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Swiss researchers reported in Nature that laser pulses can reverse the polarity of a specialised ferromagnet, demonstrating all‑optical control beyond ferrimagnetic materials. The finding points to faster, potentially lower‑energy ways to program magnetic states, with implications for memory, spintronics and reconfigurable optoelectronic circuits, though engineering challenges remain.

UCLA researchers report direct experimental evidence for a liquid-like charge density wave in 1T-TaS2, a result published in Nature Physics that appears to resolve a 30-year theoretical dispute. The observation expands the known landscape of electronic order in correlated materials and has potential implications for understanding and controlling emergent phenomena such as unconventional superconductivity.

Michal Bartek, vice‑chair of Slovakia’s parliamentary Defence and Security Committee, condemned remarks by Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi as irresponsible and dangerous for challenging the One China principle. He warned that confrontational rhetoric risks destabilising East Asia and reflects Tokyo’s growing alignment with Washington at the expense of regional and economic interests.

China’s condolence to the Philippines after a fatal ferry sinking highlights a broader pattern of simultaneous humanitarian outreach and military assertiveness in the South China Sea. Incidents of rescue and reproach reveal deep distrust between Beijing and Manila, with implications for regional stability amid US–China competition.

President Trump has dismissed claims that two U.S. Navy aircraft lost over the South China Sea were shot down, instead pointing to fuel contamination as the probable cause. The incidents highlight aging carrier infrastructure, strained logistics and rising accident rates that could undermine U.S. carrier readiness and deterrence.

The Chinese military has launched an online naming contest for three newly arrived horses ahead of the 2026 Lunar New Year, presenting detailed, personable profiles to solicit public submissions and votes. The campaign combines ceremonial tradition with digital outreach, humanizing the armed forces and using a lighthearted vehicle to advance institutional messaging during a politically resonant holiday.

State media imagery this week showed Chinese border troops in Xinjiang conducting snowbound patrols using motor sleds and foot patrols. The operations highlight Beijing’s efforts to sustain presence and mobility across harsh frontier terrain as part of broader border-security and readiness priorities.

China Rongtong Group has opened a 24/7 hotline (956081) to provide centralised services to PLA units, servicemembers and their families. The move formalises civilian‑run support across hotel, barracks, technology transfer and HR functions and reflects Beijing’s broader civil‑military integration strategy.

Eight foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim-majority states jointly condemned Israeli violations of a Gaza ceasefire that they say caused over 1,000 Palestinian casualties, urging full implementation of the ceasefire’s next phase and restraint to protect stabilization and reconstruction efforts. The coordinated rebuke raises regional diplomatic stakes and could prompt greater international mediation or humanitarian initiatives, though its practical impact will hinge on whether it leads to tangible measures beyond rhetoric.

US markets opened slightly lower as the Nasdaq underperformed and crypto‑related stocks tumbled. Oracle rose after unveiling a dollar bond issuance plan, while Disney plunged despite modest revenue growth, highlighting selective investor caution across the market.

CCTV’s Focus Interview highlighted Chengdu’s “Western Brain Valley,” an initiative to combine artificial intelligence and brain science to accelerate application of neuroscience breakthroughs. The project exemplifies China’s shift from basic research to rapid industrialisation of sensitive technologies, raising opportunities in healthcare and human‑machine interaction alongside regulatory, privacy and geopolitical challenges.

Fushi Holdings said its chairman and majority controller, Chen Yongliang, was placed under retention by a national supervisory commission on February 1, without the company being asked to assist the probe. The development heightens investor and governance risks for the loss-making firm and highlights broader regulatory scrutiny of speculative “metaverse” concept stocks in China.

The UAE president has cancelled a planned state visit to Japan amid rising U.S.–Iran tensions, a move widely interpreted as a precautionary response to growing regional instability. The decision underscores Gulf states’ delicate balancing between security ties with the United States and pragmatic engagement with Iran, with implications for diplomacy, energy markets and regional risk calculations.

Tencent vice‑president and Shanghai political adviser Li Qiang says the city has comprehensive advantages in AI — spanning chips, compute, data and talent — and is a welcoming place for AI startups and professionals. Shanghai’s mix of universities, capital markets and corporate R&D positions it to translate research into commercial AI products, even as chip supply constraints and regulatory issues temper prospects.

At Shanghai's municipal meetings, CPPCC member Tong Lin called for reforms to AI education, platform data governance and credit restoration for bankrupt companies. He proposed a staged AI curriculum with an approved textbook list and education accounts for minors, an industry association to standardise data dispute resolution, and automated court data links to speed credit repair for entrepreneurs.

China’s Institute of Modern Physics has installed the main accelerator for IP-SAFE, a superconducting linac demonstrator intended to mass-produce scarce alpha-emitting isotopes Ac-225 and Ra-223. The facility aims to ease global shortages that constrain targeted alpha therapies and to bolster domestic biomedical and accelerator capabilities.

SenseTime CEO Xu Li argues China’s AI future hinges on cultivating "super individuals" and packaging foundation models as end-to-end delivery tools that empower single people to complete tasks. He warns that treating large models only as efficiency tools risks weak commercial outcomes; productised delivery that enables individuals will drive a pronounced productivity leap.

A dramatic intraday collapse in silver—down as much as 36%—and steep falls in gold rattled markets as China launched its Spring Festival travel season. The Shanghai Gold Exchange moved to tighten margin and price‑limit rules, while authorities and firms rolled out transport, social and marketing measures to stabilise movement and capture consumers during the holiday.

Hong Kong markets slipped as a sharp drop in gold and silver hammered miners and a VAT increase on telecom value‑added services pressured the three major operators. The Hang Seng fell 2.23% and the tech‑heavy Hang Seng TECH lost 3.36%, with notable declines across chips, autos and precious‑metals stocks.

China’s equity markets tumbled on February 2, with major indices down over 2% and hundreds of stocks hitting limit‑down as trading volume contracted. Defensive pockets such as white spirits and power‑grid equipment held up, while metals, energy and semiconductor names led the declines, raising questions about investor confidence and near‑term policy reaction before Lunar New Year.