Economic Resilience and Strategic Investments - South Africa received its first credit rating upgrade in nearly 20 years, with S&P Global Ratings raising the long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating to 'BB' from 'BB-' and the local currency rating to 'BB+' from 'BB', reflecting improved growth and fiscal stability [3][7] - Colombia finalized a €3.1 billion ($3.6 billion) deal with Saab for 17 Gripen E/F fighter jets, with deliveries scheduled between 2026 and 2032, including significant industrial offset packages to enhance Colombia's technology sectors [4][7] - Japan and France are investing €110 million in Caremag's rare earth recycling and refining facility in France, part of a €216 million project aimed at reducing Europe's reliance on China for critical materials [5][7] Technological Innovation - Alibaba is launching an "AI Mode" on its B2B platform, Alibaba.com, designed to reduce sourcing time for merchants, with plans to monetize this feature through subscriptions targeting 1 million subscribers by March 2027 [6][7] Geopolitical Frictions - Diplomatic tensions between China and Japan have escalated, with China issuing a travel warning for its citizens to avoid Japan, impacting tourism and aviation sectors as major Chinese airlines offer full refunds for Japan-bound flights [8][7]