Japan Becomes World's Third-Largest Military Spender

Japan is sharply increasing its defense budget and will become the world's third-largest military spender by 2027, behind the United States and China. Tokyo plans to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP, doubling it within a few years. This is a radical shift for a country that for decades maintained a pacifist constitution and a symbolic presence in the global military architecture.

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An insider being sued by Apple leaked photos of a foldable iPhone to spite the company.

Kosutami, a well-known insider who is being sued by Apple for leaking information, published photos of a foldable iPhone prototype. Instead of being silenced by the lawsuit, he posted images of a device with a vertically folded screen—a format reminiscent of the Galaxy Z Flip. Apple has been patenting flexible display technologies for years, but publicly denies developing foldable models.

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New York to Mandate Social Media Platforms to Display Mental Health Warnings

New York State officials are introducing a requirement for social media platforms to display mental health warnings. The law aims to protect teens from algorithms that foster addiction and anxiety. Platforms will be required to notify users of the risks of excessive use.

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Israel Recognizes Somaliland's Independence

Israel has officially recognized Somaliland as an independent state. This is the first recognition in three decades, since the region declared independence from Somalia in 1991. The decision comes amid growing Turkish and Iranian influence in the Horn of Africa and Israel's desire to gain a foothold in the strategically important Red Sea region.

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🇨🇳China Launches World's First Million-Ton Hydrogen Steel Production Line

China has commissioned a production line capable of producing a million tons of steel per year using hydrogen instead of coal. The technology reduces carbon emissions by 80% compared to traditional blast furnaces. The line runs on electricity and hydrogen, making the process cleaner and potentially cheaper to scale up.

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🇺🇸AI Could Accelerate the Bankruptcy of the US Social Security System

Artificial intelligence threatens the financial sustainability of Social Security, the US government pension system. Job automation is reducing the number of taxpayers contributing to the fund, while the number of pension recipients continues to grow. Experts warn that if the pace of AI adoption continues, Social Security's reserves could be depleted several years ahead of the projected 2034 deadline.

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🇦🇺Australia has expedited visas for the family of the Iraqi man who prevented the Bondi massacre.

The Australian government has urgently approved visas for the relatives of Ahmed Al-Ahmed, an Iraqi refugee who stopped a knife-wielding killer with his bare hands at a Bondi shopping mall. Al-Ahmed, a security guard, attacked the attacker before police arrived. His actions saved dozens of lives, but he himself was seriously injured.

The story received widespread coverage, with the public demanding recognition for the heroism of the migrant, who risked his life for strangers in the country where he was seeking asylum. Authorities remained silent for a long time, but under pressure from the media and citizens, they agreed to expedite family reunification.

Last week, Mr. Al-Ahmed was presented with a check for $2.5 million for his heroism. More than 43,000 people from around the world donated to a fundraiser created for him.

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Deepfake technology reached new heights in 2025 – the forecast for 2026 looks like a nightmare reality.

Deepfake technology reached a critical point in 2025. Artificial intelligence has learned to create fake videos and audio so convincingly that distinguishing them from the original is becoming virtually impossible, even for experts. This affects not only public figures – now anyone with photos or videos online is at risk.

The forecast for 2026 is deeply alarming. Experts warn of the widespread use of deepfakes for election manipulation, financial fraud, and blackmail. The technology is becoming accessible to everyone – all it takes is a smartphone and a free app. Law enforcement agencies and courts are not yet prepared for the flood of cases in which video, potentially fake, will become primary evidence.

The issue of trust in any digital content becomes critical. When one's own eyes cannot be trusted, the very foundation of a free society – the ability of citizens to independently evaluate information and make decisions – is threatened. The proposed centralized verification systems could become a new tool for monitoring the accuracy of information.

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A Garmin autopilot landed a plane without human intervention.

Garmin demonstrated the Autoland system, which landed a light aircraft autonomously without pilot intervention. The technology analyzes the weather, selects the nearest airfield, contacts air traffic control, and carries out the landing. It is designed for emergency situations, such as when the pilot is unconscious or unable to control the aircraft.

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🇨🇳China Bans Tesla-Style Retractable Door Handles Due to Safety Risks

Chinese regulators have banned retractable door handles in new cars after a series of incidents in which people were unable to escape from burning vehicles. The decision applies to all manufacturers, including Tesla, whose Model S and Model X use this design. The handles are retractable into the door to improve aerodynamics, but in a critical situation, drivers and passengers waste precious seconds trying to figure out how to open the door.

