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• NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully completed a Mars flyby, utilizing the planet's gravity to gain momentum for its journey toward a metal-rich asteroid. • During the maneuver, the probe tested its onboard scientific instruments, capturing high-resolution imagery and data of the Red Planet. • This flyby serves as a critical technical milestone, ensuring the spacecraft's systems are fully operational before it reaches its primary target.

• Friedrich Merz is leveraging the resignation of party heavyweight Jens Spahn to eliminate a political rival and stabilize his coalition. • The move facilitates a strategic cabinet reshuffle, allowing Merz to implement a political reset ahead of critical regional elections this fall. • These elections are particularly high-stakes in eastern Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is projected to perform strongly.

• At the CIO 100 Leadership Live event in New York, IT executives discussed transitioning from initial AI pilots to achieving measurable returns on investment (ROI). • Speakers emphasized that successful AI integration requires a combination of solid IT fundamentals, strong business alignment, and the linking of data to decision-making processes. • This shift is critical as it necessitates the redesign of decision rights, the development of new funding models, and stricter accountability to keep pace with the "agentic economy."

• PV Sindhu has secured a historic victory at the Japan Open, marking a significant return to elite form on the big stage. • Following this performance, Sindhu has climbed nine spots in the world rankings, moving from World Rank 18 back into the top ten at World Rank 9. • The win follows a highly competitive quarterfinal match at the Singapore Open against world number one An Se Young, where Sindhu pushed the top seed to their limits despite a 21-17, 21-14 loss.

• On February 28, the US and Israel launched joint "pre-emptive" strikes against targets in Iran, escalating a conflict that Iran describes as a "full-scale war." • The military escalation has triggered an immediate economic impact, with US gasoline prices rising to an average of $4 per gallon according to AAA. • This surge in energy costs presents a significant political risk for President Donald Trump, as affordability is expected to be a primary concern for voters.

• South Korea's stock market has shifted from a stable economic bellwether to a volatile hub of AI-driven speculation, impacting portfolios from Tokyo to New York. • Extreme instability is evident on the benchmark KOSPI, where more than half of all historical circuit breakers—triggered by an 8% drop within one minute—have occurred in the last six months. • This volatility has distorted investor perspectives on South Korean market fundamentals, despite the country's central role in the global AI boom.

• The United States and Iran are locked in a persistent "grey zone" conflict characterized by a cycle of military pressure and diplomatic overtures. • Despite Donald Trump's previous promises to avoid "forever wars," the current strategy suggests that diplomacy is being used to manage the conflict rather than resolve it. • This dynamic indicates a shift where negotiations serve as a tool for stability within a state of perpetual tension rather than a path toward a definitive peace agreement.

Man charged with murder after Kirandeep Kaur was allegedly stabbed while in bed with husband and babyThe family of a woman who was killed as she slept in bed with her husband and three-month-old baby have said they want justice, and for her body to be returned to India.A man has been charged with murder over the attack on Kirandeep Kaur in her home in Hayes, west London, on the morning of 12 July. Kaur, who had reportedly been living in the UK since 2024 on a student visa, allegedly suffered a stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 8.26am. Continue reading...

• South Korean retail investors have poured billions into leveraged bets on AI-related stocks, shifting the market from a stable bellwether to a high-volatility "AI frenzy." • As of July 17, margin loans remain high at 34.37 trillion won ($23 billion), following a June peak of 38.6 trillion won. • A Hong Kong-listed, twice-levered SK Hynix fund has surged over 20 times since the start of the year to reach $7.78 billion, becoming the largest of its kind globally.

Lee Hanson claims her mother’s comments on Tommy Robinson podcast were ‘misinterpreted’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBarnaby Joyce says Pauline Hanson does not support the White Australia policy but he has backed her support for “mass deportations” of those overstaying their visas.Hanson and her colleagues have spent days clarifying, explaining or walking back headline-grabbing parts of the One Nation leader’s trip to Europe, including a podcast interview with the far-right convicted criminal Tommy Robinson, her attendance at a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show and downtime by a hotel pool in Italy with the mining billionaire Gina Rinehart. Continue reading...

• A comprehensive schedule of 2026 TV premiere dates has been released, detailing new and returning series across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms. • Key May premieres include the BAFTA Television Awards on E! (May 10), Season 12 of 90 Day Fiancé on TLC (May 10), and Season 4 of Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs on Netflix (May 11). • Other notable debuts on May 11 include Pop Culture Jeopardy! moving to Netflix, the premiere of the docuseries Last Train to North America on ESPN, and Tucci in Italy on National Geographic.

