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North American Edition
18th September 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

SEC unveils five-year exemption for tokenized stock trading

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a blanket five-year exemption for listing and trading tokenized securities - digital tokens that represent a stock and can be traded on a blockchain similar to a cryptocurrency - without registering as an exchange. The regulator is also offering liquidity providers in tokenized stocks a five-year exemption from dealer ​registration requirements. Platforms would be required to notify companies before listing tokenized versions of their stocks, and would be ⁠prohibited from offering those products if the issuer objects, an SEC official said. “The Securities and Exchange Commission is taking a significant step forward, within its statutory authority, to bring America’s capital markets into the digital age by facilitating onchain trading of certain tokenized stocks through the ‘Innovation Exemption,’” SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said.
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TECHNOLOGY

OpenAI reports new incidents of ‘concerning’ AI behavior

OpenAI has published six reports detailing unexpected or concerning model behavior. The incidents include the models generating instructions to get around restrictions imposed on them, hiding mistakes, and fabricating information. The company has also announced a new system to track, investigate and disclose cases of models misbehaving (misalignment). Under the framework, developers will be able to flag incidents for review, and a new set of rules will decide whether the issue is disclosed publicly. "Because we believe in the value of transparency around misalignment, our new framework favors disclosure even when significance is uncertain," OpenAI said.

Chinese AI 'not yet powerful enough to see frontier risks'

Eric Xu, Huawei's rotating chairman, has told reporters that AI developers in China are likely not yet at an advanced enough stage to experience the safety risks reported by their U.S. peers. "If we look at the mainstream AI model providers in the United States, because they have ​massive computing power, maybe only they themselves know where they are in terms of the level of their ​models," Xu said, arguing that Chinese developers should continue to develop more powerful models while balancing innovation against risk. 
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REGULATION

SEC proposes end to its oversight of corporate shareholder votes

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed to end its oversight of corporate shareholder votes on topics such as climate ​change or executive pay, as part of a broader shift of power away from investors to corporate managers by Wall Street's top regulator, which ​also proposed changes including ending a rule that companies produce annual reports it said duplicate information in their annual Form 10-Ks. SEC Chairman ​Paul Atkins said the regulator lacks the statutory authority to ​oversee shareholder voting and that the area is best run by states.

U.K. watchdog targets illegal crypto trading

The U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has taken action against suspected illegal peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading in London, targeting three premises believed to be operating unregistered crypto businesses. Working with tax officials and police under money laundering and terrorist financing regulations, the regulator issued cease and desist letters at all three sites. The FCA warned that unregistered peer-to-peer crypto businesses could be used to move and launder illicit funds, and said there are currently no registered peer-to-peer crypto trading businesses operating in Britain.
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LEGAL

Korean workers take legal action against U.S. over Georgia raid

More than 300 South Korean workers who were detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai Motor Group-LG Energy Solution joint venture battery plant in the U.S. state of Georgia have started filing administrative claims with nine federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection, the FBI and the Departments of Justice and Labor. The claims, which are a necessary step before pursuing lawsuits under the Federal Tort Claims Act, allege unlawful detention and poor conditions at an ICE facility. An attorney representing the workers aims to submit all claims by year-end. Both companies have sought to distance themselves from the legal actions. An LG Energy Solution official told The Korea Times the company would not become involved because the legal actions were based on individual decisions by the workers. The raid, which occurred on September 4, 2025, was the largest single-site enforcement action in ICE's history.

Telenor charged over suspected crimes against humanity in Myanmar

Norwegian state-controlled telecoms operator Telenor has been charged by authorities with complicity in crimes against humanity and breaching sanctions in Myanmar following ‌a military coup in 2021. "Telenor Myanmar repeatedly handed over historical traffic data about ​customers to the military regime . . . at the same time as the regime was responsible for extensive abuses ​against parts of the civilian population," Norwegian police said. Telenor sold its ⁠business in Myanmar following the coup and completed its exit from the country in March 2022. The company said it was ​cooperating closely with the investigators.

Amway and affiliates to settle claims they deceived recruits

The Federal Trade Commission and Washington ‌State are to be paid $225m by multilevel marketing company Amway and two of its affiliates ​to settle allegations regarding the recruitment of new members with deceptive claims about how much money they could make. Amway and affiliates World Wide Group ​and Leadership Team Development told potential recruits ⁠that they could make $40,000 or more, the agency said. Most of those who joined the two affiliates ​after 2020 spent more money on training and Amway products than they made, according to the FTC. Amway said it fundamentally disagreed with ‌the ⁠agencies’ characterization of its business.
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STRATEGY

Toys R Us accelerates U.S. comeback with 120 new standalone stores

Toys R Us is expanding its U.S. retail presence with plans to open 120 standalone stores in partnership with Go! Retail Group during the holiday season, although locations have yet to be announced. The expansion will add to its existing 40 standalone stores and around 400 shops inside Macy’s stores nationwide, marking a significant revival of the brand after its original U.S. business filed for bankruptcy and closed its stores in 2018. Some of the new locations will feature Creator Studios for influencers, creators and toy brands to produce content, alongside additional attractions including candy shops and cafés.
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WORKFORCE

Labor crisis in U.S. chip manufacturing

The U.S. semiconductor industry is projected to face a shortage of up to 157,000 skilled workers by 2030, raising alarms among major sector players including Samsung and Micron. Jon Taylor, executive vice president of Samsung's semiconductor division, expressed his concern, saying: “We just don't see that there's enough technical people in the pipeline.” Despite the U.S. being a leader in chip design, only 3% of engineering graduates enter the semiconductor field annually. To combat this, universities including Purdue and Arizona State are launching new programs to train students for chip roles. However, U.S. salaries for chip jobs are often lower than those in Asia, where bonuses can exceed $500,000. As companies ramp up hiring, the competition for skilled workers intensifies, with many firms looking overseas to fill gaps. “If we don't move more quickly and aggressively than we have before, we will lose,” observed Mitch Daniels, interim president of Purdue.
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GEOPOLITICAL

Russia employs North Koreans to build drones for Ukraine war

Russia is employing North Korean workers to manufacture military drones, according to a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team. The strategy provides North Korea with vital revenue for its weapons programs in the face of international sanctions. An estimated 25,000 North Koreans are involved in Russia's drone industry, each earning around US$7,500 annually, although much of this is seized by the Kim regime. Monthly wages earned by North Koreans working in Russia may be up to five times higher than what they can earn in China. Russia had an estimated 15,000-30,000 North Korean workers as of the end of 2025. "Despite the 2019 repatriation deadline mandated by [a UN Security Council resolution], at least 17 countries are suspected of continuing to host laborers, generating between $450m and $800m in 2025 to fund the [North Korea's] unlawful nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs," the report said.
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OTHER

FDA urged to set clear safety and access standards for psychedelic drugs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has held a public hearing to discuss the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs, following a directive from President Donald Trump to expedite the development of such treatments for serious mental illnesses. Experts said any approved psychedelic treatment must include trained staff in the room during potentially lengthy sessions, and proper screening, follow-up care and community support. They also observed that treatments could be inaccessible unless there was insurance ​coverage. "Approval alone is not access. A breakthrough therapy nobody can reach is not a breakthrough - it is a press release," said Lynn Watkins, ‌who is associated with the Psychedelics and Pain Association.
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