13 h. ago Governments are spending billions on their own ‘sovereign’ AI technologies – is it a big waste of money?

Many US-built AI systems fall short but competing against tech giants neither easy nor cheapIn Singapore, a government-funded artificial intelligence model can converse in 11 languages, from Bahasa Indonesia to Lao. In Malaysia, ILMUchat, built by a local construction conglomerate, boasts that it “knows which Georgetown you’re referring to” – that is, the capital of Penang and not the private university in the US. Meanwhile, Switzerland’s Apertus, unveiled in September, understands when to use the Swiss German “ss” and not the German-language character “ß”.Around the world, language models like these are part of an AI arms race worth hundreds of billions of dollars mostly driven by a few powerful companies in the US and China. As giants such as OpenAI, Meta and Alibaba plough vast sums into developing increasingly powerful models, middle powers and developing countries are watching the landscape carefully, and sometimes placing their own, expensive bets. Continue reading...

Economics

47 h. ago Irish Government increases spending and scales back planned tax measures

Ministers pledged to ‘secure jobs and stability at a time of global challenge’.

Politics

58 h. ago Asian markets mostly higher in quiet holiday trading after AI deals push Wall St to more records

Asian shares are mostly higher in quiet holiday trading, while Japan’s benchmark rose to new records on hope for more government spending and lower taxes under Japan’s first woman prime minister

Economics

65 h. ago US shutdown enters second week as Senate votes again on funding bill

Democrats and Republicans apparently no closer to deal to restart funding as Trump warns of imminent job cutsThe US government shutdown entered its second week on Monday, with Democratic and Republican lawmakers making no apparent progress towards reaching a deal to restart funding, while the Trump administration warned it was moving forward with plans to slash the federal workforce.Many agencies and departments closed their doors and told employees to stay home last Wednesday, after Congress failed to approve legislation to continue the government’s authority to spend money. Continue reading...

Economics

2 d. ago SNP confirms date for final Budget before 2026 Holyrood election

Shona Robison warned she faced "difficult choices" ahead of announcing the Government's spending plans for next year.

Politics

3 d. ago Tories to set out plans to cut £47bn from government spending

Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride will unveil proposals at the Tory party conference.

Economics

6 d. ago Eiffel Tower forced to close due to strikes and protests across France

Protesters have taken to the streets in Paris and over 200 other locations across France to denounce government spending cuts and demand higher taxes on the wealthy

Events

6 d. ago Trump sees ‘unprecedented opportunity’ to punish Democrats as shutdown enters day two

Republicans and Democrats engage in war of words as White House also uses impasse to cut government spendingUS government shutdown – latest updatesAs the US government shutdown stretched into its second day, Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the funding lapse as an “unprecedented opportunity” to further his campaign of firing federal workers and downsizing departments.The president announced on social media that he would sit down with Russell Vought, the White House office of management and budget chief, an architect of the mass firings and buyouts of federal workers. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Organisers call for sixth night of protest as Morocco death toll rises to three

Prime minister praises security response and says government is ready for talksMorocco’s prime minister, Aziz Akhannouch, has praised the security force reaction to protests over corruption and public spending and said the government was ready for talks, as organisers called for a sixth night of protests.In a statement, Akhannouch said the death toll in the protests had risen to three. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago US government shutdown live: White House threatens ‘imminent’ layoffs with Senate set to vote Friday

The shutdown began at midnight Wednesday amid the Senate’s failure to reach a deal on federal spending

Events

7 d. ago Government shutdown live: White House threatens ‘imminent’ layoffs with Senate set to vote Friday

The shutdown began at midnight Wednesday amid the Senate’s failure to reach a deal on federal spending

Events

7 d. ago Government shutdown live: No end in sight as senators leave DC until Friday and White House threatens ‘imminent’ layoffs

The shutdown began at midnight Wednesday and has been ongoing for over 16 hours

Events

7 d. ago JD Vance blames Democrats for ‘holding Americans hostage’ with shutdown so Schumer can fight off AOC: Live updates

The shutdown began at midnight last night and has been ongoing for over 12 hours

Events

7 d. ago JD Vance blames Democrats for ‘holding Americans hostage’ to shutdown so Schumer can fight off AOC: Live updates

The shutdown began at midnight last night and has been ongoing for over 12 hours

Events

7 d. ago Government shutdown live: Speaker Johnson says Schumer ‘handed Trump the keys’ as he cheers chance to ‘downsize’

In remarks Wednesday House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of playing ‘political games with the lives and livelihoods of Americans’

Politics

7 d. ago Government shutdown live: Poll reveals who Americans blame as Vance warns travelers that air traffic controllers ‘no longer getting paid’

In remarks Wednesday House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of playing ‘political games with the lives and livelihoods of Americans’

Events

8 d. ago Government shutdown live: Vance warns travelers that air traffic controllers ‘no longer getting paid’ as Trump layoffs loom

Republican funding bill fails in Congress on Tuesday evening, leading to the first government shutdown since Donald Trump’s first term in 2018

Events

8 d. ago Government shutdown live: Trump threatens mass layoffs after Senate fails to agree last

Republican funding bill fails in Congress on Tuesday evening, leading to the first government shutdown since Donald Trump’s first term in 2018

Events

8 d. ago US government shutdown live: Trump threatens mass layoffs after Senate fails to agree last

Republican funding bill fails in Congress on Tuesday evening

Events

8 d. ago US government shutdown live: Trump’s White House orders shut down after Senate fails to pass funding bill

The US federal government has shut down after a Republican funding bill failed in the Senate on Tuesday evening

Events