Global Pulse

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  • Australia confirms first diphtheria death amid worst outbreak in decades

    Australia confirms first diphtheria death amid worst outbreak in decades

    Australia is confronting its most severe diphtheria outbreak in more than three decades, and health authorities have now confirmed the nation’s first fatality from the vaccine-preventable illness since 2018. The unprecedented spread of the disease, which is concentrated largely in remote Indigenous communities across the country’s north and west, has triggered a national public health response aimed at ramping up vaccination coverage and containing transmission.

    The outbreak first began to emerge in late 2025, with case counts climbing steadily through the start of 2026 before surging sharply in February. By March, Northern Territory (NT) officials formally declared a public health outbreak, with additional cases soon detected in Western Australia (WA), South Australia, and Queensland. As of mid-2026, total confirmed cases across the country have reached 245 – making this the largest national outbreak recorded since 1991.

    On Tuesday, NT Health Minister Steve Edgington announced that autopsy analysis conducted by an overseas laboratory confirmed diphtheria as the cause of a man’s death in April at Royal Darwin Hospital. This marks the first recorded diphtheria death in Australia in eight years, per national public health records.

    Breaking down the geographic distribution of cases, 60% of all 2026 infections have been recorded in the Northern Territory, with Western Australia accounting for another 36% of cases. Just a small handful of additional infections have been confirmed in South Australia and Queensland. Between January 2025 and May 2026, the NT alone documented 163 cases: 48 of the more dangerous respiratory diphtheria strain, and 115 cases of cutaneous diphtheria, which spreads through direct contact with infected skin lesions.

    Notably, WA’s confirmation of two respiratory diphtheria cases in March marked the first time the state has recorded such cases in more than 50 years, underscoring the unusual scope of the current outbreak.

    Diphtheria presents in two distinct forms, both of which are fully vaccine-preventable. Respiratory diphtheria, the deadlier strain, initially causes symptoms including fever, chills, and sore throat, and can progress to life-threatening breathing and swallowing complications. Cutaneous diphtheria, by contrast, typically causes slow-healing sores or ulcers on exposed skin and rarely results in severe illness.

    Australia’s standard national immunization schedule includes five doses of diphtheria vaccine for children between the ages of two months and four years, followed by a booster shot for adolescents between 12 and 13 years. Public health authorities are now urgently urging people in affected communities to ensure their vaccinations are up to date, particularly teenagers and adults who may be due for a booster dose.

    In recent weeks, Australian officials have scaled up emergency vaccination efforts in high-risk regions, and data as of Tuesday shows new case numbers have begun to decline. Since March 30, more than 10,400 vaccine doses have been administered in the NT alone, with pop-up vaccination clinics set up in Darwin, Katherine, and Alice Springs to expand access and raise public awareness of the outbreak.

    “Our government has taken this situation very seriously, and we are working hard to understand the causes and working to contain the situation,” Edgington said in Tuesday’s announcement. NT Health officials emphasized that vaccination remains “the most important measure for preventing, protecting and reducing transmission” of the disease.

    Last week, national Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd formally designated the diphtheria outbreak a communicable disease incident of national significance, triggering a coordinated federal response. The federal government has also committed AU$7.2 million in emergency funding to expand vaccination capacity and boost public health resources in affected communities across the country.

  • ‘Give a damn’: Albanese government lashed as anti-racism framework languishes

    ‘Give a damn’: Albanese government lashed as anti-racism framework languishes

    A fiery partisan clash has erupted in Australian federal parliament over the Albanese government’s prolonged delay in allocating implementation funding for the country’s landmark National Anti-Racism Framework, with a senior Greens senator accusing the ruling Labor government of callous disregard for the daily harms experienced by communities of color across the nation.

    Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi delivered the scathing critique during Tuesday afternoon’s Senate estimates hearing, calling out the government for failing to earmark any funding for the framework’s rollout in the 2026-27 federal budget, more than 19 months after the policy document was formally released. The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) first unveiled the comprehensive framework in November 2024, which outlines 63 targeted actionable recommendations to counter systemic and interpersonal racism across four critical Australian sectors: law, education, healthcare, and media.

    Faruqi emphasized that even the nation’s top racial justice official has repeatedly pushed the federal government for urgent progress. “The Race Discrimination Commissioner has written to the Attorney-General on multiple occasions literally pleading for action on the National Anti-Racism Framework, and yet the only response that even the Race Discrimination Commissioner gets is it is being carefully considered,” Faruqi told the hearing. “But, while you are carefully considering people are being harmed every single day in this country.”

    She directly addressed Labor Senator Nita Green during the heated exchange, stating, “it just seems to me, Minister, that the government really does not give a damn about what people of colour are facing in the community every single day.”

