A powerful AI model that appeared anonymously on a developer platform last week was revealed on Wednesday to be from Chinese smartphone and EV giant Xiaomi, after it fuelled speculation that start-up DeepSeek was quietly testing its next-generation system ahead of a launch. The release of DeepSeek’s low-cost models DeepSeek-V3 and R1 triggered a global…
Taipei, Taiwan – As thousands of Chinese government officials gathered in Beijing for China’s annual legislative meetings known as the “two sessions” this month, at least a dozen active and retired military officers were absent from the proceedings. Among the absentees was General Zhang Youxia, who has been under investigation since late January for “suspected…
The South African automotive landscape is at a crossroads as the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) considers doubling vehicle import duties from 25% to 50%. While intended to curb the influx of affordable models from China and India and protect local manufacturing, industry titans, led by Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) and BMW,…
The Justice Department announced the arrest Wednesday of a former Air Force fighter pilot who allegedly trained Chinese military personnel without authorization. Gerald Brown, 65, was arrested in Indiana after recently returning to the United States from China, where he’d been since December 2023, a Justice Department statement said. He is accused of having “conspired…
Robots perform sophisticated human movements as Beijing sends a message to the world. Listen to this article | 3 mins info China’s annual gala on Lunar New Year’s Eve has showcased Beijing’s giant leap in technology as humanoid robots took centre stage to perform a joint martial arts routine featuring several firsts. China’s Spring Festival Gala, which…
Monrovia — The Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Yin Chengwu, has declared that China will continue to serve as a catalyst for Africa’s development and revitalization, emphasizing that Liberia stands to benefit significantly from the growing partnership. Ambassador Chengwu made the statement on February 13, 2026 during the Chinese New Year Reception held in Paynesville, outside…
Beijing — An explosion and fire at a fireworks shop in eastern China has killed eight people and left two others with minor burns ahead of the Chinese New Year, authorities said. Donhai County, in extreme eastern China about halfway up the coast Google Maps The Sunday afternoon blast in a village in Jiangsu province…
Africa-focused e-commerce retailer Jumia Technologies expects to break even in the last quarter of 2026 and deliver its first full-year profit next year as it accelerates growth after years of restructuring, its CEO said on Wednesday. Jumia, which will operate in eight markets after exiting Algeria this month, has dropped everyday grocery items and food…
The CIA has released a new Mandarin-language recruitment video aimed at Chinese military officers, portraying a fictional, mid-level People’s Liberation Army officer grappling with corrupt leadership and ultimately choosing to contact the American intelligence agency. The video is the latest installment in a public-facing recruitment campaign targeting China, which CIA Director John Ratcliffe has described as the…
One year after Chinese start-up DeepSeek rattled the global tech industry with the release of a low-cost AI model, its domestic rivals are better prepared, vying with it to launch new models, some designed with more consumer appeal. The Hangzhou-based firm’s meteoric rise in early 2025, during China’s Spring Festival holiday, upended China’s artificial intelligence…
