On Wednesday night, really over 24 hours after militants killed 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing agreement, announced the closing of the major property border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic relations, and withdrew applicants for Pakistanis. Expelling American diplomats and postponing permits for Indian nationals wereContinue Reading
Lockheed Martin, which is competing in the next-generation US warrior opposition, is betting heavily on turning the F-35 into a “fifth-gen-plus” fighter by retrofitting today’s technology into the plane of the future to be competitive.
According to multiple media sources, Lockheed Martin’s CEO, Jim Taiclet, will not contest Boeing‘s bid to award the US Air Force’s$ 20 billion Next Generation Air Dominance ( NGAD ) fighter contract.
The business announced plans to incorporate technology from its stale NGAD charge into improved versions of its F-35 and F-22 combatants.
By making the F-35 into a warrior from the fifth-gen plus, Taiclet stated during an earnings call that Lockheed aims to “deliver 80 % of sixth-generation capacity at 50 % of the cost.” Advancements may include secrecy, passive infrared sensors, advanced tracking, and weapon systems, some of which are currently being developed as part of the F-35 Block 4 upgrade.
According to Lockheed executives, the company plans to trade some of these improvements, area to US federal approval. With a planned 3,500 F-35 ships worldwide, Lockheed hopes its upgraded jets will provide a cost-effective option to the unnamed, possible multi-million-dollar NGAD aircraft.
Lockheed is partially cut out of all publicly known advanced warrior courses as a result of the NGAD determination, which was made by US President Donald Trump in March 2025. Boeing offered NGAD the “best general value,” according to the US Air Force.
The F-35 may be upgraded to a mirror finish as part of the Next Gen 2.0 OML Coating Program, which is crucial for the terrible, acidic maritime environment used in plane carrier-based operations, according to a March 2025 article from Naval News.
Additionally, David Cenciotti and StefanoD’Urso notice that the camera covering might be able to shield the F-35 from low-power lasers in an August 2022 essay for The Aviationist.
In an article for Air &, Space Forces Magazine in October 2024, John Tirpak mentions that the F-35 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) is designed to improve the strength and life duration of the aircraft’s Pratt and Whitney F135 vehicles, which have suffered in recent years as a result of increased and innovative tools installed on the plane.
Tirpak points out that the F-35’s Block 4 upgrade’s cooling, performance, and electrical power requirements are met by the ECU upgrade.
The F-35 is unique from most US fighters because it was developed using an EOTS ( EOTS ) IRST system from the beginning, but the A-EOTS upgrade offers improved resolution, multi-spectral range, greater reliability, and lower operating hour costs.
TWZ reported in January 2023 that the new AN/APG-85 radar, which is most likely a gallium nitride ( GN ) based system, could significantly increase the F-35’s radar range and resolution and support more dynamic electronic warfare tactics.
The A-EOTS AN/APG-85 DAS combination, combined with the Distributed Aperture System ( DAS ), which gives F-35 pilots a 360-degree view through the aircraft, can significantly improve the aircraft’s” see-first, shoot-first” advantage.
Although much of the secretive weapon’s capabilities are classified, as stated by TWZ in a February 2025 article, new armaments, such as the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile ( JATM), could significantly increase the range and lethality of the F-35 in US military service.
Integration restrictions, however, mean upgrades will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary; however, the F-35 must operate within the physical and technical constraints established years ago. For instance, the US Director of Operational Test & Evaluation ( DOT & E) FY2024 Annual Report mentions that significant hardware and software issues have resulted from integrating the Technology Refresh-3 ( TR-3 ) avionics upgrade, which is necessary for Block 4 mission capabilities.
Due to poor mission system software performance, the report claims, the program had to put off the delivery of aircraft equipped with TR-3 due to these issues.
The constraints of the F-35’s existing TR-2 architecture, according to the report, limited the scope of feasible improvements and highlighted inherent limitations set by legacy design choices.
According to The Asia Live, some analysts claim that sixth-generation fighters involve fundamental design changes that can’t be accomplished by upgrading existing platforms, such as the F-35.
These include “digital first” architecture, adaptive engines for optimized performance, and airframe shapes for better stealth, according to the report.
Upgrades would be useless if the F-35’s reliability issues were not addressed, in addition to those challenges. According to the US DOT&, E FY2024 Annual Report, the US F-35 fleet falls short of a number of reliability standards set out in the Joint Strike Fighter Operational Requirements Document ( JSF ORD ).
