Games · Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · 13 sources

Xbox reportedly plans three more layoff rounds through January

Fortune reports that Xbox is planning further job cuts in October, November and January as chief executive Asha Sharma restructures the gaming business. Microsoft has already cut 1,868 jobs under a plan to reduce headcount by 3,200, but the reported schedule and scale of the next rounds have not been confirmed by the company.

Bottom line — The reported cuts would extend Xbox’s 3,200-job reduction plan into January.

Go deeper 5

Fortune says the planned rounds could change; it has not specified how many roles are at risk.
Polygon reports that Microsoft commercial chief Judson Althoff rejected the idea that Sharma was appointed to prepare Xbox for sale; Sharma has also said Xbox is not for sale.
Eurogamer reports that staff at Gears of War: E-Day developer The Coalition fear further cuts after the game’s release.
NewsBytes reports that Microsoft has also cut vendor spending and reduced management layers within Xbox.
Fortune’s reported hardware roadmap puts a next-generation handheld in 2027 and Project Helix in 2028; Microsoft has not confirmed those dates.

Read the reporting 13

Push Square pushsquare.com Xbox to Slash Even More Jobs This Month, with Further Cuts in November and January firstpost firstpost.com Xbox layoffs: Microsoft plans fresh job cuts in November and January ... Lapaas Voice lapaasvoice.com Xbox Plans More Layoffs in November and January as Microsoft ... Windowsforum windowsforum.com Xbox Layoffs Reportedly Planned for October, November and January ... Polygon polygon.com Xbox reportedly planning 3 more rounds of layoffs Xbox reportedly ... NewsBytes newsbytesapp.com Xbox plans fresh layoffs in November and January: Report GamingBolt gamingbolt.com Xbox Will Go Through More Layoffs in October, November, and January - Rumor Msn msn.com Xbox is reportedly planning three waves of layoffs between now and January Notebookcheck notebookcheck.net Xbox reportedly plans three more rounds of layoffs Eurogamer eurogamer.net Xbox reportedly planning three more rounds of layoffs, with the first ... Thecircuitry thecircuitry.to Fortune: Xbox plans more layoffs in October, November and January Rock Paper Shotgun rockpapershotgun.com Further Xbox layoff rounds reportedly planned for this month, November ... Rockstarmedia.com rockstarmedia.com.my Xbox Plans Further Job Cuts Through November and January

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TV/Movies · Thu, Oct 22

Amazon MGM begins final screen tests for the next James Bond

Amazon MGM Studios is holding final screen tests for the next James Bond over the coming week, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. Jack Lowden and Callum Turner are reported to be among the candidates; Deadline also names Josh O’Connor, while the identity of a fourth contender remains unclear. The tests are expected to assess stunts, camera presence and dialogue.

Bottom line — Amazon MGM is expected to name Daniel Craig’s successor before the end of 2026.

Sources Deadline IGN World of Reel +4 more

Games · Thu, Oct 22

Ubisoft’s Beyond Good & Evil 2 is still in pre-production after 18 years

Beyond Good & Evil 2 is reportedly being reworked as a solo-first, story-led adventure with optional co-op and Spider-Man-style combat, according to French outlet Origami, cited by Eurogamer. The game has not entered full production, despite at least 250 people working on it at Ubisoft Montpellier, and its next internal milestone could determine whether it advances or is cancelled.

Bottom line — The 18-year project’s next development milestone comes as Ubisoft restructures and its future grows less certain.

Sources Wccftech www.digitalcitizen.l… pccentral.net +11 more

Global Economy · Thu, Oct 22

EIB lends Ukraine €60 million to upgrade western border crossings

The European Investment Bank Group is lending Ukraine €60 million to modernise border crossings with the EU and Moldova, including terminals, access roads and customs equipment. The EIB says the upgrades are intended to increase capacity, reduce trade costs and improve the movement of goods and people; the project is the first under its Security and Connectivity Initiative.

Bottom line — The €60 million loan is expected to be supplemented by a €6 million EU grant and €2.5 million in technical assistance.

