📰 Latest News

OpenAI’s head of robotics and consumer hardware, Caitlin Kalinowski, resigned over concerns that policy safeguards were unclear before the company’s agreement with the US Department of Defense. The move underscores tensions between AI firms, government demand for advanced tools, and internal governance over ethically fraught military and surveillance applications.

OPPO has announced a global launch for its next foldable flagship, the Find N6, set for March 17. The move reinforces OPPO’s commitment to the premium foldable market and signals a wider international push, though price and specifications will determine its competitive impact.

Global semiconductor sales rose to $82.54 billion in January 2026, up 46.1% year‑on‑year and 3.7% month‑on‑month, driven largely by AI‑related demand and broader market restocking. The rise strengthens revenues for chipmakers and equipment suppliers but is tempered by cyclical risk and geopolitical considerations that will influence capacity and supply chains.

China’s February 2026 NEV residual-value report shows domestic models leading short-term resale charts: AITO’s M9 tops both one-year pure-electric and plug-in hybrid lists. Yet the sector faces a wider headache as three-year retention for NEVs remains well below that of petrol cars, driven by fast tech obsolescence, high battery costs and aggressive new-car pricing.

Viral videos claiming Dubai jewellery was being sold at steep discounts mischaracterised a wholesale phenomenon. Retail 24K gold in Dubai remained priced around 623 AED per gram, while discounts of up to $30/oz were confined to wholesale bullion trading due to logistical disruptions.

OpenClaw, an open‑source AI agent nicknamed "lobster," has become a social media sensation in China, prompting long queues for free installation and a market for paid setup services. Shenzhen has already deployed the agent in two municipal roles, while Tencent has made it easy to bind OpenClaw to QQ bots, raising both productivity hopes and governance concerns.

CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports unit has initiated ICC arbitration after Panama’s government seized two container terminals at Balboa and Cristóbal on February 23, seeking at least $2 billion in damages. The dispute threatens operational disruption at key transshipment hubs, raises questions about foreign investor protections in Latin America, and could have wider implications for global supply chains and Panama’s reputation as a secure maritime gateway.

Shede Wine Industry is under mounting pressure as a VP with crucial local-government ties resigns amid falling revenues, weak mid‑to‑high-end sales and ballooning inventories. Fosun retains board control and Guo Guangchang’s personal support offers some hope, but aggressive capacity expansion and high dividend payouts complicate the company’s ability to recover without decisive strategic moves.

Gold fell more than $100 intraday on March 9, dropping below $5,100 an ounce even as tensions in the Middle East rose after Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as supreme leader. The decline reflects short‑term technical selling and shifts in yields and the dollar, even as major banks raise longer‑term price targets for the metal.

Shenzhen’s Longgang district has proposed a comprehensive support package to build an ecosystem around the open‑source AI agent OpenClaw and the ‘One Person Company’ (OPC) solo entrepreneurship model. The draft offers subsidies, data access, compute credits and talent incentives — including grants and equity channels of up to RMB 10 million — to accelerate agent‑driven startups and domestic AIGC production.

A surge in crude prices driven by Middle East tensions has pushed WTI above $89 and Brent near $92, prompting Chinese authorities to raise retail pump prices by roughly 0.39–0.42 yuan per litre. The adjustment, likely the largest this year, will raise costs for transport and industry and complicate policymakers’ efforts to balance inflation and growth.

At its Two Sessions diplomatic press conference, Beijing presented itself as a confident stabiliser and a source of practical development solutions for the Global South. Officials rejected unilateral force and promoted China’s model and initiatives ahead of a busy 2026 diplomatic calendar, while signalling the desire for managed competition with other great powers.

Mujtaba Khamenei, son of the slain Ali Khamenei, was confirmed as Iran’s supreme leader in a rapid, wartime succession backed by the IRGC. His appointment blends family legitimacy with military backing, raising the likelihood of near-term escalation while creating a long-term legitimacy crisis for the Islamic Republic.

China is shifting from anecdotal fear about AI to systemic policy proposals. Legislators and experts are advocating a national AI employment risk monitoring and early‑warning system, complemented by retraining and social protection, while some scholars call for legally defined limits on AI use to protect jobs and stability.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz‑Canel condemned a US‑hosted “Americas Shield” summit as neo‑colonial, accusing Washington of seeking permission to intervene militarily in regional affairs. The episode highlights tensions over US security engagement in Latin America and risks deepening divisions over sovereignty and regional integration.

Acting Venezuelan president Delcy Rodríguez has urged diplomatic dialogue with the United States after both governments agreed to restore diplomatic and consular relations. The move reverses a 2019 rupture and opens a cautious path toward pragmatic cooperation, though deep mistrust and unresolved issues mean normalization will be gradual.

President Trump publicly demanded U.S. approval for Iran’s next supreme leader and threatened special forces action to seize enriched uranium, while Iran announced that a successor has already been chosen and will be publicly named by the Assembly of Experts. The exchange heightens risks of escalation, undermines norms of state sovereignty, and complicates allied diplomacy.

Iran’s appointment of Ali Khamenei’s second son as supreme leader has sparked immediate threats from Donald Trump and Israeli officials, raising the risk of regional escalation. The selection challenges constitutional norms, risks domestic unrest, and complicates international diplomacy on Iran’s nuclear program and regional behavior.

India’s recent gestures — high‑profile rapprochement with Israel alongside cautious ties with Iran — signal a discernible shift from classic non‑alignment toward a more transactional, interest‑driven Middle East strategy. The move offers technological and defence gains but risks straining relations with Gulf states and complicating energy and diaspora interests.

Iran has accused U.S. forces of striking the frigate Dena on March 4, claiming 104 sailors were killed and 32 wounded while the ship transited south of Sri Lanka after an India-led exercise. There is no independent public verification of the attack, but if confirmed the incident would risk significant regional escalation and disruption to Indian Ocean security and commercial shipping.