China has purged its highest-ranked military general. Why?

The senior ranks of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are in tatters. The weekend purging of China’s top general, Zhang Youxia, and another senior military officer, Gen Liu Zhenli, has left serious questions about what triggered the elite power struggles unfolding in the country – and what this means for China’s warfighting capacity, whether it be any ambition to take Taiwan by force or engage in another major regional conflict. Zhang, 75, was vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) – the Communist Party group headed by the country’s leader…

TikTok closes deal to split US app from global business. Here’s what to know

47 minutes ago Suranjana Tewari,Asia Business Correspondentand Lily Jamali,North America Technology Correspondent Watch: Does TikTok’s US deal threaten the company’s global ambitions? TikTok announced on Thursday that it has finalised a deal that will allow the hugely popular short-video app to continue operating in the US. The deal comes after a years-long tussle between Washington and Beijing that began in Trump’s first term in the White House when he tried unsuccessfully to ban the app over national security concerns. The platform was due to be banned in the US in…

China’s population falls for fourth straight year

China’s population fell for the fourth straight year in 2025 as its birth rates sunk to a record low, despite the government rolling out a spate of incentives to boost them. The country’s population fell 3.39 million to reach 1.4 billion by the end of 2025, marking a quicker decline than the previous year, government data showed on Monday. Its birth rate fell to 5.63 per 1,000 people – a record low since the Communist Party took power in 1949 – while its death rate rose to 8.04 per 1,000…

Factory explosion in China kills two, injures 84

A huge explosion at a factory in northern China has killed two people and injured 84 others, with five people still missing, state media reported. The blast happened at around 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT) Sunday at Baogang United Steel plant in Inner Mongolia, causing noticeable tremors in the area. Footage online showed the explosion sending large plumes of smoke into the sky, while the ground was littered with debris, including collapsed ceilings and pipes. Five among the dozens hospitalised suffered serious injuries, state media reported. Authorities are investigating the…

Chinese woman’s plea for help killing pigs draws thousands to her village

When Daidai realised her father was too old to slaughter two pigs for a traditional community feast in the run-up to Chinese New Year, she turned to social media. She didn’t want him to feel bad. “Can anyone help me?” she asked on Douyin, China’s version of Tiktok, at the end of last week. “My father is old. I am worried that he can’t handle these pigs.” Daidai, who’s in her 20s, promised that those who came to their village, Qingfu, to assist would be treated to a pork banquet.…

US approves sale of Nvidia’s advanced H200 chips to China

The US government has given chip giant Nvidia the green light to sell its advanced artificial intelligence (AI) processors in China, the Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. The H200, Nvidia’s second-most-advanced semiconductor, had been restricted by Washington over concerns that it would give China’s technology industry and military an edge over the US. The Commerce Department said the chips can be shipped to China granted that there is sufficient supply of the processors in the US. President Donald Trump said last month that he would allow the chip sales…