GUANGZHOU -- Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi leapfrogged Apple in the April-June quarter to become the world's second-largest vendor for the first time, buoyed by strong sales in South America and Africa.

Xiaomi's meteoric rise follows the fall of compatriot Huawei Technologies, which only about a year ago was in a neck-and-neck race with industry leader Samsung Electronics until it was hit by a U.S. blacklist.

Xiaomi shipped 53.1 million units in the second quarter, up 8

BEIJING -- China's Communist Party leadership on Friday decided to keep a closer watch on overseas stock market listings by domestic companies, part of an effort to block leaks of data from its vast tech sector.

The announcement emerged from a closely watched July meeting of the party's Politburo chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping, when the 25-member body sets a direction for economic policy in the second half of the year.

The Politburo determined that any data leak resulting from an overseas listing presents a risk to

Ardeth Thawnghmung is chair of the Department of Political Science at University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Six months since the Feb. 1 takeover, Myanmar's military has gradually regained control over the country's core areas by relying on brutal repression. But it is clear that the military has been unable to take control of daily operations of the economy and society.

Clashes between the junta's security forces and resistance groups, restrictions on internet access and population movements, withdrawal of foreign assistance and investment, and a successful civil disobedience

WASHINGTON/MANILA -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's tour of Southeast Asia marked a step toward rebuilding alliances and regaining trust that had been lost in recent years, a prime task as China's regional influence continues to grow.

"At the top of my agenda was finding ways to enhance and reinvigorate our alliance," Austin said in a joint news conference with Philippine counterpart Delfin Lorenzana in Manila on Friday.

With the show of commitment by the first high-profile member of U.S

TOKYO -- ANA Holdings on Friday posted a net loss of 51.1 billion yen ($466 million) for the April to June quarter, more than halving its 108.8 billion net loss for the same period in 2020, thanks to cost-cutting measures amid lingering COVID-19 woes.

The airline, referring to the swift recovery of its counterparts in the U.S., said the rollout of vaccines is key to attracting passengers, adding that as

Nikkei Asia is tracking the spread of the coronavirus that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Cumulative global cases have reached 196,654,595, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The worldwide death toll has hit 4,199,164.

For more information about the spread of COVID-19 and the progress of vaccination around the world, please see our interactive charts and maps.

-- Global coronavirus tracker charts

-- Status of

TOKYO -- The Tokyo Olympics are well underway after a long journey filled with controversy, and an unprecedented one-year postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proceedings officially began with the opening ceremony at the National Stadium , a mostly subdued affair mixed with joyous moments like a high-tech drone show, and capped by tennis star Naomi Osaka lighting the Olympic cauldron.

We're tracking the latest medal count .

Read our breakdown of the events to watch .

Here are the latest developments:

Friday,

TOKYO -- The Tokyo Olympics are well underway after a long journey filled with controversy, and an unprecedented one-year postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proceedings officially began with the opening ceremony at the National Stadium , a mostly subdued affair mixed with joyous moments like a high-tech drone show, and capped by tennis star Naomi Osaka lighting the Olympic cauldron.

We're tracking the latest medal count .

Read our breakdown of the events to watch .

Here are the latest developments:

Friday,

TOKYO -- Japanese engineering company JGC Holdings and petroleum wholesaler Cosmo Oil are commercializing jet biofuel in Japan for the first time, targeting aviation companies that are under pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to meet green credentials, Nikkei has learned.

Biofuels, also called sustainable aviation fuel, are made from waste plastics or biomass such as algae and wood chips.

JGC and Cosmo are planning to use waste cooking oil collected by Kyoto-based Revo International from restaurants and food factories. The companies are planning to start production in 20