Is the war entering a new phase? Until US President Donald Trump reversed the thrust of his sanctions policy of Russian oil on Friday, Ukraine's Western allies had been ramping up the use of international law. Countries sanctioning Russian oil have for the first time enforced boarding and inspection rights under the Law of the Sea this year, experts told Al Jazeera. Some Russian officials believe worse is to come. "Western countries are trying to organise the interception of our vessels. London and Brussels are drawing up plans to blockade the Baltic Sea and the straits leading into it. Other key shipping routes are also under threat," Russian Maritime Board chairman Nikolai Patrushev told officials during a visit to China on October 12.

Burnham careful before Zelensky meeting but promises Ukraine won't leave'empty handed' President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to London follows a well-trodden diplomatic path in a war now in its fifth year. For months, US President Donald Trump had been a largely benign presence in the conflict, promising Ukraine greater access to American air defence technology and threatening more sanctions on Russia. Then last week Trump carried out an abrupt U-turn, lifting sanctions on Russian diesel and calling for Zelensky to be replaced. Once again Ukraine's leader got on his plane to shore up support among European allies. Burnham says he wants to'repair bridges' between Ukraine and US Starlink restrictions affecting Ukraine's front line operations, Kyiv says Russia's offensive ability is broken, Kyiv's former top general tells BBC For the prime minister there was the tricky but now familiar diplomatic task of needing to show solidarity with Zelensky without appearing to criticise Trump. Burnham's answer was to say and announce as much as he could without exposing himself to questions from journalists asking about Trump's latest betrayal of Kyiv.

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Lance Whitney is a technology journalist with an IT background. He's written for TechRepublic, PCMag, Macworld, and Time, among others, He also teaches classes in AI, cybersecurity, and social media. The October Windows update squashes more than 1,400 security flaws. This marks Microsoft's final supported update for Windows 24H2.

Location tracking through app permissions and advertising IDs can expose visits to doctors, pharmacies and places of worship to data brokers and advertisers.

Waiting times for driving tests have dropped below 20 weeks for the first time since November 2024, according to official figures. But learner drivers in September still had to wait an average of 19.7 weeks, or around five months, for a practical test. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been trying to cut waiting times and clear a backlog which began during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Commenting on the agency's progress, one driving instructor told the BBC: I don't think this is anything to boast about. The DVSA initially had hoped to reduce the average waiting time to seven weeks by the end of last year.

US inflation rose by more than expected in the year to September, according to official figures, in the final data release before the midterm elections next month. The pace of price rises increased to 3.7%, up from 3.4% in the 12 months to August. Inflation was above forecasts, driven by higher gasoline prices which have spiked following disruption to Middle East energy supplies due to the US-Israel conflict with Iran. The elections are being fought over cost of living pressures across the US. Inflation is the rate at which the price of products or services increase over time.

Australia's first-ever Michelin stars go to 11 restaurants in one state Australia has been awarded its first Michelin stars, with 11 restaurants in the state of South Australia receiving the distinction. Magill Estate Restaurant in Adelaide was the only venue to receive two stars, while 10 others were awarded one star each. South Australia's government paid for incognito inspectors to visit the state, according to national broadcaster ABC, which is why no spots have been recognised in other parts of the country. The announcement comes more than a century after the Michelin Guide was first published in France and following years of unsuccessful attempts to bring it to Australia. Michelin has approached the national tourism board about bringing the guide to the country more than once, with no luck.

Police say a body has been found in the search for three men who were onboard a fishing boat that has gone missing off the Western Isles. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the alarm was raised at about 21:20 on Tuesday when it emerged the boat was overdue from Lewis. A plane, two helicopters, two lifeboats and volunteers were making searches off the Port of Ness in north Lewis. Local councillor Kenneth Macleod said it was a very dark day for islanders, and their thoughts were with the families of the three men. Police Scotland said: The body of one of the men has been recovered, however formal identification is yet to take place.

A hidden video recording device has been found in an Australian navy ship's cabin, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has confirmed. The device was located on Sunday in the cabin of Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Leeuwin in Cairns, Queensland. The confirmation came after independent Australian senator Jacqui Lambie, a former veteran and defence advocate, told parliament she was contacted by personnel with allegations that concealed cameras have recently been found in the female sailors' showers facilities. Australia's defence department has not said whether the device was found in a female-only space and said the incident was referred to the Joint Military Police United. Lambie told the Australian Senate on Wednesday: I was also told this had occurred recently and prevented the vessel from sailing while investigations were ongoing.

Plus: The FBI has arrested an OpenAI engineer accused of snooping. The US military's race to make fake blood In February 2007, a US military helicopter carrying blood to a field hospital was shot down in Iraq, killing all seven crew members. The mission was a reminder of the risks of transporting blood, which has a limited shelf life and is often in short supply. Now, a $73 million DARPA effort aims to create shelf-stable versions of plasma, platelets, and red blood cells. The idea is to develop dried blood products that can be stored for long periods and deployed quickly on the battlefield. The project aims to have bags of dried blood products deployed in the field by 2029.