Eyes

• EU interior ministers met on Tuesday to demand tougher action against migrant smuggling networks and the implementation of stronger return policies. • The emergency meeting follows a massive surge last week where approximately 72,000 migrants entered Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa. • The crisis resulted in at least 75 deaths due to drowning and crushing during the chaotic crossings, sparking alarm across the 27-member bloc.

• Chinese AI unicorn Vast is reportedly exploring a potential initial public offering (IPO) on the Hong Kong stock exchange. • The move comes as the startup gains significant momentum, reflecting a broader surge in investor interest within China's rapidly expanding artificial intelligence sector. • This potential listing highlights the growing appetite for high-growth AI firms despite global economic volatility and regulatory scrutiny.

• Wall Street is preparing for a critical week of economic data, with the July jobs report serving as the primary focus for investors. • The report is essential for assessing the outlook for US interest rates after the Federal Reserve kept benchmark rates unchanged at its most recent policy meeting. • Market expectations remain volatile as Fed Chair Kevin Warsh provided limited guidance regarding the specific timing of future rate increases.

• Europe experienced a week of significant political upheaval, marked by leadership changes in both Hungary and the United Kingdom. • Hungary removed its president, while the UK saw the appointment of its seventh prime minister in a decade. • These rapid reshuffles are critical as they may alter the diplomatic dynamics and policy negotiations between these nations and the European Union.

Vertical Aerospace says government has given £10m backing, taking its total investment in the project to £48mBritish flying taxi startup Vertical Aerospace has said the UK government has expressed interest in buying a military variant of its aircraft as it races to gain approval for flights with paying passengers.Vertical also welcomed another £10m grant from the government, taking its total UK state funding to £48m. Continue reading...

• India is preparing to host the World Badminton Championships with high hopes for success on home soil. • Star player P.V. Sindhu is expected to lead the charge following a return to top form, supported by a strong contingent of doubles pairs. • Key competitors include Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, as well as Rohan Kapoor and G.R. Shivani, who recently reached the Round of 16 at the Indonesia Open Super 1000.

• India achieved a milestone in its space race on Saturday morning with the successful launch of Vikram-1, the country's first privately developed launch vehicle. • The mission successfully placed several technology demonstration satellites into Low Earth orbit (LEO), showcasing private sector capabilities in aerospace. • Other key events include the "Sansad Chalo March" by the CJP and the start of a potentially contentious Parliament session.

Pollution levels in the city were elevated as smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted south across a huge swathe of the USThe sun shone feebly through the thick haze. The smell of burning wood hung thick in the air. Many New Yorkers donned masks as the air quality plummeted amid health warnings.The National Weather Service issued an air-quality alert because pollution levels were elevated as smoke from raging Canadian wildfires drifted south across a huge swathe of the US, reaching all the way to New York City and even beyond out into the Atlantic. Continue reading...

• AI startup DeepSeek is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) as early as 2026, targeting a valuation of US$71 billion. • The company is currently seeking new funding to expand its computing capacity following a previous US$7 billion financing round. • DeepSeek gained global attention in 2025 by developing a high-performance model that requires fewer computing resources than its competitors.

• Hangzhou-based AI lab DeepSeek is in discussions to raise approximately $1.5 billion in new funding. • The funding round is based on a pre-money valuation of 480 billion yuan, which is roughly $71 billion. • This capital injection aims to support the company's growth as it targets an initial public offering (IPO) by 2027.

• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is exploring a new funding round only one month after its first external fundraising effort. • The company has begun preparations for an IPO in mainland China, with a potential filing in late 2026 and a target listing date in 2027. • DeepSeek is targeting a valuation of $70.9 billion to support massive capital requirements for proprietary data centers and in-house AI inference chips.

• The European Union has initiated negotiations to establish the legal framework and legislation required to introduce a digital euro. • The EU aims to finalize these regulatory rules by the end of 2026, paving the way for a pilot program involving approximately 40 banks and payment firms in 2027. • This initiative represents a strategic move toward digitizing the eurozone's currency, with a target for a full public rollout by 2029.

• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is exploring a new funding round shortly after completing its first external fundraising effort of $7 billion. • The company intends to use the additional capital to expand its AI infrastructure, develop proprietary chips, and further increase its overall valuation. • This aggressive fundraising strategy highlights the intense competition and high capital requirements for scaling advanced AI capabilities.

• Donald Trump is positioning Turkiye as an indispensable ally and the cornerstone of his strategy to reshape the regional order. • This strategic bet persists despite ongoing disputes regarding Turkiye's acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system. • Turkiye has already played a decisive role in shifting Transcaucasian geopolitics to sideline Russia and supported the US-Israeli effort against Iran by providing airspace for US aircraft.

