In partnership with
Canada
(David Pugliese – Defense News) Canada is significantly expanding its armored fleet with a new contract to acquire 190 combat support vehicles over the next four years. The contract, worth almost $2 billion CAN (US$1.4 billion), was awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, based in London, Ontario. Canada will also pay for GDLS-Canada to build another 35 armored combat support vehicles for Ukraine, said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced the deal on July 16. – Canada to spend $1.4 billion on armored combat support vehicles built locally
Djibouti
(UN News) More than 256,000 people in Djibouti – around 25 per cent of the population – are likely to face crisis or emergency level hunger over the coming months, a UN-backed global food monitoring network warned in a new report released Friday. “Urgent actions are more than necessary to reduce consumption deficits and vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of affected households to prevent their food situation from shifting to higher levels of severe hunger,” according to new analysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) index. The latest data reflects a significant increase from the previous May to June period, the report found. Most of the affected people are refugees living in the Ali Addeh and Holl-Holl camps where households remain largely dependent on food assistance. Nearly 70 per cent of their population, over 21,000 people, have been classified under the crisis level or above, the report said. – Djibouti: Emergency alert spotlights sharp hunger spike | UN News
Estonia – Russia
(Alex Raufoglu – RFE/RL) As Russia’s war against Ukraine reshapes Europe’s security landscape, Estonia remains one of the countries most closely watching the Kremlin’s next moves. From Russia’s first-ever unannounced live-fire exercise on Lake Peipus on Estonia’s border to Tallinn’s push for an EU-wide ban on Russian ex-combatants entering the Schengen area, Estonia argues that Europe must prepare not only for military threats but also for hybrid warfare, foreign influence operations, and long-term security risks. In an interview with RFE/RL in Washington, Estonia’s Undersecretary for Internal Security Joosep Kaasik discusses why Tallinn believes prevention is Europe’s best defense, explains the reasoning behind Estonia’s law severing the Estonian Orthodox Church’s administrative ties to the Moscow Patriarchate, and assesses Russia’s growing partnerships with countries such as Iran. – ‘Sooner Or Later This Problem Will Be On Your Soil’: Estonia Pushes Europe To Bar Russian Fighters
Germany
(Zia Weise – Politico) Jens Spahn, a senior lawmaker with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Christian Democrats, resigned from his post as the party’s parliamentary leader on Saturday amid controversy over his use of a surrogate to have a child. Spahn came under growing pressure to step down after he revealed earlier this week that he and his husband had become parents using a surrogate mother in the United States, despite the practice being banned in Germany. “Over the past few days, I’ve realized that my personal happiness in starting a family with my husband and becoming a father is incompatible with my political office,” Spahn wrote in a letter to his colleagues on Saturday, obtained by German media. – German conservative parliamentary leader resigns over surrogacy debate – POLITICO
Russia – Ukraine
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) Waves of Ukrainian drone attacks killed seven warehouse workers and injured dozens more, while another attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the wider capital region, regional governors said on Saturday. Governor Evgeniy Pervyshov said 25 people were injured after Ukrainian drones slammed into a warehouse owned by Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, in the city of Kotovsk in the Tambov region, roughly 475 kilometers (295 miles) southeast of Moscow. – Ukraine drone attacks kill seven workers in Russia, spark fire at Moscow region oil depot
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) Russia attacked two Ukrainian Black Sea port cities on Friday, killing three people, Ukrainian officials said, as Moscow intensifies pressure on Ukraine’s key trade routes. A Russian drone attack on port infrastructure at the southern city of Mykolaiv damaged three civilian foreign-flagged vessels, regional prosecutors said. One of the strikes, early on Friday, killed two Ukrainians on board a foreign vessel, they added. Another man was killed in a Russian attack on Odesa, Ukraine’s biggest seaport, local officials said. Odesa Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said a later Russian strike hit a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel in one of the Odesa region ports, damaging the vessel, triggering a fire and injuring four of its 17 crew members. The entire crew was evacuated, Kiper said on Telegram. – Russia intensifies strikes on Ukraine Black Sea ports, killing three
