Retail Security Tech: Coles and Woolworths are trialling facial recognition in stores to improve staff safety as in-store aggression rises, using biometrics cross-checked against watch lists; the move comes amid privacy controversy after a related regulatory ruling was overturned. AI Geopolitics: The US is reportedly pushing countries to “pick sides” in AI by threatening exclusion from a US-led coalition if they sign onto China’s competing AI framework—raising alarms about fragmented supply chains and slower global progress. STEM Youth Pipeline (Nigeria): NASENI launches the FutureMakers virtual hackathon for 60 young innovators, with zone prizes up to ₦1.5m and a path to an invention fest grand prize of ₦5m. Women in Renewables (FCT): Visiola Foundation ends an 8-day STEM camp for 100 teen girls, ending with renewable-energy prototype projects including an automated SmartFarm. Rural Tech for India: India’s PSA and NABARD roll out RSVC-AMRIT, a digital backbone to track and scale rural smart-village technologies. Health Tech & Policy: Jitendra Singh calls for diabetes prevention as a national priority, backed by a rural outreach digital portal and video library. Weather + Satellites: Satellite data shows monsoon clouds building again over the Bay of Bengal, with IMD warning of renewed rain pulses. Nuclear Power Rules (Draft): India’s SHANTI draft proposes a single licence regime and allows foreign reactor designs only from “self-reliant” countries, with insurance/security requirements through decommissioning and waste cycles.