Elon Musk will attend the flagship AI summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Bletchley Park. The event will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, with Musk joining Sunak for a live-streamed chat on Thursday evening. Musk, who has repeatedly warned about the dangers of advanced AI systems, will bring a boost to the summit after several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, opted not to attend. Musk has funded his own AI company, xAI, and has called for regulations on the technology.
Elon Musk will attend the flagship AI summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Bletchley Park. The event will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, with Musk joining Sunak for a live-streamed chat on Thursday evening. Musk, who has repeatedly warned about the dangers of advanced AI systems, will bring a boost to the summit after several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, opted not to attend. Musk has funded his own AI company, xAI, and has called for regulations on the technology.
The eurozone has contracted by 0.1% in the third quarter of 2021, putting the bloc on the brink of recession. This marks the first contraction since lockdowns were imposed in Q2 2020. The slowdown is attributed to a variety of factors, including a downturn in the Chinese manufacturing sector, a property crisis in China, and a reduction in oil production in Saudi Arabia. The German and French economies have also shrunk, while Italy narrowly avoided a technical recession. Inflation in the eurozone fell more than expected to a two-year low of 2.9%.
Musk’s private jet lands in Luton ahead of Sunak’s AI summit
Telegraph
23-10-31 15:51
Elon Musk has arrived in the UK for Rishi Sunak’s AI safety summit, travelling on his private jet, a Gulfstream G650. The billionaire’s attendance at the summit, which aims to establish Britain as a leader in AI regulation and testing, is seen as a boost for Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Musk is a major donor to the Future of Life Institute, which has called for a six-month moratorium on the development of “human-competitive intelligence”. He has also recently launched his own AI company, xAI. Musk’s jet has previously been tracked by an account on his social media platform, X, and Musk has previously offered the account’s owner $5,000 to delete it.
Italy's economy stagnates in Q3, but inflation slows sharply
Reuters
23-10-31 15:31
Italy's economy stagnated in the third quarter, with a 0.4% contraction in the second quarter. The weak reading was below expectations, with analysts predicting a 0.1% increase. On a year-on-year basis, Italy's gross domestic product was also flat. The country narrowly avoided a technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of falling GDP. The outlook remains uncertain due to European Central Bank interest hikes and geopolitical tensions. However, Italian inflation slowed sharply in October, with the country's consumer price index posting its lowest reading since July 2021. The Treasury has trimmed its forecast for full-year 2023 GDP growth to 0.8% from 1.0% and cut next year's forecast to 1.2% from 1.5%. The flat GDP reading in Q3 was the result of shrinking domestic demand, offset by positive net exports.
Giorgia Meloni says European leaders are ‘tired of Ukraine war’ in prank call
Telegraph
23-11-01 13:26
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been caught out in a prank call with Russian pranksters posing as African diplomats. During the call, Meloni expressed European leaders' desire to broker a deal with the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine. She also acknowledged that many European leaders are tired of the conflict and want a way out, but stressed the need to find a solution that does not violate international law. The prank call will likely play into the hands of the Kremlin, which hopes that Western support for Ukraine will wane due to fatigue with the war. Meloni's office confirmed the authenticity of the recording and expressed regret at being deceived.
Giorgia Meloni says European leaders are ‘tired of Ukraine war’ in prank call
Telegraph
23-11-01 13:26
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been caught out in a prank call with Russian pranksters posing as African diplomats. During the call, Meloni expressed European leaders' desire to broker a deal with the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine. She also acknowledged that many European leaders are tired of the conflict and want a way out, but stressed the need to find a solution that does not violate international law. The prank call will likely play into the hands of the Kremlin, which hopes that Western support for Ukraine will wane due to fatigue with the war. Meloni's office confirmed the authenticity of the recording and expressed regret at being deceived.
‘Tiredness on all sides’ over war in Ukraine, Italian PM tells prank caller
Guardian
23-11-01 17:01
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni fell victim to a prank call from two Russian comedians posing as an African leader. During the call, Meloni discussed the war in Ukraine and suggested that she had ideas on how to find a solution. The call was recorded and published on a video-sharing platform before being picked up by a Russian news agency. Meloni's office confirmed that she had been misled and targeted during a busy period of working to strengthen relations with African leaders. The comedians, known as Vovan and Lexus, have previously tricked political leaders into speaking with them.
Putin’s troops ‘trying to regroup’ for new attacks after heavy losses
The Independent
23-11-02 10:08
Russian forces are regrouping and recovering their losses near the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, where heavy fighting has been ongoing since mid-October. This comes after Russian troops bombarded 118 Ukrainian towns and villages in the most intense day of shelling this year. Ten out of Ukraine's 27 regions came under attack, including communities near the front lines in the east and south. In addition, Russia's warplanes have dropped "explosive objects" into the paths of civilian shipping lanes in the Black Sea, according to the region's military command. Ukraine is trying to build up a new shipping lane without Russian approval to revive its vital seaborne exports. However, Russia has said it will consider any vessel a potential military target after it quit a UN-brokered deal that allowed Ukrainian goods to pass through. The situation in Ukraine remains tense, with ongoing violence and continued Russian aggression.
