China's Domestic Satellite Network Prepares For Future 6G

Wow!

(257) China's Domestic Satellite Network Prepares For Future 6G | WION World DNA - YouTube

Japan to establish foreign intelligence service in response to military build up in Asia

Good news! Prime Minister Takaichi means business!

(8) Japan to establish foreign intelligence service in response to military build up in Asia | ABC NEWS - YouTube

Taiwan is developing a hypersonic missile interceptor for its T-Dome

Good news!

"Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) revealed details of a hypersonic missile interceptor that could be central to the proposed T-Dome air defense concept. ... 

NCSIST said the Chiang Kung, also known as the Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV), would use a land-based mobile vertical launch system to fire interceptor missiles at up to hypersonic speeds to intercept ballistic missiles at “mid-level” altitudes — up to 70 km, according to an unnamed defense official, which is a major improvement on the Tien Kung III missile’s maximum altitude of 45 km.

Each launcher can hold four missiles at a time. The missile will use a two-stage solid-fuel rocket to propel the warhead and thrust-vector control to maneuver it at high altitudes. The Chiang Kung system includes a mobile active electronically scanned array radar vehicle co-developed by Taiwan and the United States, which can classify, track, and engage multiple tactical ballistic missiles while being resistant to electronic jamming.

The Chiang Kung will form the outermost layer of the multilayered T-Dome integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) concept ..."

China & Taiwan Update, August 25, 2026 | American Enterprise Institute - AEI

The Fight for Afghanistan Isn’t Over

When will there ever be peace and prosperity again in Afghanistan?

"The modern history of war in Afghanistan spans over four decades of foreign intervention and internal civil conflict, beginning with the 1979 Soviet invasion [ending in 1989], transitioning through civil war [1989-2001] and the rise of the Taliban, and concluding with the 2001–2021 U.S.-led war." (Google Search)

The Fight for Afghanistan Isn’t Over "As armed opposition groups intensify attacks amid Taliban divisions, Lt. Gen. Sami Sadat explains in an exclusive interview why his forces have begun combat operations—and what comes next."

Foreign Borrowers Rush Into Asia/Australia Bond Markets for financing

Impressive! Get ready for some Dim Sum, Panda and Kangaroo bonds! 😊

(247) Foreign Borrowers Rush Into Asia Bond Markets | World Business Watch - YouTube

Faced with ageing population, Vietnam seeks to curb falling birthrate

So the communists governing this country since 1976 had a two-child policy and not a one-child policy like China?

(3) Faced with ageing population, Vietnam seeks to curb falling birthrate • FRANCE 24 English - YouTube

Hanoi is building a new futuristic city by tearing down the old one

Bad news! That is what dictatorship communist governments do!

(164) Hanoi is building a new futuristic city where the old one stands - YouTube

Philippines cannot remain neutral in a conflict between the PRC and Taiwan, China is a bully

Good news! The Philippines are taking a stand in favor of Taiwan, but not a firm one! But the Philippines recognize China as a regional bully!

"The Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said in a July 24 interview with One News PH that the Philippines cannot remain neutral in a conflict between the PRC and Taiwan, representing one of the strongest Philippine commitments to Taiwan yet. Teodoro stated that his reasoning for this statement was rooted in the fact that many Filipino citizens live in Taiwan and that any PRC action against Taiwan will likely involve the Bashi Channel in the northern Philippines. Teodoro said that the PRC would also try to blockade parts of the Pacific Ocean, which would affect other countries.

Teodoro’s comments are a public assertion of the Philippine government’s stance on “the Taiwan issue” amidst fraying relations with the PRC. ..."

China & Taiwan Update, July 31, 2026 | American Enterprise Institute - AEI

Inside a Changing Nation | Vietnam

Recommendable!

(484) Inside a Changing Nation | Vietnam: Looking for Home (full documentary) | FRONTLINE/World - YouTube

Sodium-ion batteries are entering mass production in China

Good news! Will China corner the global battery market?

"China has over 36.9 million ... passenger ... EVs and more than 420 million electric two-wheelers (motorcycles, scooters, and e-bikes) currently in use." (Google search)

"China’s CATL set to begin large-scale output this year in a push that researchers say could offer a cheaper, safer, and more abundant alternative to lithium for EVs and grid storage."

