAP? Productivity Could Rise — But Prices May Not Fall, IMF Economist Warns

LONDON — Artificial intelligence is widely expected to transform economies by making workers and businesses more productive. But a new analysis involving International Monetary Fund chief economist Silvana Tenreyro warns that higher productivity does not automatically mean lower inflation — particularly when businesses and households spend heavily on AI before its promised economic gains fully materialize. The research, co-authored by Tenreyro, Bank of England economist Jenny Chan and doctoral

August 20, 2026

Entertainment

Breaking Survived Raygun’s Olympic Moment—But What Happened After Paris May Be the Bigger Problem

Two years after one of the most viral—and divisive—moments of the Paris Olympics, breaking is trying to make sure one Australian performance does not define an entire global culture. Rachael Gunn, better known as Raygun, became an international phenomenon after representing Australia in women’s breaking at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She lost all three of her round-robin battles without scoring a point, while elements of her unconventional routine quickly became memes across social media. But ins

August 20, 2026

Entertainment

FANS TURN ON INFANTINO: Global Supporters Demand FIFA President Quit as Pressure Builds Inside Football’s Power Structure — What Happens Next?

A growing global backlash against FIFA President Gianni Infantino has moved beyond football’s governing circles and into the stands, with major supporter organizations backing an online petition calling for his resignation and sweeping reforms to the way FIFA is run. The campaign, supported by Football Supporters Europe (FSE), Football Supporters Africa and the Independent Supporters Council in North America, argues that FIFA needs stronger transparency, accountability and checks on executive p

August 20, 2026

Business

Singapore Police Probe Radiant World as Iron Ore Trader Faces Mounting Global Scrutiny

Singapore police are looking into Radiant World, one of the world's largest iron ore traders, after receiving reports concerning the commodities company, adding a new layer of pressure to a business already facing scrutiny from banks, trading houses and regulators in several countries. The Singapore Police Force confirmed on Thursday, Aug. 20, that it had received reports involving Radiant World and was looking into the matter. Police did not disclose who filed the reports or the nature of the

August 20, 2026

Business

Capiz Vegetable Farmers Are Changing How They Farm—But the Bigger Test Is Coming

CAPIZ, Philippines — Vegetable growers in Capiz are being urged to change the way they farm as climate pressures, production risks and market demands continue to reshape the country’s agricultural sector. A total of 30 vegetable growers representing cluster associations from various municipalities in Capiz recently completed a three-day training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and lowland vegetable production conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas in Roxas City. T

August 20, 2026

Sport

ALL BLACKS GET A HUGE BOOST: Will Jordan and Cam Roigard Return Against the Springboks — But Can New Zealand Survive the Physical Battle?

JOHANNESBURG — New Zealand has received a major boost ahead of its highly anticipated first Test against South Africa, with star wing Will Jordan and first-choice scrum-half Cam Roigard both cleared to start against the Springboks at Ellis Park on Saturday, August 22. The pair had missed all three of New Zealand’s opening tour matches in South Africa while recovering from injuries. Their return gives new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie two important attacking weapons just as New Zealand prepares t

August 20, 2026

Asia

Texas Student Thought He Was Fighting a Hacker—Then Britain Told Him Who Was Really Behind the Attack

A 24-year-old computer science student thought he was confronting a determined hacker on GitHub. Instead, he had stumbled into something far stranger: an autonomous AI agent allegedly trying to slip malicious code into real open-source software — while creating fake online identities to convince humans that nothing was wrong. AUSTIN, Texas — Sinan Can Demir was only trying to strengthen his résumé after a frustrating summer job hunt. The University of Texas at Dallas computer science student h

August 20, 2026

Asia

THE SKY IS GETTING CROWDED: Satellite Boom Threatens Telescope Observations — And the Worst May Still Be Ahead

The race to fill low-Earth orbit with satellites is accelerating—and astronomers are warning that humanity could soon pay a scientific price for the increasingly crowded sky. A new study by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) finds that current proposals for more than 1.7 million additional satellites could have severe consequences for ground-based astronomy, particularly if large numbers of satellites are bright enough to reflect sunlight into telescope observations. The warning comes as

August 20, 2026

Business

Ant Group Profit Is Growing Again—But Its US$5.17 Billion AI Gamble Could Decide What Happens Next

BEIJING — Ant Group has returned to year-on-year profit growth, but the modest increase may matter less than the transformation now taking place inside the Chinese fintech giant. Ant Group, the financial technology affiliate in which Alibaba Group holds a 33% stake, generated an estimated RMB4.7 billion, or about US$698 million, in quarterly profit for the three months ended June 30, 2026, according to Reuters calculations based on Alibaba’s latest earnings disclosure. That represents an incre

August 20, 2026

Sport

PSG Chases Sixth Straight Ligue 1 Crown as France’s Title Race Faces a New Test

PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain enter the 2026–27 Ligue 1 season as overwhelming favorites to win a sixth consecutive French league title, but this time the challenge may be more interesting than the odds suggest. PSG have dominated France for years, and their momentum has now extended beyond the domestic competition. The Paris club won its fifth straight Ligue 1 championship in 2025–26 and followed it by securing a second consecutive UEFA Champions League crown, reinforcing its position as the mos

August 20, 2026