Asia Times

Bangladesh Bank is easing monetary policy amid a stable taka and recovering foreign exchange reserves. However, persistent inflation and banking system strains highlight underlying economic fragility.

India will conduct its first fully digital census in 2027, collecting caste information alongside data on education, migration, fertility, and employment. The exercise raises questions about whether AI will abolish or encode the caste system.

China is pursuing unpaid taxes on offshore money from its wealthiest citizens, reaching back up to 25 years, with the state reclaiming wealth previously allowed to leave. The article criticizes this as a retroactive tax enforcement effort.

China implemented its Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress on July 1, enacting Xi Jinping’s doctrine of 'forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation' into law. The law focuses on domestic measures such as promoting Mandarin, unified state textbooks, and other policies to strengthen national unity.

The bond market is pushing interest rates higher, and while the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged in August, it may raise them by year's end. The FOMC's policy statement has left uncertainty about future rate decisions.

The global energy crisis is worsening due to wars in Iran and Ukraine, with Ukraine targeting Russia's refining industry and Iranian attacks disrupting Middle Eastern oil production and refining. The escalating conflicts and complex frontlines suggest prolonged vulnerability for countries reliant on oil.

Myanmar courts in Mandalay sentenced nine peaceful protesters to up to 37 years in prison under the junta’s 'election protection' law and a counter-terrorism statute. The protesters were involved in a December 2025 flash rally urging a boycott.

Russia is introducing new technology into the Ukraine war, developed by private sector companies. Previous similar products from both Russia and Ukraine have had minimal impact in actual combat.

The US is attempting to replenish its depleted missile stocks through a $3 billion expansion of interceptor missile production, but challenges like long lead times, industrial bottlenecks, and cost issues may delay deployable results. The Department of Defense signed agreements with defense contractors including Lockheed Martin to boost production capacity.

President Xi Jinping has called on overseas Chinese to unite and contribute to the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, a recurring initiative by the People's Republic of China to engage its 60 million diaspora.

US Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby referred to South Korea as a 'model ally' during a visit to Seoul. The article questions the label 'model ally' and notes that South Korea and the US are bound by a mutual defense treaty from 1953, though their relationship evolves over time.

China will implement stricter exit-entry rules starting September 15 to prevent engineers from leaking industry secrets in sectors under export controls and to discourage tourism to 'high-risk' nations like Japan. The State Council's new regulation, announced July 31, includes 19 articles and establishes a system to alert citizens about potential risks.

The US Treasury and Japan are collaborating to address yen depreciation, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama engaging in a strategic effort to counter market forces. The joint intervention raises questions about which nation holds greater influence in shaping the outcome.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, claimed on a podcast that humanity is in the AI Singularity, but the article's title disputes his assertion. OpenAI had recently disclosed information prior to the interview.

The article discusses how global AI discourse focuses on the Singularity—a hypothetical moment of uncontrollable AGI—while highlighting China's potential leadership in 'physical AI revolution,' contrasting with software-centric Western visions. It frames this as a shift from abstract AGI to tangible, hardware-driven AI advancements.

Young people in India organized mass protests against recurring entrance exam leaks for medical schools and government jobs. The protests led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July 2026.

A 2026 Pew Research Center report reveals China is now viewed more favorably than the United States in most countries, reversing a two-decade trend. The findings are based on 42,151 interviews conducted in 36 countries between February and May 2026.

Iran is set to receive 300 to 400 Chinese-made QW-12 and FN-16 shoulder-fired air defense systems under a $60-$70 million deal, which could pose a significant threat to US and Israeli airpower by turning low-altitude warfare into a costly attrition battle.

The article highlights China's massive modern factories operating 24/7, millions of industrial and domestic service robots, and extensive skyscrapers in cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai. It also notes China's significant shipbuilding capacity, emphasizing the country's vast industrial scale.

The article reports that while Ukrainian attacks on Russian shipping are frequently mentioned, Russian attacks on Ukrainian shipping and ports have also occurred over the past few months. These Russian actions aim to disrupt shipping in and out of Ukrainian ports, which are critical for exporting Ukrainian food.