Sources Luxembourg Times EIB.org EIB.org +2 more

Gaming Hardware · Thu, Oct 22

A Switch 2 jailbreak runs custom code, but resets on every reboot

Security researcher Sammy Hajhamid, known as pepsipu, has released ns2jb, a software exploit that runs custom code on Nintendo Switch 2 consoles using firmware 23.0.1. The tethered jailbreak enables homebrew, game modding and save-file backups; Hajhamid demonstrated it by adding custom characters to Mario Kart World. The exploit uses the original Switch game SmileBASIC 4, which GamesRadar+ reports costs €23 (US$25) on the eShop.

Bottom line — Nintendo may remove SmileBASIC 4 from the eShop and patch the vulnerability in a firmware update.

Sources Wccftech OpenCritic eTeknix +4 more

Gaming Hardware · Thu, Oct 22

Galax unveils RTX 5080 HOF Extreme with two 16-pin power connectors

Galax has unveiled the GeForce RTX 5080 HOF Extreme, the first RTX 5080 reported to use two 12V-2×6 power connectors, with an official reveal planned for 22 October. The card adds four fans, dual BIOS and Swarovski crystals; Galax has not announced final specifications, clock speeds or pricing.

Bottom line — Galax’s dual-connector RTX 5080 is aimed at extreme overclockers, but its power limit and price remain undisclosed.

Sources Tech Times eTeknix www.galax.com +1 more

Europe · Thu, Oct 22

Smuggling fees on Europe’s sea routes reached up to €438 million in 2025

UNODC estimates that migrants paid between €334 million and €438 million (US$388 million–US$509 million) in smuggling fees on Europe’s four main sea routes in 2025. UNODC and IOM reported that 190,000 to 209,000 people were smuggled on those routes; 3,404 people died or went missing, while 104,200 were intercepted and returned.

Bottom line — The Central Mediterranean was the busiest route, with 84,000 to 100,400 attempted crossings.

Sources UN News eastleighvoice.co.ke www.ungeneva.org +3 more

Cyber Security · Thu, Oct 22

GitLab patches unauthenticated code-execution flaw affecting releases dating to 2014

GitLab released fixes on 21 October for CVE-2026-110264, a critical vulnerability in its regular-expression compiler that could let an unauthenticated attacker run code on self-managed servers. GitLab rates the flaw 10.0, and says versions dating back to 7.0 are affected; it has not reported confirmed attacks.

Bottom line — Self-managed instances need the fixed release for their version line; GitLab.com already runs patched software.

Sources Cyber Security News aviatrix Security Arsenal +2 more

Europe · Thu, Oct 22

Le Pen and Weidel pitch a weaker EU, with the AfD proposing bigger changes

Marine Le Pen and Alice Weidel want to recast the EU as an alliance of sovereign states with weaker central institutions; neither party now advocates leaving the bloc. Both oppose continued financial support for Ukraine, but the AfD goes further on institutional reform, proposing that the European Parliament be made up of delegates appointed by national parliaments rather than directly elected.

Bottom line — The AfD’s plan would end direct elections to the European Parliament; Le Pen wants France’s net EU contribution capped at €5 billion a year.

Sources Euronews.com europeanpulse.com factioz +5 more

Cyber Security · Thu, Oct 22

Arista patches exploited VeloCloud flaw that grants authenticated users operator access

Arista has patched CVE-2026-114625, an actively exploited SQL injection flaw in on-premises VeloCloud Orchestrator (VCO). The company says an authenticated user with as little as the Enterprise Read Only role can gain operator privileges and access internal functionality; hosted and Dedicated deployments have also been patched.

Bottom line — Arista rates the flaw 9.9 out of 10; affected on-premises systems should be upgraded to fixed releases.

Sources BleepingComputer BleepingComputer thehackernews.com +2 more

Health · Thu, Oct 22

England maternity services face closures as staffing shortages and safety requirements strain trusts

Up to 20 of England’s 155 NHS maternity units could be at risk of closure, NHS Alliance’s Matthew Hopkins told the Guardian; services in Barnstaple and Yeovil have already been suspended. Separately, York and Scarborough’s trust says it needs about €854,000 (£736,000) to meet new national standards, while its delivery target of March 2027 is at risk amid staffing and funding pressures.

