📰 Latest News

Stay up-to-date with the most recent news stories from around the world

Total: 2279

Woman in red floral dress standing on city bridge, smiling and posing.
Business2/5/2026, 11:10:13 PM

Meituan’s $717m Bet on Instant Grocery and Alibaba’s Qwen Rebrand Signal a New Phase of Consolidation and Commercialisation in China’s Tech Sector

Meituan has agreed to buy Dingdong Maicai’s China business for roughly $717 million, underscoring consolidation in the instant grocery market now that some players report improving profitability. Alibaba has unified its large-model family under the 捃闼/Qwen brand to clarify its AI offering and accelerate commercial deployment, reflecting a broader shift from technology race to ecosystem competition.

Vibrant close-up of a 3D printer creating a prototype with red and blue lights.
World2/5/2026, 11:00:17 PM

From Bayonet to Data: How a PLA Company Keeps a 1962 Hero’s Voice Alive While Rewiring for Modern War

A company within a PLA group army combines an enduring culture of hero remembrance with practical, grassroots innovation as it adapts to information‑centric combined‑arms warfare. Lessons from a failed 2017 exercise prompted hands‑on retraining, decentralised tactics tied to drone and data networks, and dozens of small technical fixes that have improved readiness.

Gold and silver Bitcoin coins on financial graph, symbolizing cryptocurrency trading and digital currency wealth.
Business2/5/2026, 11:00:00 PM

Bitcoin Sinks Below $65,000 as Leverage Unwinds and Selling Accelerates

Bitcoin fell below $65,000 as leveraged positions were forcibly closed and market turbulence accelerated a four‑month sell‑off. The drop, roughly half from October’s highs above $126,000, highlights structural risks from concentrated leverage and raises questions about liquidity and regulatory safeguards in crypto markets.

Silver cryptocurrency coins arranged on a wooden surface spelling 'crypto'.
Business2/5/2026, 10:50:47 PM

Markets Recoil: Silver Plunges, Crypto Halves from Peak as Exchanges Tighten Margins; Meituan Buys Dingdong Amid Beijing’s Regulatory Sweep

A sharp cross-asset sell-off saw silver tumble over 20% and bitcoin drop below $65,000, prompting exchanges to raise margin requirements. The turmoil coincided with geopolitical tensions as US and Iranian delegations prepared to meet in Oman, and with Chinese domestic moves including Meituan’s planned purchase of Dingdong and regulatory action against a financial influencer.

Close-up of Scrabble tiles spelling 'MUSK' on a wooden table, ideal for business and innovation themes.
Technology2/5/2026, 10:50:47 PM

Musk Says Space Will Be the Cheapest Place to Run AI Within Three Years — Here’s Why That Would Upend the Cloud

Elon Musk told a podcast that within 30–36 months running large AI clusters in space will be far cheaper than on Earth, arguing terrestrial power constraints, grid bottlenecks and supply‑chain limits make orbital solar arrays economically superior. He cited higher energy yield from space solar, lower need for batteries, and simpler approvals versus terrestrial PV, while acknowledging engineering and regulatory hurdles remain.

A striking image of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple coins illustrating modern digital currency.
Business2/5/2026, 10:50:39 PM

Bitcoin Plummets Below $65,000 as Leverage-Unwind Sparks Fresh Crypto Rout

Bitcoin tumbled below $65,000 on 6 February amid a rapid unwind of leveraged positions, dragging ether down more than 15% to multi-month lows. The sell-off — part of a four-month correction that has erased nearly half of bitcoin’s October peak — highlights persistent leverage and liquidity fragilities in crypto markets and raises the prospect of wider market and regulatory consequences.

Close-up of gold and silver Wiener Philharmoniker coins displayed on blue velvet cloth.
Business2/5/2026, 5:00:20 PM

Silver Flash Crash Exposes Retail Frenzy and Margin Risk in a Roaring Commodities Rally

A January 31 silver flash crash and a concurrent gold tumble revealed how buoyant retail buying, speculative leverage and procyclical margining combined to produce a sudden market collapse. The episode wrenched through global and Chinese futures markets, exposing structural vulnerabilities in the link between physical and paper metal markets and leaving silver’s near‑term path particularly uncertain.

Dramatic macro shot of an ant poised on an edge, highlighting its delicate structure against a dark background.
Business2/5/2026, 4:50:14 PM

Platforms Bolt the Door: China Permanently Bans Finance Influencer in Crackdown on Off‑Channel Fund Sales

Ant Fortune and Douyin permanently banned a popular finance influencer known as “Little Sheep” for alleged illegal fund sales, following an earlier muted suspension on another platform. The action highlights Beijing’s stepped‑up enforcement over online fund distribution and signals stricter platform responsibility for financial promotions.

