China Claims Latin America Is as 'A Zone of Peace', Urges U.S. to Stop Interfering 'in Venezuela's Internal Affairs'

Key White House officials are urging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to exclude AI chip export restrictions to China from the annual defense policy bill. This push reflects ongoing strategic considerations regarding technology and national security as the U.S. navigates its relationship with China.

US President Donald Trump stated that investment in artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly benefiting the economy. However, he expressed concerns that overregulation could hinder the US's competitive edge against China in the AI sector.

US officials are reportedly indicating that semiconductor tariffs may not be imposed soon, reflecting a more cautious stance from the Trump administration regarding China. This potential delay comes amid ongoing trade tensions and strategic considerations in US-China relations.

Experts warn that reliance on foreign-made open models poses significant risks to the US supply chain and innovation in artificial intelligence. This dependency could hinder the country's competitive edge against China in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

The Netherlands has temporarily halted its efforts to seize control of the Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia, a move seen as a gesture of goodwill aimed at easing tensions in the ongoing EU-China dispute. This decision comes amid concerns over the impact on global car supply chains, which have been affected by semiconductor shortages.

A new mega data center is set to be constructed in eastern Germany, aimed at establishing a foundation for a competitive European AI sector against the United States and China. This initiative is part of Germany's broader strategy to achieve digital sovereignty.

Astronaut Zena Cardman, currently aboard the International Space Station, captured stunning images of aurora lights dancing above the United States. Cardman noted that while she had never seen auroras from below, witnessing them from space is a frequent occurrence.

LocalBench is a newly introduced benchmark aimed at evaluating large language models (LLMs) on county-level local knowledge and reasoning in the United States. It addresses the inadequacies of existing benchmarks that primarily focus on macro-scale geographic tasks. LocalBench comprises 14,782 validated question-answer pairs across 526 U.S. counties, integrating diverse data sources such as Census statistics and local community inputs. This initiative is crucial as AI systems increasingly require nuanced understanding of local dynamics and governance.