Bottom line — York and Scarborough reports 58.7% compliance with some maternity triage standards, with improvements due by March 2027.

Sources The Guardian AOL.com Manchester Evening N… +3 more

Europe · Thu, Oct 22

Thousands return to Lisbon and Porto squares after housing protest camps cleared

Thousands of protesters returned to central squares in Lisbon and Porto after police cleared their camps before dawn and arrested 55 people, later released pending a court appearance. They are demanding the centre-right government withdraw a bill that would ease evictions and end rent caps on new leases; it has passed its first parliamentary reading.

Bottom line — Organisers said more than 1,000 people gathered at each square, and Lisbon protesters voted to rebuild their camp.

Sources www.balkanweb.com dw.com US News & World Repo… +1 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

UN-led Geneva talks reject military victory as Sudan’s route to peace

Representatives of 21 countries and five international organisations met in Geneva to coordinate efforts to end Sudan’s war, but neither the army nor the Rapid Support Forces attended. UN envoy Pekka Haavisto said both sides still believed in military victory, while participants called for de-escalation, humanitarian access and an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process.

Bottom line — A seventh consultative meeting is planned, but its date and venue remain undecided.

Sources Free Malaysia Today … www.middleeastmonito… newscentraltv.com +6 more

Apple · Thu, Oct 22

Apple raises iPhone Duo shipment target 44% to 14 million

Apple has raised its 12-month shipment target for the iPhone Duo from 9.7 million to 14 million units, according to DigiTimes, after strong pre-orders for its first foldable iPhone. The phone goes on sale on 23 October, starting at €2,300.

Bottom line — Apple’s 14 million-unit target covers 12 months, while Counterpoint expects 6 million sales by the end of 2026.

Sources DIGITIMES iThinkDifferent MacRumors

Apple · Thu, Oct 22

iPhone Duo hinge retains stiffness after 32,640 folds

Journalist Joanna Stern used a custom-built machine to fold Apple’s iPhone Duo 32,640 times over four nights. A calibrated gauge found the hinge was slightly stiffer afterwards, though Stern said she could feel no difference in everyday use. Apple has not published its own hinge or display durability results.

Bottom line — Stern’s test found no noticeable hinge deterioration, but it did not establish how the iPhone Duo’s screen crease changes over time.

Sources Cult of Mac MacRumors MacDailyNews +1 more

TV/Movies · Thu, Oct 22

Cory Michael Smith joins Ari Aster’s thriller Scapegoat

Cory Michael Smith has joined the cast of Scapegoat, Ari Aster’s upcoming thriller, alongside Scarlett Johansson, Jacob Elordi and Jude Law. Aster wrote and is directing the film, which A24 will distribute; no official plot details have been released.

Bottom line — A24 has not announced a plot or release date for Scapegoat.

Sources ARY News Dread Central World of Reel +1 more

Cyber Security · Thu, Oct 22

Cloudflare logs millions of attempts to exploit PHP flaws after disclosure

Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince said the company detected thousands of attempts to exploit PHP vulnerabilities in the 10 hours before they were publicly disclosed, rising to millions afterwards. Government websites in Europe went offline, while Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Japan’s Finance Ministry temporarily suspended some online services as security measures were put in place.

Bottom line — Cloudflare recorded millions of attempts; PHP developers urged users to install the emergency fixes.

Sources CNA analyticsinme businessline +3 more

Science · Thu, Oct 22

Cambridge researchers project nearly 1 million km² less Arctic winter ice

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Mexico’s CIMAT used sea-ice biomarkers preserved in sediment from 6,000 years ago to refine projections, finding future Arctic winter ice extent may be nearly 1 million km² lower than earlier estimates. Their study in Nature Geoscience says weighting 27 climate models against the ancient evidence reduced projection uncertainty by 85%.

Bottom line — The revised models also point to potentially greater winter snowfall in southeast Greenland and precipitation in the Mediterranean.

Sources SciTechDaily Alaska Native News www.nature.com

Space · Thu, Oct 22

Portal’s Starburst-1 reaches orbit, carrying first in-space test of Space Armor tiles

Portal Space Systems’ first free-flying spacecraft, Starburst-1, reached orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 on the Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission. Portal said the craft established communications, stabilised itself and deployed its solar array within hours; it also carries Atomic-6’s Space Armor tiles for their first flight demonstration.