Live Ukraine-Russia war live: Russian drone sets oil refinery on fire
Telegraph
23-11-02 07:41
A Russian drone attack caused a fire at an oil refinery in central Ukraine, resulting in power outages in three villages. The fire was quickly extinguished, but the extent of the damage remains unclear. This attack comes as Ukraine's Air Force claims to have shot down 18 of 20 drones and a missile fired by Russia overnight. In other news, South Korea has suggested that North Korea has sent one million shells to Russia in exchange for help launching its spy satellite. The South Korean National Intelligence Service believes that North Korea sent enough artillery rounds to last Russia two months. Additionally, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during a phone call with Russian pranksters posing as African diplomats, expressed that European leaders are tired of the war in Ukraine and want to broker a deal with Russia to end it. Lastly, Ukraine's top general has warned that there will be no quick breakthrough in the counteroffensive against Russia, creating concerns for US President Joe Biden as he tries to ensure continued US funding for Ukraine.
Italy Expects Telecom Italia €23 Billion Grid Sale to Go Ahead
Bloomberg
23-11-03 18:23
Telecom Italia's board is expected to approve the €23bn ($27bn) sale of its landline network to KKR despite opposition from its largest shareholder, Vivendi, according to unnamed sources. Vivendi has called for a review of the sale following a surprise alternative proposal presented by London-based investment firm Merlyn Advisors. The company's plan to halt the sale is unlikely to gain traction, however, as it lacks the government's support and the share ownership to pressure the board.
The article argues that Ukraine's counter offensive against Russia has failed and there is no prospect of success given current military capabilities. The US and European countries have been blamed for failing to provide enough military aid to Ukraine, which has resulted in procrastination and a reluctance to give Ukraine the tools needed to secure victory. The author suggests that Russia's successful campaign of deterrence has played a role in this failure, with the threat of escalation from Moscow being met with timidity. The article concludes by arguing that the UK must continue to support Ukraine in order to prevent Russia from emerging victorious.
Baby’s parents set for new hearing after Italian government intervenes
The Independent
23-11-06 22:11
A critically ill baby at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute is to be granted Italian citizenship. The move comes after judges in the UK ruled that doctors could lawfully limit treatment for eight-month-old Indi Gregory, who has mitochondrial disease. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would do everything she could to “defend her life”. Indi’s parents have failed to convince the courts to overturn the decision to limit treatment, and also to transfer the child to a hospital in Rome.
Italy strikes Rwanda-style deal to house 36,000 migrants a year in Albania
Telegraph
23-11-06 20:05
Italy plans to build two offshore migrant processing centers in Albania to house up to 36,000 migrants a year. Migrants intercepted by Italian navy or coast guard ships will be transferred to Albania, where they can claim asylum in Italy. The deal is less strict than Britain's plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The structures will be administered by the Italian authorities and will be able to hold up to 3,000 people at a time, with the potential for 36,000 migrants to be processed each year. The centers are expected to be operational in early 2023.
Critically ill baby’s parents prepare for further court hearing
The Independent
23-11-06 20:01
The parents of a critically ill baby are preparing for another court hearing as a judge is scheduled to consider further issues relating to the care of the baby at a private online hearing in the Family Division of the High Court. The judge has already ruled that specialists treating the baby at the Queen’s Medical Centre can lawfully limit treatment, a decision the parents have failed to overturn in the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights. Italy’s government has granted Italian citizenship to the baby, with the Prime Minister vowing to do what she could to “defend her life”.
Italy strikes deal to set up migrant centres in Albania
Financial Times
23-11-06 19:17
Italy has announced plans to build two migrant centres in Albania to help manage the influx of migrants attempting to reach the EU by sea. The centres will be used to process asylum claims and will be entirely funded by Italy. This is the first time an EU country has outsourced its asylum procedures to a non-EU country. Italy hopes the centres will be operational by spring 2024 and have the capacity to manage between 36,000 and 39,000 migrants per year.
Baby’s parents set for new hearing after Italian government intervenes
The Independent
23-11-06 22:11
A critically ill baby at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute is to be granted Italian citizenship. The move comes after judges in the UK ruled that doctors could lawfully limit treatment for eight-month-old Indi Gregory, who has mitochondrial disease. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would do everything she could to “defend her life”. Indi’s parents have failed to convince the courts to overturn the decision to limit treatment, and also to transfer the child to a hospital in Rome.
Italy strikes Rwanda-style deal to house 36,000 migrants a year in Albania
Telegraph
23-11-06 20:05
Italy plans to build two offshore migrant processing centers in Albania to house up to 36,000 migrants a year. Migrants intercepted by Italian navy or coast guard ships will be transferred to Albania, where they can claim asylum in Italy. The deal is less strict than Britain's plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The structures will be administered by the Italian authorities and will be able to hold up to 3,000 people at a time, with the potential for 36,000 migrants to be processed each year. The centers are expected to be operational in early 2023.
Critically ill baby’s parents prepare for further court hearing
The Independent
23-11-06 20:01
The parents of a critically ill baby are preparing for another court hearing as a judge is scheduled to consider further issues relating to the care of the baby at a private online hearing in the Family Division of the High Court. The judge has already ruled that specialists treating the baby at the Queen’s Medical Centre can lawfully limit treatment, a decision the parents have failed to overturn in the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights. Italy’s government has granted Italian citizenship to the baby, with the Prime Minister vowing to do what she could to “defend her life”.
Italy strikes deal to set up migrant centres in Albania
Financial Times
23-11-06 19:17
Italy has announced plans to build two migrant centres in Albania to help manage the influx of migrants attempting to reach the EU by sea. The centres will be used to process asylum claims and will be entirely funded by Italy. This is the first time an EU country has outsourced its asylum procedures to a non-EU country. Italy hopes the centres will be operational by spring 2024 and have the capacity to manage between 36,000 and 39,000 migrants per year.
