FDA Says No Black Box Warning Planned for COVID-19 Vaccines Despite Safety Debate 
Nvidia Weighs Expanding H200 AI Chip Production as China Demand Surges 
SpaceX Begins IPO Preparations as Wall Street Banks Line Up for Advisory Roles 
Air Force One Delivery Delayed to 2028 as Boeing Faces Rising Costs 
U.S. Suspends UK Technology Deal Amid Trade Disputes Under Trump Administration 
Nomura Expands Alternative Assets Strategy With Focus on Private Debt Acquisitions 
Thailand Vows Continued Military Action Amid Cambodia Border Clash Despite Trump Ceasefire Claim 
Syria Arrests Five Suspects After Deadly Attack on U.S. and Syrian Troops in Palmyra 
Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools Raises U.S. National Security Concerns 
Ukraine’s NATO Concession Unlikely to Shift Peace Talks, Experts Say 
Global Leaders Condemn Deadly Antisemitic Shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah 
Hong Kong Democratic Party Disbands After Member Vote Amid Security Crackdown 
iRobot Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Amid Rising Competition and Tariff Pressures 
U.S. and Mexico Reach New Agreement to Tackle Tijuana River Sewage Crisis 
Mizuho Raises Broadcom Price Target to $450 on Surging AI Chip Demand 
Ford Takes $19.5 Billion Charge as EV Strategy Shifts Toward Hybrids 
China has officially begun construction on what will become the world’s largest hydropower dam, located on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The $170 billion megaproject, made up of five cascade hydropower stations, is China’s most ambitious energy infrastructure since the Three Gorges Dam. It is expected to begin operations in the 2030s and generate up to 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Premier Li Qiang hailed it as a “project of the century,” emphasizing ecological preservation to prevent environmental damage. The dam takes advantage of a dramatic 2,000-meter drop in elevation over just 50 kilometers, offering vast hydroelectric potential.
While Beijing claims the project will meet growing power needs in Tibet and other regions with minimal environmental impact, neighboring India and Bangladesh have voiced concerns about downstream water security. Environmental groups also warn of irreversible harm to one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions and potential displacement of local communities.
News of the project drove a surge in Chinese infrastructure and construction stocks. The CSI Construction & Engineering Index rose 4%, with companies like Power Construction Corporation of China and Arcplus Group PLC hitting their daily 10% limits. Shares of tunnel equipment firm Hunan Wuxin and monitoring tech provider Geokang Technologies soared 30%, while cement maker Xizang Tianlu and explosives producer Tibet GaoZheng also surged.
Analysts say the project presents both long-term investment opportunities and short-term speculative themes. However, they caution that a wave of enthusiasm could temporarily inflate valuations.
The Yarlung Zangbo, which becomes the Brahmaputra River downstream, is already the focus of existing Chinese hydroelectric projects, adding urgency to cross-border concerns in South Asia.