    Green pushed back firmly against Faruqi’s accusations, rejecting the claim that the government is neglecting anti-racism action. She countered that the federal government already provided AHRC with funding to develop the framework in the first place, and is currently taking a deliberate, all-encompassing approach to evaluating the 63 recommendations.

    “It’s not a requirement that the government would respond in the way that other reports require a response,” Green noted. “But, we’re considering those recommendations, and further to that, we’re certainly committed to a holistic response to address racism.”

    Green also pointed to existing government investment in anti-racism initiatives, including funding for AHRC’s Seen and Heard project, and the recent passage of targeted hate speech regulatory reforms, as proof of the government’s ongoing commitment to combating racism. She added that implementation of the framework is not the sole responsibility of the Commonwealth government: the recommendations are designed to be enacted collaboratively by federal authorities, state and territorial governments, and private sector stakeholders.

    Federal officials echoed this stance during the hearing, noting that the government is also integrating consideration of the framework’s recommendations with ongoing work from the Special Envoys for Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, to address overlapping racial justice priorities across all levels of government.

  • Gisèle Pelicot ‘deeply shocked’ by decision not to jail boys in rape case

    Gisèle Pelicot ‘deeply shocked’ by decision not to jail boys in rape case

    A high-profile French rape survivor has spoken out against a controversial UK court decision that spared three teenage boys from custodial sentences for the repeated rape of two underage girls in southern England, calling the outcome a failure of justice for victims of sexual violence.

    The attacks unfolded in two separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, between November 2024 and January 2025. Two 14-year-old boys carried out rapes against a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old girl, while a third 13-year-old boy was convicted of aiding and abetting the second assault. In a shocking detail that amplified the gravity of the crimes, the perpetrators recorded video of the attacks and shared the footage across social media platforms. The case has already sparked urgent questions about the responsibility of big tech firms in preventing the spread of abusive content.

    At Southampton Crown Court, Judge Nicholas Rowland handed down Youth Rehabilitation Orders (YROs) rather than custodial placements, arguing that the offenders’ young ages meant avoiding permanent criminalization was a priority. The two 14-year-olds (now 15) received three-year YROs with 180 days of intensive supervision, along with 10-year restraining orders and three-month curfews. The 13-year-old (now 14) was sentenced to an 18-month YRO for his role in the second attack. Judge Rowland acknowledged the extreme severity of the crimes, noting that the recording of the assaults made them even more abhorrent, but stood by his decision to spare the teens from youth detention.

    Following the ruling, the UK Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer announced he would launch a formal review of the sentences, with 28 days to determine if the outcome is unduly lenient and should be referred to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also publicly labeled the case “appalling” and praised the two victims for their “extraordinary bravery” in coming forward amid such heinous circumstances.

    Now, 73-year-old Gisèle Pelicot, a veteran campaigner for sexual assault survivors who became a global symbol of courage after waiving anonymity in France’s largest ever mass rape trial, has spoken out about the UK ruling. In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Pelicot said she was “deeply shocked” that the offenders were allowed to walk free, while their victims carry lifelong trauma that will never fully heal.

    Pelicot’s own experience of abuse made headlines around the world: her husband Dominique Pelicot drugged her into unconsciousness for years and invited dozens of stranger to rape her, in a case that rocked France. Dominique Pelicot was ultimately sentenced to 20 years in prison, and Gisèle Pelicot has since dedicated herself to encouraging other survivors to speak out about their experiences.

    In the Fordingbridge case, one of the victims, now 16, described the non-custodial sentence as like a “rock straight in my face” and a mere “slap on the wrist” for the crimes committed against her. She told the BBC’s *Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg* that she and her family are pushing for the sentences to be changed, questioning why she endured the trauma of reliving the attack during trial if no significant punishment would be imposed.

    Pelicot said she salutes the incredible strength and courage of this victim for choosing to speak publicly about her abuse, adding that she hopes her own high-profile story helped give the young survivor the confidence to come forward. “Rape is a crime and justice has an essential role,” Pelicot said. “It’s there to, in fact, name the crimes, to recognise the suffering of victims, and to remember that in fact they must not remain unpunished.”

    She also called on national governments and large technology companies to step up their efforts to protect survivors of sexual violence, particularly amid the growing trend of perpetrators sharing abusive content of their attacks online that causes ongoing harm to victims long after the initial assault.

  • Knicks reach NBA Finals for first time in 27 years

    Knicks reach NBA Finals for first time in 27 years

    After nearly three decades of waiting, the New York Knicks have officially secured their spot in the NBA Finals, capping off a dominant 130-93 Game 4 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers to complete a 4-0 sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals. The historic win extends the franchise’s all-time playoff winning streak to 11 consecutive games, marking one of the most impressive post-season runs in modern Knicks history.

