Talk Fuse

    Asia

    Asia covers news and developments across the world's largest and most populous continent, where billion-dollar industries, geopolitical tensions and technological innovation shape global markets and international relations. The region encompasses many of the world's fastest-growing economies and most influential technology sectors, making Asian affairs consequential for businesses, policymakers and consumers worldwide.

    Stories from across Asia reflect the region's complexity: from energy markets and trade relations to corporate accountability, data security and competition in emerging industries like electric vehicles. Whether driven by government policy, corporate behaviour or market forces, developments in Asia often ripple through global supply chains, financial markets and international diplomacy, making regional news essential context for understanding world affairs.

    • Peak XV raises Surge seed funding limit to $5m for 18 startups

      Peak XV Partners, a major venture capital firm managing over $10 billion in assets, has increased the maximum seed investment per company through its Surge programme from $3 million to $5 million. The new Surge 12 cohort comprises 18 startups and represents the first batch to operate under this higher funding ceiling, reflecting broader market…

    • JFK fuel truck tears hoses from Air China Boeing 747 during refuelling

      An airport worker at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York caused a major fuel leak on 31 August after driving away from an Air China Boeing 747-8 whilst it was still being refuelled. Footage shows the refuelling truck moving under the aircraft’s wing with fuel hoses still attached, causing them to tear from…

    • China’s potential Nvidia purchases raise fresh questions over Trump’s AI policy

      China is reportedly considering relaxing restrictions on Nvidia chip exports, potentially allowing major tech firms like ByteDance and Alibaba to purchase millions more units over the next year. The move coincides with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s growing influence over President Trump’s artificial intelligence policy, marking a significant shift from the Biden administration’s strict export controls…

    • Stuck between superpowers: How Australia navigates the China-US rivalry

      Australia is expanding its military co-operation with the United States as China’s growing military strength and influence in the Pacific raise concern. The move highlights a strategic bind: Australia relies on the US for security while China is its biggest trading partner. The joint Southern Jackaroo exercise with US and Japanese forces rehearses for a…

    • US officials rule out arms sales to China after Trump’s reported offer

      US officials have ruled out arms sales to China after Ambassador to China David Perdue said Donald Trump had asked Xi Jinping whether China wanted to buy American military equipment. Trump denied discussing a sale and suggested Perdue may have confused China with Taiwan; the State Department said current law prohibits arms sales to China,…

    • Seoul summons Ukraine envoy over North Korean prisoner-of-war row

      Ukrainian President Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly that two captured North Korean soldiers had been transferred to South Korea, prompting a diplomatic row with Seoul. South Korea summoned Ukraine’s acting ambassador to lodge a formal complaint, stating that the transfer disclosure violated an agreement to keep the matter secret and damaged bilateral trust.…

    • US and China consider lower tariffs on $30bn of goods each

      The US and China have each published lists of goods worth about $30bn that could receive lower tariffs, in a further effort to ease tensions after last year’s trade war. The move signals that the two countries are beginning to reduce some duties, but experts say it is limited and does not amount to a…

    • Thirteen Nissan Jukes stolen in coordinated Caerphilly spree

      Thirteen Nissan Jukes have been stolen across Caerphilly in South Wales within a 24-hour period in a coordinated crimewave. The targeted theft spree is particularly significant given that the Juke is already the sixth most stolen car in Britain, with police urging local residents to remain vigilant and increasing patrols in response. One stolen vehicle…

    • Honor’s Magic 9 Pro Max has a big camera and a bigger battery

      Honor has launched its Magic 9 flagship phones in China, with the 9 Pro Max combining a redesigned camera island, Arri video features and an unusually large battery. It is the first Honor flagship since the company announced its Arri collaboration, making the phone an early example of how that partnership will shape its cameras.…

    • ‘The Assassin(s)’ Tops Korea’s Chuseok Holiday Box Office With 1.5 Million Admissions

      The historical thriller ‘The Assassin(s)’ topped South Korea’s box office during the Chuseok holiday period, achieving 1.5 million admissions and grossing $11.3 million since its release on 23 September. Directed by Hur Jin-ho and fresh from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film explores the 1974 assassination attempt on President Park…