Category: World

Indonesia has moved to block access to Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, marking one of the first national-level actions taken specifically against a generative AI system over deepfake and synthetic sexual content risks. The decision places Southeast Asia’s largest economy at the centre of a growing global debate over how far governments should go in regulating AI tools that blur the line between expression and abuse.Officials cited concerns that Grok could be used to generate or amplify

African policymakers and market operators are accelerating efforts to deepen trade within the continent by leaning on digital payment systems that promise faster settlements, lower costs and broader access for businesses of all sizes. The push comes as governments and private players seek to convert the African Continental Free Trade Area from a legal framework into a functioning commercial ecosystem that moves goods, services and capital more efficiently across borders.At the centre of this shift is the growing use of

False social media posts masquerading as official council announcements have highlighted how generative artificial intelligence can be weaponised to mislead voters, placing new strain on public trust as political campaigning intensifies across the United Kingdom. The fabricated messages, which mimicked the tone, branding and urgency of genuine local authority notices, circulated widely before being taken down, prompting concern among regulators, councils and election specialists.Several of the posts claimed changes to polling arrangements, emergency local measures or altered eligibility rules, using

President Donald Trump announced the cancellation of a planned second wave of military attacks on Venezuela, pointing to improved cooperation from the country’s interim leadership and gestures such as the release of political prisoners and discussions on oil infrastructure. The decision marks a shift in the U. S. approach after its forces ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this month, and underscores Washington’s focus on stabilising relations and leveraging Venezuela’s energy resources.Trump made the announcement via social media and

 Authorities in Iran cut internet connectivity and restricted mobile phone services overnight as demonstrations flared across several cities, a move that marks a sharper phase in efforts to contain public dissent. Crowds were reported in neighbourhoods of the capital Tehran and in provincial centres, with security forces deployed around key junctions, universities and government buildings.The digital blackout, which activists said began late in the evening and continued into the morning, disrupted messaging platforms, slowed access to websites and interfered with

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang has dismissed concerns over California’s proposed billionaire tax, signalling that the potential personal cost would not alter his commitment to building the company’s artificial-intelligence business in the state where it was founded. Speaking in public remarks this week, Huang said he was “perfectly fine” with the idea of paying higher taxes, framing the debate as secondary to access to talent and the long-term importance of Silicon Valley to the technology industry.Jensen Huang, whose personal fortune has

 President Donald Trump has unveiled a proposal to bar large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes from 2026, framing the move as a bid to ease housing affordability pressures and tilt the market back towards owner-occupiers. The announcement, delivered during a campaign-style address, triggered immediate market reactions and reopened a contentious debate over the role of corporate capital in the US housing market.Under the plan outlined by Trump, major investment firms and large landlords would be prevented from acquiring detached

France’s trade deficit widened to €4.2 billion in December 2025, reversing some of the narrowing seen earlier in the quarter as imports accelerated faster than exports, according to official customs data released this week. The shortfall, up from a revised €3.5 billion in November, broadly matched market expectations and underscored the uneven recovery in external trade as domestic demand picked up while overseas sales faced mixed conditions.The deterioration was driven primarily by a rise in imports of energy products and

Internet access and telephone networks across Iran were cut late on Thursday after crowds poured onto streets and residents shouted from rooftops in multiple cities, according to witnesses and digital rights monitors, marking a sharp escalation in nationwide unrest.Demonstrations flared after an appeal by exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi for a coordinated show of defiance, prompting gatherings in the capital Tehran and other urban centres. Within hours of the calls to mobilise, mobile networks faltered, fixed-line telephones fell silent in

Brussels has directed European Union regulators to compel X to retain internal records linked to its Grok chatbot through the end of 2026, widening a probe into allegations that the tool surfaced antisemitic material and generated non-consensual sexual content. The preservation order, issued under the bloc’s digital rules, is designed to prevent the loss or alteration of documents while investigators assess whether safeguards were adequate and whether platform obligations were breached.The decision intensifies scrutiny of Grok, an artificial-intelligence assistant integrated

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has intensified pressure on the Federal Reserve to expand interest rate reductions as policymakers and markets grapple with divergent views on the path of monetary policy. Bessent has framed his stance around concerns that ongoing high borrowing costs are weighing on key sectors of the economy and that more aggressive rate cuts are necessary to support growth and stability, a perspective that has sharpened debate within financial and political circles in Washington.Bessent, who assumed office

US schools are increasingly replacing full-length novels with short excerpts in literature classes, a shift driven by falling reading proficiency, shorter attention spans and the pull of digital media, according to educators and curriculum specialists. The change has stirred debate over whether students are being denied the sustained engagement needed to build critical thinking, cultural literacy and empathy.Data from national assessments show that reading scores among school-age children have struggled to recover after pandemic-era disruptions, with teachers reporting wider gaps

Britain’s new car market crossed the two-million mark in 2025 for the first time since the pandemic, signalling a broad-based recovery powered by electric vehicle uptake and steady fleet demand, according to industry data compiled across manufacturers and dealers. Registrations reached about 2.02 million units, lifting volumes above levels seen during the disrupted years of supply shortages and subdued consumer confidence.Britain’s auto market clears two million mark, a threshold that underscores how battery-powered models are reshaping buying patterns. Electric vehicles

