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OpenAI has launched Prism, a free GPT‑5.2‑driven workspace aimed at scientists that supports unlimited projects and collaborators and is available now to ChatGPT personal users. The platform promises to streamline research writing and collaboration but raises practical concerns around hallucinations, data governance and institutional lock‑in as OpenAI prepares paid organisational offerings.

A sharp dollar decline, amplified by comments from a US political figure, propelled gold and silver to record levels even as the S&P 500 closed at a new high. Simultaneously Beijing prepares for a high-profile UK prime ministerial visit, rolls out drug-regulatory reform and contends with mixed domestic signals—falling real-estate lending, rising semiconductor prices and tighter futures oversight—that together shape China’s near-term economic trajectory.

OpenAI is expanding into advertising and consumer hardware as it confronts surging compute costs and intensifying competition from Google and others. Strong 2025 revenue growth masks large cash burn and funding needs that could force aggressive monetization or deep capital raises over the next 18 months.

BYD is stepping up its overseas offensive with plans to launch at least three models in South Korea and a target of over 10,000 sales, reflecting a broader trend of Chinese automakers expanding globally. Despite rising volumes and strong EV adoption, China’s auto industry faces thin profit margins and intensifying competition from established international groups such as Stellantis.

SoftBank is reportedly negotiating to invest up to $30 billion in OpenAI, a potential marquee financing that would deepen the capital race among AI developers. The move would expand OpenAI's resources for compute, talent and product rollout while raising governance and regulatory questions for both companies.

SoftBank is negotiating a potential investment of up to $30 billion in OpenAI that could value the company at about $830 billion. The move would mark one of the largest private bets on an AI firm, accelerating compute and product expansion but raising questions about valuation sustainability, market concentration and regulatory scrutiny.

Anthropic is lining up about $20 billion in investor commitments at a roughly $350 billion valuation, twice its initial fundraising target and driven by strong demand from institutional investors. The round, led by GIC and Coatue with large commitments from Microsoft and Nvidia, highlights investor confidence in Anthropic's enterprise focus even as the company readies an IPO and publicly emphasises AI safety.

A surprise visit by a U.S. congressional delegation to Ushuaia has provoked Argentine opposition and provincial officials to demand explanations, amid speculation about U.S. involvement in a planned naval base project. The episode underscores tensions between Buenos Aires’ new pro-U.S. tilt and domestic sensitivities over sovereignty and Antarctic strategy.

An Israeli woman, Noa Zion, discovered Channel 12 had used her photograph in a news segment that portrayed her as a casualty of protests in Iran. She posted video proof that she was alive, sparking social media debate about media verification and the potential consequences of misidentified images amid tense Israeli–Iranian relations.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman warned that the country’s armed forces will fully respond to any aggression and accused the United States and Israel of sabotaging negotiations. While professing openness to diplomacy, Tehran stressed it would resist if war were imposed and framed the stance as defending the survival of the state.

The Pentagon is preparing Misawa Air Base in Japan to host 48 F-35A stealth fighters to replace 36 F-16s, part of a 2024 modernization plan. The upgrade strengthens U.S.-Japan deterrence, requires significant base infrastructure and will reverberate across regional strategic dynamics.

Indonesia has received three Rafale fighters from France, the first deliveries under a multibillion‑dollar defence deal that includes up to 42 jets plus naval vessels. The move advances Jakarta’s military modernisation and has implications for regional security and France’s role in Southeast Asia.

The U.S. has positioned a carrier strike group and additional air and missile-defence assets in the Middle East to deter Iran, which has entered maximum readiness and warned its response to any attack would not be limited to U.S. bases. Hezbollah and Israel have signalled that the confrontation could draw in regional proxies and force civil contingencies, while Gulf states worry that military action could trigger widespread instability and economic shocks.

NATO secretary‑general Mark Rutte told European lawmakers that, absent U.S. support, Europe cannot defend itself and would need sharply higher defence spending and the loss of the American nuclear umbrella. His comments, made amid rows over Greenland and Trump’s Afghanistan remarks, have intensified debate over transatlantic ties and European strategic autonomy.

President Trump said he has not ruled out diplomacy with Iran even as he deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to the Central Command region and kept military options open. The administration’s stance blends deterrence with a rhetorical openness to talks, leaving outcomes dependent on Tehran’s response and choices by regional actors.

A Wuhan Institute-led study finds that VV116, an oral antiviral developed in China for COVID-19, inhibits Nipah virus in cell cultures and improves survival in a rodent model. The result offers a potential stopgap against a pathogen with high fatality and no approved treatments, but clinical trials and regulatory approval are still required before human use. Corporate partners gave mixed responses and markets briefly rallied on the news.

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is moving to the Middle East, prompting Iran to declare maximum military readiness and threaten strikes on U.S. bases. Tehran is simultaneously engaging in active diplomacy to limit the political space for American action and to rally regional support, while analysts warn the situation carries high risks of miscalculation and wider regional escalation.

A US carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln has moved into the Indian Ocean, prompting stern warnings from Iran and its regional allies. Washington signals readiness to deter while keeping a door open to talks, but proxy forces and incendiary propaganda raise the risk of a wider regional confrontation.

U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra warned that Canada’s decision not to buy 88 F‑35 fighters would force changes to North American defence arrangements and lead to more frequent U.S. fighter operations in Canadian airspace. The remarks intensify a fraught Canadian procurement debate over interoperability, cost and sovereignty, and highlight the diplomatic leverage Washington can exert over allied defence choices.

A passenger ferry sank off Basilan on 26 January, leaving at least 18 dead, 24 missing and more than 300 rescued. The accident highlights persistent maritime safety failures in the Philippines — from poor maintenance and rough seas to inadequate enforcement and limited rescue capacity — and will likely spur calls for regulatory and operational reforms.