    In a balanced offensive performance, Karl-Anthony Towns led all New York scorers with a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson, named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, added 15 points to the final tally. For the 29-year-old Brunson, this milestone carries unique personal weight: he was just two years old when the Knicks last made the Finals in 1999, a run that ended with a 4-1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. That 1999 squad included his father Rick Brunson, who now serves as an assistant coach for the current Knicks roster.

    Reflecting on the breakthrough, Brunson credited his team for the collective success: “It means a lot, but I wouldn’t be here without my team-mates, the belief they had in me. They give me the confidence. They let me be me. Most importantly, we all believe in each other from top to bottom. It’s an honour to play with them.”

    Sharpshooter Landry Shamet, who turned in a perfect shooting performance off the bench with 16 points on 4-for-4 three-point shooting, emphasized that the squad has no intention of celebrating early. “We are remaining focused on the larger goal rather than dwelling on our victory over the Cavaliers,” he said. “We’ve got four more wins to try and go get and we know it’s going to be even harder. Being in this position with this team, it’s pretty special.”

    The Knicks’ next challenge will wait for the outcome of the Western Conference Finals, where defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are deadlocked at two games apiece. Game 5 of that series is scheduled to tip off Tuesday, with tipoff set for 01:30 BST on Wednesday.

    From the opening moments of Game 4 against Cleveland, New York controlled the tempo. The squad closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run, then opened the second quarter with 12 straight unanswered points to build a commanding 50-26 halftime lead. Shamet’s third three-pointer of the night pushed the Knicks advantage to 61-32, and the team never surrendered its momentum, forcing 22 Cleveland turnovers throughout the contest to keep the Cavaliers from mounting a comeback. Donovan Mitchell finished as Cleveland’s top scorer with 31 points in the losing effort.

    If New York can keep its win streak alive and claim the championship, a sweep of the Finals would see the Knicks tie the NBA’s all-time record for consecutive playoff wins: 15 straight victories, a mark set by the 2017 Golden State Warriors. The franchise, which has not claimed an NBA title since 1973, is now just four wins away from lifting its third championship banner.

  • Ibrahim Benbrika, son of terror leader, pleads guilty to robbery and assault of man ‘lured’ to park

    Ibrahim Benbrika, son of terror leader, pleads guilty to robbery and assault of man ‘lured’ to park

    In a sudden development at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Ibrahim Benbrika – the 26-year-old son of notorious convicted Australian terrorist leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika – entered guilty pleas alongside two co-accused to charges of robbery, common assault, and illegal controlled weapon possession, wrapping up a hearing that had been scheduled to span two days.

    Benbrika’s co-offenders, 24-year-old Michel El-Chikhani and 24-year-old Oways Afaneh, also confirmed their guilty pleas in court before magistrate James FitzGerald. Prosecutor Michael Roper laid out the details of the Crown’s carefully compiled case against the three men, outlining how the elaborate scheme unfolded from September 2024 onward.

    According to Roper’s account, the 43-year-old victim, who had no prior connection to any of the three defendants, initiated conversations on Facebook with a profile operating under the name “Holly”. Over the course of several months, the pair exchanged messages discussing an agreement for sex in exchange for money, eventually arranging a meeting at an isolated Melbourne nature reserve around 11 p.m. on January 24 this year.

    When the victim arrived at the pre-arranged site, he was not met by “Holly”. Instead, Benbrika, El-Chikhani and Afaneh emerged, clad entirely in black and wearing balaclavas to conceal their identities. The trio immediately knocked the victim to the ground, delivering repeated punches and kicks while demanding his mobile phone and cash. Court documents and evidence presented during the hearing detailed particularly threatening moments: Benbrika was captured on video pressing a sheathed knife against the victim’s head, while El-Chikhani held a sharp hunting knife directly to the man’s throat at one point during the attack.

    After subduing the victim, Benbrika dragged him in a headlock back to his own vehicle. There, El-Chikhani used the victim’s own phone to complete an unauthorized bank transfer of $250 to the group. In addition to the stolen cash, the trio also took two of the victim’s mobile phones, his official identity documents, and a portable battery pack before fleeing the scene. The victim managed to flag down a passing motorist for help and was subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

    Roper emphasized the premeditated nature of the attack, telling the court: “This was a planned luring of a victim to a place that they’re alone at night. They are confronted by three armed men and terrorised.” Digital evidence recovered from the defendants’ phones corroborated the prosecution’s account: investigators found Snapchat clips recording segments of the assault stored on both Afaneh and Benbrika’s devices. Another video, recovered from the devices, captures the three men sitting around a kitchen table after the attack discussing their actions, with one referencing the idea of “catching pedophiles”.

