Author: Editor-In-Chief
LinkerBot’s robot band performs at the Robot 6S store in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, January 29, 2026.Video Visual China Group | Getty Images Hello, I’m Evelyn. I am writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection. This is a concise summary of what I have seen and heard from local companies.Today, we unravel what’s next for Chinese companies to leverage AI to drive revenue. Multiple executives have told me that large language models like DeepSeek are no longer sufficient. What are they looking for instead? big storyJust as Chinese AI chatbots similar to ChatGPT appear…
Iranian universities and scientific research centers have come under a series of attacks in recent days, raising concerns that academic institutions are becoming a new front in a growing war. Iran’s Ministry of Science has announced that at least 21 universities have been damaged in strikes since the war began, and that academics themselves have been targeted, which Tehran claims is an attempt to undermine Iran’s scientific and cultural foundations. CNN has geo-located multiple videos showing damaged buildings at Iran University of Science and Technology. The university is an engineering-focused institution located in the capital that has been training professionals…
St Helens head coach Paul Lawrie has expressed interest in the vacant England head coaching position, saying he has a “burning desire” to coach his country.England are currently without a head coach after Sean Wayne resigned after six years in charge of the national team. Wayne’s departure comes after England lost 3-0 in the Ashes in October last year and were soundly defeated by Australia in all three Tests. With the Rugby League World Cup to be held this autumn, a search for Wayne’s replacement is underway, and Willie Peters’ move to Papua New Guinea Chiefs from 2027 makes that…
Traces of a missile fired from Yemen toward Israel seen over Hebron in the West Bank on March 28, 2026.Wissam Hashramoun | Anadolu | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets were roiled in volatile trading on Tuesday as oil prices fell on reports that President Donald Trump is seeking to avoid protracted conflict in the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reported Monday evening that President Trump told aides he was prepared to halt U.S. military hostilities against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. West Texas Intermediate futures for May delivery turned higher, falling 0.72% to $102.14 a barrel…
islamabad, pakistan — In the month since the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, the rapidly escalating conflict has killed thousands of people and cost economies billions of dollars a day in at least nine countries. The world is facing a global energy crisis. But the scale of this war could be even worse. Iran fired a volley of drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia, as well as Gulf Cooperation Council members Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. However, so far none of these countries have retaliated against Tehran. “Saudi Arabia has been very patient,”…
Red Bull boss Laurent Mequise is “confident” the team can provide Max Verstappen with a faster car for the remainder of the F1 season.Verstappen is considering leaving the sport due to his dissatisfaction with F1’s new regulations, but he is also unable to compete at the forefront of the field. Verstappen has raced three races in a row without finishing in the top five for the first time since 2017, with his latest disappointment coming at Suzuka on Saturday, where he was eliminated in Q2 but recovered to eighth in the race. With no F1 races to be held in…
U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks from Air Force One after arriving at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware, on March 7, 2026.Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Hello, my name is Hui Jie from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open.US President Donald Trump clearly finds it difficult to exit the Iran conflict, as evidenced by his increasingly sharp rhetoric and multiple threats against Iran. Indeed, with US Marines arriving in the region amid reports that Washington is considering a ground operation, the possibility of the US being drawn into a new quagmire is becoming all…
Panoramic view of the Kharg Island port oil terminal, 25 km from the Iranian coast in the Persian Gulf and 483 km northwest of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, March 12, 2017.Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesOil prices fell in early Asian trading as traders assessed President Donald Trump’s comments on ending the war with Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported in the United States late on Monday that President Trump told aides he was prepared to halt U.S. operations against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed because forcing Iran to reopen the oil chokepoint could prolong…
A photo of Bharti Airtel’s office building in Gurgaon, a suburb of New Delhi.Pacific Press | Light Rocket | Getty ImagesIndian telecom giant Bharti Airtel has raised $1 billion from private equity firm Alpha Wave for its data center division, Nxtra Data. carlyle and Anchorage Capital highlight the growing global interest in this sector.Bharti Airtel is India’s second-largest telecom operator and the latest raise will value Nxtra Data at approximately $3.1 billion after the transaction closes, the company said in a stock exchange filing on Monday.Nxtra Data will receive $435 million from Florida-based Alpha Wave Global, $240 million from existing…
After extending the deadline twice in the past two weeks, US President Donald Trump renewed his ultimatum, threatening to blow up oil facilities if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Washington insists talks with Iran are still ongoing, but has provided few details about who it is communicating with while Iran has sent contradictory messages. Here’s what you need to know on day 32. What are the main headings? Trump’s threat: President Trump reiterated his threat to “destroy” Iran’s power plants and oil wells if the country doesn’t agree to a deal to end the war. Asked about…