Rising

• Tech stocks triggered a broad market decline as investors grew concerned over the massive capital expenditures of AI companies and rising interest rate expectations. • Alphabet reported a 47% drop in Q1 free cash flow, contributing to a trend where combined hyperscaler AI spending has now surpassed $452 billion. • The sell-off highlights a growing tension between the heavy costs of building AI infrastructure and the uncertain timing of when these investments will generate significant profits.

Share of people who say cultural diversity has been good for the nation plunges from 90% in 2024 to 73% in 2026, Lowy Institute survey findsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia is undergoing a historic decline in support for multiculturalism, according to the Lowy Institute’s annual poll, amid a groundswell of fear rooted in mounting economic pessimism and an increasingly illiberal and chaotic world order.The Lowy poll is the latest edition of the country’s longest-running survey of Australians’ opinions of the world and their place in it, and revealed a record low 31% of the more than 2,000 people surveyed had faith in the United States to act responsibly on the world stage, and just one in five trust the president, Donald Trump, to do the right thing. Continue reading...

YouGov survey of six countries shows respondents think crime is increasing – though most trust their national police Western Europeans believe crime is rising in their country, according to a survey, despite long-term overall crime rates falling across the region since the mid-1990s.The YouGov poll of Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain found most countries trusted their national police, led by Denmark where 74% of respondents said they had a lot or a fair amount of confidence in police nationally. Continue reading...

Sudden shifts from wet to dry weather, or vice versa, may foil typical drought and flooding prevention measuresRising temperatures may trigger a dangerous increase in “hydroclimatic whiplash” in rivers that would make traditional approaches to flood and drought planning insufficient, a study has found.As temperatures rise owing to the worsening climate crisis, rivers will experience increasingly rapid transitions between heavy downpours and long dry spells – called hydroclimatic whiplash events – because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, intensifying rainfall extremes. Continue reading...

• UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported on Tuesday that violence and exchanges of fire in Lebanon have significantly decreased compared to the previous weekend. • In the Gaza Strip, OCHA warned that critical shortages of fuel, engine oil, and spare parts are severely hindering water production, wastewater treatment, and waste management. • To combat a growing pest infestation, the UNDP is leading pesticide applications while UNICEF and UNRWA manage public awareness and safety campaigns.

War’s impact on UK cost of living more muted than first forecast suggesting fuel price rises have failed to spill out more widely across UK plcUK inflation stays at 2.8% as slowing food prices offset transport costsBusiness live – latest updatesAs soon as Iran choked off oil supplies through the strait of Hormuz at the start of March, there were dire warnings about rocketing UK inflation and the drastic action the Bank of England might take to rein it in.At one point, investors were expecting as many as three quarter-point rises in interest rates before the end of the year – a sharp turnaround from earlier forecasts of rate cuts. Continue reading...

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an increase in military readiness following accusations from Kyiv regarding expanded troop deployments in Eastern Europe. • The move has prompted NATO to convene emergency consultations to address the potential for further military aggression and its impact on European security. • This escalation occurs amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, heightening geopolitical instability across the region.

• India A Women are currently leading Pakistan A Women in the 6th Match of Group A at the ACC Women's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026. • Pakistan A Women were bowled out for 93 runs, while India A Women have reached 97/2 in 10.1 overs to take a commanding lead. • Key individual performances include Vrinda Dinesh scoring 55 off 29 balls and Tejal Hasabnis contributing 12 runs from 5 balls for India.

• Fresh Israeli strikes in Tyre have killed eight people, highlighting the fragility of the current ceasefire and the ongoing risk of escalation. • A UN-led assessment released Tuesday estimates that buildings in Beirut and Mount Lebanon have suffered over $365 million in damages. • The report, conducted by the UNDP and the National Council for Scientific Research, notes that the destruction generated approximately 649,000 cubic metres of debris.

• CrowdStrike's 2026 Technology Threat Report identifies the global technology industry as the most targeted sector for cyberattacks, driven primarily by eCrime and state-sponsored actors from China and North Korea. • A critical vulnerability was highlighted involving a software package downloaded approximately 100 million times per week, posing a risk for one of the largest supply chain incidents recorded. • Threat actors are increasingly shifting their focus toward software development environments to compromise the integrity of the digital supply chain.

• The author argues that for the United States under the Trump administration, hosting the World Cup is less about soccer and more about "security theater." • The piece claims that the traditional goals of international unity and peaceful celebration are being discarded in favor of border security theatrics. • This shift matters as it suggests the event is being leveraged as a political tool to project strength and control over national borders.

• India A and Bangladesh A faced off in the 1st Semi-Final of the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. • India A set a target of 194/6 in their 20 overs, which Bangladesh A matched, reaching 194/6 in their own innings. • Key individual performances for the chasing side included Nehal Wadhera, who scored 32 runs off 29 balls, and Harsh Dubey.

• Bangladesh A and India A are facing off in the first semi-final (A1 v B2) of the ACC Men's Asia Cup Rising Stars 2025. • The match is being broadcast and tracked via Cricbuzz, providing live scores, ball-by-ball commentary, and highlights for viewers in the USA and Canada. • This fixture is a critical knockout stage event to determine which team will advance to the tournament final.

• Stock markets remained rangebound as investors weighed uncertainty regarding Iran talks and a series of artificial intelligence developments. • Alphabet's Class A shares fell 2.2% following the announcement of a massive investment program, which includes $10 billion in backing from Berkshire Hathaway under CEO Greg Abel. • In a significant industry milestone, AI startup Anthropic, the developer of Claude, has confidentially filed for an IPO, beating rival OpenAI to the first step of going public.