    Defense lawyer Veronika Drago, representing Benbrika, told the court that this offhand comment provides critical context for the entire incident, a detail she says was omitted from the prosecution’s initial summary. Drago explained that the “Holly” Facebook profile listed the account holder as an underage minor, leading the three men to frame their actions as a vigilante attempt to apprehend a child predator. “These are three young and very foolish men,” Drago told the court, adding that the ongoing notoriety of Benbrika’s father has cast a shadow over every aspect of her client’s life, from persistent bullying during his school years to his current placement in a protective custody unit while awaiting sentencing.

    Abdul Nacer Benbrika, Ibrahim’s father, is one of Australia’s most high-profile convicted terrorists. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2009 for leading a domestic terror cell plotting attacks both within Australia and abroad. He completed his original custodial sentence in November 2020, but remained in detention under continuing detention orders until his release in December 2023, after serving 18 years total behind bars.

    Despite pushback from the prosecution, magistrate FitzGerald ruled that the case would remain within the jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Court, rather than being elevated to the higher County Court for a plea hearing. FitzGerald noted that there was insufficient evidence before the court to confirm whether the trio had planned the attack over three months, or only became aware of the planned rendezvous shortly before the meeting. Still, he acknowledged the severity of the offense, calling it a “very aggressive attack on a person in the middle of the night” that must have been terrifying for the victim. All three defendants are scheduled to return to court on Wednesday for a scheduled pre-sentence hearing.

  • Round 13 team lists: Sharks lose Hynes for Manly blockbuster as Blues hopefuls return from injury in time for game two

    Round 13 team lists: Sharks lose Hynes for Manly blockbuster as Blues hopefuls return from injury in time for game two

    Just 48 hours after the opening match of the 2026 State of Origin series, NRL clubs have locked in their Round 13 lineups, delivering a mixed bag of injury updates that have reshaped upcoming fixtures across the league. While most clubs are taking a cautious approach to their representative Origin players, naming them to extended benches for fitness assessments later in the week, multiple teams have landed welcome boosts with key stars cleared to return from long injury layoffs.

    Cronulla Sharks have suffered an early setback ahead of their Friday night clash against the in-form Manly Sea Eagles, with star halfback and former Blues playmaker Nicho Hynes ruled out entirely. Scans conducted earlier this week confirmed a minor calf strain sustained during training, and the club confirmed further testing will be required to confirm the length of his stint on the sidelines. In Hynes’ absence, rookie Niwhai Puru has been named in the coveted number 7 jersey, pairing with Braydon Trindall in the halves for the Sharks. For Manly, the Sea Eagles have kept their own Blues representatives — Haumole Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula — on an extended bench, aligning with the league-wide cautious approach to monitoring Origin players post-series opener.

    The biggest boost of the round goes to the Brisbane Broncos, who have secured the return of superstar prop Payne Haas, who has made a full recovery from a knee injury. The NSW Blues mainstay is now on track to rejoin the state’s pack for the second Origin game, and will take the field for Brisbane this weekend against the St George Illawarra Dragons. Fellow Bronco Brendan Piakura has also earned a spot in the starting back row, with all of the club’s Origin representatives named to back up this weekend. The Dragons, for their part, have welcomed experienced hooker Jacob Liddle back to the squad, naming him on the bench for the Sunday clash.

    Wests Tigers have also earned a significant boost to their lineup ahead of their match against the Canterbury Bulldogs, with multiple key players cleared to return: representative fullback Jahream Bula, hooker Api Koroisau, and promising young centre Heamasi Makasini. Makasini will partner with winger Sunia Turuva in the centres for the Tigers, while Canterbury has retained Jacob Kiraz in the starting fullback role. Regular starting fullback Connor Tracey will join captain Stephen Crichton on the Bulldogs’ extended bench for this round.

    The Parramatta Eels are facing mixed injury fortunes ahead of Round 13: star halfback Mitch Moses remains sidelined with the hamstring strain that already ruled him out of the Origin series opener, but the club has welcomed dynamic fullback Isaiah Iongi back from an extended injury layoff. Long-time Eels prop and club great Junior Paulo recently underwent an arthroscopic procedure to treat a chronic right knee injury he had been playing through for the preceding three weeks, and is expected to make his return to the side in Round 21.

    Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has been named in the starting fullback spot for the club’s away trip to face Melbourne Storm, with utility Cody Ramsey primed to shift into the role if the Blues star is rested for the round. The Storm will be without back-rower Shawn Blore, who was ruled out after suffering a head knock in training.