US-based multinational corporations are set to be exempt from key elements of the global minimum tax regime, following an agreement among major economies that eases pressure on Washington while preserving the broader framework championed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The move reshapes the implementation of the 15 per cent global minimum tax and recalibrates how countries apply enforcement rules to the world’s largest companies.The exemption centres on how the United States will be treated under the so-called

World leaders have mounted robust diplomatic resistance against Washington’s unprecedented military operation that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face federal charges. Amid escalating rhetoric from President Donald Trump’s administration about extending U. S. influence beyond Venezuela, governments in Latin America, Europe and Asia have criticised what they view as a breach of international norms and a threat to national sovereignty.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum delivered one of the most forceful statements from the

Uncertainty has gripped Cuba after claims circulated that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured following a United States strike in Venezuela, a development that, if confirmed, would shake the island’s most important political and economic partnership. Cuban authorities have offered no confirmation of the reports, while state media has urged calm and emphasised continuity in Havana’s foreign policy, underscoring the fog surrounding events that residents say have heightened anxiety about fuel supplies, power generation and food availability.The Cuban government

Canada’s airline sector is bracing for sharper competition after Ottawa moved to widen market access for carriers from the Middle East, a shift that industry executives and analysts say could force domestic airlines to improve pricing, punctuality and onboard service as more long-haul capacity enters the market.The policy change, announced through updated air transport arrangements, gives carriers based in the Gulf greater flexibility to add frequencies and destinations to Canada. Officials have framed the move as a bid to enhance

Caracas has slipped into an uneasy calm as Venezuelans await signals about the direction their country will take, with political negotiations stalled, economic pressures unresolved and social tensions simmering beneath the surface. “There is a strange lull,” said Benigno Alarcón Deza, a long-time resident of the capital, describing a sense of collective anticipation that has settled over daily life. “People are waiting, watching, unsure of what comes next.”The mood reflects a broader national uncertainty shaped by unresolved disputes over governance,

Cameroon booked a place in the quarter-finals with a disciplined victory over South Africa, extending a run that has turned early promise into tangible progress and setting up a meeting with hosts Morocco. The result was settled by composure at key moments rather than spectacle, with Cameroon absorbing pressure and striking when chances appeared, a pattern that has defined their campaign.From the opening exchanges, South Africa sought to control possession and push numbers forward, probing down the flanks and asking

Ghana’s cedi closed 2025 as the fourth best performing currency in Africa, reflecting a year of relative stability after prolonged volatility and placing the unit among the continent’s stronger exchange rates against the United States dollar. The cedi finished the year at about GH¢10.93 to the dollar, a level that contrasted sharply with the steep depreciation seen in earlier periods and underscored the impact of tighter macroeconomic management and improved external financing conditions.The currency’s performance drew attention because Ghana had

Washington’s move to detain Nicolás Maduro has sharpened the White House’s focus on Venezuela’s vast petroleum reserves, with President Donald Trump signalling that access to crude exports is now a strategic priority. The shift marks a harder edge in US policy towards Venezuela, but it also exposes legal, logistical and market obstacles that complicate any rapid redirection of oil flows.The administration’s intent has been framed as leverage: pressure the Caracas leadership while testing whether energy supplies can be unlocked for

Swiss authorities have moved swiftly to block any financial assets within their jurisdiction linked to Venezuela’s deposed President Nicolás Maduro and associates, ordering freezes with immediate effect after his arrest by United States forces and transfer to the United States to face narco-terrorism charges. The decision by the Swiss Federal Council is set to remain in place for four years, aimed at preventing the outflow of potentially illicitly obtained funds and building on sanctions Switzerland has maintained against Venezuela since

Stone structures lying beneath the Atlantic off the western coast of France have drawn renewed scientific attention, with researchers saying the scale and organisation of the remains point to a large human settlement dating back about 7,000 years. The find centres on a sprawling network of granite walls resting on the seabed, including a continuous section extending close to 400 feet, assembled from megaliths whose combined weight is estimated at roughly 7.2 million pounds.Marine archaeologists and geologists working in waters

 Washington moved to recalibrate its public posture on Venezuela as Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined a strategy centred on economic coercion rather than direct governance, while President Donald Trump repeated assertions that the United States would be “in charge” following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. The contrasting messages underscored tensions inside the administration over how far Washington should go in reshaping the oil-rich South American state and how that effort should be framed to domestic and international audiences.Rubio said

Taiwanese security officials and lawmakers have been assessing the implications of Donald Trump’s hardline language on Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, viewing it as a signal of how a future Trump administration might project power abroad and deter coercive moves by Beijing, even as they privately acknowledge that no arrest of the Venezuelan leader has taken place. The discussion reflects Taipei’s constant effort to read Washington’s intentions amid growing pressure from China across the Taiwan Strait.Public comments and private briefings in Taipei

Finnish authorities have detained two crew members from a foreign-flagged cargo vessel as part of an expanding criminal investigation into damage to an undersea telecommunications cable linking Helsinki and Tallinn, sharpening security concerns across the Baltic Sea region at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.The sailors were taken into custody following the seizure of the vessel Fitburg, which Finnish officials believe may be connected to the disruption of the fibre-optic link that supports data traffic between Finland and Estonia. Investigators