Bottom line — Starburst-1’s planned one-year mission will build flight experience for Portal and test how Space Armor integrates with future spacecraft.

Sources www.geekwire.com www.portalsystems.sp… www.einnews.com +6 more

Games · Thu, Oct 22

EA closes BioWare, cancels early Mass Effect work and cuts about 400 jobs

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and ending early development on the next Mass Effect game, the studio said in a statement. Bloomberg reported that EA’s wider restructuring will eliminate about 400 jobs, roughly 3% of its workforce; around 50 are at BioWare. EA executives said the company will help affected employees explore other roles within EA.

Bottom line — BioWare’s closure ends more than 30 years of development, while EA plans to focus on fewer large-scale projects.

Sources Variety Film Daily Country Ghana News +7 more

AI · Thu, Oct 22

ScholarEvolve lifts Qwen3.5-27B task completion to 81.4% without retraining

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Microsoft developed ScholarEvolve, which turns techniques from academic papers into code upgrades for AI-agent harnesses without changing model weights. VentureBeat reports that it raised Qwen3.5-27B’s task completion on AppWorld Normal from 69.0% to 81.4%; on tau-Bench Telecom, the researchers’ framework lifted GPT-5.4-mini from 72.7% to 81.9%.

Bottom line — ScholarEvolve improved Qwen3.5-27B by 12.4 percentage points, but VentureBeat notes its generated code needs security checks before production use.

Sources Venturebeat www.newsbreak.com www.nature.com +2 more

Gaming Hardware · Thu, Oct 22

AMD revived the Ryzen 7 5800X3D as Lisa Su’s farewell to AM4

AMD product chief Travis Kirsch told Japan’s My Navi Tech+ that Lisa Su proposed bringing back the Ryzen 7 5800X3D as a final upgrade for AM4 owners. He said the plan predated the DDR5 price crunch; restarting production took time because the original chip was no longer being made.

Bottom line — The 5800X3D returned on 25 June for €322 ($349), but AMD has not called it a formal end to AM4.

Sources Wccftech Hardware Busters www.afroeuropa.com +3 more

Games · Thu, Oct 22

EA may sell Mass Effect and Dragon Age rights after BioWare closure

Former BioWare executive Mark Darrah says the studio’s closure could make EA more likely to sell Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Jade Empire, whose rights EA owns. He also warns the publisher could leave the franchises dormant; he says EA appears focused on cost control before any shift towards generating revenue.

Bottom line — Darrah says there is no confirmed sale, and EA could keep the rights unused.

Sources IGNPortugal Beebom YoRoGaming +4 more

Global Economy · Thu, Oct 22

Oil at $110 a barrel pushes up household costs from food to mortgages

Oil reached a five-month high of $110 a barrel, while gas prices in Asia and Europe hit their highest levels since December 2022, Reuters reports. Higher energy costs are feeding through to transport, heating, food packaging and borrowing: UK inflation rose more than expected in August, and the Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate to a 15-year high last month.

Bottom line — The UN Food and Agriculture Organization expects global food inflation to accelerate and persist well into 2027.

Sources Reuters

Technology · Thu, Oct 22

Bose buys Skullcandy to reach audio customers beyond its own brand

Bose has acquired Skullcandy from a fund managed by Mill Road Capital Management, building on a multi-year partnership that put Sound by Bose technology in Skullcandy headphones and earbuds. Skullcandy will remain a separate brand based in Park City, Utah; Bose says it plans to invest in its technology, resources and global distribution.

Bottom line — Bose gains a distinct brand and audience; the financial terms remain confidential.

Sources Mashable Bose ecoustics.com +11 more

TV/Movies · Thu, Oct 22

Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters 2 reportedly gets a broad cinema release

Netflix has not officially announced cinema plans for KPop Demon Hunters 2, but The Hollywood Reporter reported that former film chief Dan Lin helped secure a theatrical release before leaving the company. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the sequel should receive a “very broad” release; the film is expected in 2029, with returning directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans.