    For NSW Blues and Penrith Panthers fans, there is excellent news ahead of Sunday’s top-billed clash against the New Zealand Warriors: star back-rower Liam Martin has been officially cleared to return from injury. All of Penrith’s Origin representatives have been named to an extended bench and will undergo final fitness assessments later in the week. For the Warriors, incoming Dragons playmaker Luke Metcalf has been named in the reserves as he pushes for a return to the active playing lineup. The official NRL shared full details of all Round 13 team lists via social media on May 26, 2026.

  • US, China escalate quantum race with rival investment drives

    US, China escalate quantum race with rival investment drives

    The global quantum technology sector has entered a new phase of accelerated state-backed competition after the U.S. Commerce Department announced a $2.013 billion strategic funding package for nine domestic quantum computing firms on May 21, triggering sharp stock rallies in both U.S. and Chinese quantum companies and underscoring rising stakes in the race for global quantum supremacy.

    Under the terms of the CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. government will take minority non-controlling equity stakes in all funding recipients, marking a historic shift from traditional research grant models to direct government investment in private quantum firms. The bulk of the funding, $1.375 billion, is allocated to domestic quantum foundry development: GlobalFoundries receives $375 million to build a multi-modal quantum chip foundry, while IBM gets $1 billion to launch a new subsidiary focused on manufacturing quantum-grade superconducting wafers. The remaining $538 million is distributed across seven specialized quantum computing companies, with major recipients including D-Wave, Infleqtion, Rigetti, and PsiQuantum, each receiving up to $100 million to solve long-standing engineering challenges across different quantum technology modalities, and smaller player Diraq receiving up to $38 million for silicon spin qubit development.

    “With today’s CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing, the Trump administration is leading the world into a new era of American innovation,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in the announcement. “These strategic quantum technology investments will build on our domestic industry, creating thousands of high-paying American jobs while advancing American quantum capabilities.” The equity stake structure is designed to generate potential returns for U.S. taxpayers, and the CHIPS Research and Development Office noted it will continue accepting new proposals for microelectronics and quantum advancement projects.

    The funding announcement immediately sent shockwaves through global capital markets. Over the following two trading days, leading U.S. quantum stocks posted double-digit gains: Infleqtion surged more than 30%, Rigetti Computing jumped 63%, D-Wave rose 53%, and IBM gained around 13%. The rally spilled over to Chinese markets, where key domestic quantum companies recorded similar gains: Quantum CTEK climbed 19% to 641.08 yuan, GuoChuang Software gained nearly 18% to 40.24 yuan, and Koal Software rose 9.5% to 20.97 yuan. Investors are betting that the expanded U.S. government push will prompt China to accelerate its own state-backed investment in the sector to maintain its competitive position.

    China has already laid significant groundwork in quantum technology, with a flurry of major breakthroughs announced just weeks before the U.S. funding reveal. On May 9, domestic firm Origin Quantum launched Origin Wukong-180, its fourth-generation 180-qubit superconducting quantum computer, which is now open to global users for cloud-based quantum computing tasks. Two days earlier on May 7, the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Cold Atom Technology (CASCA) unveiled the Hanyuan-2, billed as the world’s first dual-core neutral-atom quantum computer with 200 total qubits, marking a global breakthrough in multi-core quantum processor architecture. On May 13, the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) published results for its Jiuzhang 4.0 photonic quantum computer in *Nature*, showing the system solves a core benchmark problem 10^54 times faster than the world’s most powerful conventional supercomputer, while scaling up from 255 to 3,050 manipulated photons from its previous generation.

    Industry analysts and commentators note that these recent developments, paired with the U.S. funding push, are expected to speed up Beijing’s timeline for expanded state investment in quantum technology. China already designated quantum technology as the top priority among six core future industries in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), outlined in 2025. The other five prioritized sectors are biomedical technology, hydrogen and nuclear fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, embodied artificial intelligence, and 6G telecommunications.

    Industry observers widely frame quantum technology as a defining strategic battleground for major global powers, for three core reasons. First, quantum computing and communications will reshape national defense and information security architectures. Second, the unprecedented processing power of quantum systems can dramatically accelerate breakthroughs in drug development and advanced materials design. Third, early technological leadership will grant countries major influence over global industry standards for the next generation of computing.

    “The U.S. move represents the first time a national government has directly taken equity stakes in quantum technology companies, marking a formal escalation from a laboratory race to a state-level industrial war,” a technology analyst based in Anhui, China’s central quantum research hub, noted. He added that nearly 70% of U.S. strategic investment is concentrated in quantum wafer manufacturing, mirroring the policy blueprint used to build up the U.S. domestic semiconductor industry and laying the foundational manufacturing infrastructure for next-generation computing power.

