China unveils 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries at WAIC 2026

China has announced 5,000 artificial intelligence (AI) training opportunities for developing countries over the next five years, unveiling an ambitious package of initiatives aimed at strengthening global AI governance, narrowing the digital divide and promoting inclusive technological development across the Global South.

The announcement was made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, where government leaders, technology executives, researchers and policymakers gathered to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and international cooperation.

Xi said the new training programme would help government officials, researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs and technology professionals from developing countries acquire critical AI knowledge and technical skills needed to accelerate digital transformation and economic growth.

According to him, the initiative reflects China’s commitment to ensuring that developing nations benefit from the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence instead of being left behind by technological progress.

He stressed that AI should become a tool for shared prosperity rather than a source of greater inequality between advanced economies and developing countries.

“AI development should not be a solo performance by a single country, but a symphony of international cooperation,” Xi said, while calling for stronger global collaboration in AI innovation and governance.

Beyond the training programme, Xi announced that China would establish international AI application cooperation centres with major regional organisations, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the African Union (AU), the League of Arab States, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS.

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He said the centres would promote technology transfer, joint research, innovation, knowledge sharing and practical AI applications tailored to the development priorities of participating countries. According to Xi, the initiative is designed to strengthen AI capacity across developing regions while ensuring broader and more equitable access to emerging technologies.

Xi also confirmed the official establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai. The organisation, first proposed by China last year, is expected to serve as a multilateral platform for AI research, governance, standard-setting and capacity building.

According to the Chinese president, WAICO was created in response to calls from developing countries for a more inclusive international AI governance framework that gives emerging economies a stronger voice in shaping global AI policies and standards.

During his address, Xi outlined four guiding principles for global AI governance. He urged countries to promote open innovation, strengthen AI safety and security, encourage inclusiveness and cultural diversity, and improve multilateral governance under the framework of the United Nations.

While acknowledging AI’s enormous potential to transform healthcare, education, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation and public administration, Xi warned that the technology also presents ethical, security and governance risks that require coordinated international action.

He called for stronger legal frameworks, regulatory systems, technological monitoring, early warning mechanisms and emergency response capabilities to ensure artificial intelligence remains safe, transparent and under meaningful human control.

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At the same time, Xi cautioned against expanding national security restrictions in ways that could unnecessarily hinder international cooperation, scientific collaboration and technological innovation.

Highlighting China’s domestic achievements, Xi said artificial intelligence has become one of the country’s major drivers of economic transformation. He disclosed that China’s core AI and smart economy industries are now valued at more than one trillion yuan, with AI technologies increasingly being deployed across manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, education, agriculture and public services.

He added that China has continued to strengthen its AI regulatory framework through improved ethical guidelines, governance mechanisms and industry standards aimed at promoting the safe and responsible development of artificial intelligence.

Xi also highlighted China’s expanding international engagement in AI development. He said Beijing had promoted the adoption of a United Nations General Assembly resolution on AI capacity building, launched the AI Capacity Building Action Plan for Good and for All, and introduced the AI Plus International Cooperation Initiative to deepen global partnerships in artificial intelligence.

In another major announcement, Xi revealed that China would provide 30 countries with access to its MAZU AI-powered meteorological early warning system to improve disaster preparedness, weather forecasting and emergency response capabilities.

He said the initiative would help vulnerable countries strengthen resilience against climate-related disasters while demonstrating how artificial intelligence can be deployed to protect lives and support sustainable development.

Xi urged governments, technology companies, research institutions and international organisations to work together to ensure artificial intelligence contributes to sustainable development rather than widening global inequalities.

He stressed that human wisdom, ethical principles and international consensus must continue to guide the development and deployment of AI technologies.

“As AI advances at a staggering speed, we must ensure its development is for the positive, for good and for humanity,” Xi said.

The announcements come at a time when countries around the world are competing to develop advanced AI technologies while debating issues relating to regulation, ethics, cybersecurity, intellectual property and national security.

Analysts believe China’s latest initiatives reinforce its ambition to position itself as a leading global player in artificial intelligence while strengthening partnerships with countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and other developing regions through technology transfer, skills development and digital infrastructure cooperation.

