Chengdu municipal government office issued an AI+ action plan calling for deeper collaborative innovation and exploration of AI-driven research paradigms, faster breakthroughs in key technologies and strengthened original science R&D. The plan prioritizes consolidating compute infrastructure and scientific computing capacity and accelerating development of high-performance computing to expand affordable, efficient intelligent compute supply.

Supply-chain sources on July 22 said Apple’s iPhone 18 series entered mass production in July and is in a capacity ramp-up phase. iPhone assembler Foxconn has begun a peak recruitment drive.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman on Tuesday warned Bulgaria not to permit US forces to use Bulgarian territory for military action against Iran. Bulgaria has said it will seek parliamentary approval to host up to eight US tanker aircraft at a domestic airbase; Bulgaria is an EU and NATO member. State media quoted spokesman Baghaei saying any assistance enabling US attacks on Iran would amount to complicity in "aggression and war crimes" and urging Bulgaria not to become an accomplice.