    China remains one of the only nations capable of competing head-to-head with the U.S. across quantum technology, with a maturing domestic industrial chain. It holds three distinct core competitive advantages: it maintains a global lead in quantum communications, with Quantum CTEK’s quantum cryptography technology already deployed for commercial use nationwide; Origin Quantum operates China’s only 6-inch quantum chip production line, with a daily capacity of over 100 wafers, a 92% yield rate, and its 180-qubit system already available as a cloud service; and quantum technology sits at the top of Beijing’s national priority list for the next five-year development cycle.

    However, China also faces key gaps that the U.S. is explicitly targeting with its latest funding push. “China’s core weaknesses lie in dedicated quantum wafer fabrication and high-end control and measurement equipment, precisely the areas Washington is targeting with its latest funding push,” the Anhui-based analyst said. “Domestic quantum chips still partly rely on conventional foundries for production, while purpose-built quantum wafer facilities remain under construction.”

    The two superpowers are competing across four major quantum computing architectures, with domestic leaders on each side: for superconducting quantum computing, China’s Origin Quantum and Quantum CTEK face off against IBM, Google and Rigetti; for photonic quantum computing, USTC’s Jiuzhang series rivals U.S. firm PsiQuantum; for trapped-ion quantum computing, China’s Qudoor competes with Quantinuum and IonQ; and for neutral atom quantum computing, China’s CASCA goes up against U.S. firms Atom Computing and Infleqtion.

    This competition has unfolded against a backdrop of escalating U.S. export controls targeting China’s quantum sector. During the final months of the Biden administration, Washington introduced sweeping export restrictions on quantum computers, critical components and related software in September 2024, followed by a ban on most U.S. investments in Chinese quantum firms that took effect in January 2025. The Trump administration expanded these controls in March 2025, adding roughly 80 companies to its export blacklist, more than 50 of which are Chinese, including six subsidiaries of leading Chinese cloud and AI firm Inspur Group, which were accused of acquiring U.S. technology for military quantum and supercomputing development. Currently, most major Chinese quantum firms and research institutions, including Quantum CTEK, Origin Quantum, and USTC, are named on the U.S. export blacklist.

    Despite these restrictions, Chinese firms have continued to advance their technology, bypassing controls by sourcing key equipment from non-U.S. suppliers and investing in homegrown alternatives that avoid Western-controlled components. For example, in 2023 Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed Origin Quantum using a mask aligner manufactured by Germany’s SÜSS MicroTec for superconducting quantum chip production, proving U.S. controls have not fully cut off access to critical fabrication equipment. This progress allowed Origin Quantum to launch its third-generation 72-qubit Wukong system in 2024, followed by the 180-qubit fourth-generation model in May 2026.

    Chinese researchers have also worked around controls by developing quantum architectures that do not rely on Western-controlled dilution refrigerators, a critical cooling component for superconducting systems. Photonic and neutral-atom quantum computing, the two areas that saw major Chinese breakthroughs in May 2026, fall into this category.

    Data on overall investment in the sector paints a mixed picture of the current competitive balance. A columnist based in Liaoning cited McKinsey data showing China invested a total of $15 billion in its quantum sector in 2024, more than double the combined $7 billion invested by the U.S. government and private firms. However, independent observers caution that China’s overall investment figure includes large amounts of general infrastructure spending, and a significant share of Chinese R&D funding is allocated to quantum communications rather than quantum computing, where the U.S. still retains a clear technological lead.

  • Inquiry into antisemitism in Australia condemns online hatred and bigotry targeting witnesses

    Inquiry into antisemitism in Australia condemns online hatred and bigotry targeting witnesses

    MELBOURNE, Australia — The leader of Australia’s highest-profile public inquiry into antisemitism has publicly denounced a dangerous wave of online bigotry targeting Jewish community members who have stepped forward to share their experiences, condemning the harassment as an unacceptable attempt to intimidate witnesses. The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, a landmark probe granted the nation’s top investigative authority, was established in direct response to one of the worst antisemitic attacks in recent Australian history: a December mass shooting at a Sydney Hanukkah gathering that left 15 people dead. The attack was carried out by two gunmen authorities say were radicalized and inspired by the Islamic State group.

    Since the commission launched its public hearings on May 4, multiple Jewish witnesses who have testified about their personal encounters with antisemitism have been targeted with coordinated online harassment and intimidation, according to the inquiry’s chair, former High Court justice Virginia Bell. In a formal statement released Tuesday, Bell confirmed that the commission has received multiple reports documenting a sharp spike in hate-filled messages directed at witnesses immediately after they gave evidence.

    “I cannot fathom what those spreading this undiluted hatred and bigotry toward members of the Jewish community hope to achieve through these attacks,” Bell said. “This kind of vicious targeting has no place in a public inquiry designed to center the voices of those impacted by antisemitism.”

