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• Wall Street experienced a downturn on Friday as investors shifted away from the artificial intelligence sector due to growing concerns over frontier AI development. • In contrast to the U.S. market retreat, the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) managed to edge slightly higher. • Global markets are reacting to volatility in tech valuations and a simultaneous jump in oil prices.

Albanese’s comments come as One Nation leader nears end of UK tour. Follow today’s news liveAlbanese helps launch major air combat exerciseAnthony Albanese has announced the official opening of Exercise Pitch Black 2026, Australia’s premier international air combat exercise, happening in Darwin.Australia is strongest when we work closely with our partners.Exercise Pitch Black strengthens those partnerships and demonstrates Australia’s commitment to working closely across our region to support peace, stability and security.When I have the opportunity to represent Australia overseas, I talk Australia up.I don’t talk Australia down. I go as someone who’s proud to represent our nation and proud to talk about what we are as a nation. There’s nowhere you’d rather be than Australia, and I think that it is up to our representatives, no matter where they stand in the parliament, when they’re overseas, to talk Australia up, not talk Australia down. Continue reading...

• The US military confirmed a service member was killed in Iraq during a "controlled detonation" of a downed Iranian drone. • This marks the third confirmed troop death following a new round of airstrikes intended to "swiftly punish" Iran for its actions. • A separate attack targeted electricity generation units, forcing the ministry to trigger emergency plans to stabilize the power grid.

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down immediately after signing a constitutional amendment that ends his term. • The legislation, backed by Viktor Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party, cites a "serious loss of confidence" in Sulyok, who was originally elected in early 2024. • Sulyok stated he felt compelled to sign the law to respect legal procedures, though he warned that the move undermines the rule of law in Hungary.

• Hungarian President Sulyok has signed a constitutional amendment that effectively ends his term, resolving a political dispute with the new government. • Sulyok criticized the move in a Facebook video, claiming the forced amendment proves that the rule of law and democratic power-sharing have been "trampled on" for political gain. • His presidency will officially conclude at midnight on Monday, at which point Parliament Speaker Ágnes Forsthoffer will assume his duties.

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down from his position after the national parliament backed his removal. • Sulyok, identified as a loyalist to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, faced a deadline of Saturday night to agree to end his term. • The move follows criticisms from figures like Baka, who argue that the Fidesz party has dismantled the rule of law since 2010 to create an authoritarian state.

• Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down from his position after the national parliament backed his removal. • Sulyok, widely regarded as a loyalist to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, confirmed his agreement to the law change following a Saturday night deadline. • Despite agreeing to leave, Sulyok issued a statement accusing the government of violating the rule of law during the process.

The fatal shootings of two men, both killed in their vehicles by ICE agents, have rekindled anger over the US’s militarized deportation pushLorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, was driving to work with his brother and two other passengers in Houston, Texas, when immigration agents began tailing his car. They pulled him over and fired a fatal shot through the open passenger-side window.Six days later in Biddeford, Maine, Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 26, was driving around his neighborhood when agents stopped him at an intersection – right outside the laundromat where he’d often go with his three-year-old daughter – and shot him dead. Continue reading...

• CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has alleged that Delhi Police are planning a crackdown on protests during the night or early morning hours. • The alleged police action is reportedly intended to suppress the voices of youth protesting alongside activist Sonam Wangchuk. • In response to these threats, Dipke has appealed to the public to join a night vigil at Jantar Mantar to maintain their presence.

• The release of the Moonshot Kimi K3 AI model from China has negatively impacted the stock prices of major global tech companies. • Nvidia experienced a 3.4% drop in share value, causing the company to lose its position as the world's leader in market capitalization. • Kimi K3's test results are comparable to top American AI products, particularly in programming tools, which are highly profitable sectors.

Tamás Sulyok signed the constitutional amendment that cited ‘serious loss of confidence’ in him as leader Hungary’s president Tamás Sulyok has agreed to step down after signing a constitutional amendment passed by prime minister Péter Magyar’s ruling Tisza party.The amendment will end Sulyok’s term immediately, citing society’s “serious loss of confidence” in a leader elected in early 2024 by lawmakers from former prime minister Viktor Orbán’s nationalist Fidesz party. Continue reading...

• Mira Murati has officially launched Thinking Machines Lab, introducing a new AI architecture called "Inkling." • TSMC is significantly scaling its U.S. presence with a massive $100 billion expansion of its facilities in Arizona. • OpenAI has entered the hardware market with its first branded physical device, a $230 developer control pad created in partnership with Work Louder.

As Cuba swelters under six-month oil blockade imposed by US, tempers are fraying and unrest is growingWhen Cuba’s national grid collapses, as it did for the third time in 10 days on Tuesday, a collective groan spreads across its cities and people wonder, again, whether the island’s antiquated electricity system may soon become unrecoverable.The 777-mile Caribbean island of 9.5 million people has been sweltering under a six-month-long oil blockade imposed by the US, part of a pressure campaign to bring down its communist government. But the parlous state of Cuba’s infrastructure goes far further back. Continue reading...

• US stock futures and Asian markets fell sharply on Friday following reports of significant technological breakthroughs by a Chinese artificial intelligence company. • Market impacts were severe in Asia, with South Korean and Taiwanese indexes dropping over 6% and Japanese markets closing down 4%. • Nasdaq futures declined 1.6%, reflecting investor anxiety similar to January 2025 when DeepSeek's AI model challenged the perceived dominance of US technology.

