Cerebras Revenue Forecast Tops Expectations, but Margin Concerns Weigh on Stock 
Alphabet Replaces Verizon in Dow Jones Industrial Average 
Meta Pauses Employee Activity Tracking Program Over Data Security Concerns 
Today’s space race could turn fatal if we don’t agree on new rules 
Trump’s Quantum Push Lifts IBM Stock as CEO Arvind Krishna Receives White House Praise 
US Raises Concerns Over Possible ASML EUV Machine Transfer to China 
Qualcomm Nears $4 Billion Acquisition of AI Chip Startup Modular 
Oracle Cuts 21,000 Jobs as AI Reshapes Workforce and Cloud Expansion Accelerates 
WiseTech Global Denies Knowledge of Investigation Into Founder Richard White 
How AI prompting turned writerly description into an everyday skill 
SK Hynix Overtakes Samsung as South Korea’s Most Valuable Company 
US-Iran De-Escalation Shifts Washington’s Focus to AI Regulation and Crypto Legislation 
SpaceX Stock Plunges 16% as KeyBanc Warns Valuation May Be Overstretched 
Apple Signals Product Price Hikes Amid Rising Memory Chip Costs 
Chinese Social Media Giant Xiaohongshu Eyes Hong Kong IPO at Over $70 Billion Valuation 
SK Hynix Moves Closer to New York ADR Listing Amid AI Chip Boom 
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke live on his annual show, "Direct Line." During the program, Putin was asked about blockchain by a citizen, and his answer was somewhat vague, giving only hints here and there at what the country plans regarding the technology.
But the nation's stand on the matter might be clearer now after two private Russian firms and two state-owned corporations partnered to cultivate blockchain technology, Cointelegraph reported. The partnership includes MegaFon, USM group, Rostec, and Gazprombank, the last two of which are run by the Russian government.
Called MF Technologies (MFT), the partnership worth $450 million means to allocate its collective resources to creating a financial outline through Gazprombank. Megafon told local news publication TASS that the partnership’s efforts will go beyond the financial sector and encompass different industries where blockchain tech and the Internet of Things will be the foundation.
Yet even with the partnership, a definite picture has yet to form as to what exactly these projects are going to create. Moreover, despite President Putin being reticent about the subject, there’s little doubt that the country has big plans for blockchain and its uses. The influential leader said Russia is observing how blockchain is taking shape to best determine how it can "participate in the process."
It can be recalled that Russian delegate Grigory Marshalko told a representative during last year’s International Standards Organizations that blockchain will belong to them. “The internet belonged to America. The blockchain will belong to the Russians,” said Marshalko.
What surprised other delegates of the gathering was that Marshalko was also working for the F.S.B., the intelligence agency that inherited the vacated position left by the K.G.B. The previous sentiment coupled with Marshalko’s background had other delegates worried. Their apprehension stemmed from the fact that certain countries might recommend moves that would render blockchain tech susceptible to cyber-attacks and espionage.
