Space · Saturday, October 3, 2026 · 7 sources

China’s FAST telescope finds the lightest known neutron-star pair

China’s FAST telescope has identified PSR J1856−0039, a neutron-star pair with a combined mass of 2.488 times the Sun’s and an orbit lasting 2.36 hours. Researchers say its orbital decay matches general relativity’s prediction, making the system a useful test of gravity and a rare window into the physics of dense matter.

Bottom line — The pair is expected to merge in about 82 million years, probably forming a heavier neutron star.

Go deeper 6

China Daily and People’s Daily report that the pulsar weighs about 1.30 solar masses and its companion about 1.19.
Phys.org says researchers observed the system in 17 FAST sessions from 2020 to 2025, measuring the arrival times of 253 pulses.
The 2.36-hour orbit is the second-shortest known among confirmed double neutron-star systems, according to China Daily.
Phys.org reports that the team measured three relativistic effects, including the orbit’s gradual shrinkage and the turning of its closest point.
Han Jinlin told China Daily that only one or two known systems appear promising for measuring frame dragging.
The researchers plan long-term monitoring to investigate the pulsar’s internal structure; Phys.org says the work could take about 10 years.

Read the reporting 7

Phys phys.org Astronomers discover the lowest-mass double neutron star system to date ArXiv arxiv.org Relativistic effects of PSR~J1856--0039 double neutron star system in a 2.36-hour compact orbit ChinaDailyApp global.chinadaily.com.cn FAST discovers lightest binary neutron star system ChinaDailyApp chinadaily.com.cn Lightest neutron star pair discovered by FAST ChinaDailyApp epaper.chinadaily.com.cn Lightest neutron star pair discovered by FAST En.people en.people.cn Chinese scientists discover lightest, shortest-orbit binary neutron star system - People's Daily Online En.ncsti.gov en.ncsti.gov.cn News

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Games · Sat, Oct 3

Deep Silver gives Metro Redux free 4K upgrades ahead of Metro 2039

Deep Silver and 4A Games will update Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux for PC on 22 October and PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 29 October, free for existing owners. The upgrades add 4K textures and platform-specific improvements without remaking the games, offering players a refreshed route into the series before Metro 2039 arrives on 4 February 2027.

Bottom line — Existing owners get the upgrades free; Metro 2039 is due on 4 February 2027.

Sources www.glitched.online gagadget.com windowsforum.com +3 more

Europe · Sat, Oct 3

G7 commits 100 million barrels as Trump drops diesel export-ban threat

G7 members will release 100 million barrels of oil and fuel products over four months, with a substantial diesel release in the first 20 days, after Washington pressed Europe to draw on reserves. The agreement also rules out energy export restrictions between G7 partners, easing a threat to European diesel supplies as prices surge.

Bottom line — The 100-million-barrel release is a temporary buffer; analysts quoted by USA TODAY warn it may not address the supply shortfall driving prices.

Sources CNA Reuters USA TODAY +3 more

World · Sat, Oct 3

Saudi Arabia weighs offensive to retake Bab el-Mandeb shipping route

Saudi Arabia is considering a Yemen campaign led by Riyadh-backed ground forces and supported by Saudi air strikes, Reuters reports, to reverse Houthi gains around Bab el-Mandeb. The route links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and has gained importance as an alternative to the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz; European and regional allies are expected to offer defensive aid, not join the fighting.

Bottom line — A campaign involving more than 100,000 Yemeni troops is possible, but its timing and scale remain uncertain.

Sources The Straits Times Defense News www.globalbankingand… +8 more

AI · Sat, Oct 3

OpenAI patched a ChatGPT for Mac flaw that exposed chats and browser sessions

OpenAI patched a macOS ChatGPT vulnerability on 25 September after Objective-See Foundation researchers found a script interpreter that could pass untrusted code to the main app. The flaw could expose chat histories and active browser sessions, and researchers said exploiting it took just over 10 lines of code.

Bottom line — OpenAI says the Mac vulnerability is patched; the report highlights the security risks of software with broad system access.

Sources Mezha OpenAI Help Center aitoolsreview.co.uk +3 more

Apple · Sat, Oct 3

Apple markets its €2,300 foldable iPhone with a camera campaign

Apple has commissioned photographers Jake Michaels and Jason Nocito to showcase the cameras on the iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone, ahead of its 23 October launch. The price starts at about €2,300 in Europe. The Duo’s 2× zoom and foldable-only shooting features come without the dedicated telephoto lens on Pro models.

