📰 Latest News

Apple has lost at least four AI researchers — Yinfei Yang, Haoxuan You, Bailin Wang and Zirui Wang — who have joined Meta and Google DeepMind, following a recent departure of a senior Siri executive. The departures highlight a fierce talent competition in AI and raise concerns about Apple’s ability to rapidly scale advanced large‑model capabilities while maintaining its product and privacy constraints.

Provincial GDP releases for 2025 reveal a subtle but meaningful reshaping of China’s economic map: Tibet led growth on the back of large infrastructure projects, Gansu expanded through resource-driven industry, and Chongqing overtook Liaoning in total GDP thanks to a booming new-energy vehicle cluster. The data underline a continuing shift of momentum from the north-east’s old industrial base to the south-west and interior, driven by state investment, resource cycles and industrial upgrading.

A phone call between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, backed by a clear Saudi pledge to block use of its territory or airspace for attacks on Iran, has stalled U.S. contingency plans for strikes. China’s mediation that produced the 2023 Beijing Statement provided the communication channels that enabled the de-escalatory move, underscoring Beijing’s rising diplomatic leverage in the Middle East.

A series of recent visits by G7 leaders to Beijing has highlighted a pragmatic turn among Western governments toward economic engagement with China, driven by market incentives and dissatisfaction with perceived U.S. unpredictability. The trend reflects hedging rather than alliance abandonment and raises challenges for U.S. influence if Washington cannot offer steadier, credible leadership.

Canada has proposed creating a multinational "Defence, Security and Reconstruction Bank" to mobilize up to $135 billion for NATO and European defence projects, with Isabel Hudon leading Canadian talks. Backers hope a state-backed, AAA-rated institution would provide predictable financing for rearmament and reconstruction, but achieving rating, governance and political consensus will be challenging.

A sharp US–Iran confrontation has intensified as Washington increases naval deployments and sanctions while Tehran vows to retaliate and seeks regional diplomatic backing. Negotiations remain possible but are constrained by US preconditions that Iran rejects and by a narrow strategic space where miscalculation could shut the Strait of Hormuz and roil global markets.

The PLA Navy has ceremonially passed the storied “Sea Tiger” mantle to the modern frigate Red River, using the event to showcase institutional reform, rigorous training and an expanding blue‑water operational tempo. The blend of veteran mentorship, political education and technical innovation reflects a PLAN determined to convert legacy prestige into sustained expeditionary capability.

President Trump says he has set a deadline for Iran to reach an agreement but declined to disclose the date, while Iran’s foreign minister says Tehran will only negotiate on equal terms and not under threat. Recent contacts between the two sides reportedly flagged U.S. demands on uranium enrichment and ballistic missiles—conditions Iran has so far rejected—leaving diplomacy precarious and the risk of escalation real.

France and Italy have completed reciprocal live‑fire trials of the jointly developed SAMP/T NG air‑defence system, a key milestone before mass production. The tests validate the system’s basic engagement capabilities and reinforce Franco‑Italian industrial cooperation and European options for indigenous air‑defence capabilities.

China’s National Medical Products Administration is enforcing a rule that will bar re‑registration of traditional patent medicines whose package inserts still state key safety items as “not yet clear.” The measure aims to eliminate low‑use and poorly documented approvals, compel firms to supply safety data, and accelerate consolidation in an industry long criticised for uneven evidence on safety and efficacy.

Australia and Panama have moved to revoke long-term port concessions held by Chinese-linked companies, actions Beijing says breach international norms and which observers interpret as reflecting US strategic pressure. The cases underscore how national-security arguments and political influence are reshaping the investment climate for critical maritime infrastructure.

Iran's foreign minister said Tehran still prefers negotiations but only if threats and pressure are removed, warning that any attack on Iran would be met with a "firm, forceful" response. The comments blend openness to diplomacy with a clear deterrent posture and come amid stalled talks over Iran's nuclear programme and heightened regional tensions.

Zijin Mining has offered CAD5.5 billion in cash to acquire a Toronto‑ and New York‑listed gold company owning four African mines, a deal that would lift Zijin’s annual mined gold output above 100 tonnes. The purchase capitalises on favourable infrastructure and high gold prices but increases balance‑sheet and integration risks as Zijin accelerates its global expansion.

A violent rout in gold and silver prompted the CME to raise COMEX margin requirements, with gold margins moving from 6% to 8% and silver from 11% to 15%, effective after the close on Feb. 2. The crash was driven by a rapid shift in Fed expectations following the nomination of Kevin Warsh and the unwinding of crowded, highly leveraged long positions, forcing exchanges to shore up clearinghouse protections.

China’s auto makers have shifted from price cuts to long‑tenor, low‑interest financing as regulators clamp down on direct price wars and fiscal policy subsidises consumer loans. The tactic reduces monthly payments and attracts young buyers, but it also locks consumers into long contracts on rapidly depreciating electric vehicles and concentrates advantages with well‑capitalised firms.

Bitcoin tumbled below $79,000 on February 1, wiping about $111 billion from the crypto market and triggering over 420,000 forced liquidations worth roughly $2.56 billion. The sell-off reflects thin liquidity, stalled U.S. regulatory clarity, muted institutional interest and mixed geopolitical signals, all of which undermine bitcoin’s appeal as a safe-haven or inflation hedge.

ByteDance has declared its 2026 priority: make the Doubao/Dola AI assistant the central interface that links its consumer apps and cloud services. The company has scaled user adoption rapidly, advanced its model capabilities and pushed into phone‑level automation, but now faces fierce competition from Alibaba and Tencent, regulatory scrutiny, and practical permission barriers from other app and device owners.

At a January 30 Politburo study session, Xi Jinping called for a steady, comparative‑advantage driven development of China’s future industries, using state coordination and enterprise leadership to overcome technological bottlenecks. The plan emphasises mission‑oriented research, fiscal and financial support, talent cultivation, and a governance balance that manages risk while enabling innovation.

Bitcoin dropped below $81,000 on 31 January, falling about 4% intraday amid a broader crypto market rout that included heavy liquidations and steep moves in ether and smaller tokens. The episode highlights how leverage and thin liquidity can produce rapid price cascades, raising questions about market structure and investor risk management.

Greentong Technology’s profitability plunged in 2025 after US tariffs and a trade probe slashed American sales by nearly 80%. A 51% acquisition of a semiconductor firm raised consolidated revenue but failed to rescue margins, leaving the company with heavy impairment charges and uncertain prospects. The case highlights the vulnerability of export‑dependent Chinese manufacturers to trade remedies and the risks inherent in rapid, cross‑sector pivots.