• South Korean regulators have frozen the issuance of new single-stock leveraged tech ETFs following extreme volatility in the KOSPI index. • The crackdown includes tripling retail margin requirements to curb speculative AI-driven bets that have decoupled from the stable earnings of giants like Samsung and SK Hynix. • This move matters as it aims to protect retail investors from the "Roller KOSPI" effect, where high-leverage trading amplified market swings during the AI chip rally.

• Global AI investment cooldown triggered a massive sell-off in chip stocks, causing Japan's market to briefly plunge 4% and Zhipu to drop over 12% at the open. • Significant losses were recorded by major players, including Kioxia, which hit its daily limit down, and SK Hynix ADR, which plummeted 13.69% in its previous session. • The Hong Kong market saw heavy losses in leveraged ETFs, with CSOP Hynix 2x Long falling 13.24% and CSOP Samsung 2x Long dropping 3.61%.

Markwayne Mullin at presser repeated many of Trump’s unverified claims from controversial primetime speechThe US homeland security secretary, Markwayne Mullin, doubled down on Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated election claims on Friday amid his agency’s efforts to support the president’s agenda.Trump used a memo compiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the basis of many of his unsubstantiated claims on Thursday during his televised primetime address to the nation. Continue reading...

• Donald Trump delivered a national address reiterating his claims that the 2020 election was fraudulent and alleging that China meddled in the process. • During the speech, Trump urged the Republican-led Congress to pass the "SAVE America Act," a controversial election bill that currently lacks the necessary support for passage. • These claims echo the rhetoric that led to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, where supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and forced lawmakers to flee.

• Global stock markets declined on Thursday, led by a slump in AI-related stocks and computer chipmakers, causing the S&P 500 to fall 0.5%. • International markets saw significant drops, with Tokyo falling 2.8% and Shanghai sliding 1.8%, though Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.3% following China's approval of Apple Intelligence. • Despite the market dip, U.S. economic indicators remained positive, showing fewer unemployment benefit applications and stronger-than-expected manufacturing growth in the mid-Atlantic region.

• This week's retail technology roundup highlights major industry shifts, including Tesco increasing its investment in robotics and La-Z-Boy expanding its use of 3D technology. • The briefing covers a wide array of companies implementing tech updates, including Lidl Plus, Uber, Delivery Hero, Ulta Beauty, Asos, Decathlon, and Vusion. • These developments signal a broader trend of retailers integrating automation and digital tools to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience.

Arrest in Pennsylvania of Wu Shaoping, who is awaiting asylum decision, raises fears of deportation and persecutionA Chinese human rights lawyer has been arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raising concerns he could be deported to China where he would face persecution.Wu Shaoping fled China at the end of 2019 amid a crackdown on human rights lawyers. He travelled to the US on a tourist visa and made an asylum claim in 2020, for which he is still awaiting a decision. Continue reading...

• Asian stock markets plummeted on Friday, led by Tokyo's Nikkei 225, which dropped more than 5% due to heavy selling of AI-related shares and computer chipmakers. • Taiwan's markets saw a significant decline of 5.9%, following news that TSMC, the world's largest contract chip manufacturer, intends to invest an additional $100 billion in U.S. fabrication plants. • This downturn reflects a broader global trend where slumping AI stocks are dragging world markets lower, signaling a shift in investor sentiment toward the tech sector.

• Global stock markets declined as shares of computer chipmakers and other AI-driven companies experienced a significant slump. • Major indexes saw notable losses, including a 1.8% drop in Shanghai and a 2.8% decrease in Tokyo. • Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 1.3%, bolstered by Alibaba's growth after China's cyberspace regulator approved the Apple Intelligence AI tool.

• Netflix's stock price has fallen 21% year-to-date despite the company's dominant position as the "king of streaming." • The decline is driven by investor concerns regarding the company's ability to maintain long-term growth in a saturated market. • This trend highlights the volatility of streaming valuations as investors shift focus from rapid subscriber acquisition to sustainable profitability.

• Global stock markets declined on Thursday as slumping AI-related shares and computer chipmakers dragged down indexes worldwide. • The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, while international markets saw sharper drops, including a 1.8% decline in Shanghai and a 2.8% dip in Tokyo. • Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 1.3%, bolstered by Alibaba's gains after China's cyberspace regulator approved the Apple Intelligence AI tool.

• A federal judge ruled that racial and ethnic set-asides within the Digital Equity Act, part of President Biden’s 2021 budget-climate law, are unconstitutional. • The program aimed to distribute billions of dollars to expand broadband access in underserved areas, similar to historic rural electrification projects. • The court found that providing special treatment based on race or ethnicity violated the Constitution, challenging the legal framework of the grant program.

Third round of arrests linked to independent bookshops widely regarded as clampdown on dissent in territoryHong Kong authorities have raided two bookstores and arrested five people on suspicion of selling allegedly seditious publications, in the latest step targeting independent booksellers.Videos and photos from multiple media outlets on Wednesday showed officers wearing vests marked with “police” seizing boxes from the building that houses Have A Nice Stay, a bookshop founded by former journalists. AFP reporters saw officers also lead away a woman in handcuffs to a van. Continue reading...

Fracking billionaire Harold Hamm is co-chair of a non-profit that has aggressively pushed for US energy dominanceTycoon Harold Hamm is one of the US’s most successful oilmen, the son of Oklahoma sharecroppers who hit it rich as a “wildcatter” and pioneered fracking techniques that drove the shale boom in 2008 that reversed declining US oil production. Donald Trump describes him as a “long time” friend and is said to have called him his “original oil guy” behind closed doors.The Continental Resources founder has also faced scrutiny from climate advocates and groups and some Democratic lawmakers over his influence on Trump and role in pushing him to go all in on planet-heating fossil fuels and gut climate rules. Continue reading...