Oceania
Only Trump can stop Putin, Polish president tells BBC
Donald Trump is the only world leader capable of stopping Vladimir Putin from threatening Europe, according to Poland's President Karol Nawrocki. In an interview with Radio 4's Today programme he said the Russian leader was not to be trusted, but that Europe needed to do everything it could to support President Trump in his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. President Nawrocki was already well-known as a firm supporter of Donald Trump even before he landed in Britain for meetings with PM Sir Keir Starmer and others. Now, he says that with Vladimir Putin's Russia threatening his country as well as central and eastern Europe, the US president was the only person who could, as he put it, solve this problem - as well as ending the war in Ukraine. Referring to last September's mass incursion by Russian drones, when more than 20 uncrewed aircraft crossed into Poland from Belarus and Ukraine, President Nawrocki called it an extraordinary situation, adding that until that time, no Nato member state had experienced a drone attack on that scale.
US approves sale of Nvidia's advanced AI chips to China
US approves sale of Nvidia's advanced AI chips to China The US government has given chip giant Nvidia the green light to sell its advanced artificial intelligence (AI) processors in China, the Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. The H200, Nvidia's second-most-advanced semiconductor, had been restricted by Washington over concerns that it would give China's technology industry and military an edge over the US. The Commerce Department said the chips can be shipped to China granted that there is sufficient supply of the processors in the US. President Donald Trump said last month that he would allow the chip sales to approved customers in China and collect a 25% fee. Nvidia's spokesperson told the BBC that the company welcomed the move, saying it will benefit manufacturing and jobs in the US.
Trump says Microsoft will pay more for its datacenters' electricity
A Microsoft data center in Aldie, Virginia, on 28 October 2025. A Microsoft data center in Aldie, Virginia, on 28 October 2025. Trump says Microsoft will pay more for its datacenters' electricity Microsoft's president said firm won't accept tax breaks in towns for its datacenters as backlash against facilities grow Tue 13 Jan 2026 17.09 ESTLast modified on Tue 13 Jan 2026 17.16 EST Donald Trump said he is partnering with tech companies to ensure the large energy-hungry datacenters vital for AI do not drive up electricity bills in the US. On Tuesday, the US president announced that Microsoft was "first up". "We are the'HOTTEST' Country in the World, and Number One in AI. Data Centers are key to that boom, and keeping Americans FREE and SECURE but, the big Technology Companies who build them must'pay their own way.'"
The five new gadgets I tried and loved at CES 2026 (that you can buy right now)
I'm a digital nomad who works on the road. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) gives us a glimpse of what's around the corner in tech: creepy humanoid robots, robovacs that climb stairs, AI baked into everything. The Guardian's journalism is independent.
Roblox's AI-Powered Age Verification Is a Complete Mess
Roblox's AI-Powered Age Verification Is a Complete Mess Kids are being identified as adults--and vice versa--on Roblox, while age-verified accounts are already being sold online. Just days after launching, Roblox's much-hyped AI-powered age verification system is a complete mess. Roblox's face scanning system, which estimates peoples' ages before they can access the platform's chat functions, rolled out in the US and other countries around the world last week, after initially launching in a few locations in December. Roblox says it is implementing the system to allow users to safely chat with users of similar ages. But players are already in revolt because they can no longer chat to their friends, developers are demanding Roblox roll back the update, and crucially, experts say that not only is the AI mis-aging young players as adults and vice versa, the system does little to help address the problem it was designed to tackle: the flood of predators using the platform to groom young children.
Controversial Dilbert cartoonist Scott Adams dies aged 68
Scott Adams, the US cartoonist who wrote and illustrated the comic strip Dilbert, has died of cancer at the age of 68. His ex-wife Shelly Miles announced his death on Tuesday during a live stream of his podcast, Real Coffee with Scott Adams. The satirical cartoon strip - about a competent but frustrated engineer and his dysfunctional workplace environment - was first published in 1989, and went on to feature in more than 2,000 newspapers in 65 countries. The character also later appeared in books, an animated TV series and video game. But in 2023, his comic strip was cancelled by newspapers including the Washington Post after Adams was accused of making racist comments about black people.
Father and son reclaim Guinness World Record for fastest quadcopter drone
Luke and Mike Bell's Peregrine 4 achieved the milestone barely a month after it was taken from them. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. A YouTuber and his father have once again reclaimed the Guinness World Record for fastest quadcopter drone . Soaring through the air at an average speed of 408 miles per hour, Luke and Mike Bell's Peregrine 4 highlights the latest intersection between engineering, creativity, and 3D-printing technology. The Bells' achievement arrives barely a month after Australian aerospace engineer Ben Biggs and his Blackbird drone set the now-previous world record at 389 mph.
New Birmingham-Manchester rail link planned
The government is set to announce its intention to build a new rail link between Birmingham and Manchester, the BBC understands. Previous plans for the HS2 high-speed rail line had included a line between the two cities, but that part of the project was scrapped by Rishi Sunak's government. On Wednesday, the government is expected to confirm proposals for new and improved rail links across the North of England in a scheme known as Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). Little detail about a new Birmingham to Manchester route is anticipated, other than the intention to build it after NPR is completed, meaning it may not happen for decades. HS2 is currently tens of billions of pounds over budget and around a decade behind schedule.
Apple turns to Google to power AI upgrade for Siri
Improvements to a number of Apple services - including a more personalised version of its virtual assistant, Siri - are to be powered with AI provided by Google. The tech giants have announced a multi-year collaboration which will see the iPhone-maker base some of its key tech on Google's Gemini AI models. In a joint statement, the two firms said the partnership would unlock innovative new experiences for Apple users. However, experts say it demonstrates how Apple's cautious approach to building and rolling out its own AI tools has left it reliant on other companies. By outsourcing the foundational layer of its AI to Google, Apple is effectively admitting that its internal efforts couldn't compete with Google's Gemini in terms of capability and scale in the short term, IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said.
The Morning After: Apple will use Gemini to power Siri AI
Apple and Google have confirmed that Gemini's models power the new version of Siri and other generative AI features. Here's part of it: "Apple determined that Google's Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards." In June, it was reported that Apple was considering partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic for Siri (the voice assistant can currently tap ChatGPT for certain queries as part of Apple Intelligence). Two months later, Google emerged as a contender. Another report suggested Apple might build the new Siri using a custom version of Gemini -- and that it would pay Google around $1 billion a year for the privilege.