Author: staff
Published on 26 October 2026 – 18:07 GMT+1 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Kyiv had been waiting for almost a month for US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign off on much coveted Patriot interceptor missiles. In an update on weapons supplies shared on social media, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had been awaiting approval to receive missiles for both the Patriot and NASAMS systems. “We are working on several tracks – with the United States, Europe, and other partners that have stocks of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles,” he wrote. “In particular, we have been waiting for nearly a…
Published on 26 October 2026 – 14:29 GMT+1 Anthropic’s AI model Claude bypassed a paywall and accessed publicly available voter data in the US state of Georgia without human authorisation, according to a report by Axios. The case is the latest in a string of security scares at the world’s top AI developers ahead of crucial US midterm elections on 3 November, which could see Democrats win control of the US Congress and launch stronger action to rein in AI firms such as Anthropic and OpenAI. The AI model was accessing aggregate vote counts as part of a statistics project…
“In a sense, I began my studies during an era of light and you begin your studies in an era of darkness,” he said. “We used to be able to say that the three biggest killers of mankind, disease, famine and wars, have been defeated. That is not true anymore. The light has given way to darkness.” Stubb, who has studied and written extensively on geopolitical upheaval, has been intimately involved in European efforts to navigate U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term — particularly when it comes to the question of a peace deal for Ukraine. He told his audience…
By Clara Nabaa & Jeremiah Fisayo-Bambi Published on 26 October 2026 – 14:09 GMT+1 Algeria has approved sending troops to neighbouring Niger to “protect energy installations”, in particular oil projects operated by the state-owned company Sonatrach, marking what will be the country’s first foreign deployment of military forces since the 1970s. The rare measure comes as both countries strengthen security ties months after a thwarted mutiny in Niger, which has seen Algeria gift four military helicopters to Niamey. The move was approved in a closed extraordinary session of the parliament on Sunday, where 148 of the 174 lawmakers were present in the upper…
Published on 26 October 2026 – 16:18 GMT+1 Swedish government employees can no longer use browser-based versions of OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude on their work computers following security concerns relating to the processing of sensitive data. The decision comes following a review of AI tools used by workers at the Swedish Transport Administration earlier this year that found “problematic” uses of the AI platforms in carrying out government work. Officials were concerned that entering sensitive information into these models without an agreement setting out how to protect and secure the data could lead to it being fed into the…
Published on 26 October 2026 – 15:27 GMT+1 Australia’s first major new international airport for 50 years is now fully operational. Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) welcomed its first international passengers on 26 October, with Air New Zealand flight NZ165 touching down from Auckland. The arrival came a day after the airport officially opened, with Jetstar launching its first domestic passenger services. Located at Badgerys Creek, about 60 kilometres west of central Sydney, the new airport operates around the clock. That gives airlines greater scheduling flexibility than at Sydney’s existing Kingsford Smith Airport, where a curfew restricts take-offs…
The minister’s move initially prompted backlash from the Belgian hospitality sector; the statement added the postponement would allow enough time for venues to adjust to the new rules. Several other EU countries are moving forward with similar bans — albeit with different success rates. France recently introduced a smoking ban on beaches, gardens and near schools. Spain, meanwhile, approved a draft bill in July that would extend the ban to outdoor terraces and other public spaces, including restrictions on e-cigarettes — but which faces pushback from restaurant owners. Belgium introduced a slate of new anti-smoking laws last year, including curbs…
Senior military and security officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are holding talks with Iranian officials in Tehran as diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the United States continue. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are members of the Mecca Defence Alliance, a security alliance established amid regional instability and concerns over threats linked to Iran and its allies. The three countries have now turned to direct talks with Tehran about regional security, even as the alliance faces growing pressure from attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani…
On Monday Italian energy group Eni signed contracts worth up to $1.8 billion (€1.61 billion) to build the infrastructure needed to develop the Kronos natural gas field inside Cyprus’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Eni’s partner is French group Total, as the two companies will work together to mine the area. The project aims to commercialise Cypriot natural gas via Egypt, with exports to international markets and Europe expected to begin once production starts, which is currently scheduled for 2028. The agreements represent a major milestone in Cyprus’s efforts to strengthen its position on the energy map of the Eastern Mediterranean,…
By Jonathan Benton with AFP Published on 26 October 2026 – 15:11 GMT+1 The European Commission has said it has accepted Temu’s action plan to address several violations of the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Temu has promised to carry out a risk analysis, to keep a close eye on measures to prevent the sale of illegal products on its platform and to step up its efforts if needed. The Chinese retailer will also review how its recommender systems “may amplify the spread of illegal goods”, the Commission said. In May this year, Temu was fined €200 million by the EU for allowing…