    The commission is systematically documenting all offensive social media content linked to the harassment, Bell confirmed, adding that one particularly severe case has already been referred to Australian law enforcement for further investigation. The inquiry’s core mandate, she noted, is to comprehensively understand and assess the day-to-day experiences of antisemitism among Australian Jewish communities — acts of intimidation against witnesses directly undermine this foundational goal.

    Over the commission’s first two weeks of public hearings, investigators have focused on mapping the nature and pervasiveness of antisemitism across Australian public institutions and broader society. The inquiry has already faced on-the-ground displays of hate: during the first week of hearings, police confirmed that a 68-year-old man was charged after appearing outside the Sydney commission venue wearing a shirt bearing a prohibited Nazi symbol. The design superimposed a Star of David over a swastika, paired with the slogan: “Antisemitism. Proud to be accused. Speak up!”

    At the time of the incident, the commission released a statement saying it was appalled by the display of explicit antisemitism so close to its proceedings. Officials moved quickly to reassure witnesses that strict safety protocols were already in place around all inquiry venues, reaffirming the commission’s unwavering commitment to its work. “This royal commission is determined to investigate antisemitism in Australia without fear or intimidation,” the commission said in the earlier statement. That resolve has only been reinforced in the wake of the online targeting of witnesses, Bell emphasized Tuesday.

  • BTS crowned ‘Artist of the Year’ at American Music Awards

    BTS crowned ‘Artist of the Year’ at American Music Awards

    The 2025 American Music Awards (AMAs) delivered one of the most anticipated wins of the ceremony, as South Korean global K-pop phenomenon BTS claimed the prestigious Artist of the Year award for the second consecutive year, outperforming some of the biggest names in Western popular music to solidify their standing as the world’s most popular musical act. The seven-member group, which includes RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, edged out A-list competitors Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny, and Lady Gaga to take home the AMAs’ highest honor, the latest in a string of career milestones following the band’s highly anticipated return from an extended break earlier this year.

    After pausing group activities in 2022 to allow all members to complete South Korea’s mandatory military service, BTS made their full group comeback in March 2025 with the release of their fifth studio album *Arirang*, and quickly launched a $1 billion world tour that has broken venue attendance and revenue records across every stop. Beyond the top Artist of the Year prize, the group also added a second AMA to their 2025 collection, winning Song of the Summer for their *Arirang* lead single “SWIM”. In a testament to the growing global influence of their Korean label, fellow labelmates Katseye took home New Artist of the Year in the same ceremony.

    Other notable winners from this year’s AMAs included “GOLDEN”, the breakout viral single from the hit animated film *K-Pop Demon Hunters*, which claimed the award for Song of the Year, while Sabrina Carpenter won Album of the Year for her project *Man’s Best Friend*. For the Song of the Summer category, BTS also defeated additional high-profile nominees Harry Styles, Tame Impala, and PinkPantheress to secure the win.

    Unlike many major music awards where winners are selected by industry panels, the AMAs structure its voting process entirely around public participation: nominees are shortlisted based on commercial performance metrics like streaming and sales, but the final decision rests entirely on fan votes cast through the official AMAs website and social media platforms. This format makes the awards a de facto test of a star’s global fan base mobilization — and no fandom has a longer or more proven track record of coordinated engagement than BTS’s dedicated fan community, known universally as ARMY, an acronym for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth.

    With millions of devoted members spread across dozens of countries, the decentralized ARMY network has long been cited as the core engine behind BTS’s unprecedented meteoric rise from a small South Korean hip-hop act to a global cultural phenomenon. ARMY regularly organizes coordinated online campaigns to boost the group’s streaming numbers, flood radio stations with song requests, and sell out stadium tours in minutes, demonstrating a level of dedication unmatched by most other fan communities worldwide.

    Accepting the award on behalf of the group, BTS leader RM, 31, centered his acceptance speech on gratitude to the fandom that delivered the win. “Armys, we did it once again! Since this is a fan-voted award, our biggest thanks and gratitude, as always, go to Armys all over the world,” he told the ceremony audience.

    Critical reception to BTS’s comeback album *Arirang* has been largely positive, with BBC music critics hailing the project as a “genuine return to form” that rekindled the creative fire that drove the group’s earliest global successes. Speaking during the acceptance, member J-Hope, 32, echoed RM’s thanks to fans for embracing the group’s new work. “We’ve had such an overwhelming response to this album. Honestly, thank you for embracing *Arirang* and every single song on this album. We’re so grateful,” he said.

    Member Jimin, 30, also thanked fans for their ongoing support through the group’s world tour, which is currently traveling across North America. “Thank you for following us on tour and showing us so much love in every city. And to all the Armys who always support and love us, thank you. We love you,” he added.