(Amos Chapple – RFE/RL) No one was hurt when a Russian first person view (FPV) drone slammed into a vehicle in the Donetsk city of Kramatorsk on July 15, but an image documenting the strike has captured the fearsome destructive power of the aerial weapon. Iryna Rybakova and Maks Bondarenko were driving through the suburbs of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on the afternoon of July 15 when the pair spotted a large FPV quadcopter fitted with an explosive warhead that appeared to be hunting for something to hit. – Dramatic Photo Highlights Uptick In Drone Attacks In Ukraine’s Kramatorsk
Sudan
(UN News) UN humanitarians working in war-torn Sudan on Friday highlighted rapidly growing needs among the more than 100,000 displaced people now sheltering in camps in the city of El Obeid. “We are providing even not the full food ration to the people, but even that reduced food ration is being shared by the recipients with other families, because they know that they don’t have any other source of income,” said World Food Programme (WFP) Sudan Country Director, Abdallah Alwardat. – Hunger deepens for displaced families in Sudan’s El Obeid | UN News
UK
(Dan Bloom – Politico) Britain’s Labour Party has a new leader. Now for the hard part: the general election battle of his lifetime is less than three years away. The entire premiership of Andy Burnham, the center-left former mayor of Greater Manchester, will be dominated by the looming election, which is due in summer 2029 at the latest. Five parties hover between 12 and 24 percent in POLITICO’s Poll of Polls. Labour and the Conservatives each trail on 19 percent, five points behind Nigel Farage’s right-wing populists Reform UK. No wonder, then, that Burnham made clear he will run a more campaign-oriented 10 Downing Street than Keir Starmer. In his first speech after succeeding Starmer as party leader Friday, he promised a “distinctively Labour” program of reindustrialization and public control of key utilities, the “conviction to argue for our plans” and nothing less than “the most significant change moment in our politics for 40 years.” – Andy Burnham’s long general election campaign starts now – POLITICO
Ukraine
(Thomas Novelly – Defense One) Ukraine is making a thousand times more drones now than when Russia invaded four years ago—and NATO must learn how, the alliance’s deputy military commander said Thursday. “In 2022, Ukraine produced 5,000 drones, various. In 2026, they will produce, and I’m afraid I can’t give the figure, but let’s just say it is going to be well north of 5 million, of all flavors,” Air Chief Marshal Johnny Stringer told attendees at the Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference “So, for NATO nations, if 32 nations can’t kind of meet those figures, then frankly, what do we do?”. The U.S. war on Iran has shown how quickly a conflict can consume arsenals of costly, exquisite weapons, Stringer said. – Ukraine will build 5M drones in 2026. NATO must learn how: deputy commander – Defense One
(Ray Furlong and RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service – RFRE/RL) The man nominated to be Ukraine’s new defense minister is steeped in experience with special forces, drone technology, and the new ways of warfare. But Yevhen Khmara has stepped into a role where he’ll need the political skills to manage potentially tense relations with the Ukrainian general staff amid ongoing protests against the removal of his predecessor, Mykhaylo Fedorov. “We know that he comes from special ops with a very good track record,” Tymofiy Mylovanov, head of the Kyiv School of Economics, told RFE/RL, describing Khmara as “direct, straight, very technocratic…some people from the government have a crush on him”. One former officer of Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, said that Khmara spent 90 percent of his time at or near the front line. – Zelenskyy’s New Defense Chief Has Combat Kudos, But Faces Tough Political Challenge
US
(Jennifer Hlad – Defense One) Replacing broken parts and resupplying ships at sea is a challenge anywhere, but in the Pacific theater, that problem is magnified by thousands of miles of sea water. Now, as part of the sprawling Rim of the Pacific, the U.S. military is practicing how it might use tech like self-driving boats and 3D printers that can be thrown out of airplanes to overcome the region’s oft-lamented tyranny of distance. “We are piloting this program during RIMPAC to experiment with the idea of what theater-wide advanced manufacturing is going to look like for the joint force,” Rear Adm. Michael Mattis told reporters during a media day at the U.S. Pacific Command Joint Advanced Manufacturing Center, calling it the U.S. military’s largest advanced manufacturing demonstration so far. This year’s RIMPAC features “38 countries, 31 surface vessels, five submarines, over 30,000 personnel, almost 180 aircraft, and over 1,100 personnel that are going to be doing our landings,” Mattis said. “In that process, it’s an enormous experiment for us to figure out how to sustain the joint force.” – Can new drones, 3D printers defeat distance’s tyranny? RIMPAC aims to find out – Defense One