Bottom line — The campaign shows that despite having lower-end imaging hardware than its siblings, the iPhone duo remains a capable camera, at least in professional hands.

Sources Gadget Review Apple applescoop.org +2 more

Europe · Sat, Oct 3

House prices rise average of 4.7% across the EU in Q2 2026

House prices rose 4.7% across the EU in the second quarter of 2026, but country-level changes ranged from a 16.5% rise in Portugal to a 2.7% fall in Finland, according to Eurostat. The gap matters for buyers and renters: prices rose faster than inflation in many countries, while Cyprus, Spain and several central and eastern European markets saw particularly strong gains.

Bottom line — Price changes are uneven across the bloc, with Finland seeing a 2.7% fall in prices while Portugal saw a blistering 16.5% rise.

Sources Euronews English Daily News Hungary Lietuvos Radijas ir … +1 more

Gaming Hardware · Sat, Oct 3

AMD’s unreleased Ryzen 9 5900X3D had 128MB of cache

A rare engineering sample of AMD’s 12-core Ryzen 9 5900X3D has surfaced online, revealing 128MB of L3 cache in a processor the company never sold. The configuration paired extra cache on one chiplet with a standard second chiplet, offering a glimpse of the design choices behind AMD’s gaming CPUs.

Bottom line — AMD ultimately released the eight-core Ryzen 7 5800X3D, not this 12-core prototype.

Sources Tom VideoCardz.com windowsforum.com +4 more

Football · Sat, Oct 3

Etihad’s 2015 statement complicates Manchester City’s appeal over €959m in alleged funding

Manchester City has appealed a commission’s finding that it disguised more than £830m (€959m) of owner funding as sponsorship income between 2009 and 2018. The club is expected to argue that the money came from the Abu Dhabi government, but Etihad told US authorities in 2015 that it funded its City sponsorship from its own liquidity. City denies wrongdoing and says it has irrefutable evidence.

Bottom line — A new three-person panel will hear the appeal; Premier League rules set a 12-week timetable, though City may challenge whether it applies.

Sources the Guardian Sky Sports Channel 103 +7 more

TV/Movies · Sat, Oct 3

NBCUniversal cuts several hundred streaming jobs, mostly at Europe’s Sky

NBCUniversal is proposing several hundred cuts in its global streaming technology team, with most expected at Sky and some in the US, according to reports citing Reuters and Business Insider. The move comes as Comcast prepares to spin off NBCUniversal and Sky from its cable and internet businesses next summer, while Sky is also due to acquire ITV.

Bottom line — Sky’s UK consultations will determine the final headcount as Comcast prepares its media spin-off.

Sources Cord Cutters News WebProNews TimesNow +1 more

Europe · Sat, Oct 3

Spain’s parliament rejects tenant relief as housing protests spread

Tens of thousands marched in Madrid and other Spanish cities after parliament rejected Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s proposed tenant protections, including automatic rental-contract renewals and curbs on evicting vulnerable tenants. The defeat leaves renters facing a worsening affordability crunch and exposes the minority government’s difficulty securing parliamentary support; the protests began after 87-year-old Maricarmen Abascal was evicted from her Madrid home.

Bottom line — With the proposed protections voted down, Sánchez’s minority government must find parliamentary support as housing protests continue.

Sources France 24 Al Jazeera NPR +3 more

Europe · Sat, Oct 3

EU return hubs clear a path to deport rejected asylum seekers to third countries

The EU has agreed rules allowing member states to send people with final return orders to hubs outside the bloc if they cannot be returned home. Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands are working on plans, but no host country has been confirmed; the rules still need formal approval before taking effect.

Bottom line — The European Parliamentary Research Service says past offshore schemes suggest return hubs could be costly, affect few people and face legal challenges.

Sources CBS News www.infomigrants.net www.europarl.europa.… +2 more

Cyber Security · Sat, Oct 3

Researchers at Oligo Security found remote-code-execution vulnerabilities across AI inference frameworks from Meta, Nvidia and Microsoft, as well as open-source projects including vLLM and SGLang. The Hacker News reports that the flaws stem from unsafe Python pickle deserialisation over unauthenticated ZeroMQ connections, a code pattern copied between projects—putting organisations running these systems at risk of server or cluster compromise.