China unveils 5,000 AI training opportunities for developing countries at WAIC 2026

Mother of Henry Nowak’s Killer Jailed for Three Years for Removing Murder Weapon

The mother of a man convicted of murdering an 18-year-old university student has been sentenced to three years in prison for removing the knife used in the killing from the scene of the crime. Kiran Kaur, 53, of St Denys Road, Southampton, was found guilty at Southampton Crown Court in May of assisting an offender after she took possession of the 21cm blade used by her son, Vickrum Digwa, to fatally stab Henry Nowak on 3 December 2025. The sentencing took place on 17 July 2026, with Judge William Mousley KC presiding.

Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old finance student from Essex, was walking home from a night out in Southampton when he was attacked by Digwa. The altercation began over a mobile phone, with Digwa using a ceremonial-style knife he carried in a cross-body sheath over his clothing. He claimed he carried it in keeping with the traditions of the Nihang warrior sect within Sikhism, though many Sikhs dispute descriptions of the murder weapon as a kirpan, saying a kirpan is a small ceremonial blade worn as an article of faith. Following the stabbing, Digwa lied to police, falsely claiming he had been the victim of a racist attack and that Nowak had knocked off his turban. This false narrative led to a shocking sequence of events: police officers handcuffed the dying teenager at the scene while he repeatedly pleaded that he had been stabbed. Bodycam footage released by the police showed Nowak telling officers multiple times that “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe”. It took officers eight minutes to discover the fatal wound to his heart, and Nowak died “terrified” and “alone”. The case sparked national outrage, protests across Southampton, and accusations of “two-tier policing”.

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In the immediate aftermath of the killing, Digwa handed the murder weapon to his mother. Instead of challenging her son or encouraging him to do the right thing, Kaur took the knife back to the family home on St Denys Road in Southampton and placed it among a larger collection of ceremonial and other weapons in her son’s bedroom. The weapon was not recovered by police until seven days after the attack, severely hampering the investigation. Judge Mousley told Kaur during sentencing that a “responsible parent would have challenged their son” and asked their child to “do the right thing”. He noted that by hiding the knife among other weapons, her actions “helped to conceal what it had been used for” and “added to your son’s pretence that he had done nothing wrong and that he was the victim”. He acknowledged that Kaur was unlikely to reoffend and that her motive was “mistakenly, to protect your son rather than for any personal gain”, but ruled that the seriousness of the offence required a custodial sentence to deter others.

Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg described Kaur’s actions as “criminality of the highest order” and said her role was “crucial” in removing the murder weapon from the scene, contributing to Henry dying “terrified, alone and disbelieved”. Defence barrister Mark Watson argued that Kaur’s actions were a “spontaneous act carried out in a matter of moments” driven by an “instinctive desire to protect her child”, adding that she was “equally misled” by her son’s lies. Kaur, who appeared emotional in the dock and required a Punjabi interpreter, dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she was led away to begin her sentence.

Vickrum Digwa, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years on 1 June 2026 for the murder of Henry Nowak. His sentence was later referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General as potentially “unduly lenient”. It has also been confirmed that Digwa is seeking permission to appeal against his conviction and sentence. Following Kaur’s sentencing, Kelly Newman of the Crown Prosecution Service stated: “Those who seek to help murderers evade justice should be in no doubt that they too will be held accountable for their actions”.

An Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation into the police response remains ongoing, with two officers under investigation for potential gross misconduct, including failures to realise Henry needed urgent medical attention and the decision to arrest and handcuff him instead of providing first aid. Hampshire Police have apologised to the Nowak family. A full inquest into Henry Nowak’s death will be held at Winchester Coroner’s Court on 20 September 2027, examining whether any “act or omission by a police officer” caused or contributed to his death. Separately, Digwa, his father Moga Singh, 52, and his brother Gurpreet Digwa, 27, have pleaded not guilty to multiple weapons charges related to a large collection of weapons found at the family home, including machetes, swords, knuckledusters, and other offensive weapons.