(Thomas Novelly – Defense One) China’s military advancements justify the Space Force’s $71 billion budget request, the White House nominee to lead the service said during a short and uncontentious Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday. “I would say that the $71.1 billion that the president has asked for is exactly what we need,” said Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess, who currently serves as the deputy chief of space operations for operations at the Pentagon. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee that it was “needed because of the threat from China and Russia, and the capabilities that the joint forces needs”. The Space Force’s budget request was thrown into uncertainty earlier this week when House leaders said they would not fully comply with the Trump administration’s proposal to provide much of the money through reconciliation—a partisan-controlled budget maneuver rarely used for defense spending before last year. Under the proposal, reconciliation would have funded some of the service’s most ambitious programs, including the Space Data Network and Golden Dome. – China justifies Space Force’s budget, nominee tells lawmakers in smooth confirmation hearing – Defense One
(Michael Scanlon – Defense News) Autonomous vessel maker Saronic is set to build Port Alpha, a shipyard the company describes as the most advanced in the world, at the Port of Brownsville, Texas. The announcement builds on an eventful few weeks for the company’s Corsair drone boats. – Saronic picks Brownsville, Texas, for $3 billion Port Alpha shipyard
US – Hong Kong
(Reuters/Al Arabiya) The United States on Friday partially removed Hong Kong-related sanctions and trade restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump in 2020 over China’s security crackdown on the territory, but did not restore its autonomous status, the US State and Treasury departments said. China had earlier announced that the US decision to allow the expiration of Trump’s national emergency declaration over Hong Kong would restore the territory’s special trade and economic status, but US officials disputed this assessment. – US lifts some Hong Kong sanctions imposed by Trump, autonomy status unchanged
US – Saudi Arabia
(Davis Winkie, Zachary Cohen – CNN) The Trump administration has tentatively agreed to allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without enacting international safeguards intended to prevent nuclear weapons development, according to sources familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by CNN. The draft nuclear accord that outlines US support for Riyadh’s civilian nuclear program is awaiting President Donald Trump’s signature despite US-Saudi negotiations concluding in October 2025. Two sources familiar with the matter indicated that the ongoing war with Iran — which according to Trump was launched in part to prevent Tehran from using its enriched uranium to build nuclear weapons — has played a role in delaying Trump’s signature. Some on Capitol Hill also believe the Trump administration is delaying sign-off because it could face a bipartisan disapproval resolution blocking the deals from going into effect, said one of the sources. Experts told CNN the deal could potentially provide Saudi Arabia with a path to nuclear weapons unless stringent safeguards are put in place. The country’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has previously threatened to build his own nuclear weapons should Iran, his country’s principal regional rival, acquire the bomb. Four sources said the agreement, which includes a civil nuclear cooperation deal known as a 123 agreement and a mandatory nuclear safeguards agreement, still have not been sent to Congress for review, as federal law requires the White House to do once signed. – Nuclear deal that would permit uranium enrichment by Saudi Arabia in limbo awaiting Trump admin sign off | CNN Politics
War in Iran – Middle East – Gulf
(Al Arabiya) Kuwait on Saturday said Iran struck another of its power and water plants, leading to the deactivation of several power generation units, a day after a similar attack. Firefighters tending to the blaze and workers have been injured in the attack, according to the Kuwaiti fire department. “Another electricity and water distillation plant was targeted by a hostile attack that led to a fire erupting in one of the plant’s components,” which resulted in the deactivation of some power generation units, the ministry of electricity and water said in a statement. – Injuries as fire breaks out in Kuwait after Iran hits second power, water plant
(AFP/Al Arabiya) Jordan’s army said on Saturday it had shot down 10 Iranian missiles with no casualties or damage, as Tehran retaliated against American strikes by pressing attacks on US allies. – Jordan’s army says shot down 10 Iranian missiles
