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Iran publicly said it is "clearing inventory" and hinted it could deploy an unspecified "mysterious weapon," a deliberately vague signal that increases uncertainty in an already tense region. The announcement appears designed to deter adversaries and reassure domestic audiences while avoiding a direct escalation, but it raises the risk of reactive moves by rivals that could destabilize the Gulf and affect markets.

A Chinese military website reported on March 1, 2026, that the United States and Israel launched pre‑emptive strikes on Iran. The claim lacks independent verification but, if true, would mark a significant escalation with wide geopolitical, economic and security implications for the Middle East and beyond.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it launched new waves of a named offensive, “True Promise‑4,” targeting US and Israeli interests, while Israeli outlets reported at least eight dead and 23 wounded in a missile strike on Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem. The episode illustrates a dangerous cycle of calibrated strikes and reprisals that raises the risk of wider regional escalation.

Clashes outside the U.S. consulate in Karachi on March 1 left at least nine dead and about 20 injured after demonstrators, protesting the reported assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, tried to breach the compound. Pakistani security forces used tear gas and batons to repel the crowd, highlighting tensions between public sentiment and the state's obligation to protect foreign missions.

Iranian state media says an airstrike during U.S. and Israeli military action hit a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing 148 and wounding 95. The school's proximity to an IRGC base complicates assessments of intent and will deepen domestic and regional tensions while prompting demands for investigations and accountability.

At MWC26 in Barcelona Huawei showed two SuperNode products—Atlas950SuperPoD for AI and TaiShan950SuperPoD for converged compute—built on a new UnifiedBus interconnect. The overseas debut signals Huawei’s drive to offer integrated, pod‑level infrastructure to carriers and cloud providers, but broad adoption will hinge on ecosystem support and supply‑chain constraints.

Huawei unveiled a full suite of U6GHz infrastructure products at MWC26, aiming to accelerate 5G‑Advanced deployments by exploiting the upper 6 GHz band's wide bandwidth and propagation advantages. With spectrum recognised since WRC‑23 and device support expected around 2026, the launch seeks to shape early commercialization and grant operators a pathway to meet rising AI‑driven capacity and low‑latency demands.

Chinese scientists report that butterflies completed metamorphosis in orbit, signaling progress in space biology experiments. The results advance understanding of how microgravity affects complex life cycles and have implications for life‑support systems and international research cooperation.

February deliveries among China’s new EV makers showed divergence: Leapmotor, Li Auto and NIO returned to roughly 20,000‑unit monthly ranges, while XPeng’s sales halved year‑on‑year. The slowdown reflects a long Lunar New Year holiday and fading tax incentives, but also signals a strategic pivot across the sector toward charging networks, AI features and global expansion.

Nvidia has launched a coalition of telecom operators and vendors to promote an open, AI‑native vision for 6G that treats next‑generation wireless as infrastructure for autonomous machines as well as human communications. The initiative aims to shift radio networks toward software‑defined, upgradeable systems running AI at the edge, a change that would expand demand for Nvidia’s compute products while raising questions about interoperability, security and geopolitical alignment.

The PLAAF marked the 80th anniversary of the Northeast Aviation School with nationwide commemorations—site visits, seminars, theatrical productions and awards—aimed at converting revolutionary-era memory into contemporary cohesion. The campaign reflects a broader PLA pattern of using history and political education to sustain morale, legitimize party control and socialize the next generation of personnel amid modernization.

Explosions in Kabul on 1 March prompted Afghan air-defence fire and a statement from Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accusing Pakistan of conducting airstrikes on the capital. The event represents a potentially serious escalation of cross-border security operations and raises regional diplomatic and stability concerns.

Iranian media report that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a strike Tehran blames on the United States and Israel, prompting national mourning and condemnation from allied militants including Yemen’s Houthis. The apparent assassination threatens a fraught succession process in Tehran and raises the immediate risk of broader regional escalation across multiple fronts.

A precision airstrike on 28 February killed Iran’s supreme leader and several senior officials, a blow Tehran says will be avenged. The attack underscores what analysts describe as unprecedented penetration of Iran’s security apparatus by U.S. and Israeli intelligence, and raises the stakes for regional escalation and succession politics in Tehran.

A coordinated U.S.–Israeli strike on Iran on 28 February prompted a sweeping IRGC counterstrike against U.S. bases in the Gulf and Israeli targets, widespread explosions across the region and reports of heavy civilian casualties. Iranian state media then announced the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering national mourning and a deepening regional crisis with immediate implications for maritime security and global energy markets.

Activists and community groups staged protests across several U.S. cities to denounce recent U.S.-backed Israeli strikes as wanton aggression and to demand a ceasefire and policy changes. The demonstrations highlight rising domestic pressure on U.S. policymakers to reassess military support amid concerns over civilian harm and political fallout.

U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s Konarak naval base targeted ships and infrastructure to blunt Tehran’s asymmetric sea‑denial tools. While airstrikes can damage vessels and reduce Iran’s immediate sortie capability, small boats, midget submarines and sea mines remain survivable threats that can disrupt global shipping for prolonged periods.

Israel’s March 1 strike on Iran, which included explosions near Tehran’s political centre, has sharply raised the risk premium on oil markets and heightened the prospect of a wider regional war. Immediate price volatility reflects fears of disrupted Iranian exports and threats to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, while longer-term effects could accelerate supply diversification and energy transition efforts.

Warren Buffett retired as Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO at the end of 2025, handing leadership to Greg Abel while remaining active as a shareholder and advisor. The annual report shows record cash of $373.3 billion, concentrated equity holdings in a few U.S. and Japanese companies, a drop in annual net profit, and a cautious stance on buybacks and dividends.

Zeng Congqin, chairman of Wuliangye, has been placed under disciplinary and criminal review by Yibin city authorities. The probe compounds an already difficult period for the baijiu maker, which posted steep year‑on‑year declines in 2025 as the broader liquor market contracts and distribution prices collapse. Investors and the market will watch leadership succession and governance responses closely as Wuliangye navigates a deep industry adjustment and a heightened regulatory climate.