(opens original source in a new tab)Rest of World“It’s laughable”: Global AI experts challenge Zuckerberg’s “AI for everyone”Observers scrutinize Meta founder’s argument about AI’s potential as an equalizer and enabler. (opens original source in a new tab)Ananya Bhattacharya·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosVance raises $5 million at big Hamptons eventVice President Vance hosted a Wednesday evening fundraiser in Southampton, N.Y., for young Republican donors that raised more than $5 million, Axios has learned.Why it matters: The event drew several up-and-coming donors in their 20s and 30s — providing a glimpse into the finance network Vance is assembling ahead of a possible run for president in 2028. The play (opens original source in a new tab)Alex Isenstadt·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostShanghai is lowering second-home down payments. Will it boost the property market?Shanghai has announced further cuts to minimum down‑payment requirements for homebuyers, joining Beijing to become the latest top-tier Chinese city to ease curbs in the hopes of engineering a broad recovery for the country’s struggling property market. The minimum down payment for buying a second home was reduced from 20 to 15 per cent, bringing it in line with the threshold for first-time homebuyers, the local government announced on Thursday. Encouraging a recovery in new-home sales is part of (opens original source in a new tab)Emma Ma·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosWhen Mullin's friends in Congress call, DHS answersHomeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is building a reputation as a Cabinet official willing to do favors for his former colleagues in Congress — even at the risk of drawing a backlash from the White House and MAGA.Why it matters: Some of Mullin's most high-profile moves — such as pausing ICE agents' traffic stops and delaying border security construc (opens original source in a new tab)Brittany Gibson·20 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)AGBIArada expands in Australia with Gold Coast residential projectUAE developer Arada is expanding in Australia with the launch of a project on the eastern Gold Coast, famed for its sandy beaches. The AED5 billion ($1.4 billion) twin-tower residential project will come up in Broadbeach, marking the developer’s debut in the state of Queensland. It will house close to 1,000 homes and is targeted […] (opens original source in a new tab)Pramod Kumar·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostChina and US bond markets head in opposite directionsChina’s central bank sought to cool currency gains after the yuan hit the strongest against the dollar in more than three years following US government intervention in the bond market. The People’s Bank of China set the daily yuan fixing rate at 6.7808 per dollar on Thursday, or 598 pips below the average estimate in a Bloomberg survey. That was the widest gap between the fixing and expectations since February, according to the financial news service. Offshore yuan earlier rose to the highest... (opens original source in a new tab)Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma·20 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)ScienceDailyThe “Asian water tower” is losing 24 billion tonnes of groundwater every yearThe “Asian Water Tower” is losing roughly 24.2 billion tonnes of groundwater every year, with some of the worst declines hitting densely populated farming regions. Glacier melt may temporarily soften the crisis around the 2060s, but without changes in water use, researchers expect depletion to accelerate afterward. (opens original source in a new tab)20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)New ScientistNASA calls off rescue effort to save doomed telescopeThe Swift observatory will now re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in a few months, after a mission to boost it higher failed (opens original source in a new tab)Jonathan O’Callaghan·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosThe rise of DSA is killing off Resistance 1.0 DemocratsDemocrats who ooze anti-Trump resistance credibility — even central figures in past Trump impeachments — are struggling to withstand the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America and their allies in party primaries.Why it matters: In the first Trump administration, involvement<a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/24/trump-impeachment-house-democrats-2026-ele (opens original source in a new tab)Andrew Solender·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosData center uproar scrambles the midterm electionA new populist fever is coursing through the midterms, forcing campaigns to retreat and recalibrate as they confront a groundswell of hostility toward AI data centers.Why it matters: Grassroots pressure is breaking the bipartisan consensus that enabled America's AI buildout. Candidates in both parties are now racing to distance themselves from projects their own leaders spent years courti (opens original source in a new tab)Zachary Basu·20 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)WiredSalmonella Is EverywhereFrom granola to guacamole, a wide variety of foods have been recalled lately over salmonella risks. Experts say common-sense precautions go a long way. (opens original source in a new tab)Emily Mullin·20 August 2026