Author: Grace Johnson

“This technology is our future threat,” warns Serhiy Beskrestnov as he examines a newly captured Russian drone. It is unlike anything he has seen. Controlled by artificial intelligence, it can find and strike targets without human intervention. Beskrestnov, a consultant for Ukraine’s defence forces, has analysed countless drones since the conflict began. But this one stands out. It neither sends nor receives signals, making it impossible to jam or trace. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces now test AI in combat. They use it to locate enemies, analyse intelligence, and clear mines faster than ever. Artificial intelligence becomes a battlefield game-changer…

Elon Musk has agreed to settle a $128 million lawsuit with four of Twitter’s former top executives, now part of his rebranded company X. The dispute centered on claims that Musk refused to pay severance owed after his 2022 takeover of the social media platform. Former executives accuse Musk of wrongful dismissal The group, which included former CEO Parag Agrawal, said Musk fired them without cause and denied them the compensation promised in their contracts. In a court filing, their lawyers said, “The parties have reached a settlement, and the settlement requires certain conditions to be met in the near…

Gold has smashed records, soaring above $4,000 (£2,985) an ounce for the first time. Investors are rushing into the precious metal as fears over global politics and economic stability intensify. The surge marks gold’s steepest rally since the 1970s. Prices have leapt by almost one-third since April, when US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs shook international trade and spooked global markets. Shutdown crisis deepens market unease The ongoing US government shutdown, now in its second week, has rattled investors around the world. Analysts say delays in key economic data have clouded the outlook for the global economy. Gold, widely seen…

“Half of my life is on this app and now they expect us to pay for it.” That sentence sums up the fury spreading among Snapchat users. The company’s plan to charge for storing old photos and videos has sparked widespread criticism and claims of corporate greed. Users forced to pay for nostalgia In September, Snap, the company behind Snapchat, announced that users with more than five gigabytes of saved Memories will need to pay. Many users store years of milestones, friendships, and personal moments, making the change feel like a direct attack on their digital history. Snap defended the…

The United States has dominated the global technology market for decades. Now China aims to change that. The world’s second-largest economy is investing billions in artificial intelligence and robotics. Its main objective is to produce high-end chips that can compete with the world’s best. Last month, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang warned that China was only “nanoseconds behind” the U.S. in chip development. Beijing is racing to close the gap and reduce its dependence on imported technology. DeepSeek Highlights China’s Growing AI Power In 2024, the Chinese startup DeepSeek surprised the tech world by launching a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The…

A global strategy for food and the environment By 2050, every person could have access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food while protecting the planet. The 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems outlines how a “planetary health diet” can make this possible. The report finds that combining this diet with sustainable farming practices and reduced food waste could feed 9.6 billion people equitably. Experts from over 35 countries contributed to the research, which shows global food-related emissions could fall by more than half with coordinated action. Today, food production, processing, and transport generate about 30% of greenhouse…

Electric car sales in the UK reached a historic milestone in September, according to fresh data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The figures show that electric and hybrid models now dominate new registrations, reflecting a nationwide shift toward cleaner and more sustainable mobility. Electric and hybrid cars take centre stage Sales of fully electric vehicles surged by nearly a third to 72,779 units last month. Plug-in hybrids rose even faster, helping electric and hybrid cars together make up more than half of all new car registrations. The SMMT said growing discounts, a wider range of models,…

A new investigation claims TikTok recommends pornography and sexualised clips to children. Researchers created fake child accounts, turned on safety settings, and still received explicit search prompts. These led to videos showing masturbation simulations and even pornographic sex. TikTok says it acted immediately after being alerted and insists it prioritises safe, age-appropriate use. Fake profiles highlight hidden dangers In July and August, researchers from Global Witness built four TikTok accounts. They posed as 13-year-olds using false birth dates. The platform did not request extra identification. Investigators enabled TikTok’s “restricted mode”. The company advertises this feature as a barrier against sexual…

Elon Musk has become the first person to amass a personal wealth of more than $500bn. The landmark comes as Tesla and his other companies surged in value this year. His fortune briefly touched $500.1bn on Wednesday afternoon in New York. It later slipped slightly to just above $499bn, according to Forbes’ billionaires index. Valuations of his other firms, including the AI startup xAI and rocket company SpaceX, have also climbed sharply in recent months. Musk stays far ahead of rivals This milestone cements Musk’s place as the richest person on earth. He remains well ahead of competitors in the…

The sunscreen scandal in Australia keeps escalating. Regulators have already taken 18 products off the shelves due to safety concerns. Popular products fail to meet claims A consumer advocacy group reported in June that several well-known sunscreens offered far less protection than promised. Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen Skinscreen claimed SPF 50+ but tested at only SPF 4. The company voluntarily recalled the product in August. Since then, the medicines regulator has identified 20 additional sunscreens from different brands. All share the same base formula, which performed poorly during testing. Investigations reveal very low SPF levels Testing showed the formula rarely…