Author: Rachel Maddow

Iraq began early ballots Sunday, with security forces and displaced citizens casting votes ahead of Tuesday’s critical election. Around 1.3 million military personnel and 26,000 displaced residents are eligible. 7,744 candidates, mostly from sectarian-linked parties, compete as Prime Minister al-Sudani seeks a second term amid rising regional tensions. The outcome could redefine Iraq’s political balance between Tehran and Washington. Displaced Communities Weigh Political Influence Yazidis, many uprooted by past Islamic State attacks, voted from a camp near Dohuk. Reconstruction delays and armed groups keep most families from returning to Sinjar. Thousands were killed or enslaved during IS’s campaign. Some families…

UBS AG, Switzerland’s flagship financial powerhouse, faces growing global scrutiny after multiple investigations alleged that it continues to hold undisclosed assets dating back to the Nazi era. What began as a localized legal case in Vienna has now expanded into an international controversy—one blending questions of financial ethics, historical accountability, and regulatory oversight. Cross-Border Probes Reopen a Forgotten Financial Legacy The investigation gained momentum after Viennese attorney Dr. Gerhard Podovsovnik and Rabbi Ephraim Meir reignited efforts to reclaim prewar deposits originally held at the Basler Handelsbank, later absorbed into UBS. Their work coincided with major reporting from Eric Frey in…

Gamers worldwide must wait longer for Grand Theft Auto VI after Rockstar Games confirmed another delay. The developer moved the release to November 2026, extending anticipation for the long-awaited title. This marks the second postponement after the company previously pushed the launch from May 2026. Rockstar originally planned to release the game in autumn this year but shifted the schedule again. The studio announced that the new release date is 19 November 2026. In its statement, Rockstar asked fans for patience, saying it needs more time to perfect the game and deliver the quality players “expect and deserve.” Chaos, Speed,…

AI systems lose their safety controls during longer chats, increasing the risk of harmful or inappropriate responses, a new report revealed.A few simple prompts can override most safety guardrails in artificial intelligence tools, the report said. Researchers Expose How Easily Chatbots Slip Cisco tested large language models from OpenAI, Mistral, Meta, Google, Alibaba, Deepseek, and Microsoft to measure how quickly they released unsafe or illegal content.The researchers conducted 499 “multi-turn attacks,” where users asked multiple questions to bypass safeguards. Each conversation included between five and ten exchanges.They compared results across several prompts to assess each chatbot’s likelihood of sharing private…

Australia will enforce a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16 starting December 10. Communications Minister Anika Wells announced that Reddit and livestreaming site Kick have joined the list of restricted platforms. The order also applies to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Threads, X, and YouTube. All must remove or block accounts belonging to Australian users younger than 16. Platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (€28.3 million). “We’ve met with several companies this month to make sure they understand there’s no excuse for noncompliance,” Wells said in Canberra.…

Belgian authorities closed the airspace above Brussels Zaventem Airport after reports of a drone flying over the airfield on Tuesday night. The public broadcaster VRT said all departures and arrivals were immediately suspended. Flights briefly resumed before a second drone sighting forced another shutdown. Liège Airport, which initially received diverted aircraft from Brussels, also halted operations following a separate drone report. A spokesperson for skeyes, Belgium’s air traffic control agency, confirmed the first sighting occurred around 8 p.m. local time. Officials diverted flights to Ostend-Bruges and Charleroi Brussels South as precautionary measures. NATO and EU Heighten Surveillance Both NATO and…

Nigeria faces renewed tension after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to plan potential military action. His statement linked possible intervention to alleged persecution of Christians, an issue Nigeria’s government strongly denies. Trump warned that if killings continued, the U.S. would end all aid and possibly “go in guns-a-blazing.” The declaration shocked Nigerians and sparked heated debates about sovereignty, religion, and U.S. motives. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu responded swiftly, saying his administration remained open to discussions on security and counterterrorism but insisted any cooperation must respect Nigeria’s independence. Tinubu also rejected Trump’s depiction of Nigeria as intolerant, calling it…

A powerful landslide struck Kenya’s western Rift Valley on Saturday, killing at least 21 people and leaving more than 30 missing. Continuous heavy rains triggered the disaster, which buried homes and forced hundreds to flee for safety. Officials confirmed that search and rescue teams remain on the ground, racing to find survivors. The mudslide swept through the hilly region of Chesongoch in Elgeyo Marakwet County, destroying over 1,000 homes. Days of relentless rainfall during Kenya’s short rain season saturated the slopes, setting off the deadly collapse. Survivors Recount the Night of Destruction Residents described hearing a thunderous roar before mud…

The USA Patriots made a powerful statement in their home playoff return, defeating their opponents 64‑14. This victory comes after nine years without hosting a playoff game and highlights the team’s strong resurgence. Six different Patriots players scored touchdowns, showcasing the depth and versatility of the team’s offensive lineup. Fans celebrated the high-energy performance and the team’s ability to dominate from start to finish. The Patriots controlled the game early, with both their offense and defense performing at peak levels. Key plays included long-yardage runs, precise passing, and several defensive stops that prevented their opponents from mounting a comeback. Coaches…

A recent study found that artificial intelligence understands Polish better than any other language, with English trailing in sixth place. Conducted by the University of Maryland and Microsoft, the research examined 26 languages to determine which ones AI systems process most effectively. The results surprised the research team. “English did not rank highest,” the authors noted. “It placed sixth for long-text tasks, while Polish led across models.” The study involved major systems from OpenAI, Google Gemini, Qwen, Llama, and DeepSeek, all tested using identical prompts. AI Excels Where People Struggle Polish achieved an average accuracy rate of 88%, proving to…