(RFE/RL) US strikes on Iran widened early on July 18 from the Strait of Hormuz hotspot to multiple sites throughout central and southern Iran, including through the use of jet fighters, while Iran continued to pound US Gulf allies, as a fragile cease-fire further tattered. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces “launched a round of strikes against Iran…for the seventh consecutive night. The strikes are designed to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities at the Commander in Chief’s direction”. Some six-and-a-half hours later, 5 a.m. Iran time, CENTCOM said the wave of attacks had been concluded. CENTCOM said it “hit surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities. US forces employed fighter aircraft, aerial drones, and warships in addition to other assets”. The announcements came amid reports that traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz had dwindled to almost nothing amid multiple actions by US forces and missile launches by the Iranian side. – New US Attacks On Roads, Bridges Reported As Iran Hits Back At Gulf States
(Alex Raufoglu – RFE/RL) Military operations between the US and Iran have renewed attention on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil trade usually passes. Despite a significant US military presence, shipping companies remain reluctant to transit the strait, highlighting a reality that extends beyond naval power: the greatest challenge may be restoring confidence among commercial operators. RFE/RL spoke with naval strategist and maritime security analyst Joshua Tallis, a research program director at the Center for Naval Analyses, about the evolving military balance, Iran’s asymmetric capabilities, freedom of navigation, diplomacy, and what success would actually look like in the Strait of Hormuz. – Reopening Hormuz Strait Easier Than Restoring Confidence, Naval Analyst Tallis Says
(UN News) The UN Secretary-General remains deeply concerned by the continuing deadly military escalation between Iran and the United States, his spokesperson said on Friday as attacks destroyed key civilian and military infrastructure across the Gulf region. “He is particularly concerned about attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and across the region,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq. “Such attacks are unacceptable”. A month ago, Tehran and Washington signed a Memorandum of Understanding following the launch of an intense bombing campaign by the US and Israel in late February. – US-Iran war: UN chief calls for new diplomatic push following attacks on civilian areas | UN News
Tech World, Cybersecurity, and Surveillance
(Madison Mills, Zachary Basu – Axios) China’s latest AI breakthrough is forcing Silicon Valley to confront a terrifying possibility: Building the world’s smartest models may no longer be enough to win. Chinese labs like Moonshot AI are cornering the market for cheap, customizable intelligence, threatening to turn America’s prestige models into expensive niche products. Companies were already shifting away from premium AI models and toward cheaper Chinese alternatives before Moonshot’s Kimi K3 exploded onto the scene this week. On OpenRouter — a major marketplace that lets developers access hundreds of competing AI systems — Chinese models now occupy the top five spots by weekly token usage. All five models — from China-based Tencent, Xiaomi, DeepSeek, MiniMax and Z.ai — are “open-weight,” allowing users to download, customize and run them on their own systems. Most corporate AI work does not require the smartest model available. Businesses can use cheaper systems for routine coding, summarization, data extraction and customer service, reserving premium models for their hardest problems. “There are going to be open‑source models that eventually handle 95% of enterprise queries, and that remaining 5% may go to OpenAI or Anthropic,” one AI investor told Axios. Kong CEO Augusto Marietti told Axios that open-weight use has surged over the past quarter since flagship models are “too expensive.” – AI race splits in two as China wages open-weight insurgency
(Avery Lotz – Axios) Judges are becoming AI firewalls, setting guidelines for lawyers and litigants entering their courtrooms and reprimanding those who fail to vet their research or cite fake AI-generated cases. But judges are also navigating how to use the tech themselves. As attorney sanctions mount for irresponsible AI use, judges’ chambers are at the center of the push and pull between innovation and caution. Some early adopters see AI use as a catalyst for justice — while other jurists remain staunchly skeptical. “AI has the possibility to be an incredible value adder and force maximizer in the federal judiciary,” says Amy Cyphert, a West Virginia University College of Law professor. “But it also has the potential to undermine public confidence in the judiciary at a time where it’s already at a historic low”. 60% of 112 judges surveyed by Northwestern researchers reported using at least one AI tool. Just over 22% used AI tools weekly or daily. – Judges, lawyers grapple with the bench’s AI balancing act