The problem isn't just one of design. If the electronics fail during a fire or accident, the mechanical emergency release mechanism is often hidden in such a way that it's difficult to find in a panic. China has already recorded fatalities due to this very reason. Authorities decided not to wait for statistics to accumulate and imposed a strict ban at the level of safety standards.

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Saudi Arabia deported over 13,000 illegal immigrants in a week.

Saudi Arabia expelled over 13,000 illegal immigrants in a single week. The operation was part of a broader effort to tighten immigration controls and combat the illegal presence of foreigners in the kingdom. Authorities checked documents, detained visa violators, and returned them to their home countries.

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🇬🇧Britain Launches Paid Military Gap Year for Young People

The UK is introducing a new program: young people aged 18–24 will be able to spend a year in the armed forces, earning a salary and with no long-term commitment. The initiative aims to address the personnel crisis in the army, navy, and air force, where personnel numbers are declining, and traditional contracts are discouraging a generation accustomed to flexibility.

The program offers basic training, real-world service experience, and the opportunity to leave after a year without consequences. Authorities hope to attract those who are not ready for a long-term commitment but want to try a military career. Critics point out that this is an admission that the traditional recruitment model no longer works.

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😳A Pennsylvania court has ruled that Google search queries are not private.

The Pennsylvania Court of Appeals has ruled that Google search history is not protected by privacy. Law enforcement agencies can now request data about what individuals have searched online without having to prove probable cause for a warrant. The court held that users voluntarily share their search information with the company, and therefore cannot expect privacy.

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OpenAI Embeds Ads in ChatGPT Responses – Sponsors Will Get Priority

OpenAI is launching an advertising model in ChatGPT. The company will display sponsored content directly in the chatbot's responses. Advertisers will be able to pay for prioritized mention of their products and services in user conversations.

This changes the very nature of the tool. ChatGPT, positioned as a neutral assistant, is now becoming an advertising platform. Users won't always be able to distinguish an objective response from a paid recommendation. For OpenAI, this is a way to monetize after billions of dollars in investments, but the platform's credibility will be called into question. Competitors like Anthropic and other local models have an advantage – they will not yet feature embedded advertising.

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🤔The Invisible Collapse of Dependencies: The Main Threat to Modern Civilization

Modern life rests on a pyramid of systems that most people don't see or understand. The phone works, the lights are on, food is in the store, water is running. Beneath every convenience lie thousands of invisible dependencies. The global financial system runs on decades-old code, maintained by a dwindling team of specialists. Food chains operate on a just-in-time basis, without inventory. In large cities, food lasts only a few days if the trucks keep running. High-tech manufacturing depends on materials produced in a few places across the planet. One break, and there's no way around it.

The problem isn't the complexity of systems, but their opacity. Previously, breakdowns were visible: a well ran dry, but people knew how to dig a new one. Today, a disruption in the supply of a special gas for semiconductor lasers brings entire industries to a standstill, and almost no one understands why, let alone how to fix it. Resilience has been traded for efficiency, redundancy for speed, adaptability for specialization.

Result: civilization works brilliantly until it doesn't. And then the regression isn't back to the 1950s, but much deeper. Without these invisible systems, the manual knowledge, infrastructure, and population distribution to support billions no longer exist.

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🇮🇷Iran launched three satellites into space from a Russian cosmodrome.

Iran announced the successful launch of three satellites into orbit from a Russian cosmodrome. The operation took place amidst an active military-technical partnership between Tehran and Moscow.

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Apple appeals £1.5 billion fine for overcharging UK users

Apple has appealed a UK court's ruling ordering it to pay £1.5 billion for systematically overcharging UK customers in the App Store. The company is accused of abusing its monopoly position: developers are required to use Apple's payment system, which charges a commission of up to 30%, which is directly passed on to end users.

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An American shared how Costco helps him save $500 a month on groceries.

A 27-year-old American resident shared his experience using a Costco Executive membership for $130 a year. He lives with his mother, and his younger brother attends college a couple of hours away. The family is actively paying off debt and maintaining a healthy diet.

Costco purchases earn 2% cashback on every transaction. You can add a second cardholder to the card—he added his brother, and now he earns bonuses on his purchases in another city. Over the course of several months, he accumulated enough cashback to pay for another year of membership. He saved about $500 a month on groceries and household cleaning supplies compared to regular stores. Organic frozen fruits and vegetables, fresh produce in bulk, soap, and hygiene products are all significantly cheaper. He plans two meals a day and avoids eating out.

As a bonus, Costco gas stations offer significantly lower prices than competitors. The only drawback is the perpetually crowded parking lot. If your membership doesn't meet your expectations after a month, you can get a refund. This format works great for families with children and those on a budget.

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