American social network owned by Meta Platforms
Federal prosecutors have charged Abdulrahman Alfozan, a 35-year-old OpenAI engineer, after the company has found a sophisticated audio recorder concealed in an executive conference-room television on Sept. 30. OpenAI has fired the engineer, used its models to trace the device to him, and referred the matter to the FBI; Alfozan has been held in federal custody and appeared in court.
Security researchers have found two critical vulnerabilities in PHP, the web programming language that powers roughly 70% of sites. Fixes have been released and governments and major providers have urged immediate updates; some public websites have been taken offline while operators apply patches and test systems. Cloud services report millions of probing attempts since disclosure.
AI trained on over 40 million facial images and 35,000 cancer patient photos estimates biological age and survival chances from a face photo. Studies suggest potential to inform treatment but offer no definitive predictions; experts caution about bias and the need for broader testing.
New Mexico has issued a $25 billion penalty against Meta over data privacy and harmful content concerns connected to Cambridge Analytica era practices. The ruling labels Meta’s actions as deceptive and says the state can direct funds to education. Meta plans to appeal; several related multi-state suits and teen-mental-health actions are ongoing.
Security flaws in PHP have prompted a worldwide patch effort as governments and businesses race to mitigate two critical vulnerabilities that could expose websites and applications to cyberattacks. Leaders urge immediate updates amid offline services and ongoing investigations into potential exploits.
Harvard has staged a dramatic comeback in Cambridge, rallying from a 17-14 deficit with four seconds left to beat Colgate 20-17. Teigan Pelletier caught a late pass at the 5 and pitched to Nate Bailey for the game-winning score. Bailey finished with 197 receiving yards and a touchdown on 16 receptions.
Beam launches as a cheaper alternative for business users, aiming to match GLM-5.2 on benchmarks while cutting costs. The model targets developers and enterprises, with pricing and performance details highlighted. The move follows a string of AI-agent safety concerns and industry interest in cost-effective, safer AI.
The government has extended the autopay-driven interest reduction through June 2028, expanding relief for borrowers on the Save plan and others returning to repayment. Auto pay enrolment by Dec. 31 is required for the 1% reduction; for those already enrolled, the discount remains in place. Default and forbearance-related risks persist as millions face repayment.
Latvia has declared a persona non grata a Russian commentator based on material from authorities, with officials citing national security reasons. The move follows prior expulsions of Russian cultural figures and signals intensifying scrutiny of Russia-linked voices in Latvia’s public sphere.
Lisa Cook’s lawyers have told the White House that a November 5 hearing cannot proceed because she will be performing Federal Reserve duties in Europe and preparing for the December FOMC meeting. Attorney Abbe Lowell has also warned that the White House committee is biased, citing members’ prior comments and unspecified additional allegations that must be disclosed before any fair hearing.
Documentaries and biopics exploring tech leaders are reshaping the fall box office. Openers on Musk and Holmes have drawn attention even as openings vary, with competing narratives about industry power and accountability.
A whale-trapped climactic sequence has Austin Abrams fighting for breath as he recalls his relationship with his father, while other new releases explore identity, memory and power on stage and screen. The slate includes The Scotsman’s review of Whalefall and Guardian critics on contemporary theatre.
The Guardian and Arab News publish pieces warning that AI threatens democracy if unchecked; they argue constitutional checks are essential to ensure AI safety and democratic resilience. The debate emphasizes policy safeguards, transparency, and public-interest journalism as bulwarks.
UnitedHealth has raised its 2026 adjusted earnings outlook to at least $20.50 per share after a strong Q3, driven by value-based care and an expanding Optum Health turnaround. Analysts anticipate higher 2027 EPS as management views consensus targets as conservative. Meta Platforms’ Muse AI momentum is also shaping investor sentiment ahead of its Q3 results.
Epic Games has shifted to AI-accelerated development, moving staff to AI-assisted workflows and assets. A high-profile Disney collaboration is delayed indefinitely, as Epic reorganizes teams and prioritizes faster, AI-driven delivery. The pivot follows layoffs earlier this year and signals a broader industry push toward AI in game creation.
Hundreds of students have attacked Albania’s Education Ministry, throwing bricks and concrete blocks after nationwide demonstrations over university conditions, rising costs and poor job prospects. Security forces have used tear gas and water cannon; police have detained and arrested protesters and said officers and a journalist were injured.