The F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C fail to meet important thresholds for mean flight hours between critical failures ( MFHBCF), which determine how frequently serious failures occur that prevent mission completion or compromise flight safety, in FY23.
Additionally, the report mentions that trends in the mean corrective maintenance time for critical failures (MCMTCF ) and mean mean repair time ( MTTR ) have not improved significantly, which indicates that there are ongoing challenges to keeping aircraft readiness.
The F-35 could become a viable replacement for other upcoming sixth-generation aircraft thanks to Lockheed Martin’s effort to retrofit it with some sixth-generation technology.
For instance, the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS ) was listed in the country’s Annual Report on Major Projects 2023-2024 with a red rating. A red rating, in the report, indicates that the project’s success appears to be unachievable, with significant issues emerging as unmanageable or unresolvable.
Additionally, Justin Bronk mentions that the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Program ( GCAP ) is unlikely to produce a product that is more expensive than the F-35 in an April 2023 article for the Royal United Services Institute ( RUSI).
The UK’s FCAS is made up of the GCAP. The former is a global collaboration, while the former is a UK initiative that makes use of its partners ‘ industrial and technological expertise for advancement.
Although Bronk points out that the F-35 is not a flawless program, decades of US expertise and investment in cutting-edge sensors, weapons, electronic warfare, stealth, as well as ongoing upgrades and retrofitting have had undeniable results.
He mentions that every air force that has evaluated the F-35 against US or European competitors chose it because of its unmatched ability to operate in contested airspace. According to Bronk, if the GCAP is constructed in the 2030s, it won’t be able to compete with the F-35 of the future.
However, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program’s evolutionary strategy may not be effective against adversaries who favor technology transition. China may have flown prototype sixth-generation fighters already and may be gearing up for serial production with 3, 500 F-35s that are eligible for the fifth-generation upgrade. Making such improvements too slowly, too little, and too late is a long way off.
Donald Trump made a rare agreement this week following months of price threats and aggressive posturing. He claimed that the 145 % tariff on Chinese goods “won’t become that high… it’ll come over significantly.”
No official discussions or breakthroughs are held, just a sudden change in the president’s tone. And this change is powerful.
Trump is accepting a difficult truth in spite of his bluster: China is more functionally insulated, better organized, and ultimately more resilient than the US to a prolonged trade war.
The conceit that tariffs would pressure Beijing to resist is being gradually dissected by economic reality. China has never slowed down. It has shown a determined mix of resilience and flexibility in response to US aggression, offering to discuss but refusing to retaliate.
It is not required to. Beijing has spent decades slowly lowering its risk to American force. Trump’s levies may go in, but they didn’t destabilize China.
China’s social structure, for one, gives it a significant advantage in a drawn-out financial contest. Trade wars are a source of hostility for election cycles, interest parties, and social media winds in Washington. Beijing’s plan is dictated by the top with persistence in terms of strategy.  ,
With no delay or political consequences as a result of this consolidated control, China may absorb financial pain without flinching while implementing specific stimulus, subsidies, and countermeasures. It has a long-term use. Under Trump, the US cannot.
Then there is the deal balance. Last year, China and the US exchanged close to US$ 300 billion deficit. About 15 % of its exports were made by Americans, which seems like leverage for Washington until you realize how much of that business is already being reversed.  ,
China’s manufacturers have moved their creation to Southeast Asia since Trump’s initial string of tariffs on steel, copper, and solar panel in 2018.  ,
Companies in Vietnam and Cambodia now operate under a different symbol and properly share the same source chain. China’s 17 % increase in exports to Vietnam in March is not a coincidence. The US currently has a$ 124 billion trade deficit, which is not good.
Trump may be hesitant to impose a 46 % reciprocal tariff on Asian goods, but even that threat has been quietly stymied. Beijing is aware of the fact that Washington doesn’t need a trade war to break out on several sides.
In addition, China is cultivating solutions while Trump speaks tariffs. New business passageways have been created thanks to its Belt and Road Initiative, which spans Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
It has forged multilateral trade agreements that do not include the US. China’s exports to America are declining, dropping from 21 % of total exports in 2016 to just 13.4 % last year. China’s growth and management of its US coverage are successful.
Compare US dependence to that. Low-value-added goods like soybeans, cloth, and beef are the mainstay of American exports to China. These can all be replaced, and Argentina, Brazil, and Australia is most help.  ,
In the meantime, several Chinese export to the US, including processed minerals, consumer electronics, and technology, are not so simple to swap out. They are firmly rooted in US supply stores. Hiring them with levies hurts US companies, not just Chinese manufacturers.