Bottom line — The 2029 sequel would get the wide cinema run its record-setting Netflix original never had.

Sources Comic Book Movie Merca2.0 Magazine IGN +2 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

Qalibaf meets Iran’s supreme leader to discuss war and economic pressures

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to discuss military and economic developments in the US-Israeli war, Fars News Agency reported. The talks also covered social cohesion, economic challenges and cooperation between the government and parliament. Khamenei has made no public appearance since taking office in March.

Bottom line — The meeting is another rare reported encounter with Khamenei, who has communicated mainly through written statements since March.

Sources Asharq Al-Awsat Engl… Anadolu Ajansı Daily Sabah

TV/Movies · Thu, Oct 22

Dune: Part Three sells 33,000 tickets in a day at London’s BFI IMAX

BFI IMAX sold 33,000 advance tickets for Dune: Part Three in its first 24 hours, a record for the London venue. The presales grossed £880,000 (€1.05 million), according to Deadline; The Hollywood Reporter puts the previous record, held by The Odyssey, at £750,000 (€895,000).

Bottom line — Dune: Part Three opens on 18 December, after setting a new first-day presales record at BFI IMAX.

Sources Deadline The Hollywood Report… ScreenRant +2 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

Haiti urges states to enforce arms embargo as gangs keep importing weapons

Haiti called on UN member states to enforce the arms embargo and stop weapons trafficking, warning that gangs use firearms and ammunition brought in from abroad. At a Security Council meeting, Haiti said security operations alone would not resolve the crisis; the council has renewed sanctions, but a UN panel says the embargo is regularly violated.

Bottom line — The UN estimates 270,000 to 500,000 illegal firearms are circulating in Haiti.

Sources www.aa.com.tr Haiti United Nations : Off… +4 more

Technology · Thu, Oct 22

ASUS G14 owner says warranty repair returned laptop with 16GB missing

A Netherlands-based owner says their 2023 ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 came back from a motherboard replacement with 16GB of its original 32GB RAM missing. The owner says ASUS support has not resolved the issue after several weeks; Notebookcheck reports that theft is alleged but unsubstantiated, and the cause remains unclear.

Bottom line — The laptop’s 16GB removable module is still unaccounted for, and ASUS has not publicly commented in the supplied reports.

Sources videocardz.com www.notebookcheck.ne… news.lavx.hu +4 more

Technology · Thu, Oct 22

DuckDB 2.0 adds server connections and async I/O, with support through 2027

DuckDB has released version 2.0.0, an LTS feature update supported until at least October 2027. The DuckDB team says it adds a client-server protocol, asynchronous file reads, a fully integrated VARIANT type, CLI agent mode, triggers and an extensible SQL parser; versions before 2.0 cannot read database files created by 2.0.

Bottom line — DuckDB 2.0 is supported until October 2027, but older versions cannot open files it creates.

Sources duckdb.org duckdb.org hn.today +7 more

Games · Thu, Oct 22

GTA 6 launch could cost US employers €920 million in lost productivity

About 1.5 million US workers are expected to miss work for Grand Theft Auto VI’s 19 November launch, with economist José García Montalvo estimating a roughly 2% productivity dip and a €920 million loss ($1 billion). BambooHR found paid-leave requests for that day are 9–17% above recent historical averages, though it said the data cannot prove the game is the sole reason. Rockstar North, the lead studio, is based in Edinburgh.

Bottom line — Newzoo estimates opening-week retail bookings could reach €4.1 billion ($4.5 billion).

Sources FOX 29 Philadelphia Yahoo Entertainment The Economic Times +1 more

Science · Thu, Oct 22

Orangutans favoured food linked to laughter in a six-ape study

In a five-day experiment with six orangutans, researchers found the apes generally preferred food hidden under material they had searched while hearing recordings of other orangutans laughing. Four of the six showed a clear preference; the Indiana University team said positive mood may have made the associated reward more valuable.

Bottom line — Four of six orangutans favoured the laughter-linked food, though the experiment did not directly measure a change in mood.