Thursday, July 16, 2026 - Join The Flyover

Beyond lithium: how sodium-ion batteries could change the world "Batteries based on sodium ions are entering mass production. Some researchers say they could ultimately be a cheaper, safer alternative to lithium in electric cars and other energy applications."

Sodium-ion batteries made by CATL in China are used in electric cars (left) and energy-storage banks for electricity grids (right).

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Lauds Trump as ‘a Man of Peace,’ Credits Him with Armenia‑Azerbaijan Deal

President Trump, the peacemaker!

"... the Azerbaijani president credited Trump’s success to a fundamentally different approach to resolving long-running conflicts. ...

The Azerbaijani president argued that previous administrations spent nearly three decades pursuing policies that effectively froze the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict rather than resolving it, while Trump approached the conflict from an entirely different perspective. ...

Describing Trump as “a person who loves peace” who “sees peace as an opportunity,” Aliyev said Trump’s role proved decisive as Azerbaijan and Armenia reached the final stage of negotiations on a peace agreement. According to Aliyev, Trump and his team understood Azerbaijan’s concerns, worked to persuade Armenia that peace served both countries’ interests and ultimately “created such a framework that peace became possible.” ..."

EXCLUSIVE: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev Lauds Trump as ‘a Man of Peace,’ Credits Him with Armenia‑Azerbaijan Deal "Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed President Donald Trump as a uniquely effective peacemaker whose fundamentally different approach to diplomacy proved decisive in securing the historic Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement and ushered in what he described as an unprecedented new era of U.S.-Azerbaijani relations."

Japan Plans To Create Its First Centralised Intel Agency

Good news! Long overdue! Bravo PM Takaichi!

(30031) Japan Plans To Create Its First Centralised Intel Agency | WION World DNA - YouTube

Malaysia to start initial production of homegrown EV battery in July

Good news! Competition is good, more competition is better!

"Malaysia plans to start small-scale production of a homegrown graphene-enhanced lithium-ion battery for electric vehicles this month, marking a milestone in the country's efforts to move up the tech manufacturing value chain. ..."

Malaysia to start initial production of homegrown EV battery in July - Nikkei Asia "Country aims for exports to Indonesia, South Korea, India and Pakistan"

What signal is China sending with first official footage of sixth-generation fighter?

China's military is pushing the envelope again?

"... a move that analysts said might suggest Beijing was ahead of its competitors, including the US, in developing the next generation of warplanes. ..."

What signal is China sending with first official footage of sixth-generation fighter? | South China Morning Post "A fleeting clip of the new fighter – nicknamed ‘Little Six’ – featured in a video released by official military media over the weekend"

UBTech’s lifelike humanoid robots built for companionship arriving in homes across China

Taoism redefined?

"UBTech Robotics, the world’s first publicly traded humanoid robot maker, has launched a consumer humanoid designed for personal companionship, featuring lifelike silicone skin and emotional artificial intelligence, as Chinese tech firms increasingly transition robots from the factory floor to the family living room. 

The U1, unveiled on Tuesday in Shenzhen, comes in male and female versions, standing 183cm and 168cm tall, respectively.

The model is available in Lite, Pro and Ultra variants, priced from 119,800 yuan (US$17,650) to 990,000 yuan.

It features 88 servo joints, a silicone exterior and an emotional AI model running locally on Rockchip’s RK3588 processor. User data is stored on the device rather than uploaded to the cloud.

Unlike most humanoid robots designed for industrial use, the U1 is intended for interaction with users in domestic settings. ..."

UBTech’s lifelike humanoid robots built for companionship arriving in homes across China | South China Morning Post "The unveiling of model U1, which has silicone skin and emotional AI, reflects tech firms’ drive to expand robotics beyond industrial use"

A doll with a nice figure?

Chinese AGIBOT produces 15,000th robot, marking a milestone in embodied AI deployment

Very impressive!

When will the robot population count exceed the Chinese/global human population count? In the not so distant future.

"Founded in 2023, AGIBOT said it is developing the foundation model and corresponding robotic embodiments needed to bring general intelligence into the physical world. Its claimed that its “Three Intelligences in One” architecture integrates locomotion, Interactions, and manipulation into a unified system. The Shanghai-based company‘s portfolio spans humanoid robots, quadrupeds, dexterous systems, and commercial cleaning systems. ...

