Meta to stop its AI chatbots from talking to teens about suicide
Meta is introducing stronger safety controls on its AI chatbots to protect teenagers from harmful content. The update means users under 18 will no longer be able to discuss issues such as self-harm, suicide or eating disorders with the AI, and will instead be directed to professional help, BBC reported.
The move follows concerns raised after reports that Meta’s systems had engaged in inappropriate conversations with minors, sparking scrutiny from US lawmakers.
Child safety groups welcomed the changes but criticised Meta for acting too late, saying companies must test risks before rolling out powerful tools.
Meta is also tackling misuse of its AI to create sexualised chatbots mimicking celebrities, including underage figures. The company said it permits likeness-based content but bans explicit or exploitative creations, especially those involving children, according to BBC.
Trump claims India has offered to reduce tariffs on US goods to zero
President Donald Trump has criticised India for what he called a “one-sided” trade relationship, accusing New Delhi of exporting heavily to the United States while importing little in return.
Trump claimed India recently offered to eliminate tariffs on US goods but said the move came “too late,” arguing it should have happened years earlier, Al Jazeera reported.
His comments follow Washington’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian imports, alongside criticism of India’s continued purchases of Russian oil and weapons.
India has not officially responded, though Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal previously insisted the country “will neither bow down nor appear weak” in trade negotiations, according to Al Jazeera.
North Korea's Kim leaves for China in armoured train
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has traveled to Beijing to attend China’s “Victory Day” military parade, marking his first multilateral international meeting. He will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and other world leaders, BBC reported.
Kim departed Pyongyang Monday evening aboard his heavily armored train, a slow-moving convoy with around 90 carriages, including conference rooms, bedrooms, and a restaurant. The journey, expected to take about 24 hours, follows a family tradition started by his grandfather and continued by his father.
According to BBC, this is the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. Kim rarely travels abroad, with previous international trips mainly limited to meetings with Putin and a 2019 visit to Beijing.
China, Russia join Iran in rejecting European move to restore sanctions on Tehran
China and Russia have joined Iran in opposing a European push to reinstate UN sanctions on Tehran. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany invoked the “snapback mechanism” from the 2015 nuclear deal, citing Iran’s breaches of the agreement. In response, the foreign ministers of China, Russia, and Iran condemned the move as “legally and procedurally flawed” and urged a diplomatic solution, Reuters reported.
The 2015 nuclear deal lifted sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program, but after the US withdrawal in 2018, Iran began exceeding uranium enrichment limits. The agreement is set to expire in October 2025, and the European snapback effort aims to restore sanctions unless blocked by the UN Security Council.
China, Russia, and Iran stress that Europe’s action undermines diplomacy and violate the spirit of the agreement, according to Reuters.
Trump defends U-turn on Chinese student visas after Maga backlash
President Donald Trump has defended issuing 600,000 visas to Chinese students, calling a ban “insulting” and saying it benefits smaller US universities. He highlighted his good relationship with China and the economic benefits the students bring, saying the decision is simply “the right thing to do”, BBC reported.
The move drew criticism from some allies, who argued it limits opportunities for American students and raised security concerns. The White House confirmed the visas will be issued over the next two years, in line with previous levels, as trade talks with China continue.
Liverpool sign Alexander Isak in record transfer deal
Liverpool have signed Swedish striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United in a British record transfer worth about £130m ($176m). The 25-year-old, who scored 23 Premier League goals last season, is set to join on a six-year contract after completing his medical, Al Jazeera reported.
The deal follows weeks of negotiations, during which Isak pushed for the move by skipping Newcastle training. Newcastle, in turn, moved to replace him by signing German forward Nick Woltemade for a club-record fee of up to £69m ($93m).
More than 250 media outlets protest over Israel murdering Gaza journalists
More than 250 news outlets in over 70 countries staged a coordinated front-page protest to condemn the killing of journalists in Gaza. The campaign, led by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) media freedom group and global campaign movement Avaaz, warned that continued targeting of reporters risks silencing independent coverage of the war, Al Jazeera reported.
RSF has documented around 220 journalist deaths since October 2023, while Al Jazeera’s count is at least 278, including ten of its own staff. Recent Israeli strikes killed several reporters, among them Al Jazeera’s Mohammad Salama and Anas al-Sharif, Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri, and others working near hospitals.
According to Al Jazeera, media groups are demanding protection for journalists, safe evacuation routes, and access for foreign press. RSF has already filed war-crimes complaints with the International Criminal Court. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 63,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the conflict.
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian taps run dry
Palestinian communities in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are enduring worsening water shortages, forced to rely on public taps and costly deliveries as supplies run dry. The UN has documented dozens of attacks on wells and pipelines this year, often linked to extremist settlers, according to Reuters.
Rights groups accuse Israel of restricting water access to pressure Palestinians off their land, while Israeli authorities cite investigations and allegations of water theft. No suspects have been identified.
Since the Hamas-Israel war in 2023, settler violence has escalated, intensifying fears of displacement. For many Palestinians, the loss of water has become both a daily struggle and a stark reminder of deepening insecurity, Reuters reported.