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...

• President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is implementing a series of business-friendly reforms to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and compete with regional rivals like Vietnam and Malaysia. • Key initiatives include new laws regarding taxation and governance, extended land leasing options, and ambitious infrastructure upgrades to the nation's power grid, ports, and railways. • These efforts aim to capitalize on the global shift of supply chains as companies move operations away from China due to ongoing trade tensions and tariffs with Washington.

• Hungary's opposition party, Fidesz, has petitioned the Constitutional Court to review four major laws recently passed by Prime Minister Péter Magyar's Tisza government. • Fidesz argues that these reforms violate the nation's Fundamental Law and represent an attempt by Magyar to establish an "autocratic rule." • Party representative Tuzson accused the government of taking coercive measures that undermine the rule of law and threaten Hungary's constitutional order.

• BofA Finance (NYSE: BAC) has sold $3.21 million in index-linked digital return notes. • The notes offer a 10.84% digital return provided that three major indices, including the S&P 500 (SPX), remain above 65% of their initial levels. • Investors face significant risk, as they are exposed to the full downside of the indices and the credit risk associated with the issuer.

• Activist Sonam Wangchuk has announced he will end his indefinite hunger strike on July 20. • The decision comes as his fast entered its 20th day, with the conclusion tied to his participation in a planned march to Parliament. • This action underscores Wangchuk's commitment to his cause, though he lightheartedly remarked he would "come back as a ghost" if the march lacked sufficient participation.

• Major technology firms, including Oracle, are increasingly turning to the bond market to secure the massive funding required to build AI data centers. • S&P Global downgraded Oracle's debt on July 9, noting that the company's financial health has been deteriorating. • This downgrade leaves Oracle's debt just one notch above "junk bond" status, signaling a significant increase in financial risk.

• Indian companies are increasingly shifting toward Chinese Large Language Models (LLMs) as an alternative to American options. • The transition is driven by the "unsustainable" cost of US token bills, with developers arguing that high-end US models are often "overkill" for basic operational tasks. • This shift highlights a growing demand for cost-effective AI solutions and suggests a potential decline in US market dominance within the Indian enterprise sector.

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Wednesday regarding the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East. • The crisis involves continuing strikes between the United States and Iran as both nations vie for control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. • Guterres warned against a return to full-scale war, urging all involved parties to immediately prioritize diplomacy and dialogue over military action.

• India is integrating artificial intelligence into its healthcare system to improve diagnostic access, specifically through the use of AI-driven medical scans and eye disease detection. • A tool developed by the Bengaluru-based company Remidio allows healthcare workers with limited specialist training to perform initial eye screenings, expanding reach to underserved areas. • Medical professionals emphasize that AI is intended to function as a supportive tool for clinicians rather than a replacement for human doctors.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has highlighted the urgent need for global governance of artificial intelligence, warning that the "cost of waiting is rising." • Guterres emphasized that a new panel report provides independent, global scientific data to help governments understand and manage the significant risks associated with AI. • The announcement comes amid international signals and strategic actions by China as the world prepares for the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) 2026.

• The Indian junior women’s hockey team concluded its exposure-cum-competition tour of the UK, recording three wins and four losses. • This tour served as critical preparation for the upcoming Women’s Junior Asia Cup, which will take place in Moqi, China. • The tournament is scheduled to run from September 4 to 13, marking a key competitive milestone for the squad.

Divine Playhouse promoter and founder says venue faces significant operational, legal and financial challengesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA former church turned arts venue at the centre of a culture war is exploring legal action after receiving a notice from its landlord that forced its organisers to close the space and cancel planned events.Divine Playhouse is facing possible eviction, with its landlord ordering the venue’s organisers, Heaps Gay Events, to stop “engaging in offensive trade”, days after religious groups protested its opening night. Continue reading...

• South Korea's KOSPI index has entered a bear market after plunging approximately 25% from its record high reached in late June. • The decline was accelerated by an 8% single-session drop and a 30% crash in a twice-leveraged ETF tracking the stock in Hong Kong. • This volatility underscores a dangerous over-reliance on the semiconductor sector, as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix now comprise over 50% of the KOSPI's weighting.