Bottom line — Oligo found the same unsafe code pattern across several frameworks; some affected projects remain unpatched or have incomplete fixes.

Sources DEV Community aviatrix techbytes.app +3 more

Science · Sat, Oct 3

A study puts animal origins up to 200 million years earlier

A University of Oxford-led study argues that animals may have originated between 800 million and 700 million years ago, well before the oldest definitive animal fossils. The finding revises a basic account of life’s early history, though the researchers stress that it does not prove animals existed then.

Bottom line — The study moves the estimated origin of animals back by roughly 200 million years, but definitive pre-Ediacaran body fossils remain elusive.

Sources Mirage News Phys.org Live Science

Global Economy · Sat, Oct 3

French bond turmoil helps push euro towards a fourth weekly loss against the dollar

The euro is heading for a fourth consecutive weekly decline against the dollar, as elevated US Treasury yields and selling in French and Italian bonds weigh on the single currency, Reuters reports. France’s 10-year yield premium over Germany rose above 150 basis points, its highest since late 2011; the euro was last quoted at $1.12580 (€1.03).

Bottom line — France’s bond spread above 150 basis points is adding to pressure on the euro as markets weigh ECB rate risks.

Sources CNA CNBC KitcoNewsNOW +8 more

Technology · Sat, Oct 3

Google raises the Pixel 10a to €554, weakening its budget-phone pitch

Google has raised the Pixel 10a’s 128GB price from $499 (€461) to $599 (€554), seven months after launch, without changing the phone. The move reflects rising memory costs, according to The Next Web, but leaves buyers paying more for a model with a two-generation-old chip and makes Google’s cheapest new phone harder to recommend.

Bottom line — The Pixel 10a now costs €554 for 128GB, while its 256GB version is €646.

Sources Business Insider Phandroid - Android … Memeburn +7 more

Apple · Sat, Oct 3

Apple to tighten Mac access controls as AI agents reach private data

Apple says it will add stricter controls to macOS Full Disk Access, a permission that can expose files, email, messages and browsing history. The change is aimed at making consent more explicit as AI agents gain wider access to Macs; Apple has not announced a release date or named any developer.

Bottom line — Apple’s forthcoming controls target a permission that can expose not only users’ data but also the private messages of people they communicate with.

Sources AppleInsider Lapaas Voice TechCrunch +7 more

Space · Sat, Oct 3

China’s FAST telescope finds the lightest known neutron-star pair

Bottom line — The pair is expected to merge in about 82 million years, probably forming a heavier neutron star.

Sources Phys.org arXiv.org ChinaDailyApp +4 more

Cyber Security · Sat, Oct 3

Fortinet FortiMail zero-day exposes email gateways to unauthenticated attackers

Attackers are exploiting a critical FortiMail flaw that lets them write files to the email appliance without logging in, Fortinet warned. Because the gateway handles organisations’ email, a compromise can expose messages and credentials; patches are not yet available, so Fortinet recommends disabling identity-based encryption or restricting internet access to the management interface.

Bottom line — CISA has set 4 October for US federal agencies to mitigate CVE-2026-104286 and check whether systems were already compromised.

Sources Tech Times SC Media Blockonomi +5 more

Space · Sat, Oct 3

Canada launches centre to build a space-isotope supply chain by 2030

Canada’s Nuclear Innovation Institute has launched the Canadian Centre for Space Isotopes in Toronto to study how the country could supply radioactive isotopes for deep-space missions. SpaceQ reports the centre will conduct research and industry work through 2030, with its first report due in early 2027; the stakes are a potential new role for Canada in a field where future supply is described as critically low.

Bottom line — The centre’s 2027 report will test whether Canada’s isotope expertise can support spacecraft power systems.

Sources interestingengineeri… Lifeboat News: The B… NII +1 more

World · Sat, Oct 3

Ben-Gvir says all the West Bank belongs to Israel and threatens Palestinian Authority

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would seek to dismantle the Palestinian Authority and promote the displacement of Palestinians if appointed defence minister. His remarks challenge the Oslo framework governing the occupied West Bank and come as Israel campaigns for its 27 October Knesset election.

