An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at 2:10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, U.S., August 2, 2017. Picture taken August 2, 2017.
The White House on Wednesday tried to ease Beijing’s “serious concerns” over reports that the US is adjusting its nuclear strategy to incorporate more of a focus on East Asia. The US National Security Council said it “is not a response to any single entity, country, nor threat” and that North Korea and Russia factor into the shift.
China’s foreign ministry said “the United States has constantly stirred up the so-called China nuclear threat theory in recent years.” China objects because it has always maintained a no-first-use policy with its nuclear weapons, and its arsenal is small compared to Washington’s 3,700 warheads.
Still, China has been arming – the Pentagon estimated last year that Beijing now has 500 warheads and may reach 1,000 by 2030. But from China’s point of view, that’s just playing catch up, says Eurasia Group’s Jeremy Chan. “Beijing sees US rhetoric about arms control as an effort to lock in the Chinese arsenal at a level that is still a fraction of Washington’s,” he explained. “They want to play for more time.”
US and Chinese interests may not be entirely misaligned. Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly told Russian President Vladimir Putin, for example,to quit threatening to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine when the two met in Moscow last year, and Chan notes that nuclear proliferation is one of the few issues where Beijing won’t cover for North Korea.At the 2026 AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Tony Maciulis speaks with Tonee Ndungu, a Kenyan entrepreneur who helped launch one of the tech hubs that became a baseline for what is now known as Silicon Savannah. Ndungu explains how growing up with dyslexia and ADHD shaped his focus on inclusion, and why he sees technology as a bridge that can help people move beyond the limits they have been told about themselves.
Artificial intelligence has enormous potential, but only if people can actually access it.
Speaking at the 2026 AI for Good Global Summit, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock argues that AI should not be viewed as a cure-all for global development. Without reliable internet, telecommunications infrastructure, and access to basic technology, even the most advanced AI tools cannot reach the communities that need them most.
Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly powerful tool for disaster preparedness and emergency response.
Speaking at the 2026 AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith explains how AI combines predictive modeling, satellite imagery, and public data to help governments identify vulnerable communities before disasters strike and respond more quickly when they do.
Graham Platner is out of Maine's Senate race. That may improve Democrats' chance of defeating Republican Susan Collins—but it doesn't guarantee it. In the latest episode of the GZERO Debrief, Eurasia Group US Practice Head Clayton Allen says Democrats may be better off than they were a week ago, but Republicans remain the favorites to hold the Senate seat.