Belgium to recognise Palestine, impose sanctions on Isarel
Belgium will formally recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly later this month and impose new sanctions on Israel, Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced. Measures include banning settlement goods and reviewing Israeli firms’ access to public contracts, citing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The move aligns Belgium with France, which pledged recognition in July. So far, about three-quarters of UN member states have recognised Palestinian statehood.
The decision comes as Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed more than 63,000 people and injured over 160,000, according to local health authorities. In July, Belgian prosecutors also referred alleged Israeli war crimes to the International Criminal Court
India's Modi has 'insightful' talks in Putin's limo
India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, says he has had an "insightful" exchange with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in China, BBC reported.
The two leaders spent 45 minutes inside the Russian leader's car - after which Modi posted a picture of their journey alongside the compliment to Putin.
"They were at home... They felt comfortable there, and that's why they continued the conversation," Putin's spokesman said.
The meeting came after scenes of hand-holding between the pair as they were hosted by China's Xi Xinping for the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation summit, which is being seen as a challenge to US President Donald Trump and US dominance on a global level, according to BBC.
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.