Close-up of Bitcoin trading app on smartphone showing market trends and digital coins.
Business2/5/2026, 4:50:09 PM

Bitcoin Slides Below $68,000 as Crypto Markets Face Fresh Volatility

Bitcoin fell to $67,995.90 on 5 February 2026, down 8.86% in 24 hours, slipping under the psychological $68,000 level. The drop highlights crypto’s continued susceptibility to rapid sentiment changes and raises questions about liquidity, leverage and bitcoin’s evolving relationship with traditional risk assets.

A modern train travels through urban Ningbo, showcasing advanced public transportation.
Business2/5/2026, 4:40:23 PM

Bestore’s Balance‑Sheet Blind Spot: How an Overleveraged Controlling Shareholder Deepens the Snack Chain’s Turnaround Challenge

Bestore disclosed that its controlling shareholder, Ningbo Hanyi, faces court execution over about RMB 280 million of overdue trust debt, putting a large block of pledged shares at risk. The company is also reporting a sizable 2025 loss after continued store closures and margin pressure, while prior plans to bring in strategic investors failed to materialize.

A SpaceX Falcon rocket displayed in a spacious hangar under bright industrial lights.
Technology2/5/2026, 4:40:19 PM

SpaceX Eyes a Starlink Phone — A Bid to Plug Direct Satellite Connectivity into the Trillion‑Dollar Mobile Market

SpaceX is preparing to develop a mobile device that can connect directly to its Starlink satellites, leveraging Starship launches, spectrum purchases and recent trademark and patent filings. If realised, a Starlink phone would expand SpaceX’s market reach, challenge traditional carriers, and tie into broader ambitions for space‑based data centres and orbital services.

A man lounging in a shopping cart filled with Maruchan ramen in a supermarket aisle.
Business2/5/2026, 4:40:15 PM

Meituan’s $717m Bet on Dingdong Maicai: Consolidation of China’s Instant Grocery Wars

Meituan has acquired Dingdong Maicai’s China business for an initial $717 million, absorbing a network of over 1,000 front-line warehouses and more than seven million monthly users. The deal strengthens Meituan’s instant-grocery capabilities and reflects broader consolidation as high fulfilment costs and thin margins push standalone fresh-retail specialists into the arms of platform giants.

Neatly organized skate boots on shelves in an indoor shop setting, ready for sale.
Business2/5/2026, 4:30:27 PM

Executive Exodus and Mounting Losses Leave Regional Baijiu Maker TianYouDe on the Brink

TianYouDe, a regional Qinghai baijiu producer, faces a management exodus and a sharp earnings collapse, with 2025 net profit forecast to slump by up to 90% while inventory sits at five years' worth of sales. Operational inefficiency, failed overseas expansion and weak distributor confidence have left the company exposed as national brands encroach and consumer demand cools.

ISO certification stickers with registration numbers on paper.
Business2/5/2026, 4:30:22 PM

China’s ‘First Grain Stock’ Hit with Regulatory Rebuke After Subsidiary’s Fake Trades Inflate Revenue

Hunan regulators found that a Jinjian Rice Industry subsidiary used circular, empty trades from 2020–2022 to improperly inflate revenue by over RMB 586 million. The company was ordered to correct disclosures and four former executives received warning letters and were added to the securities‑market integrity file. Jinjian has since divested trading units and repositioned toward grain and oil processing to reduce trading exposure.

Sleek motorized wheelchair showcasing mobility and accessibility on a white backdrop.
Business2/5/2026, 4:30:21 PM

NIO Signals Profit Turnaround — U.S. Shares Jump After First Adjusted Quarterly Operating Profit Guidance

NIO told investors it expects its first-ever single‑quarter adjusted operating profit for Q4 2025, driving an 8.6% pre‑market rise in its U.S. shares. The company cites stronger sales, a richer product mix and cost controls as drivers, but the guidance is non‑GAAP and sustainability will hinge on continued margin discipline and demand amid fierce competition.

Detailed black and white close-up image of a globe focusing on Asia, highlighting geographical details.
World2/5/2026, 4:30:18 PM

Japan’s Deep‑Sea Rare‑Earth Claim Provides Political Cover — Not a Market Breakthrough

Japan’s claim to have located large rare‑earth deposits near Minamitorishima and its plan for a 2027 trial eases domestic political pressure after Chinese export curbs, but substantial technical, economic and environmental barriers make rapid independence from Chinese supplies unlikely. Beijing’s structural advantages in extraction and refining mean China is likely to remain central to global rare‑earth supplies in the near to medium term.