• Cybersecurity firm Check Point detected a surge in election-related web activity in January, with approximately 1,300 new domains containing "election" and 2,957 containing "vote." • A new report warns that the upcoming U.S. midterm elections will lead to "elevated" cyber threats targeting media platforms, fundraising sites, and political organizations. • Experts caution that this trend indicates the groundwork for widespread misinformation and disinformation campaigns is already being established.

• Asian stock markets are surging, driven by intense demand for semiconductors and AI-related equipment. • Key gains include Japan's Nikkei rising 1.1% following a 5% jump last week, while South Korea and Taiwan saw increases of 4.4% and nearly 6% respectively. • This growth occurs alongside rising oil prices triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region, despite ongoing peace talks.

Nationwide finds typical price was £278,024 in May, as Savills says Iran war has ‘fundamentally changed’ outlookBusiness live – latest updatesHouse prices fell in the UK for the first time this year in May, as rising interest rates triggered by the war in Iran hurt homebuyer demand.The price of the average UK home dropped 0.6% in May compared with the month before, according to the lender Nationwide. Continue reading...

Findings add to growing efforts to explain why cancer rates are increasing among younger adults worldwidePoor sleep may be fuelling the global rise in under-50s being diagnosed with cancer, two large studies suggest.The number of younger people diagnosed with the disease has risen by almost 80% in three decades. Worldwide cases of early-onset cancer increased from 1.82m in 1990 to 3.26m in 2019, while cancer deaths among people in their 40s, 30s or younger rose by 27%. Continue reading...

• The EU's Spring Economic Forecast predicts a slowdown in economic activity across the European Union due to rising inflation. • This downturn is attributed to an energy shock triggered by the recent outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, which drove up energy commodity prices. • The situation is critical as it highlights the vulnerability of the EU economy to geopolitical instability and volatile energy markets.

More Americans are using small solar panels in their back yards or balconies as a clean way to cut their electric billsIf you feel like your electricity bill just keeps climbing, you aren’t imagining it. Since 2020, US residential energy prices have surged by about 30%, making power the largest household energy expense behind gasoline, according to the US Energy Information Administration.But for residents like Alex Curtis, the days of feeling powerless against rising costs are coming to an end. Curtis is waging a war on his electric bill, and his new weapon of choice is a lightweight, thin-film solar panel. Continue reading...

• EU enterprise AI adoption reached 20% in 2025, though the region continues to lag behind global competitors despite some bright spots like Denmark. • The EU AI Act is contributing to delays, with nearly 60% of EU and UK developers reporting launch setbacks and two-thirds of companies unable to define their legal obligations. • While regulation is a significant hurdle, industry analysis suggests it is not the primary factor slowing adoption across the continent.

• Eurozone inflation has climbed to 3% year-on-year as of May 21, 2026, driven primarily by rising energy costs. • The economic surge is being hindered by an ongoing conflict with Iran, which caused confidence indicators and the composite PMI to drop below the expansion threshold in April. • This spike in inflation is significant as it threatens a fragile economic recovery and may take up to a full year to stabilize.

Study, published as latest migration figures are released, shows incorrect perceptions driving immigration debatePeople mistakenly believe net migration is rising in Britain despite figures dropping to their lowest level in years, a leading thinktank has found.New research from British Future, published ahead of latest government figures on migration, has revealed a chasm between reality and public perception of net migration, with a substantial portion of the public believing it has increased, despite figures showing a sharp fall. Continue reading...

• Asian stocks were mostly lower on Wednesday as higher bond yields and renewed concern over the war with Iran weighed on risk assets across the region. • Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.2% to 59,804.41, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.7%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.3%, and South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.9%. • The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.66% from 4.61% late Monday, and U.S. crude prices and Brent also slipped as investors assessed inflation and energy risks.

Figures disclosed by nursing union show big rise on reported incidents which may only be ‘tip of the iceberg’Racist abuse of NHS nurses has jumped by 86% in the last few years, which their union’s boss has blamed on the normalisation of extreme views in politics and the media.One nurse was called a monkey by a colleague, a patient threw a hot drink at a nurse and followed up with racial abuse, and in several cases others were called the N-word, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) disclosed. Continue reading...

Households ‘increasingly gloomy’ about finances amid fears of interest rate rises due to higher fuel pricesBusiness live – latest updatesRising prices have become the top financial concern for UK households, according to a monthly consumer confidence survey, before Wednesday’s official figures, which are likely to show inflation remaining stubbornly high.Amid fears of higher interest rates owing to increased fuel prices after the closure of the strait of Hormuz amid the conflict in the Middle East, households have become “increasingly gloomy about their financial situation”, the report said. Continue reading...

It has long been suspected the Revolutionary Guards – specifically its Quds Force – was responsible for recent terror attacks in London, Canada and across EuropeThe arrest by US authorities of an alleged Iraqi commander of an Iranian-backed militia group now accused of responsibility for 18 terrorist attacks in the UK, Europe and Canada since the beginning of the Iran war is an astonishing development – yet not the least bit surprising.According to a complaint unsealed on Friday in a federal court in Manhattan, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi is allegedly responsible for organising – among other operations – a string of recent firebombings of banks and other targets in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, an arson attack against a synagogue and a shooting at the US consulate in Toronto in March, as well as – most recently – a wave of attacks on mainly Jewish targets in the UK including places of worship and charities. Continue reading...

• Washington-based Sublime Security said on May 15, 2026, that it was named to Rising in Cyber 2026, Notable Capital's annual list of the 30 most promising private cybersecurity startups. • The company said the cohort has collectively raised more than $6.9 billion, according to PitchBook, highlighting the scale of investor interest in security startups. • The recognition matters because email security remains a major attack vector for enterprises, and inclusion on the list can boost visibility with customers and investors.