Sources the Guardian Phys.org DongA Science +4 more

AI · Thu, Oct 22

Anthropic and music publishers clash over lyrics used to train Claude

Anthropic asked a California judge to rule that using millions of song lyrics to train Claude is fair use; Universal Music Group, Concord and ABKCO say the practice infringes their copyrights and risks competing with songwriters. Judge Eumi Lee did not rule after hearing arguments, which could affect dozens of other AI copyright cases, according to Reuters.

Bottom line — Judge Eumi Lee’s ruling could influence dozens of lawsuits over AI training and copyrighted work.

Sources The Straits Times Economic Times Court House News Ser… +3 more

Science · Thu, Oct 22

Dwarf reed snakes roll at up to 3.7 metres per second to escape predators

Researchers at Toho University analysed video of dwarf reed snakes rolling to flee danger, finding that their heads stay pointed towards travel while their bodies rotate. The study, published in Current Biology, recorded speeds of up to 3.7 metres per second—about four times the snakes’ usual slithering speed—and found they could follow a track just 20 centimetres wide.

Bottom line — The new analysis explains how Pseudorabdion snakes roll at speed, but why some close relatives do not remains unknown.

Sources The Mainichi kite.kagi.com journalarta.com +3 more

Health · Thu, Oct 22

Tübingen researchers cut toxic SCA3 protein by 90% in lab-grown human neurons

Researchers from DZNE and the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research at the University of Tübingen, with collaborators in Bonn, London and Portugal, tested antisense drugs designed to target the disease-causing copy of the SCA3 gene. In human neurons cultured in the lab, the most effective drug reduced toxic ataxin-3 by about 90% while largely preserving the normal protein, according to the study published in Science Translational Medicine.

Bottom line — The team says it will optimise the drugs and test their safety and efficacy in further studies before considering clinical trials.

Sources Medical Xpress DZNE EurekAlert +6 more

Space · Thu, Oct 22

NASA moves Artemis III to orbit tests as SpaceX and Blue Origin race for a 2028 moon landing

NASA now plans Artemis III for the third quarter of 2027, with four astronauts aboard Orion docking in low Earth orbit with test landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin. NASA says the tests will help it choose a lander for Artemis IV, targeted for early 2028; SpaceX aims to land an uncrewed Starship by the end of 2027, while Blue Origin targets the first quarter of 2028.

Bottom line — NASA’s Artemis IV landing schedule depends on both companies completing uncrewed lunar demonstrations and meeting safety requirements.

Sources Space Starlust scitechdaily.com +5 more

Football · Thu, Oct 22

Ten Hag accuses Ronaldo of letting Manchester United down

Erik ten Hag says Cristiano Ronaldo let him and Manchester United down during their 2022–23 spell together, alleging the forward did not prepare properly or run with or without the ball. In interviews with The Athletic and Voetbal International, Ten Hag also said Ronaldo encouraged teammates to conserve their energy in training.

Bottom line — Ten Hag says he made a rational decision to drop Ronaldo, who scored three goals in 16 appearances under him.

Sources O Jogo Jornal de Notícias PÚBLICO +2 more

Europe · Thu, Oct 22

Serbia’s Student List takes its challenge to Vučić to the 25 October election

The student-led movement challenging Aleksandar Vučić’s 14-year political dominance is contesting Serbia’s snap parliamentary election with a list of 250 candidates, mostly academics and professionals chosen through student assemblies. The protests began after 16 people died when a canopy at Novi Sad railway station collapsed in November 2024; the movement’s campaign centres on anti-corruption and the rule of law, according to The Guardian and The Loop.

Bottom line — The 25 October vote tests whether the Student List can turn a protest movement into parliamentary power.

Sources the Guardian The Loop en.wikipedia.org +1 more

AI · Thu, Oct 22

DeepSeek raises €12.9 billion from Tencent, CATL and other investors ahead of IPO

DeepSeek has raised about 100 billion yuan (€12.9 billion; $15 billion), with Tencent and battery maker CATL among its largest investors, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the deal. The Hangzhou-based AI company is increasing spending on data centres and open-source models as it prepares for an IPO, though Reuters reported the round was still being finalised and its terms could change.

Bottom line — DeepSeek’s final funding terms and IPO plans remain unconfirmed.