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Ernst & Young (EY) is disclosed a data breach linked to a compromised third-party support ticket system used by its IT teams. The platform stored support requests that may have included documents containing client tax information. “EY uses a third-party information technology service management platform to help EY information technology personnel provide support to EY teams performing tax-related work for clients. Support tickets submitted through the platform may include documents containing client tax information. On April 23, 2026, EY identified anomalous activity within that platform.” reads the data breach notification. ” “EY’s Information Security team immediately initiated its incident response procedure to determine the nature and scope of the incident, contain it, and begin remediation and recovery efforts. EY has worked with an independent cybersecurity firm to investigate the incident and confirm that the unauthorized access has been stopped, and our systems are now secure. Based on EY’s investigation and available evidence, between March 28, 2026, and April 12, 2026, an unauthorized third party accessed the platform referenced above and downloaded documents pertaining to a number of EY clients.” – Ernst & Young (EY) Investigates Data Breach Involving Third-Party Support Tickets
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Nichirei is one of Japan’s largest food companies, best known for its frozen food business. Founded in 1942 and headquartered in Tokyo, it operates globally through dozens of subsidiaries. The food giant confirmed that the system outage reported on July 13 resulted from a cyberattack targeting its servers. The company immediately set up an emergency response team to investigate the incident and coordinate recovery efforts. To reduce the risk of further attacks, Nichirei is withholding technical details about the breach while it continues to restore affected systems and assess the full impact. – A cyberattack hit Nichirei, one of Japan’s largest food companies – Security Affairs
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Cisco Talos researchers published a detailed technical report on July 16 disclosing UAT-11795, a financially motivated, Russian-speaking threat actor that has been running a malware campaign against users in the United States and Europe since at least June 2025. The operation distributes trojanized installers for software that IT professionals and developers actually use: MobaXterm, Cisco Webex, Zoom, DBeaver, and even the gaming platform FACEIT. “Cisco Talos is disclosing UAT-11795, a sophisticated, Russian-speaking, financially motivated adversary that has been conducting a malicious campaign targeting users in the U.S. and Europe since at least June 2025.” reads the report published by Talos. – New Russian Campaign Uses Fake Webex and Zoom Installers to Deploy Starland RAT
(DigWatch) The Greek Parliament has approved the national implementing framework for the EU AI Act, making Greece one of the first member states to establish a comprehensive national system for enforcing the regulation. The new law in Greece establishes the institutional framework for supervising AI systems, coordinating enforcement, supporting innovation and ensuring compliance with the EU AI Act. The legislation designates the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA) as the central market surveillance authority and the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT) as the notifying authority, while establishing a dedicated AI Coordination and Expertise Centre. – Greece adopts national framework to implement EU AI Act | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Nobel laureates, scientists, religious leaders and former heads of state and government have signed the Rome Declaration for an Unarmed and Disarming Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear and Autonomous Weapons, New Digital Protocols, and Emerging Models of Digital Development. The declaration was adopted on 16 July on Rome’s Capitoline Hill following the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, hosted by the Vatican. The declaration calls for renewed international cooperation to address the challenges posed by AI, nuclear weapons and other emerging technologies. It stresses that decisions concerning life and death, peace and war, and the future of humanity should remain under meaningful human control, while highlighting the importance of ensuring that technological progress is guided by ethics, responsibility and respect for human dignity. – Nobel Laureates sign Rome Declaration on Nuclear Weapons and AI – Vatican News
