AI Race & Regulation: China pushed back hard on U.S. calls to slow AI, rejecting “fearmongering” and warning that rivalry talk could derail global AI governance, as Trump doubled down that the U.S. must not fall behind China and dismissed “guardrails” as unnecessary. Security & Intelligence: The NSA is reportedly set for a major restructuring with new China- and AI-focused units, while China’s spy chief warned AI poses risks to political security and the party’s rule. Tech Industry Moves: ByteDance rolled out a consumer version of its Doubao smartphone assistant, signaling a shift from standalone AI features to deeper OS/app integration. Science & Future Tech: Chinese researchers published a five-stage roadmap toward “last AI built by humans,” aiming for systems that improve with less human involvement, and also reconstructed hidden Gondwana fragments using AI and geochemical mapping. Sports & Fitness Culture: HYROX Beijing sparked a hygiene-and-sportsmanship storm after an athlete won despite mid-race bowel incontinence; HYROX later revised its response process. Arts & Literature: The 37th Galaxy Awards highlighted rising sci-fi voices, while China’s animation and sci-fi communities keep expanding their audience. Diplomacy & Global South: Xi’s BRICS push emphasized open-source AI and innovation-driven cooperation, as China and India explore practical AI collaboration amid lingering trust gaps. Sports (Regional): Gilas Pilipinas’ Asian Games men’s basketball run ended with a 105-61 loss to China, drawing sharp criticism at home.