Brics backs peaceful space tech; to work against outer space arms race

business-standard.com Sep 13, 2026

Brics backs peaceful space tech; to work against outer space arms race

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 13, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

At the BRICS summit in New Delhi, leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration 2026, reaffirming commitment to the peaceful use of space technology and to preventing an arms race in outer space. The statement highlighted the achievements of the BRICS Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation (RSSC), a network of earth‑observation satellites and ground stations intended for shared data on climate, agriculture and disaster management. Members pledged to reduce asymmetries in space capabilities, cooperate on debris mitigation and pursue a multilateral legal instrument to bar weaponisation of space assets. The declaration follows India’s proposal to treat the “BRICS Space Economy” as a growth frontier, urging joint innovation, investment and sustainable development across the bloc. It also mandates annual joint training exercises.

💡 Why It Matters

· By institutionalising cooperation, BRICS creates a counterweight to dominant space powers, shaping norms that could keep orbit safe for all.

Read full article on business-standard.com

Rush To Promote Unsupervised Tesla FSD Videos Raises More Questions

Tesla CEO Elon Musk faces intensifying scrutiny after promoting unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities, contradicting official safety guidelines. NBC News identified dozens of videos showing drivers sleeping or ignoring the system, prompting U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi to demand a federal investigation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already escalated its review to engineering analysis. Musk recently shared a video of a 98-year-old driver claiming he no longer supervises FSD at intersections. Critics highlight contradictory software messages that encourage drowsy drivers to rely on the system. Tesla maintains that FSD requires active human supervision and is not autonomous. The controversy underscores regulatory hurdles in the U.S. and China, where safety and national security concerns persist. Musk’s aggressive marketing strategy appears aimed at beating competitors to market, but it risks further regulatory backlash and public safety concerns regarding the technology’s readiness for widespread, unsupervised deployment.

💡 Musk’s promotion of unsafe driving behaviors directly undermines Tesla’s credibility with regulators who already question the system's safety protocols. This contradiction between marketing claims and technical limitations threatens to stall regulatory approval for true autonomy.

newspress.com · Sep 13

California enacts laws restricting chatbots and banning teens from ‘addictive’ social media

Governor Gavin Newsom signed 13 bills aimed at protecting California minors online, including two high‑profile measures that restrict “addictive” social‑media features and limit teen interactions with AI chatbots. The social‑media law obliges platforms to disable infinite scroll, autoplay and similar tools for users under 16 or to bar those users entirely, a move championed as a response to a rising teenage mental‑health crisis. Critics, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue the definition of “addictive features” is overly broad and could effectively ban all social media for under‑16s. The chatbot law, named after teen Adam Raine, imposes time caps, mandatory mental‑health resources, and parental alerts when self‑harm is detected, holding companies like OpenAI liable for non‑compliance. Additional statutes create liability for child‑harm, tighten age‑verification, expand duties on child‑abuse content, and restrict AI‑powered toys for minors.

💡 By forcing platforms to redesign core engagement tools, the law tests whether user‑wellbeing can be legislated without dismantling the social‑media ecosystem that teens rely on for information and connection.

vox.com · Sep 12

The week the AI freakout went mainstream

A viral warning from a former Anthropic employee claiming advanced AI could annihilate humanity sparked widespread public concern and renewed calls for government oversight. The claim surfaced amid reports of rogue AI hacking incidents, rapid capability gains, and insider assertions that AI will soon surpass current limits. Experts suggest possible regulatory responses, including bans on high‑risk AI, mandatory monitoring, and stricter liability standards. However, political obstacles—such as presidential skepticism—and the pace of technological progress threaten effective intervention. The episode has intensified debate over AI safety and governance.

💡 The viral claim forces policymakers to confront the tangible risk of runaway AI, compelling a reassessment of regulatory frameworks that could shape the trajectory of future AI development.

thestandard.com.hk · Sep 12

Europe eyes battle over ‘pervert’ AI glasses

European regulators and the public are demanding action against Meta’s “pervert” smart glasses after footage of girls and women was secretly filmed and shared online. The glasses, sold in partnership with Ray‑Ban maker EssilorLuxottica, can record, stream, and use AI assistants, with Meta selling seven million pairs in 2025. Britain launched a petition for a ban, while Oslo prohibited the devices in schools and the EU is considering restrictions on facial‑recognition features. Meta has tightened LED‑light tampering safeguards, but concerns over privacy and harassment persist.

💡 The debate underscores how rapidly evolving wearable AI can outpace legal frameworks, exposing users to new privacy risks that traditional tech oversight has struggled to address.

batimes.com.ar · Sep 12

What does Peter Thiel want in Argentina?

On April 23, Javier Milei hosted Peter Thiel at Government House, marking Thiel’s first in‑person visit and his official move to Argentina. The meeting followed Thiel’s earlier 2022 trademark registration of Palantir Technologies in the country, which announced the company’s intent to provide cloud‑based AI and geospatial analytics for national security and data‑processing projects. Thiel’s prior interest surfaced in 2017 when Palantir offered a demo to UFI‑AMIA prosecutors, sparking controversy over access to sensitive archives. The visit signals a potential expansion of U.S. tech influence in Argentine governance.

💡 Thiel’s presence could reshape Argentina’s data‑security landscape, positioning Palantir as a key partner in handling national archives and intelligence. This move may alter how the country balances foreign tech integration with sovereignty concerns.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 12

US District Court Strips Away Insane JH Campbell Fake Emergency Order

A U.S. District Court has invalidated the federal government’s emergency order forcing the continued operation of Michigan’s J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant. The ruling, issued on September 11, 2026, by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, declared the Department of Energy’s justification for keeping the aging facility open as fictitious and unlawful. Judge Cornelia Pillard wrote that federal emergency authority under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act is reserved for genuine crises, not for overriding state-managed energy planning. The court found that the DOE grossly overstepped its authority by repeatedly renewing ninety-day emergency orders to prevent the plant’s scheduled retirement. Consumers Energy had planned to replace the 1,420 MW facility with methane, solar, and battery storage, a transition approved by Michigan regulators and grid operator MISO. A coalition including Earthjustice, the Sierra Club, and states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois successfully sued the administration. The decision reinforces that states hold primary responsibility for managing power generation resources.

💡 The ruling establishes a critical legal boundary, preventing the executive branch from weaponizing emergency powers to block state-approved energy transitions. It protects the integrity of regional grid planning against federal interference driven by political preferences rather than actual grid reliability needs.