Germany's Merz says 'disaster' result after far-right AfD leads another state election
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday,...
A year after unveiling its bold AI strategy, Apple finds itself in an unexpected place — not at the forefront, but falling behind. As rivals accelerate, Apple stands at a crossroads.
The stage was Silicon Valley. The moment, historic. In June 2024, Apple announced “Apple Intelligence” with grand ambition. Within hours, its market value soared by $200 billion.
The euphoria of the ambition was merely temporary.
Twelve months on, the promises sound hollow. Siri’s AI makeover has been shelved. Apple Intelligence struggles to keep up with Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s bots. And amid Donald Trump’s renewed trade war, Apple’s reliance on China is again under scrutiny.
Even worse, two key revenue pillars, search and the App Store, now face legal and regulatory threats.
Behind the scenes, tension grows. Critics see echoes of General Electric, a giant that once dazzled Wall Street but missed the future. Some ask: is Apple becoming the next Nokia?
According to The Economist’s report, Donald Trump’s policies have exposed Apple’s deep vulnerabilities in China, a market once seen as its strongest pillar.
Apple’s core problem isn’t money. It’s momentum. While rivals race to reinvent devices with AI-powered glasses and assistants, Apple is playing it safe, leaning on slow upgrades and a foldable phone expected next year.
Its Vision Pro headset may yet become a gateway to smart glasses. But for now, it remains a costly experiment.
At the heart of the issue is privacy, once Apple’s proud shield. But in the AI age, that shield now limits growth. Refusing to collect personal data means weaker AI models. Prioritising on-device computing keeps Apple out of the cloud arms race.
Even its rare opt-in deal with ChatGPT hints at a deeper problem: Siri can’t compete. Not without help.
Some urge Apple to break the walls of its tightly controlled ecosystem. Others say it’s too late. Firms like OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are already tied up in billion-dollar alliances. And China, where Apple’s roots run deepest, is no longer a stable bet.
Now, courts threaten the search deal with Google, worth $20 billion annually. The App Store faces challenges too. If regulators or lawsuits succeed, Apple could lose over $30 billion in high-margin revenue.
That would be a shock. And markets hate shocks.
But there is another way to read this moment.
If Apple uses the crisis to rewrite its rulebook — on privacy, AI partnerships, and device design, it might yet lead the next tech revolution. If not, it risks becoming a story of caution in a century built on boldness.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Russian authorities have reported attacks on voting systems and communication lines as the country’s parliamentary election entered its second day on Saturday (19 September).
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday, voting projections showed, delivering the worst result for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative party since 1949.
The Left Party won Sunday's Berlin state election with 25.5 per cent of the vote in the preliminary result, ahead of the Christian Democrats (CDU) on 19.1 per cent. This marks a major shift in the city's political landscape and a setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition.
A group of French nationals, suspected of belonging to the Islamic State (IS), on trial in Iraq could face execution, a member of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council told a hearing in Baghdad on Sunday.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has prepared sanctions targeting the entire International Criminal Court (ICC) and could announce them soon, escalating Washington's efforts to pressure the global tribunal.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment