🔥 Top Stories
Facing ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, France, Britain, and Germany have reached consensus on the need for enhanced military capabilities. French President Emmanuel Macron announced increased nuclear warhead numbers and a forward deterrence strategy. British and German defence chiefs issued a rare joint appeal urging European nations to establish moral and strategic justifications for significantly increased military spending.
Taiwan's defence ministry detected 26 PLA aircraft sorties around the island from Saturday 6am to Sunday 6am, with 16 entering Taiwan's air defence identification zone. This activity ended a two-week period of relative calm and coincided with Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te's recent speech, which drew a strong response from Beijing.
Multiple drone and missile attacks struck the UAE on Monday. A drone-related incident caused a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport, disrupting flight operations. A missile strike in Abu Dhabi killed one civilian. Oil infrastructure in Fujairah, an eastern emirate, was targeted by a drone attack, causing a fire. The attacks occurred one day after Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview that Iran possesses rocket capabilities.
Chinese scientists have developed a method to freeze and revive organs for transplantation, extending their viability from approximately six hours to several days, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Medical Devices. The technology remains in experimental stages and has not yet advanced to human trials. Researchers believe it could potentially transform organ transplantation, particularly for hearts, by reducing the number of currently discarded organs.
The 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States, represented a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East. The agreements normalized relations between Israel and Arab states including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, establishing full diplomatic relations, opening embassies, initiating direct commercial flights, and expanding trade ties. Recent US-Israel military operations against Iran have raised concerns about potential impacts on this regional diplomatic framework.
🏛 Politics
Facing ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, France, Britain, and Germany have reached consensus on the need for enhanced military capabilities. French President Emmanuel Macron announced increased nuclear warhead numbers and a forward deterrence strategy. British and German defence chiefs issued a rare joint appeal urging European nations to establish moral and strategic justifications for significantly increased military spending.
Taiwan's defence ministry detected 26 PLA aircraft sorties around the island from Saturday 6am to Sunday 6am, with 16 entering Taiwan's air defence identification zone. This activity ended a two-week period of relative calm and coincided with Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te's recent speech, which drew a strong response from Beijing.
Maritime tracking data shows zero ship transits through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the first full day without confirmed commercial traffic in either direction since the Middle East conflict began. According to maritime analytics firm Windward, daily crossings fell to zero, significantly below the seven-day average of 2.57 daily transits. While no vessels entered the waterway that day, approximately 400 ships were sailing in the Gulf of Oman on Friday.
Multiple drone and missile attacks struck the UAE on Monday. A drone-related incident caused a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport, disrupting flight operations. A missile strike in Abu Dhabi killed one civilian. Oil infrastructure in Fujairah, an eastern emirate, was targeted by a drone attack, causing a fire. The attacks occurred one day after Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview that Iran possesses rocket capabilities.
US President Donald Trump indicated he may postpone his planned visit to Beijing scheduled for March 31 to April 2, without specifying the duration. Trump stated he has demanded assistance from approximately seven countries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict in Iran. The visit was set to include a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Myanmar's new parliament, dominated by allies of coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, convened for the first time on Monday in Naypyidaw, five years after the military takeover. The legislature was established following elections held across only one-third of the country. The military-backed Union Solidarity party led the parliamentary composition, replacing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi that was ousted in 2021.
The Thai-registered cargo ship Mayuree Naree was struck by two projectiles on Wednesday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz after departing from a UAE port. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed they targeted the Thai vessel and a Liberia-flagged ship. Twenty Thai crew members arrived in Thailand on Monday, while three colleagues remain stranded aboard the vessel.
US President Donald Trump has called on Japan and other allies to deploy warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House this week, with discussions planned on economic cooperation and shipbuilding collaboration. However, escalating Middle East tensions have placed Takaichi in a difficult position, balancing Trump's military request against Japan's constitutional constraints on military engagement.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged NATO allies and China to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transport route that Iran has effectively closed in response to US and Israeli military actions against Tehran. As the conflict enters its third week, it has created instability across the Middle East and disrupted global energy markets. Trump emphasized that nations heavily dependent on Gulf oil have a responsibility to help protect the strait.
The 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States, represented a diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East. The agreements normalized relations between Israel and Arab states including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, establishing full diplomatic relations, opening embassies, initiating direct commercial flights, and expanding trade ties. Recent US-Israel military operations against Iran have raised concerns about potential impacts on this regional diplomatic framework.
💰 Finance
Singaporean businessman David Yong, 38, was charged with 12 offences on Monday, including conspiracy to make false accounting entries and illegal loan issuance exceeding S$1 million (US$780,000) by his company. Yong, CEO of multinational Evergreen Group Holdings, pleaded not guilty in court. Released on S$1 million bail, he stated his intention to contest all charges.
China and the United States completed their sixth round of trade talks in Paris on Monday. Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang stated that both sides conducted deep, frank, and constructive consultations. The agenda covered possible extensions of bilateral tariff and non-tariff measures, as well as bilateral investment cooperation. Both sides agreed to continue maintaining tariff stability and discussed establishing a mechanism to promote bilateral investment.
Resource-rich African nations are increasingly asserting control over critical minerals to maximize domestic returns, driving up global prices and straining Chinese supply chains. Zimbabwe, Africa's largest lithium producer, abruptly suspended raw lithium mineral and concentrate exports last month. The country had originally planned to implement the ban in 2027 to encourage local value-added mineral processing, but the government accelerated the timeline.
Despite Southeast Asia's renowned food cultures including Singapore's hawker stalls, Thailand's street markets, and Vietnam's noodle shops, the region has produced relatively few restaurant chains with global brand recognition. Analysts attribute this to structural factors such as smaller domestic markets, fragmented regional consumer preferences, and limited aggressive overseas expansion by regional brands, contrasting with the rising international rankings of Chinese food and beverage groups.
US fashion brand Guess announced it will close all its mainland China stores by the end of March as part of a business model review. The move reflects a broader trend of international fashion retailers withdrawing from the Chinese market. Analysts attribute the retreat to factors including weak localization strategies and slow decision-making processes. Other international brands that have completely exited mainland China in recent years include Old Navy and Topshop.
SF Express, China's largest courier company, announced temporary fuel surcharges for local document and parcel deliveries in Hong Kong and Macau, effective Monday. The surcharges are set at HK$1 and MOP$1 respectively. The Shenzhen-based company attributed the measure to recent drastic fluctuations in global fuel prices due to international circumstances. Monthly credit account clients will be exempt from the surcharge.
As US tariff investigations and trade tensions disrupt global supply chains, Southeast Asian economies are exploring diversified options. Analysts note that the region's strong economic ties with the US and China suggest any shift will be gradual rather than a complete break. The disruption may accelerate supply-chain diversification and attract manufacturing relocation from Europe, India, and the Middle East to the Asean region.
China's economy demonstrated resilience in the first two months of 2026, with multiple economic indicators exceeding expectations. Industrial output, retail sales, and fixed-asset investment all registered positive growth, providing support for Beijing's economic targets. However, analysts cautioned that potential energy disruptions from geopolitical tensions could pose challenges for China and the global economy in the coming months.
Hong Kong's Insurance Authority is conducting a comprehensive review of medical insurance costs to increase transparency and expand product availability. The authority aims to encourage insurance companies to introduce more affordable and accessible medical insurance products with fair consumer sales practices. Additionally, the regulator is reviewing regulations to attract more international life-insurance buyers to the Hong Kong market.
💻 Technology
Alibaba Group announced a reorganization of its artificial intelligence operations, establishing the Alibaba Token Hub (ATH) Business Group as a new top-level business unit under CEO Eddie Wu Yongming's leadership. The group consolidates the company's core AI teams and products, including the Tongyi Laboratory that develops the Qwen series of models. This restructuring reflects Alibaba's strategic acceleration into the emerging token economy sector.
Google plans to progressively roll out its Gemini generative AI services to all users in Hong Kong, starting with the web app followed by a mobile version. The expansion aims to remove barriers that previously required residents to use virtual private networks or third-party platforms to access Google's flagship AI models, thereby improving user experience and advancing AI adoption in the city.
Chinese scientists have developed a method to freeze and revive organs for transplantation, extending their viability from approximately six hours to several days, according to a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Medical Devices. The technology remains in experimental stages and has not yet advanced to human trials. Researchers believe it could potentially transform organ transplantation, particularly for hearts, by reducing the number of currently discarded organs.
China is utilizing artificial intelligence to assist 450 million rural residents in narrowing the economic divide with urban areas. Farmers are already adopting AI tools such as DeepSeek and ByteDance's Doubao for assistance with pig farming, pest management, and government subsidy applications. The State Council's 2026 No. 1 document emphasizes agricultural digital upgrading, with focus on integrating AI, drones, and robots into farming operations.
A social media account called "Mr Zhao talks sense" has gone viral, accumulating over 200,000 followers in two months. The account features an AI-generated character posing as a retired professor specializing in parent-child relationships from Chongqing in southwestern China. Young people contribute to the account to encourage their parents to adopt healthy, scientific lifestyles and reject superstition.
Ngo Bao Chau, a world-leading Vietnamese mathematician and the first Vietnamese recipient of the prestigious Fields Medal, is leaving the United States for the University of Hong Kong in June. Beyond concerns about the declining academic environment in the US, Ngo aims to transform Asia into a global powerhouse for mathematics and science, positioning it as the next major center for scientific advancement comparable to America or Europe.
