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Microsoft has silently patched a critical Windows shortcut flaw, CVE-2025-9491, long exploited by state-sponsored and cybercriminal groups to hide malicious commands. The update forces Windows to reveal the full command in shortcut properties, closing a deceptive obfuscation trick. This fix follows a recent China-linked espionage campaign targeting European diplomats with weaponized .lnk files. While mitigated, the widespread historical abuse means unpatched systems remain at risk from this social engineering threat.

NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang is redefining global industrial policy, not through political favor but via visionary leadership and relentless global engagement. His dual focus on accelerated computing’s economic potential and hands-on partnership management cements NVIDIA’s AI dominance. Despite a stellar earnings report, analyst forecasts remain timid, underestimating the $500B Blackwell/Rubin pipeline and NVIDIA’s path to 50% share of a $3-4T market by 2030. As Jensen teaches investors to think beyond iPhone cycles to AI factories and sovereign AI, the growth story is just beginning.

Archaeologists in Budapest have uncovered a pristine, sealed Roman sarcophagus from the 4th century, revealing the skeleton of a young woman and a trove of burial artifacts. The untouched limestone coffin, found in the ancient settlement of Aquincum, contained intact glass vessels, bronze figures, coins, and traces of gold-threaded fabric. This remarkable find offers a rare glimpse into Roman funerary practices and the high social status of the deceased. The lead archaeologist described the discovery as an emotionally resonant testament to ancient love and care.

As mortgage rates remain high, the Trump administration is exploring creative financing options like 50-year loans and assumable mortgages to improve affordability. However, experts warn these proposals could increase long-term debt and inflate home prices without solving the core issue: a severe housing shortage. While alternative approaches like builder rate buydowns and seller financing offer short-term relief, they also carry significant risks for both buyers and the broader market. Ultimately, financing gimmicks may not address the fundamental supply crisis locking many Americans out of homeownership.

McLaren’s secret weapon? A fierce but fair driver rivalry built on radical transparency. Team principal Andrea Stella reveals that open, honest communication is the non-negotiable foundation, ensuring any issues are solved before they fester. This culture has drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fully bought in, believing that competing as equals ultimately makes both them and the team stronger. Their healthy competition, free of selfish tension, is now seen as the key to sustainably challenging for both world championships.

How good is AI at predicting the future? ChatGPT was just tested in a real-world forecasting contest against 160 experts. The results reveal a surprising benchmark for its intelligence—and a major weakness.

JAX is revolutionizing computational economics by making high-performance modeling accessible to researchers. A recent collaboration with the Central Bank of Chile demonstrates how JAX dramatically accelerates complex economic simulations. By leveraging JAX’s automatic parallelization and GPU capabilities, economists can now run models in minutes instead of hours. This breakthrough enables faster policy analysis and more realistic economic scenario planning.

Google Finance is transforming into an AI-powered research hub with new Deep Search, prediction markets, and live earnings tracking. These features move the platform beyond simple stock quotes into sophisticated, multi-source analysis and crowd-sourced forecasting. Starting with Labs users, the updates aim to consolidate complex financial research and real-time data into streamlined workflows. This expansion marks a significant step in making advanced financial analytics more accessible.

Netflix’s $82.7B takeover of Warner Bros. creates a streaming titan, setting the stage for intense antitrust battles and a Hollywood power shift. Markets whipsawed as Treasury yields spiked and the landmark media deal fueled volatility ahead of a key Fed decision. From SpaceX’s soaring valuation to EU fines on X and a Supreme Court case on birthright citizenship, regulatory and financial landscapes are shifting fast.

**Pentagon Under Fire:** A watchdog report reveals the Pentagon authorized a follow-up strike despite knowing there were survivors from an initial boat attack, intensifying congressional scrutiny over operational judgment and legal risks.

**Markets Mixed Amid Data & AI Focus:** Stocks are navigating Fed-cut hopes and geopolitical tensions, with the S&P 500 near records and tech leading; traders are focused on jobs data, Fed pricing, and AI-related earnings from chip and data-center names.

**Macron Presses Xi on Ukraine:** French President Macron secured new trade deals in Beijing while urging Xi Jinping to use China’s influence on Russia to help end the war in Ukraine, signaling a pragmatic EU-China reset.

**EU Launches AI Factory Push:** The European Commission and EIB will open bids in early 2026 to fund regional AI ‘gigafactories,’ aiming to reduce reliance on US and Asian supply chains for critical AI hardware.