The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) could pose grave risks to humanity as it becomes harder to control, renowned computer scientist Yoshua Bengio has warned. A professor at the University of Montreal and head of the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms, Bengio told CNBC on Thursday that machines could soon have most of the cognitive abilities of humans. The scientist was referring to artificial general intelligence (AGI), a type of AI technology that aims to equal or become better than human intellect. “Intelligence gives power. So, who’s going to control that power?” Bengio said.

According to Putin, the Oreshnik missile, which was kept in secret until the Dnepropetrovsk strike, can reach a speed of 2.5 to 3 kilometers per second, meaning there are no air defense systems in the world capable of intercepting it.

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Medvedev reacts to VIDEO of hypersonic missile strike

Dmitry Medvedev has shared a video of the ‘Oreshnik’ mid-range hypersonic missile hitting a Ukrainian defense industrial complex

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“Despite more than 200 children killed in Lebanon in less than two months, a disconcerting pattern has emerged: their deaths are met with inertia from those able to stop this violence,” UNICEF’s spokesperson James Elder told reporters.

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Almost 60 percent of South Sudan’s population will be acutely food insecure next year, with more than two million children at risk of malnutrition, warns data from a United Nations-backed review. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) review published on Monday estimated that starting in April, 57 percent of the population would be suffering from acute food insecurity, which the UN defines as when a “person’s inability to consume adequate food puts their lives or livelihoods in immediate danger”.

A convoy of 109 trucks was violently looted on Saturday after entering Gaza, resulting in the loss of 98 trucks, an official from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has said. The looting is one of the worst such incidents in the more than 13-month-old Israeli assault on the besieged and bombarded enclave, Louise Wateridge, senior emergency officer for UNRWA, said on Monday. The convoy carrying food provided by UN agencies UNRWA and the World Food Programme was instructed by Israel to depart at short notice via an unfamiliar route from the Karem Abu Salem [Kerem Shalom] crossing with Gaza. “This incident highlights the severity of access challenges of bringing aid into southern and central Gaza,” Wateridge said, adding that injuries occurred in the incident.

The erosion of democratic norms and institutions due to prolonged one-party dominance. While democracy is built on principles like regular elections, political pluralism, and the peaceful transfer of power, when a single party remains in power for an extended period—often due to structural advantages, weakening opposition, or manipulation of electoral systems—democracy can devolve into a de facto one-party state. Why Prolonged One-Party Rule is Dangerous for Democracies Erosion of Checks and Balances: Democracies rely on checks and balances between branches of government. If a single party controls the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches over time, it may undermine these checks, reducing accountability and enabling the abuse of power. Weakening of Political Opposition: Long-term dominance of one party often leads to the marginalization of opposition parties. This can occur through legal restrictions, financial advantages, media control, or even repression. As a result, citizens may have fewer meaningful choices in elections, which undermines the democratic process. Authoritarian Tendencies: Political leaders who remain in power for decades may gradually shift towards authoritarianism, justifying their rule by claiming they are essential for stability or development. This can result in the weakening of civil liberties, free speech, and political freedoms. Voter Disillusionment: When voters perceive that elections are not competitive or that outcomes are predetermined, they may lose faith in the democratic process. This disillusionment can lead to lower voter turnout, political apathy, or even social unrest. Institutional Decay: Over time, prolonged one-party rule can lead to the institutional decay of democratic norms. This may include undermining free and fair elections, eroding the independence of the judiciary, and compromising the free press, which are all critical pillars of a healthy democracy.

The United Nations has called on the Mozambican government “to put an immediate end to the violence and repression of journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders and protesters”, during demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane to protest against the allegedly fraudulent results of the 9 October general elections. According to a document, signed by 13 human rights special rapporteurs, which was published on Friday on the website of the UN Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, there are consistent reports suggesting that the violence in Mozambique has caused at least 30 deaths and injured 200 people “and therefore the authorities must promptly and impartially investigate all unlawful killings.” “There are disturbing reports of excessive police force and the authorities must ensure that those responsible for the violence are investigated and prosecuted. The violations of the right to life, including that of a child, the deliberate killings of unarmed demonstrators and the excessive use of force by police deployed to disperse peaceful protests in Mozambique are very disturbing”, reads the note.