Then there is the unique world cards. These crucial minerals are necessary for everything from electric cars and smartphones to advanced defense systems, and China accounts for the majority of the world’s production of these crucial minerals. It could have used that leverage in its fullest form, but it has never done so.  ,
International businesses are stung by the risk alone. No US deterrent could meet that kind of corporate skepticism.
What we’re seeing is recognition that Trump has no failure. He waggled the flair of a real estate dealmaker to start this tax war.  ,
He is presently negotiating with a condition that is unafraid of being bullied or conned. The business pain has revolved into US inflation, supply chain issues, and suburban farmers staring at lost Chinese markets while holding pitchforks in hand.
Trump is undoubtedly not giving up. However, the restraint in his language indicates that he is reevaluating and looking for a way to declare victory without further escalation. China is, however, holding its ground. Its plan is simple: don’t inspire, don’t supply, and don’t hold back while watching the drama.
One of the many causes Beijing is in a stronger position is because of that. It has diversified export, reduced US dependence, insulated its business with commercial policy, and remained neutral about rare earths restrictions.  ,
China is built to outlast the US, despite the business dispute continuing. Trump is aware of this despite all his speech. And that’s why Washington, no Beijing, is showing the first indicators of retreat.
A 20-year-old American YouTuber and digital star named ShowSpeed just live-streamed hourslong tour of Chinese locations, including Beijing and Shanghai, to show his almost 40 million viewers the locations.
IShowSpeed, whose true name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., admired friendly locals, flawless streets, and the high-speed Wi-Fi on the train, and Chinese fans heckled him for selfies on the Great Wall during the March activities.
Beijing’s state media seized the spotlight, with one Foreign blog claiming that the American apex had “eliminated all American misinformation about China” in the eye of a new era.
This analysis is confirmed by IShowSpeed’s YouTube site.
One leading comment reads,” China is therefore underappreciated wtf.” Another person writes,” I realized how foolish my earlier sights on China were after watching this picture.”
Such feedback don’t provide any information. However, as someone who studies the impact of Chinese soft strength, I find the sight of a young American burning China’s picture to Western audiences to be incredibly important.
It provides an illustration of how smooth energy standards have been altered in recent years, and how China appears to be having some success appealing to the world’s children.
Soft power refers to a nation’s capacity to shape people’s preferences through society, values, and diplomatic relations by influencing others through attraction rather than coercion. The phrase was coined by political professor Joseph Nye to describe how nations job authority by imposing demands on others through military or economic stress.
US sweet energy didn’t have to make that much of itself throughout the Cold War and into the 21st century. It exploded from surge boxes after being broadcast on MTV and sported fabric. Rock music crossed the Iron Curtain when politics don’t, with painters like Madonna and Bruce Springsteen reaching Russian children more efficiently than any adviser.
And in China, Michael Jackson gained a following also before McDonald’s or Hollywood films, bringing about a beautiful, open America that so many people desired.
American society wasn’t really leisure to some growing up in China in the 1990s; it was persuasion, aspiration, and even subversion.
The US is still, of course, a cultural powerhouse, and American actors and musicians are still recognizable all over the world. However, there are indications that China is attempting to erode that position.
Take the movie. Chinese movies were once viewed as niche films in other countries. An animated Chinese feature film called” Ne Zha 2” broke box office records in January 2025. A stunning retelling of a mythic boy-god’s story, the film has grossed an astonishing US$$ 2 billion worldwide, outperforming many Hollywood studios.
It is now the highest-grossing animated film of all time, and it was produced by a Chinese studio with hundreds of local animators.
Beijing made a quick decision to incorporate” Ne Zha 2″ as a representation of China’s creative rise and” soft power moment” in terms of culture. The success of the movie was praised by state media as evidence that Chinese folklore and artistry can captivate audiences around the world just as effectively as Marvel superheroes.
” Ne Zha 2″ isn’t a one-off. The Beijing-based Wanda Films ‘” Detective Chinatown 1900,” which was released in January, is the year’s third-highest-grossing film to date.
Hollywood, which was once confident in its cultural monopoly, now faces a massive new rival on the global stage, one supported by 1.4 billion people and a government determined to overthrow Western pop culture dominance. Additionally, there are some international audiences. Ne Zha 2 also had a positive impact when it first aired in the US.
Additionally, it includes non-profits.
Video games have been a stronghold in American and Japanese culture for decades. Black Myth: Wukong, a Chinese-developed game that was created by a Hangzhou studio, has become popular worldwide.