Bottom line — Ben-Gvir’s proposed policies would challenge the Oslo framework and threaten the Palestinian Authority’s continued existence.

Sources Anadolu Ajansı

World · Sat, Oct 3

Two tankers struck near Hormuz as shipping risks persist

Two oil tankers were hit by unidentified projectiles near the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said. One caught fire and lost power but resumed its voyage; the second was struck east of Oman. No injuries or environmental damage were reported, and authorities are investigating.

Bottom line — The incidents add to risks on a route that carried about a fifth of global oil and LNG before the conflict.

Sources www.bolnews.com NDTV Times Kuwait +6 more

World · Sat, Oct 3

Brazil’s election puts Amazon protections and US ties in play

Brazil votes on Sunday in a close presidential contest between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, with the Amazon’s future and the country’s foreign policy at stake. The Associated Press reports deforestation fell 45% under Lula, while the candidates offer different approaches to forest protection; the result could also shift Brazil’s relations with Washington and Beijing.

Bottom line — The 4 October vote could decide whether Brazil keeps its 2030 goal of zero net deforestation.

Sources www.axios.com www.msn.com US News & World Repo… +5 more

Space · Sat, Oct 3

Beta Pictoris b’s radio bursts offer a first direct measure of an exoplanet’s magnetic field

Astronomers using South Africa’s MeerKAT array traced recurring radio bursts to Beta Pictoris b, a gas giant about 63 light-years away, rather than its host star. The team says the emissions come from auroras and indicate a magnetic field at least 200 times stronger than Jupiter’s; the study is still awaiting peer review.

Bottom line — If peer review confirms the result, Beta Pictoris b will show how radio observations can reveal magnetic fields on distant planets.

Sources Signs Of The TImes NDTV Profit LatestLY +6 more

AI · Sat, Oct 3

Google DeepMind adds hidden AI watermarks to proteins for traceability

Google DeepMind researchers in London have developed SynthIDBio, a system that embeds a detectable marker in AI-designed proteins’ amino-acid sequences and 3D shapes. Nature reports the watermark could help DNA-ordering companies and researchers identify synthetic proteins for database integrity and biosecurity, without noticeably reducing protein function.

Bottom line — SynthIDBio offers DNA-screening firms a new clue, but Nature reports that redesigning a protein can erase its watermark.

Sources Chemistry World www.science.org www.nature.com

Health · Sat, Oct 3

Encora wins FDA clearance for wrist-worn essential tremor treatment

MIT spinout Encora Therapeutics has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its wrist-worn device to relieve hand tremors in adults with essential tremor while it is being used. The vibration-based treatment follows trials in which more than 70% of participants experienced meaningful improvement, though Encora is still building sales capacity and seeking insurer coverage.

Bottom line — Encora’s next steps are production, sales and insurer coverage for a device cleared to relieve tremor during stimulation.

Sources mit meche.mit.edu Mirage News +3 more

World · Sat, Oct 3

Ethiopia and Eritrea sever ties as Tigray fighting risks a wider regional conflict

Ethiopia closed its embassy in Asmara and ordered 10 Eritrean diplomats to leave; Eritrea retaliated by cutting diplomatic ties. The rupture comes as federal forces fight a rebel alliance in northern Ethiopia, while Addis Ababa accuses Eritrea, Egypt and Sudan of backing the rebels—a charge they deny.

Bottom line — The African Union has urged Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt to show restraint as fighting spreads across Tigray, Afar and Amhara.

Sources RT Morning Star AOL.com +7 more

Cyber Security · Sat, Oct 3

Warlock ransomware hits Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking infrastructure through SharePoint flaws

Symantec says the China-linked group behind Warlock ransomware targeted at least four organisations across Europe, Africa and Latin America, including a water utility, a telecoms provider, a university and a regional government. The attacks exploited vulnerabilities in on-premises Microsoft SharePoint servers, underscoring the risks for European essential services still running unpatched systems.

Bottom line — Symantec found attackers disabled security software on at least 40 hosts before deploying Warlock on at least 33.