Brazil's presidential runoff has become a legal and political fight over social media. Lula's campaign has filed a petition accusing Meta of algorithmic manipulation that reduced his posts' reach; Bolsonaro has filed rival petitions alleging unlawful government messaging on WhatsApp. Brazil's electoral court has ordered Meta to treat both campaigns equally and threatened heavy fines; Meta denies political bias and cites technical errors.
Multiple states have filed lawsuits alleging OpenAI’s ChatGPT poses safety risks to children, including dangerous medical guidance and coercive behaviors. The actions seek changes to how the product works for young users and to surrender profits tied to minors’ usage. OpenAI says safeguards are in place and is engaging with states.
Citizen Lab has published a report showing Israeli ad‑tech firm Discover‑Tech has sold targeted ads that routed millions of devices to mercenary spyware operators, including Candiru. Researchers have confirmed the technique has infected 45 Al Jazeera devices in 2024–25 and have shown Discover‑Tech ads reached government, military and critical‑infrastructure networks worldwide.
Nvidia unveils Nemotron 3.5 Super VL and Bolt models for enterprise agents, promising fast task completion and on-prem deployment. Meta launches Muse Spark Open, an open-weight model optimized for Macs, highlighting long-horizon reasoning and safeguards. Both companies push open-weight ecosystems and local-use cases to appeal to businesses and privacy-conscious users.
For the year through September, the deficit has widened to about $1.99 trillion, with net interest costs topping $1 trillion. Receipts from individual income taxes have risen modestly, while corporate taxes fell, and Social Security and Medicare together remain the largest spending slices. The government’s debt now exceeds $40 trillion, underscoring a steep climb in borrowing costs as rates stay elevated.
A 16-year-old gunman opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, killing a 5-year-old boy, two other students aged 8 and 11, and a teacher. A bystander intervened, fatally shooting the teen as victims were evacuated. Authorities say multiple others are injured. The community is rallying around the victims with GoFundMe pages.
Ukrainian drone strikes have targeted Russia’s oil infrastructure, including the St. Petersburg terminal, triggering fires and evacuations. Moscow has reported extensive drone activity as Kyiv resumes strikes following a temporary pause linked to a U.S.-brokered energy ceasefire. Attacks are broadening across time and geography, with Gulf region tankers also coming under fire.
Federal prosecutors allege Abdulrahman Alfozan maintained ties with a Saudi royal figure, with a Saudi military official funding family travel after his arrest. A judge has denied release to home confinement as the case moves to trial in San Francisco.
Two Japanese firms have cleared final steps to begin China operations as Beijing welcomes a trade delegation. BPCE’s banking arm plans to buy Tokyo advisory firm Sangyo Sosei, while other moves show continued cross-border investment.
Meta’s chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan has announced his departure, staying through the midterms and exiting next year after more than 15 years at the company. The move follows a shift in policy leadership and leadership changes at Meta.
Malaysia has banned civil servants from using Google’s Waze while urging a switch to the local TuJu app amid concerns that Waze could expose government data to Israeli jurisdiction. The government says the move is to protect national security and personal data; Waze rejects the claims. The directive follows broader regional caution towards Israel-linked tech.
Barbara Bush has donated to James Talarico’s Texas Senate campaign while Neil Bush backs his nephew’s opponent, Ken Paxton. The endorsements reflect a rare fissure within a prominent Republican family ahead of the November midterms as polling shows a tight race in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988.
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion for deceiving users about data privacy linked to the Cambridge Analytica case, marking a major step in a growing, court-led crackdown on Big Tech. The ruling comes after a jury found Meta liable for tens of millions of violations of state unfair practices laws.
Meta has told investors Muse, its AI personal assistant, is unprofitable now due to compute intensity but will become highly profitable as efficiency improves. The company plans to monetize Muse through transaction fees as it scales, with expectations of profitability next year while continuing to push Reality Labs losses toward reduction.
A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay $25 billion after a jury found the company misled state residents about its handling of Facebook user data, including links to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The judge reduced a higher statutory penalty to $25bn and directed proceeds to state programs including schools.
Meta has secured a deal to keep Mark Zuckerberg as a California resident and leader as Proposition 40 looms. The company will issue a new class of non-voting shares to allow liquidity for a potential tax bill without diluting control. The move follows Zuckerberg’s threats to relocate amid a proposed 5% wealth tax on billionaires.
Police say a man was assaulted during a march in Durban's city centre; the death is linked to months of anti-immigrant protests in South Africa. Authorities warn thousands of migrants have fled the country amid ongoing tensions and violence tied to anti-immigrant demonstrations.