Month: October 2026

Senior Democrats demanded on Thursday that US President Donald Trump preserve records of any official exchanges with artificial intelligence chatbots, raising questions about whether Elon Musk’s Grok influenced sensitive military decisions. In a letter dated Wednesday and first obtained by Politico, congressmen Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia said questions submitted by Trump and White House aides — and the chatbots’ answers — constituted presidential records that must be preserved under federal law. They requested a closed-door briefing by November 11 covering the president’s use of AI, security safeguards and whether…

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Iranian media reported on Thursday that Tehran had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance but had not yet responded, amid efforts to revive peace talks between the countries. Tasnim news agency reported that “Iran has received the letter but has not yet responded”, while Fars news agency carried a similar account, citing “a source familiar with the matter”. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance had sent the letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei at the direction of US President Donald Trump, in a…

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Iranian media reported on Thursday that Tehran had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance but had not yet responded, amid efforts to revive peace talks between the countries. Tasnim news agency reported that “Iran has received the letter but has not yet responded”, while Fars news agency carried a similar account, citing “a source familiar with the matter”. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance had sent the letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei at the direction of US President Donald Trump, in a…

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Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman on Thursday rejected accusations “made by certain Israeli politicians and their contacts in the media” that his country had interfered in the Israeli elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp, which appears unable to secure a majority in parliamentary elections, has, without evidence, accused Arab parties of receiving money from Qatar. Partial election results showed the two Arab lists securing a strong position in the new parliament, making them potential kingmakers. “We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities…

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Benjamin Netanyahu alleged on Thursday, without providing evidence, that Arab parties’ record gains in an election this week were driven in part by voter ​fraud, a charge rejected by Arab leaders who accused the premier of incitement. The allegation represents an escalation of anti-Arab rhetoric by Netanyahu and his far-right partners after high Arab turnout in a national ballot on Tuesday effectively blocked a smooth path to power for either him or his main Jewish rivals. Israeli election officials said on Thursday that there was a probe into fraud allegations,…

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The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday held interest rates steady despite rising inflation fuelled by the Iran war energy shock, just hours after President Christine Lagarde announced she would step down early. As expected by economists, the central bank for the 21 nations that use the euro left its benchmark rate unchanged at 2.5 per cent, after having already lifted it twice this year. The ECB is seeking to walk a fine line between tamping down inflation — which hit a three-year high of 3.8 per cent in September…

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to accelerate preparations for local government elections and strengthen the party’s organisational activities across the province. The directives were issued during a meeting of the PML-N’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa parliamentary party, chaired by the prime minister in Islamabad, where participants reviewed the province’s security and political situation. According to sources, PM Shehbaz briefed party lawmakers on the reasons behind the proposed imposition of governor’s rule and the enforcement of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The meeting…

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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the Senate, calling his recent statements inappropriate. JUI-F senators created a ruckus in the House during his speech. Speaking in the upper house, Naqvi said Fazlur Rehman had made unsuitable remarks about the state and its institutions. “I used to respect Maulana Fazlur Rehman a great deal, but now there is no room left for respect,” he said. He added: “For him, the state is a mother only as long as he keeps getting something…

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