(DigWatch) Nobel laureates, scientists, religious leaders and former heads of state and government have signed the Rome Declaration for an Unarmed and Disarming Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear and Autonomous Weapons, New Digital Protocols, and Emerging Models of Digital Development. The declaration was adopted on 16 July on Rome’s Capitoline Hill following the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, hosted by the Vatican. The declaration calls for renewed international cooperation to address the challenges posed by AI, nuclear weapons and other emerging technologies. It stresses that decisions concerning life and death, peace and war, and the future of humanity should remain under meaningful human control, while highlighting the importance of ensuring that technological progress is guided by ethics, responsibility and respect for human dignity. – Nobel Laureates sign Rome Declaration on Nuclear Weapons and AI – Vatican News
(DigWatch) The White House has announced the launch of GOLD EAGLE, a cybersecurity vulnerability coordination initiative established under President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14410, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security. According to the administration, the initiative brings together federal agencies, open-source software partners and operators of critical infrastructure to accelerate the identification and remediation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities using AI. The initiative is being implemented through collaboration between the White House, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Department of War. The administration said GOLD EAGLE is intended to reduce duplicative vulnerability scanning, improve exploit detection and provide prioritised threat and remediation information to government and private-sector defenders. – White House Launches Gold Eagle Initiative for Unprecedented Cybersecurity Vulnerability Coordination – The White House
(DigWatch) Twenty-nine countries signed an agreement in Shanghai on 16 July establishing the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO), an independent intergovernmental international organisation that will be headquartered in Shanghai. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed the agreement on behalf of China, while representatives from countries including Kazakhstan, Laos, Pakistan, Russia and Indonesia became founding members. UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended the signing ceremony alongside representatives of other countries and international organisations. – World AI Cooperation Organization established in Shanghai | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The United Arab Emirates presented its AI-driven labour-market policies at the 2026 BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting in India. The country highlighted public-private cooperation, adaptable legislation and investment in AI as part of its approach to workforce development. UAE Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation Abdulrahman Al Awar said AI is being used to forecast labour-market needs, identify future skills and support data-based decision-making. – UAE highlights AI-driven labour market strategy at BRICS meeting | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The UK government has published a Model Action Plan establishing a coordinated approach for responding to significant personal data breaches across government departments and arm’s-length bodies. The plan prioritises the wellbeing, privacy, safety and legal rights of people affected by personal data breaches. It also introduces mandatory central reporting to help identify systemic weaknesses, analyse incident trends and share lessons across government. A breach may be considered significant if it creates a risk of serious harm to large numbers of people, affects vulnerable or high-profile individuals, threatens national security or critical infrastructure, involves multiple organisations, or could cause major financial, operational or reputational damage. – UK publishes government data breach response framework | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Japan is moving to build what NVIDIA describes as the world’s first national AI infrastructure for physical AI, in partnership with Noetra and supported by government and industry leaders. The initiative is designed to strengthen Japan’s AI ecosystem across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, telecommunications and other industrial sectors. Noetra will establish an NVIDIA Vera Rubin AI factory using 13,750 NVIDIA Vera CPUs and 27,500 NVIDIA Rubin GPUs. – Japan Government, Industrial Leaders and NVIDIA Launch the World’s First National AI Infrastructure | NVIDIA Newsroom
(DigWatch) Anthropic has launched Claude for Teachers, offering verified K-12 educators in the US free access to premium Claude features, teaching skills and curriculum-aligned resources. The product is designed to help teachers plan lessons, adapt materials, differentiate instruction and manage classroom workflows. Claude for Teachers connects to Learning Commons, giving it access to academic standards across all 50 US states and related learning competencies. – Introducing Claude for Teachers \ Anthropic