Sources www.techinasia.com finance.yahoo.com Gate +4 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

Zelenskyy says Russia backs US-led technical peace talks with Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was told by Washington that Russia supports technical-level talks between the three countries, with a meeting proposed as soon as possible and possibly by early November. He said Ukraine is ready to discuss an energy ceasefire and other steps, while the US proposal also includes reopening a Black Sea grain corridor; Abu Dhabi is among the possible venues.

Bottom line — Zelenskyy says a leaders’ meeting should follow, with Europe represented.

Sources Apa.az Al Jazeera Censor.NET +2 more

Europe · Thu, Oct 22

Trump’s Russia diesel deal and Ukraine decisions strengthen Putin’s hand, critics say

Donald Trump’s agreement for Russia to supply diesel to the US and his decision to hold off on supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles have drawn attention to how his relationship with Vladimir Putin is shaping the war. ABC News reports that the diesel deal undercuts US sanctions pressure; NHK, citing former Japanese ambassador Kozuki Toyohisa, says Putin has used meetings and unofficial channels to keep Trump engaged on Russia’s terms.

Bottom line — NHK reports that Russia has repeatedly invoked the “spirit of Anchorage” to argue that Washington and Moscow should decide how the war ends.

Sources abcnews NHKWORLD_News

Cyber Security · Thu, Oct 22

Microsoft links Storm-0940 to ConnectWise attack targeting 2,250 Microsoft 365 tenants

Microsoft attributed the ConnectWise supply-chain attack to Storm-0940, a China-aligned threat actor that used the ARTEX AI framework to automate reconnaissance, password spraying and OAuth application abuse. Microsoft said the campaign reached more than 2,250 tenants and that some attacks progressed to privileged cloud access in under three hours; it has not said how many customers were compromised or whether data was stolen.

Bottom line — Microsoft says some ARTEX-driven attacks reached privileged cloud access in under three hours.

Sources Security Arsenal CyberScoop Let's Data Science +4 more

Space · Thu, Oct 22

SpaceX seeks FAA approval for 456 Starship launches a year in Texas

SpaceX has asked the FAA to raise the annual limit at its Starbase facility in Texas from 25 launches to as many as 456, alongside up to 912 landings. The FAA has opened environmental scoping for a full impact statement; Starbase operations remain under the existing limit while the review proceeds, according to SatNews.

Bottom line — The FAA’s environmental review will determine whether Starbase can move beyond its current 25-launch annual limit.

Sources Ars Technica BASENOR satnews.com +2 more

Football · Thu, Oct 22

Como beat Manchester United 4-1 as Nico Paz scores twice

Como beat Manchester United 4-1 in the Champions League, with Nico Paz scoring twice and assisting Tasos Douvikas before Jacobo Ramón added a fourth. Sky Sports reports United are now winless in seven matches; the Guardian says the defeat has intensified pressure on manager Michael Carrick.

Bottom line — Como’s 4-1 win leaves United with three points from their first three Champions League matches, according to Sky Sports.

Sources Football Italia TNT Sports fichajesnet +5 more

Global Economy · Thu, Oct 22

Panetta says rising bond yields will restrain the euro-area economy

ECB Governing Council member Fabio Panetta said rising bond yields will restrain the region’s economy, though they are not critical for now. Speaking in Turin, the Bank of Italy governor described the moves as a global trend led over the past week by the US, where growth and inflation have exceeded expectations, according to Bloomberg.

Bottom line — Panetta says higher yields are a restraint, but not yet a critical one.

Sources www.bloomberg.com guavy.com www.binance.com +1 more

Science · Thu, Oct 22

Crocodile relatives tracked warm climates for 250 million years, study finds

A UCL-led study of more than 7,000 fossils and records from over 400 living and extinct species found that crocodile relatives generally followed warm climates, spreading towards the poles in warmer periods and retreating towards the tropics as the planet cooled. The researchers’ climate simulations suggest warm refuges near the equator and in the subtropics remained suitable after the asteroid impact 66 million years ago in all but the most extreme scenario.

Bottom line — The researchers say climate was only part of the explanation: smaller bodies, semi-aquatic lifestyles and flexible diets may also have helped crocodile relatives survive.

