IGN

Iran's foreign minister said in an interview that Iran is 'ready for diplomacy' and 'war at the same time', signaling Tehran's dual stance amid rising tensions. The full interview drew wide attention as observers weighed whether the remarks signal openness to negotiations or a warning of escalation with the West.

China has signalled it is preparing fresh economic stimulus measures as growth continues to weaken, according to a Bloomberg report. Officials have yet to specify the size or timing of any package, but the signal points to mounting concern in Beijing over the slowing economy. Observers are watching for action on the struggling property sector and weak consumer demand, with markets reacting to the prospect of added government support.

Iran's foreign minister said the country is 'fully prepared' for war, while stressing that diplomacy is not over. The comments, picked up by international outlets including NBC News, signal Tehran is pairing defiance over its military readiness with a door left open to negotiations. The dual message comes amid heightened tensions, and observers are watching whether talks can still defuse the standoff.

Meta has blocked President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's Facebook page and his campaign's paid advertising, with the suspension landing roughly two weeks before Brazil's election. The move is drawing wide attention, with people debating whether it reflects an enforcement error, a policy violation, or a politically sensitive decision by the platform at a critical moment in the campaign.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Qatari mediators to discuss stalled nuclear negotiations. The meeting comes as a US official said no agreement would be reached unless nuclear issues are addressed, while Tehran continues to await a response from Washington. Qatar has positioned itself as a key intermediary between Iran and the United States in the ongoing diplomatic standoff.

Vladimir Putin has signed a decree immediately increasing the size of the Russian armed forces to 2,441,630 personnel, including 1,550,500 military personnel. The decree replaces all previous ones on army strength and marks the seventh such expansion of Russian force levels since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The All-In Podcast devoted an episode to a run of AI industry developments, including reports that Anthropic's IPO could be at risk, Meta's Muse gaining attention, falling token prices, growing open-source market share, and questions about AI alignment. The episode drew more than 645,000 likes, indicating strong interest in how these shifts may reshape the competitive AI landscape and the valuations of leading labs.

MongoDB's chief executive, Dev Ittycheria's successor Chirantan Desai, is stepping down to lead Meta's enterprise platform efforts, according to a Reuters report. The move sends the database company's leadership search into motion and sparks debate about Meta's growing push into enterprise software.

A US visa dispute has drawn fresh attention to Sudan's civil war, a conflict that has largely dropped from global headlines despite a devastating humanitarian toll. The row has reignited debate over why foreign powers are competing for influence in the country, with strategic interests in the Red Sea region and mineral resources seen as key motivations behind international engagement.

Sudan's Minister for Foreign Affairs has taken the floor at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, addressing the annual general debate. The speech comes as Sudan's civil war continues to displace millions and drive famine conditions, making the country's diplomatic voice at the UN a focus of international attention.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is expected to use his Labour conference speech to signal support for ending the state pension triple lock, according to a Telegraph report. The triple lock guarantees pensions rise each year by the highest of inflation, earnings growth or 2.5%. The prospect of a senior Labour figure backing its abolition has drawn sharp attention, as the policy is costly and politically sensitive among pensioners.

Independent advisers are resigning in large numbers from the tech industry's anti-terrorism group, which was led by Meta. The departures, reported by Wired, raise questions about the credibility and independence of the body through which major platforms coordinate counter-terrorism content policies. Observers are asking why so many experts left at once and what it means for future cooperation between governments and tech companies.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met with Iran's Minister for Foreign Affairs at UN headquarters. The meeting, announced through UN media channels, comes amid ongoing diplomatic engagement over regional tensions and Iran's relations with the international community. Details of what was discussed have not been released, but high-level contacts between the UN and Tehran typically cover conflicts, humanitarian access and nuclear diplomacy.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi told former Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya that relations between Beijing and Tokyo must be "normalized," during their talks. The meeting is the first high-level exchange since relations plummeted over Taiwan last year, and is being read as an early signal that both sides may be looking to stabilise a badly strained diplomatic relationship.