(DigWatch) Visa has outlined a future in which traditional card networks and stablecoins play complementary roles in AI-driven commerce. A joint report by Visa and blockchain analytics firm Artemis examines how AI agents are beginning to make payments, drawing on live on-chain data and emerging payment protocols. The report divides agentic commerce into two broad categories. In macro-commerce, AI agents act on behalf of people in transactions such as travel bookings, subscriptions or other consumer purchases. Visa says those payments resemble ordinary e-commerce and remain well-suited to card networks. In micro-commerce, software systems make small and frequent payments to other software systems, often for API access or computing resources. – Visa explores hybrid future for AI-driven payments | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) OpenAI has called for closer alignment between US state and federal AI safety efforts, arguing that a common framework is needed to govern frontier AI systems. In a policy blog post, the company said recent frontier AI legislation in California, New York and Illinois shows how states can help create a shared baseline before a single federal framework is in place. OpenAI describes this process as ‘reverse federalism’, where state laws move in similar directions and gradually shape a de facto national standard. – OpenAI calls for aligned US AI safety framework | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The Government of India has approved Semicon 2.0, a long-term strategy worth Rs. 1.275 trillion (approximately €13 billion) to accelerate the development of the country’s semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem. Building on Semicon 1.0, the programme aims to strengthen India’s position across the semiconductor value chain through sustained public investment, industrial incentives and workforce development. The strategy is organised around six pillars, such as semiconductor design, manufacturing equipment and materials, fabrication facilities, advanced packaging technologies, research and development, and talent development. – India approves €13 billion Semicon 2.0 strategy | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) A surge in AI infrastructure investment could widen the US current account deficit by increasing demand for imported high-technology equipment, according to a Federal Reserve research note. The note says the US AI buildout depends heavily on imports of advanced inputs, with about 90% of equipment goods used in high-technology sectors sourced from abroad. Suppliers are concentrated in East Asia, where economies specialise in semiconductors and related hardware. – Federal Reserve note warns of AI import dependence | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Ofcom has published its 2026 Use of Age Assurance Report, finding that age-assurance measures have expanded rapidly over the past year while calling for further action to strengthen online protections for children under the UK’s Online Safety Act. The report examines the first six months after child protection duties took effect in July 2025, covering pornography, social media and online dating services. Ofcom said highly effective age assurance can significantly improve child safety, although no single method can completely prevent circumvention. – Ofcom says age checks expand but more action needed | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) Microsoft and 3M have announced a strategic partnership covering AI data centre infrastructure and the deployment of Microsoft AI tools across 3M’s business operations. Microsoft Azure will become the first hyperscale cloud provider to deploy 3M’s Expanded Beam Optical technology, which is designed to improve the physical connectivity needed for expanding cloud and AI workloads. Unlike conventional fibre connectors that rely on direct physical contact, the technology uses an expanded optical beam, making connections more resistant to dust and contamination during installation and maintenance. Microsoft said early deployments suggest the technology could shorten network installation times in some environments while maintaining reliable signal performance under typical data centre conditions. – Microsoft and 3M partner on AI data centre infrastructure | Digital Watch Observatory
(DigWatch) The Illinois State Board of Education has published comprehensive guidance on the use of AI in schools, while also disclosing that the 409-page document was itself developed with assistance from multiple AI models alongside human review. The guidance was prepared following legislation adopted in 2025, with contributions from education, technology and public policy experts. Initial drafts drew ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, while human reviewers edited, verified and refined the final document. – Illinois issues AI guidance for schools with AI-assisted drafting disclosed | Digital Watch Observatory
