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A unit‑entry error at Bithumb turned routine promotional payouts into an apparent 620,000 BTC airdrop, briefly creating nominal balances worth tens of billions of dollars and triggering a market dip. Most coins were frozen and reclaimed; regulators have launched on‑site inspections and Bithumb has pledged full compensation to affected users while promising tighter controls.

State Grid projects record high EV charging during China’s Spring Festival, with platform daily peaks above 34 million kWh and highway charging over 11 million kWh. The surge reflects accelerating EV adoption and stresses the need for smart grid management and expanded fast‑charging corridors, especially in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.

Iran signalled cautious flexibility in indirect talks with the United States, saying the second round’s venue may change while reiterating opposition to exporting uranium but openness to reduced enrichment levels. Tehran stressed it does not want regional war but warned that U.S. military action would complicate negotiations, which remain contingent on an environment free of threats and pressure.

The U.S. has launched a diplomatic and financial effort to reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled processing of critical minerals by creating a roughly 30-country partnership and a $12 billion stockpile. Short-term measures can mitigate shocks, but long-term resilience requires building refining capacity, recycling and sustained industrial investment that cannot be solved by hoarding alone.

A Mexican navy vessel has delivered humanitarian supplies to Cuba, a symbolic breach of the U.S. embargo that has constrained the island for more than six decades. The shipment underscores growing Latin American willingness to challenge Washington’s policy and raises the question of whether regional actors can erode the embargo’s practical effectiveness through solidarity and alternative supply lines.

A viral post from China Military Vision highlighting a professional PLA cook unit does more than astonish internet users: it signals the Chinese military's emphasis on logistics, soldier welfare and image management. Such human-centred content both reassures domestic audiences and points to broader modernization priorities.

The UK has deployed six F-35B fighters to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to bolster the defence of its sovereign base areas amid heightened US‑Iran tensions. The move coincided with Oman‑mediated talks between Washington and Tehran and a simultaneous White House announcement of tariffs targeting countries that trade with Iran, leaving the region in a delicate balance between diplomacy and deterrence.

The Chinese PLAAF’s Bayi aerobatic team performed at the Singapore Airshow on 7 February, offering a high-profile demonstration of pilot skill that serves both public-relations and strategic signalling purposes. The appearance underlines Beijing’s use of airshow diplomacy to project professionalism, advance defence-industry ties, and normalize its military presence in Southeast Asia.

Iran’s army chief vowed to defend national sovereignty while highlighting a military pivot toward precision, range, networking and AI. The remarks mix deterrent signalling to external rivals with a message of internal cohesion under Supreme Leader Khamenei.

The UN Secretary‑General welcomed the resumption of talks between Iran and the United States, a move that opens a modest diplomatic window. While symbolic and potentially stabilising for the region, meaningful progress will face significant political and technical hurdles and is likely to be slow and incremental.

Following indirect, Oman‑hosted talks with US interlocutors, Iran’s foreign minister Alaghaqi set two firm red lines: the country will not surrender its right to enrich uranium and will not negotiate its missile programme. The comments narrow the scope for a comprehensive deal and point toward limited, technical confidence‑building measures rather than a broader arms‑control bargain.

China’s J-10 fighter has evolved rapidly from the original J-10A through a limited J-10B run to the more capable J-10C, which now serves both combat and public diplomacy roles through the BaYi aerobatic team. The shift reflects fast advances in domestic radar and avionics — notably the move from passive to active phased‑array radars — and signals China’s ability to field large numbers of modern, multirole fighters.

The United States and Iran held indirect talks in Muscat on February 6 that both sides called a constructive start, but Tehran rejected any outright ban on uranium enrichment and Washington concurrently imposed sanctions on Iranian oil-related actors. The meeting, welcomed by regional states and the UN, took place amid intense military posturing and a narrow window for diplomacy, leaving outcomes uncertain.

A UN World Food Programme convoy was hit by a drone near El Obeid in North Kordofan, killing at least one person and injuring others, as drone incidents mount across Sudan. The attack, blamed by local medics on the Rapid Support Forces, highlights how the conflict’s spread into Kordofan and the growing use of drones endanger humanitarian operations and worsen an already dire relief situation.

Xiaomi’s robotics team unveiled TacRefineNet, a tactile‑only pose refinement model that can reduce grasping errors to millimetre precision without cameras or 3D object models. Demonstrated in both simulation and real‑world tests on automotive parts, the open publication of technical details could accelerate industrial adoption—provided hardware durability and generalisation challenges are addressed.

Omdia forecasts that the semiconductor industry will surpass $1 trillion in revenue by 2026, propelled primarily by a storage-led recovery and stronger AI deployment. The rebound is heavily concentrated in memory chips, while non-memory segments show only modest growth, raising questions about cycle concentration and supply-chain risk.

A public photograph confirms the J-15T carrier fighter is operationally paired with the supersonic YJ-15 anti-ship missile, signalling a meaningful upgrade in China's carrier-based strike capability. The combination enhances the PLA Navy's tactical ability to threaten large surface ships, while practical constraints and modern allied defenses temper its reach.

A Chinese Academy of Sciences team has developed a liquid‑nitrogen‑cooled calcium‑ion optical clock with a total systematic uncertainty of 4.4×10⁻19, claimed as the best reported so far. The result advances ultra‑precise timekeeping with implications for geodesy, navigation and a prospective redefinition of the second.

GAC has launched pre‑sales for the 2026 Trumpchi M8 HEV with two trims priced at ¥229,800 and ¥249,800, targeting family and executive MPV buyers seeking fuel efficiency without charging. The move reflects a broader strategy by Chinese automakers to expand hybrid offerings as a practical complement to plug‑in and pure electric models.

GAC Motor has launched pre-sales for the 2026 Trumpchi M8 HEV with two trims priced at ¥229,800 and ¥249,800, signaling a hybrid‑first strategy for its flagship MPV. The move reflects broader market dynamics in China where hybrids provide a practical bridge between conventional cars and fully electric models amid shifting incentives and consumer preferences.