Sources Mirage News nautil.us Sci.News: Breaking S… +4 more

Europe · Thu, Oct 22

EU ministers to consider energy demand cuts if Hormuz disruption persists

EU energy ministers will discuss possible demand-reduction measures on 29 October as the Strait of Hormuz disruption raises energy prices and threatens supplies. An Irish presidency document asks how the bloc should prepare if the strait remains partly or fully closed, but proposes no specific cuts and records no agreement. The Commission says gas storage is below its historical average, while stating that the EU does not currently face a security-of-supply issue.

Bottom line — Ministers meet on 29 October; the EU has no legally mandated strategic gas stocks, the Commission says.

Sources Euronews English Anadolu Ajansı Euronews English

Space · Thu, Oct 22

HPE plans lunar AI and first high-performance computing benchmarks for late 2026

HPE says its fanless Spaceborne Computer-4 will travel on Astrolab’s FLIP rover to the lunar South Pole on a mission planned for late 2026 under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The company plans to run AI applications and the first lunar High-Performance LINPACK and HPCG benchmarks, alongside tests of language models, visual analysis and LiDAR mapping.

Bottom line — The HPL and HPCG results will test whether HPE’s computer can perform advanced computing on the lunar surface.

Sources Futurum www.hpe.com www.hpcwire.com +6 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

Iran Says Seven Tankers Were Hit or Mined Near the Strait of Hormuz

Iranian state television and the Revolutionary Guard’s navy said seven oil tankers were damaged overnight near the Strait of Hormuz. The Guard said four vessels involved in oil transfers were struck and caught fire, while three others hit naval mines; it warned the US military that continued provocations could prompt a wider response against regional bases.

Bottom line — The seven reported damaged tankers may be the highest single-day toll in the waterway since the Iran war began on 28 February.

Sources MarineLink US News & World Repo…

Science · Thu, Oct 22

Dutch salt marsh flume test finds little erosion, but weaker wave protection in major storms

Researchers moved 306 square metres of Wadden Sea salt marsh into the Delta Flume and exposed it to waves up to 2 metres high. The seabed dropped by an average of just 7 millimetres after 21 hours, but vegetation damage reduced its extra wave attenuation: the Nature study found the strongest effect on coasts with waves up to 1 metre, where it can reach 50 per cent.

Bottom line — The researchers say salt marshes can complement dikes, with vegetation adding up to 50 per cent wave attenuation on lower-energy coasts.

Sources ScienceAlert www.utwente.nl natureasia +5 more

TV/Movies · Thu, Oct 22

Disney’s Star Wars: Starfighter has spent €208 million before post-production

Disney had spent $226.5 million (€208 million) on Star Wars: Starfighter by the end of filming, according to UK production-company filings reported by Forbes. A UK tax credit of $51.5 million (€47 million) brings net spending so far to $175 million (€161 million); neither figure includes post-production or marketing. The film, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling, is due in cinemas on 28 May 2027.

Bottom line — Starfighter’s reported net spend is €161 million so far, with post-production still ahead.

Sources Pirates & Princesses… ScreenRant news.piratesandprinc… +2 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

Drone strike kills at least 153 at market in disputed Abyei

A drone strike hit Amiet market in Abyei, disputed between Sudan and South Sudan, killing at least 153 people, according to local officials. South Sudan blamed Sudan’s military without providing evidence and summoned Sudan’s ambassador; the death toll may rise as fires hinder recovery.

Bottom line — The Abyei strike brings the reported death toll from recent attacks to more than 250.

Sources abcnews dw.com en.wikipedia.org +2 more

World · Thu, Oct 22

Guterres says West Bank violence is “simply out of control”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Palestinians in the occupied West Bank face daily attacks by Israeli settlers, which he said aim to drive communities from their land. He also warned that humanitarian aid to Gaza remains severely restricted ahead of winter and said the World Food Programme urgently needs €386 million ($450 million) to feed people in Gaza and the West Bank over six months.

Bottom line — Guterres urged donors to fund the World Food Programme’s €386 million appeal and called for an end to the occupation.

Sources www.middleeastmonito… anews Worldwide News +6 more