AGIBOT previously announced that it took about a year to grow from 1,000 to 5,000 units. The next step, from 5,000 to 10,000 units, took only three months, with production speed increasing by more than four times compared with the previous phase. ..."

AGIBOT produces 15,000th robot, marking a milestone in embodied AI deployment - The Robot Report

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say

Hong Kong never ceases to amaze me! I recently visited Hong Kong!

"... The new route follows close on the heels of Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific’s plan to launch a service to Almaty in Kazakhstan in the first quarter of next year, one of the outcomes of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s official visit to the region. ..."

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say | South China Morning Post "Direct flights between Hong Kong and Tashkent to start as talks begin on reciprocal 30-day visa-free stay agreement to boost trade, tourism and regional ties"

Panama Canal oil shipments soar 70% as Asian buyers turn to US crude

In times of war, there always winners and loosers! How much crude oil is coming from Venezuela?

"Crude oil and petroleum products traveling through the Panama Canal swelled more than 70% above last year's levels in April, as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent Asian buyers scrambling to secure supplies from the U.S ..."

Panama Canal oil shipments soar 70% as Asian buyers turn to US crude - Nikkei Asia "With Hormuz unpassable due to Iran war, ships vie for limited canal transit slots"

Key protein found to protect cartilage, offering new hope for osteoarthritis treatment

Good news!

"... A joint research team ... has identified a key protein, SHP (NR0B2), that plays a critical protective role in cartilage and may offer a new therapeutic strategy for osteoarthritis. ...

The researchers first analyzed cartilage tissues from osteoarthritis patients and animal models of the disease. They found that the levels of SHP protein decreased significantly as the disease progressed, suggesting that loss of this protective factor contributes to accelerated cartilage destruction.

Further experiments showed that mice lacking SHP experienced more severe pain and faster cartilage degradation compared to normal mice. In contrast, restoring SHP levels in the joints led to reduced cartilage damage and improved joint function. ..."

From the abstract:

"Osteoarthritis (OA), characterised by cartilage destruction, is the most common degenerative joint disease. However, no effective disease-modifying OA therapy is currently available.

Herein, we report orphan nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner (SHP, NR0B2) as a novel catabolic regulator of OA pathogenesis.

NR0B2 expression was markedly downregulated in cartilage from patients with OA.

Global or chondrocyte-specific Nr0b2 deletion in male mice exacerbated OA-related pain and structural changes following surgical destabilization of the medial meniscus, accompanied by increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-13 expression in chondrocytes.

Conversely, adeno-associated virus-mediated Nr0b2 overexpression in knee joints of male mice protected against accelerated knee OA caused by Nr0b2 deficiency. Mechanistically, NR0B2 inhibited IKKβ kinase activity via IKK complex interaction, downregulating NF-κB signalling.

Our results demonstrate that NR0B2 has a chondroprotective role in OA progression by regulating matrix-degrading enzymes in an IKKβ/NF-κB-dependent manner, and gene therapy targeting Nr0b2 may be a promising therapeutic strategy for OA."

Key protein found to protect cartilage, offering new hope for osteoarthritis treatment

Small heterodimer partner protects against osteoarthritis by inhibiting IKKβ/NF-κB-mediated matrix-degrading enzymes in chondrocytes (open access, but limited to preprint)

Schematic illustration of SHP (NR0B2)-mediated protection against osteoarthritis. 

Uzbekistan's Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in 7 months to $2.3B

Good news!

"Uzbekistan fintech Uzum has reached a $2.3 billion valuation — about 53% higher than just seven months ago — as investors place growing bets on the country’s emerging digital economy.

The valuation stems from a $131.5 million investment led by sovereign wealth funds from Oman, with participation from existing investors, including Tencent, VR Capital, and FinSight Ventures. ...

Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous country, emerges as one of the region’s fastest-growing digital economies, driven by a young population, rapid smartphone adoption, and low [fast] penetration of online retail and banking services. ..."

Uzbekistan's Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in 7 months to $2.3B | TechCrunch

Disclaimer:

I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.

My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.