Mother of Henry Nowak’s Killer Jailed for Three Years for Removing Murder Weapon

US Approves $1.96B Precision Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia Amid Iran Conflict

The United States has approved a proposed weapons sale worth nearly $2 billion** to Saudi Arabia, a move aimed at strengthening the kingdom’s air defence capabilities amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. The US State Department announced on July 15, 2026, that it had authorised the possible sale of military equipment valued at approximately **$1.96 billion, including up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS-II) and related support equipment . The announcement comes as security concerns continue to mount in the region, with renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran and escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels . According to the State Department, the proposed sale is intended to improve Saudi Arabia’s ability to counter current and emerging threats, enhance the security of its territory, and increase military interoperability with the United States and allied forces .

The proposed package includes 10,000 air-to-air guidance sections and 10,000 air-to-ground guidance sections for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II . The equipment also includes LAU-131 rocket launchers, Mk-152 high-explosive warheads, Mk66 rocket motors, proximity fuzes, practice warheads, spare and repair parts, technical documentation, training equipment, and logistics support services . The APKWS-II is not a missile in the traditional sense. Rather, it is a laser-guidance kit, built by BAE Systems, that converts standard 70mm Hydra unguided rockets into precision-guided weapons . This conversion matters because it takes a rocket that would otherwise fly in a straight, unguided line and gives it accuracy rivaling far more expensive missiles, all while keeping the unit cost somewhere between $15,000 and $22,000 . By comparison, a single AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile costs approximately $1 million**, while an AIM-9X Sidewinder costs about **$450,000 . The affordability of APKWS-II has turned it into the US military’s weapon of choice for a very specific and increasingly common problem: shooting down cheap, one-way attack drones and low-end cruise missiles without burning through interceptors that cost fifty or a hundred times more than the target they are destroying . According to BAE Systems, the APKWS-II has a maximum effective range of approximately 6.5 kilometres when fired from helicopters and up to 14 kilometres from fixed-wing aircraft, achieving an accuracy of roughly two metres from the designated target . Saudi Arabia is expected to deploy the system on its AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and F-15SA fighter jets .

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The approval comes amid escalating military exchanges across the Middle East. The Iran war began in February 2026 following coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, and senior military leadership . Iran responded with sustained waves of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and one-way attack drones targeting Israel as well as military infrastructure across the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia . The arms sale also follows a series of Houthi attacks on Saudi territory. On July 13, 2026, the Houthis launched missiles at Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia after the Yemeni government struck Sanaa airport in an attempt to divert a flight carrying a Houthi delegation returning from the funeral of Iran’s Supreme Leader . The Houthis blamed Riyadh for the attack, raising fears of renewed conflict . Just two days before the arms approval, Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia toward the kingdom’s southern regions . The kingdom has spent years fighting Houthi rebels across its southern border, absorbing repeated drone and missile attacks aimed at its territory . This latest request builds directly on a much smaller purchase Saudi Arabia made in March 2025, when the State Department approved a $100 million sale covering 2,000 APKWS-II guidance kits . The jump from 2,000 units to a potential 20,000 signals Saudi Arabia is moving from testing the system in limited numbers toward building a large, sustained stockpile meant to last through years of continued regional tension .

The State Department stated that the proposed sale would “support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region” . Officials emphasised that the transaction would enhance Saudi Arabia’s ability to deter current and future threats while improving interoperability with US, regional, and NATO forces . The principal contractor for the deal is BAE Systems, based in Nashua, New Hampshire . Implementation will require the assignment of 15 additional US government and 15 US contractor representatives to Saudi Arabia for an extended period to support program and technical reviews, training, and maintenance support . The proposed sale has been forwarded to the US Congress for review, a mandatory step before the transaction can be finalised . Congress has the authority to object to such sales, although major defence deals involving longstanding US allies are often approved. As of July 16, 2026, no congressional leaders or committees have filed formal objections or joint resolutions of disapproval . The State Department noted that the proposed sale “will not alter the basic military balance in the region” .

In a separate move, the State Department also authorised a $484 million Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait for C-17 Sustainment and related equipment . The Kuwait package includes aircraft components, parts and accessories, modification and support equipment, spare and repair parts, ground handling equipment, communications equipment, software support, technical documentation, training, and logistics services . The State Department said Kuwait’s C-17 fleet “directly support[s] US and coalition operations around the world,” underscoring the aircraft’s role in Washington’s military operations .

US Approves $1.96B Precision Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia Amid Iran Conflict