Asia
U.S. and China to hold AI talks in September, sources say
U.S. and China to hold AI talks in September, sources say Talks between the United States and China on artificial intelligence are set to take place in September and be led on the U.S. side by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, sources have said. BEIJING - The United States and China will hold talks over artificial intelligence in September, five people familiar with the matter said, as the rival superpowers grapple with how to mitigate the risks posed by each other's increasingly powerful frontier models. The AI talks, a significant outcome of the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in May, will likely take place before Xi's planned Sept. 24 visit to the U.S., said the sources, who asked not to be named as the information is not public. The dates, however, have not been finalized, they said. As economic, political and military rivals, China and the U.S. have grown increasingly anxious over each other's AI capabilities amid an accelerating global AI race. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.
Steep rise in civilian casualties in Russia-Ukraine war, UN says
Is the war entering a new phase? Civilian casualties in the war between Russia and Ukraine are increasing sharply, mainly because of long-range ballistic missiles and drones "affecting densely populated urban areas that are far away from the front line", the United Nations says. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that the unit documented 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 wounded in Ukraine in the first six months of 2026. Pointing to credible Russian open-source reporting, Bell said 250 civilians had been killed and 1,596 injured in attacks inside Russia during the first six months of this year. "This represents a 121 percent increase in civilian casualties in the Russian Federation compared with last year," she said.
A Sneaky Hacking Tool Targeting AI Infrastructure Is Lurking in Victims' Blind Spots
A Sneaky Hacking Tool Targeting AI Infrastructure Is Lurking in Victims' Blind Spots A new type of malware can worm deep into AI coding systems to steal data and logins--and can flip a "death switch" to destroy files and keep out real users. As AI tools proliferate and become deeply ingrained in software development around the world, new research from the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike shows how attackers are actively targeting the AI toolchain to steal access credentials, gain deeper access to a target environment, exfiltrate sensitive data, and even destroy target files and systems--all while finding new ways to cover their tracks. Researchers discovered a worm in the wild while investigating AI software supply chain attacks. Adam Meyers, CrowdStrike's senior vice president of counter adversary work, says that the company has not yet attributed the activity to a specific actor, but that it fits into larger evolutions in how attackers like TeamPCP (which Crowdstrike tracks as "Altered Spider") and North Korean groups are targeting the AI software supply chain. "This is one of the campaigns that we've seen showing that this is an emerging attack class," Meyers tells WIRED.
The CEO Moment: Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon
Follow this author to personalize your feed and get instant alerts. Follow Go to your personalized feed WHY FOLLOW? Smart Alerts: Get notified about major news as it happens. Those who are bullish about the future of artificial intelligence imagine a day soon when consumer products are finally able to match the potential capabilities of the technology. Among the companies determining that future is Qualcomm, the semiconductor leader whose chips power many of the devices in our lives--from smartphones to automobiles.
Israeli air strike in Gaza City kills family of six, medics say
At least 12 Palestinians, including six members of one family, have been killed in three separate Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, according to local medics. Video footage showed the family's apartment on fire overnight in the western al-Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City. The brother of Firas al-Masri told the BBC that he had been burnt to death along with his wife, Salsabeel, and their three daughters and son, Faryal, Salma, Amira and Naim. The Israeli military said its target was a Hamas operative and that it was still looking into the results of the attack. On Tuesday afternoon, another four people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a home in the al-Samar area of central Gaza City, Palestinian media cited medics as saying.
Lindt's Easter chocolate sales fall after price hike
Lindt has partially U-turned on its decision to hike prices after Easter chocolate sales dropped. The Swiss chocolate maker said a necessary groupwide price surge of 11.8% was one of the reasons revenue shrank in the first half of this year, particularly in the UK, Germany, and Switzerland. It also blamed weaker Easter demand and a drop in tourism from Asia and the Middle East due to geopolitical uncertainties. In response, it said it has adjusted prices and boosted marketing in certain regions for the second half of the year. Around Easter, Lindt is known for its chocolate rabbits wrapped in gold-coloured foil and decorated with a red ribbon and bell on their necks.