When its first gameplay trailers for Black Myth: Wukong first appeared in 2020, they were so popular that they were immediately followed along with its promising AAA-level graphics and action that drew inspiration from China’s well-known” Journey to the West” tale.
Skeptics questioned whether the finished product could quite possibly compete with the likes of the well-known series God of War or the Elden Ring in George R. R. Martin’s style. But those doubts vanished when the game finally debuted in 2024. In the summer of 2024, Black Myth: Wukong debuted to a great deal of worldwide support, instantly claiming a spot alongside the biggest Western franchises.
It is China’s first true blockbuster video game, and it is evidence that the nation can produce world-class entertainment, according to critics all over the world.
It’s about narrative power for the Chinese state, according to me, not just about snagging titles in China’s gaming industry.
Instead of, say, a Marvel superhero or a Tolkien epic, millions of young people around the world subtly shift the cultural center of gravity eastward as they spend 30 or 40 hours a week immerse in Sun Wukong’s adventures.
It suggests that Chinese myths are evolving to appeal to people around the world as cool as Western ones. And that is soft power.
In the meantime, another Chinese export has deeply ingrained itself into global culture on the smaller screens we carry in our pockets: TikTok.
TikTok has over 1.6 billion monthly users in over 160 countries as of 2025.
TikTok’s cultural reach is even more impressive. The app’s algorithm has helped songs by musicians from South Korea or Nigeria reach the top of the global charts, and it has inspired grandmothers in Italy to try Mexican recipes from grandmothers in Italy who were previously featured on a popular Chinese app. Teenagers in Kansas are learning Indonesian dance moves.
In essence, TikTok has created a brand-new transnational pop culture commons, one that is owned by a Beijing-based business. Yes, users all create the content on TikTok, not dictated by the Chinese government, but the platform’s very existence is a testament to Chinese tech entrepreneurship and global ambition.
Every second spent scrolling TikTok by Western youths is a moment they are residing in a cultural sphere created by China. It’s no wonder the US government is worried about TikTok’s influence because it’s about cultural security more than just data security.
Since outright banning it has proven to be politically challenging, TikTok has continued to steadily firmly established itself as a staple of global youth culture.
Blockbuster movies, popular video games, and viral apps all feature a larger truth: China is rapidly gaining soft power as America runs the risk of letting its own erode. China expands its influence through the Belt and Road Initiative and development loans at a time when the US reduces foreign aid.
And while the US enacts visa restrictions for students and scientists, China’s universities, some of which are now in the top 20 on the world, are becoming more appealing.
It is notoriously difficult to assess the impact of soft power because most countries that use it play a very long game.
Beijing’s push for soft power is not guaranteed to succeed everywhere. Many societies continue to doubt Beijing’s intentions, and its authoritarian system limits the appeal of its political model in democratic societies.
However, there are obvious indications that younger generations are buying into China’s cultural exports.
The US once almost automatically set the pace for global culture. However, as China invests a lot in its creative industries and digital platforms, it is increasingly shaping the narrative and themes for a growing global audience.
The question is no longer whether China has the ability to compete for soft power power, but whether America has a strategy to hold its ground.
Shaoyu Yuan is a research scientist at Rutgers University – Newark’s Division of Global Affairs.
This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the text of the article.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday ( Apr 24 ) to punish all those responsible for the horrifying attack in Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 26 men. In his first address since Tuesday’s attack in the Himalayan area, he declared,” I tell the whole world, IndiaContinue Reading
In response to challenges faced by healthcare workers who are reportedly underpaid and overworked, Malaysia’s Health Ministry has come under fire for organizing a seemingly extravagant Hari Raya event on Tuesday ( Apr 22 ).  ,
At the Majlis Sambutan Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2025, which Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended, former Indonesian artists like Siti Nurhaliza and Jamal Abdillah performed.
Siti Nurhaliza made clear on Instagram that she had performed for free in response to the backlash, while Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad, the health minister, acknowledged that” criticism received is good” and appreciated the issues raised.  ,
Allow everyone remember this,” he said. He stated in a blog on X that “we’ll continue to work with our health staff” about systemic issues.  ,
One of the performers, according to Dzulkefly, performed “from the offices” without paying any money to the prime minister or the employees in the medical field.  ,
These workers, he claimed, included members of delegations from other organizations, departments, universities, and private sector entities that have been a part of the nation’s medical system.  ,
In response to the struggles of the medical industry, many healthcare workers have criticized the occasion on social media, including Hartal Doktor Kontrak, a group of lease doctors, who called it” tone blind.”
