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US ambassador David Perdue says President Trump asked Xi Jinping whether China would want to buy American weapons. The remark comes after a Taiwanese minister described the military threat from Beijing to the self-ruled island as severe. Comments about arms sales to China are raising questions about US policy toward Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.

Mosquitoes kill more people than any other animal on Earth, and scientists say the threat is growing. As the climate warms, mosquito seasons are lasting longer, giving the insects more time to spread dangerous diseases such as malaria and dengue. Researchers are now exploring new methods to target and control mosquito populations before the expanding range of the insects puts more communities at risk.

Russian forces carried out large strikes on Kyiv, with claims that targets included hubs used by 'NATO specialists' and Ukrainian military infrastructure. The reports come from Russian and pro-Russian outlets, which regularly describe foreign personnel as operating alongside Ukrainian forces. Ukraine and NATO have not confirmed any such casualties, and previous similar claims have often been unverifiable. The strikes fit the ongoing pattern of Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital's military and energy facilities.

Le Parisien reports that Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister for digital transformation, is backing plans to deploy an 'army of robots' on the battlefield to reduce the number of soldiers exposed at the front. The initiative points to ground and aerial unmanned systems taking over dangerous combat tasks as Ukraine faces manpower shortages amid the war with Russia.

Iran has denied any connection to an attack on an airbase, while a UK minister warned that Iranian 'proxies' may be behind such strikes. The denial comes amid heightened regional tensions, with officials in London suggesting Tehran backs armed groups capable of launching attacks on military installations. Tehran rejects any role in the incident.

NASA reports that the Canadarm2, the International Space Station's large robotic arm, has stopped working and cannot be moved for the time being. Engineers are assessing the fault on the critical system used for capturing cargo vehicles and moving equipment around the station. Observers are watching closely for updates on whether operations can be restored and what the malfunction means for station logistics.

Sudan's government has declared that foreign interference in the country must end and that the Rapid Support Forces must be disarmed. The statement comes amid the ongoing war between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which has displaced millions and drawn accusations of outside backing for the paramilitary group. The government insists that disarming the RSF is essential to restoring stability and sovereignty.

Sudan's war has left the country with two rival power structures and no internationally endorsed government. The army-backed administration controls much of the formal state machinery, while the Rapid Support Forces exercises authority over territory it holds. Washington's position that neither side represents legitimate constitutional rule leaves Sudan effectively without a recognised governing authority, raising questions about diplomacy, aid and the war's endgame.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Senator Cory Booker and fellow Democrats have reintroduced the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act, which would repeal the Helms Amendment, the decades-old US policy barring federal foreign aid funds from being used for abortion services overseas. Supporters argue the restriction harms women in low-income countries, while opponents continue to defend the longstanding prohibition.

An analyst told RFI that Washington has 'alienated' Sudan's army amid what he described as a 'complex war' gripping the country. The assessment points to strained relations between the United States and Sudan's military leadership as the conflict continues, with criticism that US policy has misjudged the army's role in the war.

South Korean commentators are warning that a potential agreement between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could come at Seoul's expense. The concern is that a deal on denuclearization or arms reduction might be struck over the heads of South Korean officials, leaving the country strategically exposed on security matters that directly affect it.

A new comparison finds organic beef farming emitted nearly twice as much carbon as conventional beef production, although it may outperform conventional methods on other environmental metrics. The discussion notes that beef production accounts for roughly one quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions from food, making it one of the top contributors to climate change. The findings are prompting debate over whether organic labels truly signal lower climate impact.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree, effective immediately, raising the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel. The decree replaces all previous staffing decrees and marks the seventh increase in Russia's military strength since the invasion of Ukraine, continuing a steady pattern of force expansion.

The large robotic arm on the International Space Station has stopped working, according to an Ars Technica report. The Canadarm2-style manipulator is a critical tool for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks, so any outage raises questions about station operations and resupply. Details on the cause of the failure and prospects for repair remain limited.

NASA says it is troubleshooting a transporter mechanism that moves the International Space Station's robotic arm along the station's truss. The issue affects the mobile base that allows the Canadarm2 to reposition itself for station maintenance and operations. NASA reports the station and its crew remain safe while engineers work the problem, though the arm's mobility may be limited until a fix is found.

A top Iranian army commander has asserted that Iran controls both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway through which a large share of the world's oil passes. The statement comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel, and is being widely discussed alongside concerns about oil prices, shipping security and the risk of a wider regional war.

An analysis argues the world is entering a new nuclear age, with more countries reconsidering acquiring or expanding nuclear weapons capabilities. Rising geopolitical tensions, the erosion of arms control agreements, and doubts over existing security guarantees are driving states to re-examine nuclear options they had previously forsworn, raising concerns about proliferation and global stability.

Bill Gates has said that reaching an international agreement on artificial intelligence could prove more difficult than the nuclear arms control negotiations of the Cold War era. His comment points to the challenge of getting rival powers to cooperate on a technology that is fast-moving, diffuse and commercially valuable, unlike the countable weapons of nuclear treaties.

Russia has carried out a successful test of its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, a heavy strategic weapon capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. Defence analysts are examining what the test signals about Moscow's nuclear posture, the modernisation of its strategic forces, and the consequences for arms control and international security at a time of heightened East-West tensions.

China and the United States have reached an eight-point consensus in which both oppose Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and object to tolls or restrictions on key waterways. The rare agreement between the two powers signals shared concern over maritime passage and nuclear proliferation, drawing attention from observers tracking US-Iran tensions and freedom of navigation issues.

Nvidia has brought together a group of technology companies, including AI developer Anthropic and chip designer Arm, to work on a platform for AI security. The collaboration signals growing industry concern about protecting artificial intelligence systems as adoption accelerates. Details about the platform's scope and other participants have not yet been made fully public.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm on the International Space Station, has reportedly stopped working. The arm is critical for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks, so a failure would be a significant operational problem for the station's crews and their backers at NASA and the Canadian Space Agency. Details on the cause and possible fixes remain limited.

Bill Gates said reaching international agreements on artificial intelligence will be more difficult than the nuclear arms control negotiations of the Cold War era. He argued AI is evolving faster and is more diffuse than nuclear technology, making global rules harder to design and enforce. His remarks are feeding a wider debate among governments and tech leaders over how to regulate AI without stifling innovation.

A Times report claims Russia has reactivated its 'Dead Hand' semi-automatic nuclear retaliation system, designed to launch missiles automatically if leadership is decapitated. arms control expert Pavel Podvig disputes the framing, saying the system was never deactivated in the first place. The claim has drawn attention amid ongoing tensions over Russia's nuclear posture in the war in Ukraine.

The Philadelphia Phillies have named Jesús Luzardo as their Game 1 starting pitcher, with the rest of their postseason pitching rotation beginning to take shape ahead of a series against the Atlanta Braves. The decision signals how the club plans to deploy its arms early in the playoffs, and fans are weighing whether Luzardo is the right call for the high-stakes opener.