Builds

• Singapore is implementing its National AI Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0) to establish the city-state as a global AI hub despite lacking domestic tech giants or semiconductor fabrication plants. • Key technical initiatives include the development of SEA-LION (South-East Asia Large Language Models) and MERaLiON, a multimodal AI project focused on advanced language processing. • These efforts, supported by the National Supercomputing Centre and AI Singapore, aim to create localized AI capabilities tailored to the region's specific linguistic and cultural needs.

Foreign minister Penny Wong will deliver speech criticising China’s recent launch of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missileGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPenny Wong will warn China that Australia and other neighbouring nations will not be bullied by its “provocative” actions, after its involvement in another “destabilising and dangerous” incident this week.The foreign affairs minister – who will deliver the address on Thursday in the Philippines, where the 59th Asean foreign minister’s meeting is being held – will also caution world leaders against placing a toll on the strait of Hormuz after both Iran and the US threatened to do amid the protracted conflict. Continue reading...

Tennis fans suggest Henman Hill should be renamed Arthur’s Seat if new British star continues his meteoric riseTennis fans gathered on Wimbledon’s famous grass mound spent much of Thursday speculating how Henman Hill – more recently known as Murray Mound – might be renamed if the newest British star Arthur Fery continues his meteoric rise.As Fery-mania builds in SW19 and across the UK in advance of Fery’s hotly anticipated semi-final match against German No 2 seed Alexander Zverev on Friday, they have eschewed suggestions such as Fery Field to alight on one name: Arthur’s Seat. Continue reading...

• Lam Research (LRCX) shares rose 5.3% today, driven by a broader rally in the semiconductor equipment sector. • The surge is attributed to renewed optimism regarding spending on leading-edge chips and a series of bullish target price increases for the industry group. • This movement highlights the continued impact of AI demand on the chip-equipment market and investor confidence in high-end manufacturing.

• Bernstein warns that India risks permanent dependence on foreign AI providers unless it develops its own sovereign large language models (LLMs) similar to DeepSeek. • The report argues that focusing solely on AI applications is insufficient, as control over foundational models is essential for long-term national competitiveness. • Current concerns highlight that India's AI Mission spreads funding too thin across compute, research, and startups, leaving limited resources specifically for foundational model development.

Hundreds of Labour activists and MPs have ‘made the pilgrimage’ to the seat, where they are pounding the streetsFor a few short weeks, the centre of political gravity in Britain has shifted from the Palace of Westminster to the bar of a former Labour club in Wigan.In London, even as Keir Starmer insists he will fight to stay in No 10, the walls seem to be crumbling around him, especially with Thursday’s resignation of the defence secretary, John Healey. Continue reading...

• China is implementing restrictive economic policies and "fortress" measures to prioritize national security amid rising global tensions. • These shifts signal the end of the "Chimerica" era of seamless capital and technology flow between China and the United States. • A key example of this trend is Beijing's recent blocking of Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of Manus, an AI company founded by Chinese engineers.

• The Global Deep Tech Report 2026 reveals a significant funding gap in Europe, which hosts 45% of the world's deep tech startups but receives only 17% of global capital. • Germany ranks fifth globally with approximately 500 deep tech startups, trailing behind Great Britain (1,100) and France (800). • This disparity suggests that Europe is failing to capitalize on its strong entrepreneurial base, with Germany specifically falling short of its economic potential.

Opposition leader to unveil plan to dramatically cut number of migrants in budget reply speech on ThursdayExplore all of our 2026 Australia federal budget coverageGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition will directly link Australia’s temporary immigration intake to the number of new homes built around the country, using housing completion figures as a hard ceiling for overseas arrivals.The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, will outline the plan to dramatically cut the number of migrants arriving into the country in his budget reply speech on Thursday night, while also promising a new $5bn housing infrastructure fund and a weakening of the national construction code to speed up building and reduce cost. Continue reading...

ByteDance is assembling high-end NVIDIA chip-based computing outside China, partnering with Southeast Asian firms for black-white systems in Malaysia to fuel AI development, announced March 13, 2026. This circumvents U.S. export restrictions while advancing global AI capabilities. The initiative supports TikTok parent’s ambitions in generative models. It reflects escalating geopolitical tensions in AI hardware access.

ByteDance is assembling high-end Nvidia chip clusters outside China, partnering with Southeast Asian firms for black-white computing systems in Malaysia to fuel AI development, reported March 13, 2026. The Wall Street Journal detailed efforts to bypass US export restrictions. This expansion supports TikTok parent’s global AI ambitions amid geopolitical tensions. US regulators monitor for compliance.