FTC opens probe into AI giants including Anthropic and OpenAI

The Federal Trade Commission is conducting an industry-wide probe into Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI ​labs to uncover the potential dangers their technology poses ‌to consumers, a senior FTC official told Reuters on Wednesday. The probe is the first official US regulatory action delving into rogue AI agents amid a surge ​in incidents first reported in July that have stoked fears ​that uncontrolled AI could one day harm humans. The FTC plans ⁠to issue formal demands for information and compel testimony from ​executives at top AI developers, including Anthropic, OpenAI…

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Three ships struck by unknown projectiles in Strait of Hormuz, UKMTO says

Three vessels were struck by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO). A crude oil tanker and two other vessels had each “been struck by an unknown projectile”, the UKMTO said on Wednesday. The agency had earlier described one of the vessels as an LNG tanker, before later describing it as a tanker. The Strait of Hormuz is currently at the centre of the Middle East war between Iran and the United States. Around a fifth of the…

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Families await bodies of 3 Pakistanis killed in Somalia ship recovery operation

Grieving families in Karachi are waiting for the bodies of three Pakistani sailors killed during an operation to recover the hijacked MT Honour 25 off the coast of Somalia, after spending months hoping their loved ones would return home safely. The families of second officer Syed Kashif Umar, Mahmood Ahmed Ansari and Rafi Ullah Khan say they had repeatedly raised their concerns over the sailors’ safety but were unable to secure their release from the pirates’ custody. Relatives of Rafi Ullah said he had been aboard the vessel for about…

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Macron says ‘welcome back’ after Burnham floats UK return to EU

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted on Wednesday to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham floating the idea of Britain rejoining the European Union by saying in English: “Welcome back.” “If the British want to come back and if the prime minister is moving in that direction, I think that is very good news both for his country and for Europeans,” Macron added in French at a news conference in Madrid. “Come back,” he added, standing alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Burnham, prime minister since July after Labour MPs turfed out…

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‘Diana lost control during party’: Suspects’ statements recorded in alleged rape case

New evidence, court statements and developments have emerged in the alleged gang rape case involving an Azerbaijani woman, Diana, in Lahore, with police recording statements of the suspects and collecting evidence from a Defence apartment. A judicial magistrate at Lahore’s Cantt Kacheri granted three-day physical remand of arrested suspect Muskan, while police continued questioning the other suspects. Documents allegedly related to Diana’s marriage in Jhelum and a new video showing her with a young man have also surfaced, prompting investigators to expand the scope of the probe. During the proceedings,…

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Israel weighs special flight to bring citizens home after Flydubai emergency landing

Israel is considering sending a special aircraft to Saudi Arabia to bring home Israelis and other passengers aboard a Flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Tabuk following an incident in the air. According to CNN, Israeli officials are examining the possibility of sending either a military aircraft or a passenger plane operated by national carrier El Al to Saudi Arabia to bring the passengers back. A Flydubai spokesperson said all passengers aboard the flight were safe and that efforts were underway to arrange an alternative aircraft to take…

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After America leaves Iraq, the real test begins

There are moments in history when the departure of an army carries almost as much meaning as its arrival. September 30, 2026, is one such moment for Iraq. After more than two decades, the United States is completing its military withdrawal from Iraq. The departure, agreed between Washington and Baghdad in 2024, ends the US-led coalition’s military mission in the country. For many Iraqis, it closes one of the most painful chapters in the country’s modern history. For Iran and its allies, it removes an important counterweight to their influence.…

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Israel-bound flight diverts to Saudi Arabia after pilot altercation

A flight bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates diverted to Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals following a fight between the pilots, an Israeli official said on Wednesday. Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted over Jordanian airspace ​towards Saudi Arabia, transmitting a general emergency signal and then another emergency signal that indicated possible unlawful interference several minutes ​later, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. The Boeing 737 plane, which Israeli media said had around 150 Israeli ⁠passengers on board, then again transmitted the initial general emergency…

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Gold price jumps Rs4,300 per tola in Pakistan

Gold prices rose sharply in Pakistan on Wednesday, with the price of one tola increasing by Rs4,300 to Rs441,636, according to the jewellers’ association. The price of 10 grams of gold also increased by Rs3,686 to Rs378,631. In the international market, gold gained $43 to reach $4,191 per ounce. The jewellers’ association attributed the rise in gold prices to movements in international bullion prices, changes in the value of the US dollar, global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. On Tuesday, the price of one tola of gold fell by Rs800,…

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US-led coalition withdraws from Iraq after 12-year Daesh fight

The United States and its coalition partners have formally concluded their military mission in Iraq under Operation Inherent Resolve, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, marking the transition to an Iraqi-led security effort and a bilateral defence relationship. Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the “orderly departure” of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base marked the successful conclusion of the mission to defeat Daesh as an organised military threat in Iraq. The move was in line with a September 2024 US-Iraq agreement to end the coalition’s military mission in…

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