Latest news for 14 January 2026

CHINA

Don’t buy those chips.

Chinese customs authorities have reportedly banned the entry of Nvidia’s H200 chips into China, while Chinese tech companies were told not to purchase the chips unless strictly necessary. (Reuters)Comment: The Trump administration officially approved the sale of H200 chips to China just this week, but it seems like Beijing isn’t keen to have its companies rush to place orders. It could be a strategy to build leverage ahead of trade talks with the US, a move to force players into buying domestic semiconductors, or both.

COSTA RICA

Assassination plot foiled.

Costa Rica’s authorities are investigating an alleged plot to assassinate President Rodrigo Chaves ahead of February’s elections. Chaves is not eligible for reelection. (Tico Times)

SOUTH KOREA

A death sentence for the former president.

South Korean prosecutors have asked the Seoul Central District Court to sentence former president Yoon Suk Yeol to death on insurrection charges over his failed December 2024 martial law decree, which ultimately led to his removal from office. (NBC)

Comment: A three-judge panel is expected to hand down its verdict on 19 February. Despite the prosecutor’s request for a death sentence, the court is more likely to impose life imprisonment: South Korea hasn’t carried out an execution in three decades, and Yoon’s death at the hands of the state risks further political polarisation.

POLAND

That’s gonna cost you.

Poland risks millions in EU fines after President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the EU’s Digital Services Act, reigniting both a rule-of-law clash with Brussels and political turmoil at home. (Politico)

VENEZUELA

Mother María.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado met privately with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, urging him to press for the release of political prisoners and support a democratic transition in Venezuela. (AP)

Comment: Venezuela is predominantly Catholic, so papal support for her agenda will carry weight, even if the gesture is largely symbolic.

VIETNAM

Made in Hanoi.

Google is reportedly shifting its manufacturing operations from China to Vietnam, aiming to produce its high-end smartphones in the Southeast Asian country. (Nikkei)

Comment: This was only a matter of time, as Google now follows other big tech manufacturers (including Apple) in moving their manufacturing capabilities to Vietnam in an effort to reduce their reliance on Chinese manufacturers.

UGANDA

Blackout.

Uganda's communications regulator has ordered an internet shutdown ahead of Thursday's election, citing security concerns. The 81-year-old, long-reigning president Yoweri Museveni faces 43-year-old popstar Bobi Wine in a tense rematch of the 2021 election, which saw widespread protests, dozens killed, and a week-long internet blackout. (BBC)