Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

The UK’s minister for artificial intelligence has urged countries to “harden and build” their defences against AI risks, saying warnings from people working in the field must be taken seriously. Kanishka Narayan made the comments at the Labour Party’s annual conference after former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon claimed that people developing advanced AI believed it could kill everyone by the end of the decade. Coxon’s warning, posted on X, has reportedly been viewed 175 million times. Anthropic scientist Evan Hubinger subsequently said he believed the risk was greater than 10 per cent. “The first thing to say is that when…

Australia’s improved federal budget result is unlikely to ease pressure on households facing a widely expected interest rate hike, with the Reserve Bank forecast to lift its cash rate to 4.6 per cent. The underlying cash deficit for 2025-26 was $22.3 billion, $6 billion below the figure forecast in May. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the result showed the government’s economic management was delivering, while acknowledging that financial pressures on households were intensifying. “Despite this very welcome improvement in the budget, we know that pressures are intensifying rather than easing,” Mr Chalmers said. Budget deficit improves as debt falls Stronger revenue…

Israel has closed crossings into the occupied West Bank for a week, further restricting Palestinian movement and access to holy sites during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the closure on Sunday following a recommendation from the military. It is due to remain in force until Saturday, with existing checkpoints and barriers tightened across the territory. The restrictions affect access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. They also prevent most Palestinians with permits to work in Israel or Israeli settlements from entering. Only workers classified as essential are…

A Melbourne couple were forced to abandon their yacht after it sank when it was struck by a whale. The holidaying pair left the vessel and waited to be rescued after the collision with the giant mammal.

Food safety recalls and a major cyclospora outbreak have become an unexpected political battleground ahead of the US midterm elections, with Democrats blaming the Trump administration’s cuts to public health agencies and Republicans accusing them of scaremongering. The outbreak, linked to lettuce, sickened almost 20,000 people between May and August across 21 states, making it the largest recorded outbreak of the parasite. The figure compares with 1,180 laboratory-confirmed cases during the same period in 2025. Restaurants including Chipotle and Taco Bell removed lettuce, jalapeños and other suspected ingredients from their menus as a precaution. The episode, alongside the recall of…

Five men suspected of plotting an attack near RAF Fairford were stopped after a farmer alerted police to three vans close to the Gloucestershire base, which has been used by American forces to launch air strikes against Iran. The vehicles, reportedly packed with explosives, were intercepted about 350 yards from the base. A major incident was declared and more than 80 households were evacuated while specialist teams examined the vans. One of the vehicles carried the words ‘Fuel 2You’ in red lettering, alongside a telephone number which appears to be out of service. The branding has since prompted questions about…

Taxpayer-funded Trump administration advertisements have prompted questions over their ethical and legal status, with former White House ethics czar Norman Eisen discussing the concerns raised by the new campaign. Eisen spoke with NPR’s Leila Fadel about the advertisements and the issues surrounding their use of public money. The discussion centres on whether the adverts funded by taxpayers comply with legal requirements and ethical standards.

The Xi-Trump summit has produced limited concrete agreements but may have established a more managed relationship between Washington and Beijing, with both sides avoiding major concessions while their economic and technological ties continue to weaken. Chinese President Xi Jinping has returned to Beijing after a three-day state visit to the United States, during which Donald Trump hosted him at a state dinner and showed him the US Constitution and the first treaty between the United States and Qing-dynasty China at the National Archives. The two leaders said they would work towards a “constructive relationship of strategic stability on the basis…

Newcastle United plan to keep Joelinton beyond January, with the midfielder expected to play an increasingly important leadership role once he returns from injury. The 30-year-old has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League in the past, but Newcastle have no intention of selling him during the winter transfer window. Joelinton was appointed vice-captain before the season began, with Dan Burn taking the armband after Bruno Guimarães left the club. He has since been named in a five-man leadership group alongside Burn, Malick Thiaw, Yoane Wissa and Lewis Miley. Newcastle’s changing midfield increases Joelinton’s importance Newcastle’s squad…

The Golden State Valkyries secured the first playoff win in franchise history with a 104-80 victory over the Dallas Wings at Chase Center in San Francisco. Playing in front of a packed “Ballhalla” crowd, the Valkyries took control with a 37-11 second quarter to establish a 27-point half-time lead. The result gave Golden State a 1-0 advantage in the best-of-three first-round series. Cecilia Zandalasini led all scorers with 22 points, while Tiffany Hayes added 21 and Gabby Williams also passed the 20-point mark. The Valkyries made 18 three-pointers, matching their franchise record, with eight different players contributing from beyond the…