Sparks

• Wall Street is poised for a lower open, with S&P 500 E-Mini futures down 0.29% and Nasdaq 100 E-Mini futures dropping 0.94%. • The decline is driven by a chip sector selloff sparked by losses among South Korean peers, specifically impacting SK Hynix. • Investors are awaiting the Federal Reserve's Beige Book and the start of second-quarter corporate earnings to gauge economic health.

President ordered investigation after fictitious federal body allocated funding and office space, triggering renewed scrutiny of corruption A fictitious federal entity that was allocated 1.3 billion naira (£705,248) in Nigeria’s 2026 budget has precipitated a political storm in Africa’s largest democracy in the run-up to January’s general election.The fake agency came to light last October when Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff, wrote to the police alleging that his signature, along with official seals and reference numbers, had been forged by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who was claiming to have been appointed by the presidency to head the presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC). Continue reading...

Officials also find multiple cracks and sagging floors in building that is being converted into apartmentsA high-rise building in Manhattan was deemed unstable on Tuesday after authorities determined that support columns buckled, spurring evacuation of nearby buildings, according to officials and reports.The former Pfizer pharmaceutical building, which is being converted into residential rentals, also had problematic floors, fire department officials said. Continue reading...

• Prince Harry is traveling to the UK starting Tuesday to participate in a series of charity engagements. • The trip has generated significant media speculation regarding whether Meghan Markle and their children will accompany him. • British authorities have stated that Harry is not entitled to blanket security protection since he is no longer a working member of the royal family.

• Asian equity markets mostly declined on Tuesday as a fresh wave of technology sector selling erased the gains from a previous Wall Street rally. • South Korea's KOSPI index suffered a severe 7.76% downturn, driven by investors aggressively locking in profits from recent AI-related surges. • This volatility highlights a shift in investor sentiment toward AI-driven stocks, signaling a potential correction after a period of rapid growth.

• South Korea's early exit from the World Cup has sparked widespread public anger and criticism. • Fans and critics are calling for urgent reforms regarding the governance and leadership of the national football association. • The situation highlights deep-seated frustrations with the management of the national team and the association's failure to achieve competitive success.

• A Polish travel creator, Agni (@the_polishtravelgirl), sparked a viral online debate by criticizing the disparity in how global media covers heatwaves in Europe versus India. • She argued that while European heatwaves are reported as tragedies focusing on infrastructure strain and elderly vulnerability, similar suffering in India is often dismissed or treated as a joke. • The post highlights systemic biases in international news reporting and the perceived devaluation of human life in the Global South.