    The record-breaking world tour is scheduled to wrap in June 2025 with a series of homecoming shows in Busan, South Korea, timed to coincide with the 13th anniversary of BTS’s original debut in 2012. For the group, the back-to-back Artist of the Year wins at the AMAs, one of the most watched mainstream music awards in the United States, confirms that their global popularity has only grown stronger in the years since their initial hiatus, cementing their legacy as one of the most successful musical acts of the 21st century.

  • Heat dome over Europe scorches UK, Ireland, France and Spain

    Heat dome over Europe scorches UK, Ireland, France and Spain

    An unseasonal, record-shattering heat dome has settled over Western Europe, bringing sweltering temperatures far above average May norms and triggering public health warnings across the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain and Italy this week. The event, which follows decades of climate research linking rising global temperatures to more frequent extreme heat events, has already forced work restrictions, disrupted public activities, and renewed urgent calls for infrastructure adaptation to a warming climate.

    Meteorologists trace the extreme heat to a mass of warm air originating from northern Africa that has become trapped under a stable high-pressure system over Western Europe — a weather pattern commonly referred to as a heat dome. This system, which typically brings such extreme heat only in the peak of summer months of July and August, has pushed temperatures 15 to 18 degrees above typical mid-spring averages across most of the affected region.

    On Monday, the first full day of the heat surge, multiple countries logged all-time May temperature records. The UK’s Met Office confirmed that a high of 34.8C was recorded at London’s Kew Gardens, smashing the previous national May record by a full 2 degrees Celsius. “This heat would be exceptional in the UK even in mid-summer, let alone May,” the agency said in a post on social media platform X. In Ireland, two weather stations in the southwest and south of the country — Killarney and Clonmel, respectively — tied a new national May record of 28.8C. Meteo-France also confirmed that Monday was the hottest May day recorded in the country since national temperature tracking began.

    Local impacts of the unexpected heat have already been severe. In the French capital of Paris, a 10-kilometer running race over the weekend left one participant dead and 10 others hospitalized in critical condition. At the ongoing Roland-Garros tennis open in Paris, spectators fainted and struggled with the sweltering conditions on open courts. A grass fire broke out near Edinburgh’s iconic Arthur’s Seat, sending thick plumes of smoke across the Scottish capital, where temperatures hit an unseasonal 25C. Beaches in southwestern France have filled with heat-seeking visitors weeks earlier than the typical summer tourist season, while farmers across the region reported that crop harvests are progressing far ahead of schedule due to the early heat.

    In response to the dangerous conditions, authorities have implemented emergency restrictions. Italy’s Lazio region, which is home to the capital Rome, approved early implementation of seasonal rules banning outdoor work in direct sunlight between 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm, putting the rule in effect more than two weeks earlier than the 2022 start date. The restrictions apply to construction sites, agricultural work, and logistics operations, and will remain in place through mid-September. Spanish meteorological agency Aemet warned that extraordinarily high temperatures would persist across most of the country (excluding the offshore Canary Islands) through the end of the week, with widespread tropical nights — when temperatures remain above 20C overnight — forecast for southwestern Spain starting Wednesday, and peak temperatures between 36C and 38C from Wednesday through Friday. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has called an emergency meeting with top cabinet ministers Thursday to coordinate the national government’s heatwave response preparations.

    Climate scientists and weather experts have repeatedly emphasized that this extreme early heat event is directly tied to human-caused climate change, noting that Europe is warming faster than the global average, making extreme heat events more frequent, more severe, and more likely to occur outside the traditional summer peak. “This is a good indication of climate change in action,” UK Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst told reporters from Agence France-Presse, adding that such out-of-season extreme heat events are likely to become the new normal in coming years.

    Last week, leading UK climate advisers issued a stark warning to the national government, noting that much of the country’s core public infrastructure — including schools, hospitals, and transport networks — was designed for a climate that no longer exists, and urged urgent upgrades to adapt to rising average temperatures and more frequent extreme heat events. The UK already made global headlines in 2022 when it recorded its first ever temperature above 40C, a milestone that many climate scientists said was a clear warning sign of accelerating climate change impacts.

    For many residents and visitors across Western Europe, the unexpected early heat has been a jarring experience. “The weather here, it’s like a mini version of hell. It’s boiling. It’s like really hot,” 10-year-old visitor Liza Nizki told reporters in London, where average May temperatures typically hover between 17C and 18C. Long-term London resident Lindy Brand-Daloze, a 66-year-old Australian who has lived in the UK for 12 years, framed the extreme heat as a new reality the public must adapt to. “It’s warm, but it’s climate change, isn’t it? So you know, we have probably got to get used to this.” Forecasters with the UK Met Office do expect temperatures to cool off later this week as the heat dome shifts eastward, but experts warn more extreme early heat events can be expected in coming years as global temperatures continue to rise.