China's top diplomat told a former Japanese foreign minister that bilateral relations must be 'normalized', according to a report by The Japan Times. The comment, made during talks with a senior figure from Japanese political circles, signals Beijing's desire to stabilize a relationship strained by historical, security and trade disputes. The exchange is drawing attention as both governments weigh how far they can ease tensions.

A U.S. appeals court has upheld the government's designation of AI company Anthropic as a supply chain risk, a decision with major implications for the Pentagon's ability to work with the firm. The ruling reinforces federal authority to restrict AI providers deemed security concerns from defense-related procurement, and is being closely watched across the tech and defense industries for what it signals about oversight of leading artificial intelligence companies.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly experiencing a record number of firings and resignations, according to a USA Today report. The story outlines what is driving departures from the agency and what the losses could mean for its operations and staffing. Details on exact numbers, roles affected and the reasons behind the exodus remain limited in the available coverage.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Department of Defense to take action against foreign actors who interfere, or attempt to interfere, in U.S. elections. The directive reportedly expands the Pentagon's role in countering election meddling by foreign governments, a domain historically led by intelligence agencies and the Department of Homeland Security.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino appeared at the World Leaders Forum, where he addressed national sovereignty, migration, and climate change. The remarks come as Panama faces sustained pressure over migration routes through the Darién Gap and growing climate concerns affecting the country, including drought-related constraints on the Panama Canal. His appearance drew attention from students and regional observers.

Reporter Ken Klippenstein reports that US federal authorities are treating American critics of artificial intelligence as potential foreign agents. The claim has drawn attention on discussion forums, where commenters are debating whether scrutiny of AI skeptics amounts to surveillance of legitimate domestic speech or a justified counterintelligence concern. Details of the alleged investigations, and who specifically has been targeted, remain unclear from available reporting.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres met with Mali's Minister for Foreign Affairs at United Nations headquarters. The meeting was listed through official UN media, though no details were released about the topics discussed. Talks between UN leadership and Mali's top diplomat come as the country navigates ongoing security and political challenges that keep it on the international agenda.

Pete Hegseth, serving as Secretary of War, has signed a directive aimed at defending the 2026 United States elections from foreign threats. The move puts the defense department formally into election-security planning ahead of the midterms. Reaction so far is limited, with details of the directive's measures and how far the military's role will extend not yet publicly outlined.

With Election Day approaching, members of Congress face growing tension between passing legislation and returning to their home districts to campaign. As the election calendar narrows, legislative work slows, scheduling becomes harder, and lawmakers weigh the political cost of staying in Washington against the need to secure re-election.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres met with Algeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs at the United Nations, according to UN Media. No details of the discussion were released, but such meetings typically cover regional security, the situation in the Sahel and Western Sahara, and cooperation between Algeria and the organization. Algeria is a key diplomatic player in North Africa and a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

Reports claim Apple is preparing a redesigned MacBook Pro that would feature an OLED display and a return of touchscreen functionality. If accurate, it would mark a significant shift for a laptop line that has long resisted touch input while moving away from LCD panels. Details on timing, pricing, and which models would be affected remain unconfirmed.

Anthropic has opened a new biology lab, a move widely read as a signal that the company's ambitions extend well beyond building artificial intelligence. The initiative suggests Anthropic wants to apply AI capabilities directly to biological research and drug discovery, positioning itself as a player in the life sciences rather than solely a model developer.

Andrew Bailey has stepped down from his role as deputy director of the FBI. Bailey, formerly Missouri's attorney general, was appointed to the bureau's second-highest job in 2025 as part of the Trump administration's overhaul of the agency's leadership. Reaction is focused on the shake-up at the FBI and what his departure means for the bureau's direction under Director Kash Patel.

Apple is reportedly exploring new designs for its Vision Pro headset, including a version that would move processing power into a separate compute puck connected to the glasses. Such a change could make the headset lighter and more comfortable, addressing one of the main criticisms of the current model. Details remain unconfirmed, and Apple has not commented on the report.