Real-time News

August 23 - According to foreign media reports, the US Navy is testing a new air-to-air missile capable of striking targets more than 290 miles (465 kilometers) away, significantly exceeding the range of other known similar weapons. The US Navy states that the AIM-424 "Malice" missile, developed by Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, is roughly the same size as the currently deployed AIM-120 "Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile" (AMRAAM). This means the missile can be fitted into the internal weapons bays of F-35 and F-22 stealth fighters. Peter Layton, a former Royal Australian Air Force officer and visiting scholar at the Griffith Asia Institute, stated that while missiles with this range could be used to strike high-value aerial targets such as command aircraft or refueling aircraft, they may be even more valuable for defending ships.

On August 23, Iranian Oil Minister Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced the discovery of a large natural gas field in southern Fars province. The field has proven reserves of over 7.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF), and with an estimated recovery rate of over 72%, approximately 5.7 trillion cubic feet are recoverable. He stated that this natural gas possesses a unique characteristic known as "sweet gas," which reduces development and extraction costs. He also revealed that in addition to this natural gas, Iran has discovered substantial condensate oil reserves, which will bring the country billions of dollars in new wealth.

On August 23, it was reported that Nagoya University and Fujifilm have collaborated to develop a novel lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that, for the first time, efficiently delivers capped circular RNA (Cap-cirRNA) into animals, exhibiting a 10-fold increase in activity and extremely low inflammation, opening a new door for next-generation long-acting mRNA therapies. The related paper was published in the latest issue of the journal *Cell Biomaterials*.

On August 23, Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi stated that Iran has never been afraid of US sanctions, and all its actions, whether blockades or military operations, have failed. This new tactic is also destined to fail. Trump's so-called "economic actions" are nothing more than a consistent bullying tactic of US policy. "In a sense, it's like a movie we've seen countless times; we know how to deal with it," Araqchi said. He added that whether the US resorts to military action or reverts to its old tricks, it shows they have no other options. Faced with the Iranian people, the US has no choice but to keep repeating the same plans. They should understand that there is no other way but to engage in respectful dialogue with the Iranian people and seek a solution based on justice and honor.

August 23 - According to data from online platforms, as of now, the box office revenue (including pre-sales) for the 2026 summer movie season has exceeded 11.5 billion yuan.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Iran has been invited to join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which was established earlier this month by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

According to Saudi satellite television: Sources indicate that a proposal has been put forward to amend the original September 30 deadline for the return of restricted weapons to the state. Factions in Iraq favor a two-year freeze on weapons use based on Iran's "vision."

According to Saudi satellite television: Sources indicate that Iraq has shifted its rhetoric from "weapons monopoly" to "weapons regulation." The government committee responsible for inventorying the weapons is still in discussions with factions that refuse to hand over their weapons.

On August 23, Zhaojin Mining announced that its revenue for the first half of 2026 was RMB 9.022 billion, an increase of approximately 29.38% year-on-year; profit attributable to shareholders of the parent company was RMB 1.578 billion, an increase of approximately 9.61% year-on-year; net profit was RMB 2.105 billion, an increase of approximately 18.50% year-on-year; basic and diluted earnings per share were RMB 0.42, an increase of approximately 10.75% year-on-year. The board of directors does not recommend the payment of an interim dividend.

The China Earthquake Networks Center automatically determined that an earthquake of approximately magnitude 4.3 occurred at 18:04 on August 23 near Tashkurgan County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang (36.96 degrees north latitude, 74.89 degrees east longitude). The final result is subject to the official rapid report.

According to the Financial Times, Italian oil company Eni is betting that nuclear fusion will become its "next refinery".

On August 23, two slope collapses occurred in Fengshan Town, Fengqing County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, leaving four people missing. The Ministry of Natural Resources activated a Level IV emergency response for geological disaster prevention in Yunnan at 2 PM on the 23rd and dispatched a working group to the site to guide rescue and relief efforts.

On August 23, Galaxy Securities stated that in the short term, the index will continue to fluctuate due to overseas volatility and stock structure disturbances, and the game and rebalancing between sectors will continue. However, external shocks are more of a phased disturbance, and the domestic policy signals and the logic of the main industry line have not been shaken. Looking ahead to the second half of the third quarter, the market will mainly be structural rotation and repair. It is recommended to focus on the policy line and the direction of economic verification to seize structural opportunities. Next week, pay attention to the following events: (1) Overseas macro pricing, the second valuation of the US second quarter GDP, the core PCE in July and the speech of the chairman of the Jackson Hole Annual Meeting will be released one after another; (2) Technology company performance verification, Nvidia's financial report is an important indicator for observing the continued expectation of global AI capital expenditure; (3) The disclosure of A-share interim reports is about to end, which may become an important window for the concentrated release of individual stock alpha. The industrial enterprise profit data to be released next week will provide a total scale for profit recovery; (4) At the industry level, pay attention to the 2026 Wenchang International Aviation and Aerospace Forum, etc.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense faces a funding gap of $27 billion this year.

According to Japan's Kyodo News, a poll shows that the approval rating for the Sanae Takaichi cabinet has dropped to 50.2%, the lowest since she took office.

The Norwegian government plans to provide 85 billion Norwegian kroner in support to Ukraine in fiscal year 2027.

August 23 – According to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghae stated that Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir will visit Tehran on Monday. Baghae said the visit is a continuation of Pakistan's efforts to strengthen regional peace and security. Pakistan is currently playing a mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the conflict.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian troops fired FAB-500 and FAB-1500 bombs at temporary deployment points of Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: Russia may have the capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: France will provide Ukraine with at least one SAMP/T air defense system this year.