American shoppers once again staged a record shopping marathon: according to Adobe Analytics, they spent $11.8 billion online on Black Friday 2025, 9.1% more than a year earlier. Globally, analysts put total online Black Friday sales at around $78–80 billion — and a substantial share of that pie now comes from European consumers hunting for discounts and increasingly turning to AI to help them choose what to buy.
The global network of undersea fiber-optic cables — responsible for carrying more than 95% of international internet traffic — is in increasingly alarming condition. Growing demand, more frequent physical damage and rising geopolitical tensions are creating a volatile mix that could lead to serious disruptions in global communications.
Alibaba has begun selling its new Quark AI glasses in the Chinese market. The product is positioned to compete with Meta, Vuzix and other companies developing next-generation AI assistant eyewear.
At the start of 2026, Europe’s healthtech scene doesn’t slow down. January opens with a tight cluster of high-stakes events — where regulators, clinicians, and digital health leaders gather to confront what’s next. From cross-border data use to hospital-based AI, these meetings aren’t just about vision. They’re where priorities get negotiated.