Tech News

1. Geopolitics / Diplomacy:

   • U.S. military operation in Venezuela: A U.S. strike captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, triggering a massive profit in prediction markets (e.g., Polymarket) where a trader turned $34K into $436K by betting on Maduro’s capture, raising insider trading concerns. 👉 axios.com 👉 theverge.com 👉 foxnews.com (1 day ago)
   • U.S. sanctions on spyware: The U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on three individuals linked to the Intellexa Consortium (Predator spyware), citing administrative processes, while concerns persist over spyware misuse. 👉 reuters.com 👉 cybernews.com

2. Economy / Markets:

   • AI valuations under scrutiny: Tech journalist Kara Swisher warns of potential AI bubble burst in 2026, citing massive AI valuations and Big Tech’s "hegemony." 👉 bloomberg.com^$ (1 day ago)
   • Tech billionaire cashouts: Tech billionaires cashed out $16 billion in 2025 as stocks soared, signaling confidence in their investments. 👉 techcrunch.com (1 day ago)
   • Nvidia’s cash surplus: Nvidia faces challenges deploying its $80B+ in free cash flow, with Groq deal highlighting narrowing options for AI investments. 👉 wsj.com^$ (2 days ago)

3. AI / Tech:

   • AI-generated deepfakes: Grok AI, Elon Musk’s chatbot, is generating sexualized deepfake images of minors and women, prompting investigations by French and Malaysian authorities. 👉 techcrunch.com 👉 theatlantic.com (1 day ago)
   • AI chatbot delays: Alaska’s AI probate assistant (AVA) project, plagued by hallucinations and delays, is finally launching in late January after over a year of development. 👉 nbcnews.com 👉 techmeme.com (2 days ago)
   • AI agents in Windows: Microsoft introduces Agent Launchers framework in Windows 11, enabling AI agents to integrate with the OS for tasks like data analysis and research, raising security concerns. 👉 geekwire.com (3 days ago)

4. Cybersecurity / Privacy:

   • Ransomware attacks: LockBit remains the most prolific ransomware group, with Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters launching extortion campaigns against companies like Toyota, FedEx, and Disney. 👉 thehackernews.com 👉 techcrunch.com (2 days ago)
   • Data breaches: Trust Wallet’s Chrome extension breach led to an $8.5M crypto theft linked to the Sha1-Hulud supply chain attack. 👉 trustwallet.com 👉 cybernews.com (2 days ago)
   • CSA issues alert: The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore warns of a critical SmarterMail flaw (CVE-2025-52691) allowing remote code execution. 👉 cybernews.com (3 days ago)

5. Energy / Environment:

   • EV market shifts: U.S. hybrid vehicle sales surged in late 2025, accounting for 15% of auto transactions, while fully electric vehicles slowed due to subsidy expirations. 👉 msn.com (3 days ago)
   • Tesla Semi charging: Tesla’s Semi electric truck achieves 1.2 MW charging speeds, enabling 70% charge in 30 minutes, a key milestone for long-haul electric trucking. 👉 electrek.co (4 days ago)

6. Healthcare / Biotech:

   • Candida auris superbug: A deadly fungal infection, Candida auris, infected 7,000+ Americans in 2025, resistant to all antifungal treatments. 👉 independent.co.uk 👉 stacks.cdc.gov (5 days ago)
   • Chinese peptides trend: Silicon Valley tech workers experiment with gray-market Chinese peptides for cognitive enhancement, raising concerns over unregulated biohacking. 👉 nytimes.com^$ 👉 bloomberg.com^$ (2 days ago)

7. Social Media / Tech Trends:

   • Reddit overtakes TikTok: Reddit becomes the 4th most-visited social media platform in the UK, driven by Google’s search algorithm changes and AI partnerships. 👉 theguardian.com 👉 techcrunch.com (2 days ago)
   • Xreal AR glasses: Xreal unveils 1S AR glasses with 1200p resolution and 3D conversion, priced at $449, targeting Switch 2 gamers. 👉 theverge.com 👉 cnet.com (3 days ago)