Our OT ( overtime ) allowance is extremely low, claims are frequently rejected, and some equipment cannot be purchased because of funding constraints, but at least the ministry’s top management can enjoy a night out with famous artists, according to Hartal Doktor Kontrak, in a Facebook post on Wednesday that received over 5,400 likes and 2,700 comments.  ,
While the Ministry of Health chooses to host a beautiful Hari Raya musical featuring stars, netizen @ksampoh posted on X on Wednesday,” It is disheartening to watch Malaysia’s frontline health workers grapple with paid on-call claims, serious workload, and hazardous working conditions.”
In order to assign a top provider of high-speed fibre optic infrastructure in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan, U Mobile, Malaysia’s Next Gen 5G network operator, has signed a name plate partnership to build 5G leased circuits in the area. The Telco stated in a statement that it will use CT Sabah’s strong fibre infrastructure to support and expedite its approaching 5G rollout in the area once the Clear Agreement is finalized.
According to the agreement, CT Sabah does upgrade its current 4G leased circuits to 5G and create more leased circuits in order to meet the needs of the nation’s newest 5G network provider. Additionally, U Mobile will benefit from CT Sabah’s broad fiber network, which extends across Sabah and Labuan over a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers, providing high-capacity connectivity for both businesses and residents of the area.
With CT Sabah on board, we are committed to accelerating 5G policy across the country and ensuring that businesses and consumers in Malaysia benefit from the company’s very credible, highly-capacity, and ultra-fast speeds, according to Woon Ooi Yuen, CTO of U Mobile.
According to him,” U Mobile is ready to enjoy an even greater role in narrowing the modern split, in line with our national goals of making Malaysia a high-income online country.”
The 5G implementation represents a crucial step in the development of new possibilities for the region, according to CT Sabah, which is committed to advanceing electronic communication in Sabah and Labuan. This program will promote economic growth, promote electronic change, and enhance the quality of life for local residents,” according to Zurinah Datuk Hanafiah, CEO of CT Sabah.
” We are glad to help their 5G expansion by providing strong and reliable fabric infrastructure,” she said.” Our partnership with U Mobile is a crucial enabler in this effort.
Woon Ooi Yuen, the CTO of U Mobile, and Zurinah Datuk Hanafiah, the CEO of CT Sabah, witnessed the signing of the Term Sheet by Wong Heang Tuck, the CEO of U Mobile, and Shaharul Niza Mohamad, the CFO of CT Sabah. By Q3 2025, the Definitive Agreement is anticipated to be finalized.
” Other members ( in the network ) claimed to have received the same photo, and after I posted ( about this trend ) on my TikTok, many people started commenting that they too have received similar photos.”
Scammers frequently send photos taken in flights or in vehicles, aside from lion fruits.
Although the swindlers may be various, it appears that they have a common collection of photos and videos, Elin said.
Another idea, she said, is to pay attention to the development of a marriage. A “red flag” is displayed when a man appears to be rushing and overly dwelling on their grief.
” Don’t brush it off; just leave ( the conversation ) right away if you start seeing these signs. Don’t be alarmed; heartache does go away in two or three days, she said.  ,
In the era of dating apps, Elin described the area as a” sisters for single women navigating passion and relationships.”
Through meetings with users, Elin has discovered that older people are frequently the most vulnerable to dating apps scams. They could be one, recently married, or motherless.  ,
Many of them are looking for companionship or are under societal pressure to sit down, and scammers are aware of their potential victims ‘ mental status, she said.  ,
The women are frequently financially stable, which makes them yet more interesting as victims.  ,
Elin said,” The women are more likely to be swayed by sweet talk,” noting that the scammers frequently use false or AI-generated pictures to make them appear more convincing.  ,
Some actually go as far as sending bouquets, buying coffee, or giving them a surprise meal in an effort to earn their trust, she said.
KARGIL CONFLICT FROM 1998-99: Uranium WEAPONS AND KARGIL In 1998, Pakistan conducted its first public nuclear weapons test, following India, which second conducted assessments in 1974. In 1999, Pakistan-backed insurgents seized military content in the snowy heights of the Kargil hills and crossed into Indian-administered Kashmir. Leading opposition figure RajaContinue Reading
Bangladesh and the World Bank announced on Wednesday ( April 23 ) that they had signed two US$$ 850 million financing agreements to increase the country’s trade potential, increase employment, and modernize its social protection system. The Bay Terminal Marine Infrastructure Development Project, an effort to develop and modernize terminalContinue Reading