China

China has unveiled a $14 million artificial intelligence initiative to digitally restore 100 classic martial arts films, featuring legendary stars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li.

Shares of Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company behind the wildly popular Labubu collectibles, continued to slide on Friday, extending losses from the previous session.

President Trump just signed an executive order to provide yet another extension for the banning or sale of Tiktok, while critics are calling this move outright illegal.

Alipay and Meizu completed the first smart glasses-enabled e-wallet payment outside mainland China, using Meizu’s StarV Snap glasses and AlipayHK. The glasses scanned a QR code and used voice commands with AI support to authorise the payment.

The Middle East is witnessing a dangerous escalation as Israeli airstrikes target sensitive Iranian sites. However, a notable absence has emerged amid the turmoil: the strategic silence of the BRICS nations.

China is actively seeking to challenge the dominance of the US dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency, with a strategic push to extend the digital yuan’s role in both domestic transactions and cross-border payments.

JD.com, the Chinese e-commerce giant, has announced plans to apply for stablecoin licenses in multiple countries as part of a comprehensive strategy to revolutionize cross-border payments.

China’s central bank announced a new international hub in Shanghai to support the global use of its digital yuan. The move is part of a wider plan to reduce reliance on the US dollar and promote financial innovation through blockchain technology.

President Trump has issued a third extension for TikTok’s US sale, confident China will eventually approve the deal. The move reflects TikTok’s rising political influence among young voters ahead of 2024. Yet with legal and trade issues unresolved, the outcome remains uncertain.

Tencent is in talks to buy Nexon's parent company for around $15 billion as it looks to grow in Web3 gaming. The deal would give Tencent control of blockchain-based games like MapleStory N, though it's unclear if Nexon could keep its independence.