Trump opens the door for an exemption for Hungary on Russian oil sanctions

The U.S. president told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that he is “looking at” absolving the Central European nation from sanctions. President Donald Trump said his administration is “looking at” giving Hungary an exemption from U.S. sanctions on buying Russian oil. “Sure, we’re looking at it, because it’s very difficult for [Hungary] to get the … Read more

Senate Republicans eye vote on federal worker pay

The legislation from Sen. Ron Johnson pays federal employees working during the shutdown and active-duty troops. Senate Republicans are eyeing a Friday vote on legislation that would pay some federal employees and active-duty troops amid the record-setting government shutdown. Majority Leader John Thune said there was a “good possibility” that he would tee up a … Read more

Ted Cruz accuses GOP senators of being ‘frightened’ to call out Tucker Carlson

In the wake of the Nick Fuentes controversy, Cruz called on fellow Republicans to “stand up and say it is wrong.” Sen. Ted Cruz blasted fellow Republicans for failing to criticize Tucker Carlson, saying the conservative pundit has “spread a poison that is profoundly dangerous.” “My colleagues, almost to a person, think what is happening … Read more

Amazon sues AI startup over browser’s automated shopping and buying feature

Amazon accuses Perplexity of covertly accessing customer accounts and disguising AI activity as human browsing Amazon sued a prominent artificial intelligence startup on Tuesday over a shopping feature in the company’s browser, which can automate placing orders for users. Amazon accused Perplexity AI of covertly accessing customer accounts and disguising AI activity as human browsing. … Read more

Unesco adopts global standards on ‘wild west’ field of neurotechnology

UN body’s recommendations driven by AI advances and proliferation of consumer-oriented neurotech devices It is the latest move in a growing international effort to put guardrails around a burgeoning frontier – technologies that harness data from the brain and nervous system. Unesco has adopted a set of global standards on the ethics of neurotechnology, a … Read more

Misleading UK adverts for ’very low emission’ wood-burning stoves banned

ASA action won approval of clean air campaigners, who said some ‘seriously misleading myths’ had been debunked Adverts claiming that wood-burning stoves are “very low emissions” have been banned by the Advertising Standards Agency for being misleading and not substantiated. The claims were made on the website of the Stove Industry Association, which represents the … Read more

‘There is no money’: As carbon markets collapse, what happens to the forests they promised to protect?

After it was found most offsets did not represent real carbon reductions, the money dried up. But successful schemes such as Kasigau in Kenya now face a stark future Solomon Morris Makau checks the fallen tree for snakes before he wraps a tape measure around the trunk. The early morning sun is overwhelming in the … Read more