China is prioritizing photoresist development as part of its semiconductor self-sufficiency strategy. Photoresist, a light-sensitive chemical essential for etching circuits onto silicon wafers, is currently dominated by US and Japanese suppliers. Industry experts indicate the sector is expected to enter a critical phase of accelerated breakthroughs and large-scale commercialization in coming years, representing a key focus area for China's semiconductor supply chain independence.
🌏 International
Multiple drone and missile attacks struck the UAE on Monday. A drone-related incident caused a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport, disrupting flight operations. A missile strike in Abu Dhabi killed one civilian. Oil infrastructure in Fujairah, an eastern emirate, was targeted by a drone attack, causing a fire. The attacks occurred one day after Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview that Iran possesses rocket capabilities.
Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wrote in The Times that Iran's disruption of Hormuz Strait shipping serves as a warning to the world. He cautioned that a conflict in the Taiwan Strait would have far more severe consequences for global supply chains than Middle East crises, making deterrence essential. Sunak emphasized the strategic importance of the Taiwan Strait and other critical maritime passages like the Strait of Malacca.
The United States and Iran maintain hardline positions in Middle East tensions, with both sides rejecting negotiations. US President Trump threatens strikes on Iranian oil facilities, while Iran warns of retaliatory actions against American assets in the region. With the Strait of Hormuz remaining disrupted, global oil supplies face potential interruption. Analysts caution that the situation could expand into a broader global energy supply crisis, with international oil markets expected to remain volatile this week.
Geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran have disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, affecting global supply chains across semiconductors, food, automotive, chemicals, fertilizers, alternative energy, sugar, tires, and metals. Analysts indicate chemical, food, and automotive manufacturers face the greatest impact, while semiconductor production sees limited effects. Alternative energy and sugar sectors may benefit, while aluminum and fertilizer supplies tighten, pushing prices higher.
The Middle East conflict has disrupted transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, causing fertilizer supply shortages that threaten global food production. Experts warn that this food crisis could exceed the scale of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war impact. The supply chain disruption is expected to increase the global hungry population this year. Agricultural production across continents faces severe challenges, requiring international attention and coordinated response.
The International Energy Agency announced that strategic petroleum reserves in Asia and Oceania will be released immediately. The Americas and Europe will begin releasing their reserves no earlier than the end of March. This measure aims to address global energy market supply conditions.
Military operations conducted by the United States and Israel against Iran have entered their third week. Iran launched retaliatory attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, causing international oil prices to rise approximately 40%. White House economic advisor Hassett commented on the conflict's costs and ceasefire prospects. The military operations have created significant economic impacts, with the international community closely monitoring developments and potential resolutions.
Dubai International Airport has suspended flight operations following an incident involving an unmanned drone that struck airport facilities and ignited a fuel storage tank nearby. The impact caused a fire at the fuel storage facility adjacent to the airport. Authorities have announced a complete halt to all takeoffs and landings as a precautionary measure. The airport's operational status remains disrupted pending further assessment and recovery efforts.
Dubai authorities reported a fire at a fuel storage facility near Dubai International Airport, stating the incident was caused by a drone-related event. The fire occurred amid military operations in the region. Dubai, a major financial hub in the Persian Gulf, has secured the situation. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine full details and prevent future occurrences.
The US-Iran conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, causing Brent crude oil to surge past 105 dollars on the 15th, with US West Texas Intermediate crude rising over 40% for March. According to Trump's senior aide Hassett, the Pentagon estimates the conflict will last at least 4 to 6 weeks, though the final ceasefire timeline remains Trump's decision.
Micron announced completion of its acquisition of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's P5 facility in Miaoli County, Taiwan. The fab features approximately 300,000 square feet of 12-inch cleanroom space for advanced DRAM and HBM production to support AI-driven demand. Cleanroom renovation begins this month, with mass production expected in fiscal 2028 and construction of a second fab planned by end of 2026.
美國貿易代表辦公室宣布以「未禁止進口強迫勞動產品」為由對中國等 60 個經濟體發起 301 調查，中國商務部新聞發言人周一（16 日）發布答記者問。 中國商務部新聞發言人表示，中方注意到美方在 3 ...
Iran has conducted intensive military operations against the United Arab Emirates, targeting its economy and US-Israel security cooperation. The US government has requested NATO and China to take military measures to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, which faces substantial blockade risks from Iranian actions. US President Trump indicated he is not ruling out postponing a planned visit to China to prioritize Middle East developments.
US officials predict the Iran conflict may conclude within weeks, while Iran denies ceasefire negotiations and states it is prepared for self-defense. The escalation has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and caused energy price volatility. The US is urging nations to deploy naval vessels to escort shipping through the strategic waterway.
Iran issued a warning to the United Arab Emirates demanding evacuation of personnel from three major commercial ports. Following the warning, multiple Gulf nations reported being attacked. U.S. President Trump called on allied nations to deploy warships to ensure Hormuz Strait security, though Germany has indicated it will not participate in the operation.