• Thailand has emerged as the leader in Southeast Asia for short-drama in-app purchase revenue and ranks as the region's third-largest market for downloads, according to Sensor Tower. • TikTok Thailand is leveraging this trend by providing local content producers with distribution channels to reach new audiences through mini-dramas. • This shift is significant as mini-dramas are now one of the fastest-growing mobile entertainment categories, currently outperforming traditional over-the-top (OTT) streaming apps in downloads.

Leaders from Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea to join Albanese at State of Origin decider. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese will host a trio of Pacific prime ministers as he tries to bolster Australia’s regional influence amid the creeping threat of China, Australian Associated Press reports.The bilateral meetings with Papua New Guinea’s James Marape, Tonga’s Lord Fakafānua and Samoa’s La’auli Leuatea Schmidt will be followed by a Pacific rugby league event in Brisbane with all four leaders. Continue reading...

• Samsung is projected to achieve a record-high operating profit in the second quarter, fueled by surging demand for AI infrastructure and memory chips. • To sustain this growth, Samsung and SK Hynix have pledged a combined investment of 3,200 trillion won ($2.07 trillion) to expand chip production capacity in South Korea. • Samsung plans to execute its portion of this investment between 2026 and 2040, though SK Hynix has not yet provided a specific timeframe.

• SBS drama "Manager Kim," starring So Ji-sub, has achieved rapid success both in South Korea and globally. • The series surpassed the 20% viewership mark within four episodes, reaching national ratings of 21.6% and a peak instantaneous rating of 25.1%. • Internationally, the show ranked number one in 20 countries as of July 4, according to FlixPatrol data, maintaining top-two positions across major Asian markets including Japan and Vietnam.

• The UK stock market is expected to open with a mild positive trend on July 6, 2026, with the FTSE 100 trading near a four-month high. • Market growth is being driven by large-cap stocks in the banking, mining, energy, and healthcare sectors, though weak UK PMI data and cautious sentiment may limit overall gains. • Investors are closely monitoring global macroeconomic developments, central bank policy expectations, and commodity price fluctuations to determine market direction.

• Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) is seeking to monetize its significant investments in artificial intelligence by targeting new cloud-based revenue streams. • While these initiatives offer growth potential, investors are concerned about a potential margin trade-off due to the high costs of AI infrastructure. • This shift is critical as Wall Street evaluates whether Meta's massive spending bill will translate into sustainable profitability.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Japanese companies to participate in India's ambitious plan to develop a 7,000-kilometre national high-speed rail network. • Japan has reaffirmed its support for the 2027 timeline for the completion of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project. • This collaboration is critical as India seeks to leverage Japanese technology and investment to scale its high-speed rail infrastructure across the country.

• Japanese industrial robot manufacturers are integrating artificial intelligence and open collaboration to regain a dominant global market position. • Japan's market share in the factory robot sector has fallen to 40%, trailing behind increasing competition from China and Europe. • The strategy focuses on leveraging AI to enhance robot flexibility and efficiency, aiming to reverse the decline in competitiveness.

• AI video startup Higgsfield is currently in talks to raise up to $500 million in new funding. • The company is targeting a $5 billion valuation, which represents a fourfold increase from its valuation in January. • This rapid growth follows Higgsfield achieving a significant $500 million revenue run rate.

• Former President Donald Trump is seeking a "Plan B" to challenge birthright citizenship after facing a legal setback in the high court. • The move follows a disappointing court defeat that temporarily blocked his efforts to restrict citizenship for children born in the U.S. to non-citizen parents. • This initiative reflects a broader effort to redefine citizenship laws, which would significantly impact immigration policy and the legal status of millions.

• Germany is integrating artificial intelligence into its economy to combat a growing shortage of skilled workers. • Economists estimate that this strategic AI adoption could increase the nation's economic output by up to €323 billion over the next decade. • The move is critical as the country seeks to maintain industrial productivity and competitiveness despite a shrinking labor force.

• Malaysia will monitor several key economic indicators this week, specifically the June manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) and Bank Negara Malaysia’s May banking statistics. • The S&P Global manufacturing PMI surveys, scheduled for release on Wednesday, will provide critical data for Malaysia and other major Asian economies including India, South Korea, and Vietnam. • Legal focus remains on two high-profile court cases: the final verdict for Syed Saddiq regarding his CBT charges and the appeal hearing for Rosmah Mansor's solar graft case.

• China is positioning itself to lead the reconstruction of Iran following conflict, utilizing strategic investments and diplomacy to expand its regional influence. • The strategy involves transitioning from providing humanitarian relief to developing large-scale infrastructure, which Beijing views as a mechanism to solidify long-term energy security. • This shift ensures continued and strengthened access to Iran, one of the world's largest oil producers, while filling a geopolitical vacuum.

• The Five Eyes intelligence alliance—consisting of the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—has issued a rare joint warning regarding the imminent threat of AI-powered cyberattacks. • The alliance cautions that advanced "frontier" AI models capable of launching destructive cyber operations could be developed within just a few months. • This development is viewed as an immediate societal risk, necessitating urgent coordinated action from global governments and private businesses to bolster defenses.