Goto

Collaborating Authors

 Asia


Bain Capital exits Kioxia after chip deal yields big returns

The Japan Times

Since their listing in 2024, Kioxia's shares have surged on runaway demand for AI memory chips. Bain Capital has sold its entire stake in flash memory chipmaker Kioxia Holdings, closing a chapter on a deal that's transformed the Japanese tech and investment landscape. "We don't have a stake any more in Kioxia," Bain Managing Partner David Gross said in an interview. The U.S. private equity firm has logged record-setting returns after a global spending spree on AI catapulted Kioxia's shares more than 4,800% from their debut, transforming the chipmaker into one of Japan's most valuable companies. "It's worked spectacularly for all the stakeholders involved," Gross said.


Beijing to let Chinese AI companies buy Nvidia H200 chips

The Japan Times

China had previously restricted the import of Nvidia's H200 chips on concerns that a flood of American-designed AI processors would hinder the government's long-held goal of developing an indigenous chip industry. China plans to allow its top artificial intelligence companies to buy a limited number of H200 chips from Nvidia, a sign the country is easing restrictions on the coveted U.S. technology, according to The Information news site. Chinese officials have informed companies such as Alibaba Group Holding, ByteDance and DeepSeek that they will have permission to purchase some of the processors, which are used to develop AI models, the news site said Wednesday. The companies need to say how many chips they need -- and why -- to get approval, according to The Information. The chips have emerged as a geopolitical flash point for the world's two largest economies.


Japan's Terra Drone to mass-produce defense drones domestically

The Japan Times

Japan's Terra Drone plans to set up a system enabling domestic production of up to tens of thousands of interceptor drones a year, the company's head, Toru Tokushige, said in a recent interview. As well as domestic development for such defense drones, the Tokyo-based company aims to speed up work to establish supply chains that do not rely on imports by promoting the development and production of drone components at home. In March, Terra Drone announced its full-scale entry into the defense drone market, in addition to civilian-use drones. As part of the move, the company has acquired two Ukrainian firms that develop interceptor drones. In Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Middle East conflict, cheap drones are said to have changed the concept of war by shooting down expensive missiles and attacking important enemy bases.


Goldman becomes Taiwan's top foreign broker on AI quant push

The Japan Times

Goldman becomes Taiwan's top foreign broker on AI quant push Goldman Sachs Group has vaulted past Wall Street rivals to become the top global player in Taiwan's equity trading market, capitalizing on surging demand from quant funds for artificial intelligence. Goldman Sachs Group has vaulted past Wall Street rivals to become the top global player in Taiwan's equity trading market, capitalizing on surging demand from quant funds for artificial intelligence exposure. The Wall Street bank has risen from 10th place in early 2025 to become Taiwan's largest foreign brokerage by trading volume in the first half, overtaking rivals including JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley, according to exchange data. Goldman now ranks as the fourth-largest broker overall, rivaling the biggest domestic firms. The primary driver behind Goldman's market-share gains has been a rapid expansion of its coverage of high-frequency trading and quantitative clients, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters.


Russia tries to jam Musk's Starlink systems to counter Ukrainian drones

The Japan Times

Russia tries to jam Musk's Starlink systems to counter Ukrainian drones Service members of the Sparta company of the 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment Luftwaffe of the Ukrainian Armed Forces prepare a Zozulia midstrike drone for a flight while they work at a position near a front line in an undisclosed location in southern Ukraine. ZAPORIZHZHIA REGION, Ukraine - Russian forces are trying to counter Ukrainian "midstrike" drone attacks by camouflaging cargoes and installing powerful jamming systems to disrupt Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, Ukrainian drone commanders and pilots said. Kyiv's development of "midstrike" drones that can hit targets dozens of kilometers behind front lines accurately and cheaply, and are often flown via Starlink, has transformed the war in Ukraine. In a concerted midstrike campaign this year, Ukraine has attacked supply lines, fuel storage facilities, air-defense installations and command centers, disrupting Russian forces' logistics and causing fuel shortages in Russian-occupied Crimea. But Russia is now developing many ways to try to counter the midrange strikes, four drone commanders and pilots told a Reuters crew that visited Ukraine's 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment at work in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.


One of Meta's Offices Was Briefly Overtaken by a Rogue Squirrel

WIRED

One of Meta's Offices Was Briefly Overtaken by a Rogue Squirrel The animal escaped after apparently arriving inside a package at Meta's Bangkok office, injuring one employee before finally being caught. Meta's year so far hasn't exactly been a picnic. A squirrel apparently got loose inside a building in Bangkok, Thailand, where some of the tech giant's regional teams are based. The critter spent at least 20 minutes darting past staff, according to an internal memo seen by WIRED. It noted that the squirrel minorly injured a janitor before finally being caught.


Trump Moves to Revoke Syria's Designation as State Sponsor of Terrorism

TIME - Tech

Follow this section to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Follow this tag to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens.


Messi and Ronaldo Are Building Tech Portfolios. Mo Salah Is Playing a Different Game

WIRED

Messi and Ronaldo Are Building Tech Portfolios. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are betting on AI, health tech, and startups. Mohamed Salah is taking a more traditional route beyond football. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mohamed Salah have spent the past two decades defining one of soccer's greatest eras. Now, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup marks Ronaldo's final appearance at the tournament and another defining moment in the careers of Messi and Salah, they're also preparing for life beyond the pitch.


Invasive (but delicious) clams discovered in Cape Cod

Popular Science

The Manila clam has officially conquered the Northern Hemisphere. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Manila clams are both an invasive species and a popular seafood source. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .


The 5 must-watch science shows of 2026 so far

New Scientist

From AI with Hannah Fry to David Attenborough's early days, these are the five must-watch science documentaries of the year to date, says Bethan Ackerley In 2015, an amateur trophy hunter from the US shot and killed the largest lion in Africa. The vitriol unleashed after Cecil's death isn't surprising (or entirely unwarranted), but what is remarkable is how this delicately-crafted film uses the case as a locus for all sorts of arguments about conservation. A symbol in life and in death, Cecil and other large, charismatic animals exist in a complex balance with humans who, one way or another, invariably stake a claim on them. Almost everyone in the world now needs to have some knowledge of how AI technologies work, from all the chatbots they encounter to driverless cars and more. Mathematician Hannah Fry is an excellent person to impart such knowledge: across three episodes, she guides us through recent cases where AI has become entangled with very human problems.