Sources therecord.media Industrial Cyber

TV/Movies · Sat, Oct 3

Disney licenses Ice Age and Percy Jackson to Netflix ahead of new releases

Disney is licensing a selection of films and series to Netflix, with all five Ice Age films and the first two seasons of Percy Jackson arriving worldwide on October 4 for three months. The titles will remain on Disney+ and Hulu, while the temporary Netflix windows put them before audiences ahead of new franchise releases.

Bottom line — Netflix gets Disney titles without exclusivity; Percy Jackson season three premieres on Disney+ on November 20.

Sources Variety What's on Netflix Cosmic Book News +4 more

World · Sat, Oct 3

WHO says Gaza medical supplies wait 74 days for Israeli clearance

Medical shipments for Gaza wait a median of 74 days for Israeli clearance, according to the WHO, while no hospital there is fully functional. The delays and repeated rejection of equipment are complicating efforts to restore health services, the agency says.

Bottom line — The WHO says 74-day clearance waits leave medicines closer to expiry and equipment at risk of damage before reaching Gaza’s hospitals.

Sources Anadolu Ajansı

Global Economy · Sat, Oct 3

Eurozone inflation hits 3.8%, putting energy costs back in focus for the ECB

Eurozone inflation rose to 3.8% in September from 3.2% in August, its highest level in three years, according to Eurostat’s flash estimate. Energy prices rose 18.8% year on year, while core inflation edged up to 2.5%, leaving the ECB to weigh whether the shock is spreading beyond household energy bills before its 29 October decision.

Bottom line — The ECB’s next decision is on 29 October, as eurozone inflation stands 1.8 percentage points above its 2% target.

Sources The Economist Intellinews Novinite.com +7 more

Games · Sat, Oct 3

Sony’s PC ports generated €600 million, but remain a small slice of its store revenue

Sony’s PC and other-platform versions earned $650 million (€600 million), about 3% of PlayStation Store revenue, according to GameGPU’s account of the company’s 2024 results. The figures underline the gap between Sony’s expanding PC catalogue and the PlayStation Store, still the larger business.

Bottom line — Sony’s €600 million from ports is significant, but the PlayStation Store generated $16.5 billion (€15.2 billion).

Sources www.geeky-gadgets.co… GameGPU overcentral.com +1 more

Global Economy · Sat, Oct 3

US employers add just 29,000 jobs as unemployment rises to 4.2%

US employers added 29,000 jobs in September, well below forecasts, and unemployment rose to 4.2%, according to the Labor Department. The figures have weakened expectations of an October rate rise, but analysts cited by CNA and the New York Post still expect inflation to keep a December increase in play.

Bottom line — The Fed’s next move still hinges on inflation, despite September’s 29,000-job gain.

Sources CNA New York Post

Technology · Sat, Oct 3

The Netherlands is building a NixOS workplace to reduce reliance on non-European technology

The Dutch interior ministry is developing DAWO, a digital workplace built around NixOS and open-source tools, to give public organisations more control over their systems and data. The project is intended as a complete environment for government work, not just a new operating system, and its community invites public and private organisations to contribute.

Bottom line — DAWO’s first building blocks are being developed for a Dutch public sector seeking more control over its digital infrastructure.

Sources TechSpot code.overheid.nl: He… dawo.overheid-a.nl +1 more

Global Economy · Sat, Oct 3

G7 releases 100 million barrels as Europe faces diesel supply risk

The G7 has agreed to release 100 million barrels of crude and fuel from emergency stocks over four months, with substantial diesel volumes due within 20 days. The move followed Washington’s pressure on Europe and a threat to restrict US diesel exports; the UK imports nearly 55% of its diesel, with the US supplying around 31%, according to the Press Association.

Bottom line — The G7 release starts immediately, while Trump now says a US diesel export ban was never on the table.

Sources Cyprus Mail Belfast News Letter The Scotsman +8 more

Science · Sat, Oct 3

YbSb₂ shows time-reversal symmetry breaking in a type-I superconductor

Researchers led by IISER Bhopal report that YbSb₂, a type-I superconductor, generates tiny internal magnetic fields as it enters its superconducting state—the first such observation in a type-I material. The result, published in Physical Review Letters, points to an unexpected quantum state, but proposed links to Majorana modes and quantum computing remain theoretical.

Bottom line — YbSb₂ superconducts below 0.95 K; confirming its proposed Majorana surface modes will require further experiments.

Sources Phys.org ScienceAlert xenospectrum.com +6 more