8. Startups / Investments:

   • Furiosa AI chip: Seoul-based FuriosaAI, valued at ~$700M, enters mass production with its RNGD AI chip, targeting Nvidia’s dominance in AI inference. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 techcrunch.com (3 days ago)
   • Cisco acquisition: Cisco in advanced talks to acquire Axonius for $2B to bolster enterprise security. 👉 calcalistech.com 👉 siliconangle.com (3 days ago)

9. Hardware / Gadgets:

   • Pebble Round 2: Pebble revives its iconic Round smartwatch with a color ePaper display and two-week battery life, priced at $199. 👉 techcrunch.com 👉 gizmodo.com (3 days ago)
   • Subtle earbuds: Subtle releases noise-canceling earbuds with AI-driven models, aiming to compete in the premium audio market. 👉 techcrunch.com (1 day ago)

10. Legal / Regulatory:

    • Google-California journalism deal: A $250M Google-funded journalism initiative in California has stalled due to budget cuts and bureaucratic infighting, leaving newsrooms unfunded. 👉 politico.com (4 days ago)
    • EU DMA/DSA enforcement: The EU plans stricter enforcement of Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) in 2026, targeting U.S. Big Tech firms. 👉 ft.com^$ (3 days ago)

11. Rare Earths / Mining:

    • Domestic rare-earth processing: U.S. startups like Phoenix Tailings (valued at $189M) are developing low-emission rare-earth processing plants to break China’s monopoly. 👉 msn.com (4 days ago)

12. AI in Education:

    • Global AI adoption in schools: Governments worldwide (e.g., UAE, Estonia) rush to deploy GenAI in classrooms, despite warnings from agencies like UNICEF about ethical risks. 👉 nytimes.com^$ (3 days ago)

13. Crypto / Blockchain:

    • LastPass breach fallout: Cryptocurrency thefts linked to the 2022 LastPass breach continue, with attackers laundering funds via Russian exchanges. 👉 bleepingcomputer.com 👉 cybernews.com (3 days ago)
    • Bitfinex hacker’s pardon: Ilya Lichtenstein, the Bitfinex hacker, credits Trump’s First Step Act for his early prison release. 👉 techcrunch.com (1 day ago)

14. Cybercrime:

    • RondoDox botnet: Exploits React2Shell (CVE-2025-55182) to hijack IoT devices and web servers, infecting ~90,300 vulnerable systems. 👉 thehackernews.com 👉 cybernews.com (3 days ago)
    • GlassWorm malware: Targets macOS developers with trojanized VSCode/OpenVSX extensions, delivering fake crypto wallets. 👉 thehackernews.com (4 days ago)

15. Cloud Security:

    • Google Cloud phishing: Cybercriminals abuse Google Cloud’s Application Integration service to distribute phishing emails, bypassing filters. 👉 thehackernews.com (3 days ago)
    • IBM API Connect flaw: Critical authentication bypass (CVE-2025-13915, CVSS 9.8) in IBM’s API Connect could allow remote access to applications. 👉 thehackernews.com (4 days ago)

16. Automotive / Robotics:

    • Tesla’s Optimus robots: Elon Musk bets on Optimus humanoid robots, though they still rely on human helpers and face commercial challenges. 👉 wsj.com^$ 👉 fortune.com (4 days ago)
    • London robotaxis: Waymo and Baidu prepare to launch robotaxis in London in 2026, marking the city’s role in the U.S.-China robotaxi battle. 👉 ft.com^$ (4 days ago)

17. Social Media / Influencers:

    • O-1B visas for influencers: U.S. immigration lawyers report influencers and OnlyFans models dominate O-1B visas, reserved for "exceptional" artists. 👉 ft.com^$ (3 days ago)

18. Microsoft / Windows:

    • Offline Windows activation: Microsoft disables offline activation for Windows 11, forcing users to activate online. 👉 neowin.net (4 days ago)

19. Linux / Open Source:

    • Archboot adds COSMIC: Archboot, a user-friendly Arch Linux installer, now supports the COSMIC desktop environment. 👉 linuxiac.com (5 days ago)

20. Trump Mobile:

    • Trump smartphone delays: The Trump Mobile "T1" smartphone (originally $499) faces delays until end of January 2026 due to U.S. government shutdowns. 👉 cbsnews.com (5 days ago)

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