AI to power megadeals in global M&A despite Iran worries
Economy

AI to power megadeals in global M&A despite Iran worries

App icons of generative AI assistants. Artificial intelligence is expected to be a catalyst fueling large M&A deals. (Photo by Hazumu Urushiyama) Japan turns into dealmaking hot spot; overinvestment and lack of specialists are major risks TOKYO -- Artificial intelligence is fueling a new wave of global mergers and acquisitions, with Japan emerging as a key hub for dealmaking, bankers say, despite anxieties sparked by the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

May 6, 2026
Asian markets rally as Trump signals optimism for Iran deal
Economy

Asian markets rally as Trump signals optimism for Iran deal

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, seen from Musandam, Oman, on May 1. © Reuters HONG KONG -- Markets across Asia rallied Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that a deal to end the war with Iran could be within reach.

May 6, 2026
Aung San Suu Kyi’s son asks France to help him locate mother in Myanmar
Business

Aung San Suu Kyi’s son asks France to help him locate mother in Myanmar

The son of Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi demanded France’s help in seeking independently verified proof of his mother’s life after she was transferred to house arrest, her lawyers said. The country’s junta chief-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing on Thursday ordered the 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner to be moved, five years after putting her into detention in a coup. But her son, Kim Aris, says he has still not heard from his mother, who remains massively popular inside...

May 6, 2026
The domestic dynamics driving Japan’s remilitarisation
Business

The domestic dynamics driving Japan’s remilitarisation

Sanctions, diplomatic warnings and aggressive rhetoric create a perilous loop, reinforcing the very domestic tendencies China seeks to deter On the surface, a contradiction exists. Pacifist and liberal opposition remains. Article 9 of the constitution retains deep emotional resonance. Protest voices persist. Yet Takaichi’s approval ratings are strong. This is the result of a long, deliberate project. This contrasts sharply with the Japan I knew decades ago. I remember elderly men, former soldiers, bowing to apologise for their actions in China. Their passing marks not just a demographic shift, but the closing of a chapter where the war was a lived experience, not a historical debate.

May 6, 2026
Why Japanese politician’s goal to reset ties with Russia is ‘a long shot’
Business

Why Japanese politician’s goal to reset ties with Russia is ‘a long shot’

A proposed meeting of foreign ministers from Tokyo and Moscow is unlikely for now due to objections from the Japanese public and allies Suzuki, who represents a constituency in Hokkaido and returned to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in 2025 after 23 years as an independent member of the Diet, met senior Russian government officials in Moscow on Monday. “Takaichi said that she is very well aware of the importance of Japan-Russia ties,” he added. “I have consistently taken a negative view of the fact that Japan, at the request of Biden, has adopted cold ties with Russia.”

May 6, 2026
An Asian alternative to Nato? How Cica is rethinking Middle East security
Business

An Asian alternative to Nato? How Cica is rethinking Middle East security

Chief of lesser-known security forum says it provides ‘architecture for de-escalation’ and allows members to project soft power While the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (Cica) lacks a mandate for direct intervention, its 28-member platform for security dialogue unites key Middle Eastern nations and major powers across Asia. Members include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine, Egypt, Kazakhstan, India, Russia and China. Kairat Sarybay, Cica’s secretary general, said that while member states held divergent views on particular issues, “they are still able to agree on some ideas where they can cooperate”.

May 6, 2026
North Korea’s new own-brand phone is sleek, colourful – and possibly watching you
Business

North Korea’s new own-brand phone is sleek, colourful – and possibly watching you

Reports suggest North Korean-produced phones periodically capture screenshots that are stored in hidden folders accessible to authorities Diplomatically isolated and under biting sanctions over its nuclear and weapons programmes, North Korea has an ageing manufacturing base which analysts doubt has the ability to make high-quality consumer technology. Still, Pyongyang has touted Jindallae – “azalea” in Korean – as a convenient way for citizens to stay connected, albeit through a strictly controlled domestic network. The devices, which come in a range of colours and feature a large circular camera module with multiple lenses, have been on display at the Pyongyang Spring International Trade Fair, the country’s largest. Photos showed visitors browsing stalls at the event on Monday, with state media saying “more than 290 enterprises and companies” from North Korea, Russia, China, Mongolia, Switzerland and Thailand were represented. There was no information on how many people attended or where they had come from.

May 6, 2026
China’s chipmakers pour revenue into R&D, outpacing US ratios
Business

China’s chipmakers pour revenue into R&D, outpacing US ratios

Earnings show Chinese chip designers devote up to half of revenue to research, far above US peers, as Beijing pushes tech self-reliance By contrast, US chipmakers such as AMD and Intel have typically spent between 20 and 30 per cent of their revenue on R&D in recent years. Despite higher ratios, Chinese chip designers continue to lag behind US giants on absolute R&D spending. Nvidia spent US$18.5 billion for the year ended January 25, 2026, according to exchange filings, while AMD spent US$8 billion and Intel spent US$13.8 billion for the year ended December 27, 2025.

May 6, 2026
Russian attacks kill 27 in Ukraine before proposed rival ceasefires
Business

Russian attacks kill 27 in Ukraine before proposed rival ceasefires

Zelensky slams Russia’s ‘utter cynicism’ as strikes shatter ceasefire hopes and underscore war’s deepening impasse Russian attacks throughout eastern Ukraine killed at least 27 people on Tuesday, including 12 in one of the worst strikes so far this year, hours before a midnight deadline ushering in an open-ended ceasefire proposed by Kyiv. Russia announced a ceasefire for May 8 to 9 to coincide with commemorations of the Soviet Union’s ‌victory over Nazi Germany in World War II and a military parade in Moscow’s Red Square. Ukraine, in response, announced a proposal for an open-ended ceasefire starting at midnight on Wednesday (2100 GMT), urging Russia to reciprocate. President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was not an option for Russia to halt strikes for one day for its military parade while having heavily pounded Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, writing in English on X, said: “With mere hours until Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal comes into force, Russia shows no signs of preparing to end hostilities. On the contrary, Moscow intensifies terror”.

May 6, 2026
Japan’s NYK Line plans shipping network in fast-growing East Africa
Economy

Japan’s NYK Line plans shipping network in fast-growing East Africa

Peer Nippon Express eyes India as relay point to Nigeria and South Africa Yusen Logistics has teamed up with Africa Global Logistics to establish a joint venture in Kenya. (Photo obtained by Nikkei) TOKYO -- Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen will establish a transport network in East Africa, eyeing demand in high-growth economies along the Indian Ocean Rim.

May 6, 2026
Japan seeks more involvement in Angola oil, minerals during Africa tour
Economy

Japan seeks more involvement in Angola oil, minerals during Africa tour

Top Tokyo diplomat also visits other big China trade partners Kenya, Zambia and South Africa A meeting between foreign ministers from Japan and Angola on May 1. (Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) TOKYO -- Japan is making a new push to bolster economic ties with African nations rich in crude oil and industrial minerals, as the Middle East conflict highlights risks to the country's energy supply.

May 6, 2026
The rupee is eroding in value despite India’s dramatic growth
Economy

The rupee is eroding in value despite India’s dramatic growth

The RBI's ineffective currency management: New Delhi should take responsibility A vendor displays various denominations of Indian currency at a roadside currency exchange stall in the old quarters of Delhi, India, February 2, 2026. © Reuters Karan Mehrishi is the author of "The India Collective: What India is Really All About" and the forthcoming "The Making of Monetary Policy in India: Imagining the Future."

May 6, 2026