International News 24 August 2026
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Alibaba Raises $10.2 Billion to Accelerate Full-Stack AI and Cloud Expansion
Alibaba is raising up to 10.2billion USD(approximately 80 billion HKD) through a share placement to massively scale its artificial intelligence capabilities. According to a Reuters report, the Chinese tech giant plans to deploy these funds toward a comprehensive, "full-stack" AI strategy. Rather than just focusing on software and AI models, the newly raised capital will be heavily invested in the underlying infrastructure essential for AI development. This includes securing specialized microchips, building out advanced cloud data centers, and vastly expanding the raw computing power necessary to train and operate next-generation AI systems. While these heavy capital expenditures have squeezed short-term earnings—causing net profits to plunge 75% year-over-year in the April-June 2026 quarter—Alibaba views the massive investment as a crucial strategic necessity. Chief Executive Officer Eddie Wu emphasized that establishing robust computing capacity now is vital to capturing future market growth. Driven by surging global demand, the company expects the return-on-investment timeline for its AI initiatives to shrink from three years to two and a half years, highlighting the urgent need for major tech firms to build end-to-end AI ecosystems to remain competitive on the global stage.
https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/mengintip-ekspansi-ai-alibaba-dari-dana-segar-us102-miliar
Canada to Impose Retaliatory Tariffs on US Goods Following Failed Trade Talks
Canada is preparing to strike back against newly imposed United States tariffs by levying its own import duties on a variety of American products. This aggressive trade maneuver follows the collapse of recent negotiations between the two neighboring nations. Speaking at a press conference in Ottawa on Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the countermeasures will officially take effect on September 8, 2026, and will match Washington's financial penalties on a strict dollar-for-dollar basis. Emphasizing that Ottawa will not back down, Carney firmly stated that Canada will mirror the U.S. tariffs exactly to protect its domestic economic interests. The impending Canadian duties are strategically aimed at a broad spectrum of major U.S. exports, with targeted goods including steel, dairy, household appliances, agricultural machinery, pulp and paper, as well as electronics.
Zelenskiy Warns of Major Russian Troop Mobilization and Arms Buildup
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has cautioned that Moscow is preparing a massive military recruitment drive, planning to conscript up to 300,000 new soldiers following Russia's upcoming parliamentary elections this September. To minimize domestic backlash and keep the mobilization under the radar, the draft is expected to heavily target remote regions rather than major urban centers, potentially pushing Russia's total troop strength to 500,000 by 2027. On the ground, Russian forces are sustaining heavy casualties as they push to conquer the Donbas region, with fierce fighting centered around the strategic eastern city of Kostiantynivka, even as Kyiv claims to have retaken some territory in the southeast. In addition to the troop surge, Russia is significantly expanding its aerial strike capabilities, with Zelenskiy estimating an annual production capacity of 1,300 ballistic missiles. This intensified bombardment presents a critical challenge for Ukraine, particularly as its supply of Patriot air defense interceptors is projected to drop sharply this year compared to previous years. To counter these threats, Kyiv has ramped up its own drone strikes deep into Russian territory, systematically targeting vital economic infrastructure like oil refineries and logistics hubs to cripple the financial engines powering Moscow's war machine.