Stay up-to-date with the most recent news stories from around the world
Total: 2279
China’s PLAAF Bayi aerobatic team completed five performances at the 10th Singapore Airshow, showcasing J-10 formations and engaging spectators with cultural outreach timed to the lunar new year. The appearances combined precision flying with public diplomacy, reinforcing Beijing’s effort to project a professional, friendly military image abroad.
The PLA’s Southern Theatre reported five consecutive days of sea‑air patrols in the South China Sea, framing the moves as a response to Philippine cooperation with extra‑regional forces. Manila, meanwhile, vows to accelerate negotiations on a South China Sea Code of Conduct as ASEAN chair, creating a tension between deterrence through outside partnerships and efforts to institutionalise crisis management.
Hamas has accused Israel’s far‑right government of pursuing a deliberate policy to annex West Bank territory and eliminate Palestinian presence, following an Israeli cabinet decision. The movement called for Palestinian unity and a national plan to resist, a development that raises the stakes for regional stability, diplomatic responses and the future of a two‑state solution.
China’s Attack‑11, a tailless flying‑wing unmanned combat aircraft highlighted in recent Chinese media, is presented as a stealthy platform for deep‑penetration strike and electronic suppression. While the design underscores a global trend toward pairing stealth with autonomy, key performance and operational details remain unverified and implications for regional defence postures are significant.
Iran’s armed forces chief of staff announced that the air force is at the highest state of readiness, presenting the posture as defensive deterrence while warning adversaries of severe consequences for aggression. The move signals Tehran’s intent to shape regional calculations amid ongoing tensions with the US, Israel and Gulf states, and raises the risk of miscalculation if actions follow the rhetoric.
Chinese outlets reported that a late‑night call on 4 February 2026 ended with Donald Trump pledging to keep U.S.–China ties stable “in my term,” a formulation Beijing has portrayed as a promise to prevent U.S. intervention that could escalate the Taiwan situation. The call, alongside resumed cross‑Strait exchanges and stalled Taiwanese defence spending, has prompted debate about the longer‑term security dynamics across the Taiwan Strait.
WHO says three attacks on medical facilities in South Kordofan between 3–5 February killed 31 people and injured 19, including women and children. The assaults highlight the acute risk to civilians and health services as fighting between Sudanese forces and the Rapid Support Forces escalates, further deepening a humanitarian crisis that has already killed nearly 30,000 people.
Li Yapeng’s vocal defence of a benefactor who helped Yānrán Angel Children’s Hospital has turbocharged his livestreaming comeback, drawing millions of followers and hundreds of millions of RMB in sales. The publicity also lifted Tiandi Online—an investor in Li’s cultural company—into a sharp stock rally, despite the firm warning of substantial 2025 losses. The episode underscores how Chinese celebrity philanthropy can rapidly translate into consumer and market effects, exposing companies and donors to reputational and regulatory risks.
Bitcoin suffered a sharp sell-off before recovering to around $71,000, triggering more than 91,400 forced liquidations and over $300 million in losses in 24 hours. The episode highlights heavy leverage in crypto markets, rising fears about miners and contagion to other risk assets, and an absence of government backstops.
A surge in AI compute demand and rising commodity costs have triggered industry‑wide price hikes across the semiconductor supply chain. The combination of supply tightness in memory chips and higher manufacturing inputs may mark a transition from a structural upswing to a broader cyclical recovery, with significant implications for manufacturers, OEMs and investors.
Elon Musk’s public call to "return to the Moon" and SpaceX hiring for AI satellite and space data-centre work have dovetailed with U.S. government plans to accelerate lunar missions, industrial infrastructure and even nuclear deployments. The combination of private ambition and an assertive U.S. policy raises technical, economic and geopolitical questions about feasibility, cost and the militarisation of cislunar space.
Bitcoin reached $71,000, rising 4.67% in 24 hours as reported on NetEase. The advance reflects renewed institutional and retail demand amid favourable macro conditions but leaves the market exposed to sharp reversals given structural liquidity risks and regulatory scrutiny.
Apple is reportedly preparing an iOS 26.4 developer beta the week of Feb 23 that will include parts of a new Siri, and plans a product event the week of Mar 2 unveiling an iPhone 17e, a new A18-powered entry iPad with Apple Intelligence, and an M4-upgraded iPad Air. The moves signal Apple’s strategy to push AI features and accessory monetisation into broader parts of its product line while maintaining competitive entry pricing.
Mark Gurman reports Apple will release the first iOS 26.4 developer beta the week of Feb 23 with partial Siri enhancements, followed by a hardware push the week of March 2. Planned devices include a $599 iPhone 17e with new chip and MagSafe tweaks, an entry iPad with A18 and Apple Intelligence, and an iPad Air upgraded to M4 silicon.
Tesla has started recruiting senior engineers and scientists to scale up U.S. solar module manufacturing as part of Elon Musk’s 100GW deployment target, with an internal deadline of the end of 2028. The effort confronts a domestic shortage of cell production, entrenched Chinese dominance, and the political and technical obstacles that have stymied past U.S. solar manufacturing plans.
Qingtianzu launched a ¥999 nationwide robot experience plan during a livestreamed robot gala, offering event-focused, rental-style access to robots for social occasions. The initiative reflects a broader push in China to commercialise robots through service and rental models that lower adoption barriers while testing demand for consumer-facing robotic experiences.
The United States and Australia are upgrading HMAS Stirling into a forward maintenance and berthing hub for allied nuclear submarines, with up to four U.S. boats expected to rotate through and the first arriving as soon as 2027. Funded in part by Canberra and tied to AUKUS submarine plans, the move improves allied sustainment near potential flashpoints but raises local concerns and the risk of further Sino-allied confrontation.
CCTV aired footage of PLA missile units along China’s eastern coast keeping launchers upright around the clock and crews in sustained high-readiness. Presented as a deterrent against Taiwan independence and recent Taipei drills, the posture shortens launch timelines but raises logistical, safety and escalation risks.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that three hospitals in South Kordofan were attacked between 3–5 February, resulting in 31 deaths and 19 injuries, including women and children. The strikes underscore the widening assault on Sudan’s health infrastructure amid a conflict that began in April 2023 and has already killed nearly 30,000 people.
Two F-22 Raptors were withdrawn from a Super Bowl flyover because the U.S. Air Force reassigned them to operational missions amid heightened tensions with Iran. The move highlights rising operational tempo, strains on high-end military assets and the trade-off between combat commitments and public military displays.
