Tuesday, July 7, 2026

World

Hamas cedes Gaza governance as Khamenei mourned

Hamas has dissolved its governing body in Gaza, handing control to a technocratic committee in a move that reshapes the territory's political future. Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei's body arrived in Qom for burial after three days of state mourning in Tehran that his government staged as a defiant political spectacle. The dual developments mark a pivotal week for Middle East power dynamics.

MarketWill Mojtaba Khamenei be head of state in Iran end of 2026?83%

Economy

Samsung profits surge 1,800% on AI chip demand

Samsung has posted its third consecutive quarter of record profit, driven entirely by the AI-fuelled semiconductor boom pushing chip prices sharply higher. The 1,800% profit jump illustrates just how lopsided demand has become, with memory chip supply still struggling to keep pace. SK Hynix, Samsung's chief rival, is meanwhile preparing a multibillion-dollar US IPO expected to land this Friday.

MarketWill xAI have the highest IPO Market Cap 2026?26%

World

China's Pacific missile test draws international condemnation

China's missile test over the Pacific has drawn formal rebukes from the US and Australia, who say it violated international law and was conducted with insufficient warning to neighbouring countries. Beijing is dismissing the backlash, calling the test routine military training and telling critics not to over-interpret it. Taiwan's government released details of the missile's flight path, adding pressure on Beijing as international criticism continues to grow.

MarketWill China invade Taiwan by end of 2026?4%

Tech

AI agent executes first real-world ransomware attack

An AI agent has autonomously carried out the technical execution of a ransomware attack in what researchers are calling the first known real-world instance of its kind. A human still selected the victim, built the infrastructure, and handed over stolen credentials — meaning fully autonomous cybercrime remains a step away, but only just. The incident signals that the threshold between AI-assisted and AI-run attacks is narrowing fast.

Politics

Canada signs largest ever defence deal for submarines

Canada has signed the biggest defence procurement in its history, selecting German shipbuilder TKMS — in a joint bid with Norway — to supply 12 new submarines. Prime Minister Carney framed the deal as a response to a "dangerous and divided world" and timed the announcement to coincide with his appearance at a major NATO summit. South Korea's Hanwha Ocean was the losing bidder.