A senior staff scientist at Google’s artificial intelligence laboratory DeepMind, Alexander Lerchner, argues in a new paper that no AI or other computational system will ever become conscious. That conclusion appears to conflict with the narrative from AI company CEOs, including DeepMind’s own Demis Hassabis, who repeatedly talks about the ...
Day: April 27, 2026
Trump says King will be ‘very safe’ during US visit after security talksTrump says King will be ‘very safe’ during US visit after security talks
The state visit will go ahead despite concerns raised after a gunman targeted an event attended by the president. ...
Pakistan accused of attacking Afghan universityPakistan accused of attacking Afghan university
Air attacks on the province of Kunar have killed at least seven people and injured 75, sources tell the BBC. ...
Gunmen raid Nigerian orphanage and kidnap childrenGunmen raid Nigerian orphanage and kidnap children
The attack saw 23 children and the facility’s proprietress kidnapped by gunmen on Sunday. ...
Russian fighters confirm withdrawal from northern Mali city after separatist attacksRussian fighters confirm withdrawal from northern Mali city after separatist attacks
Ethnic Tuareg fighters say they are in control of Kidal following a weekend of nationwide attacks, alongside Islamist groups. ...
Colombia offers record $1.4m-reward for rebel it blames for deadly bomb attackColombia offers record $1.4m-reward for rebel it blames for deadly bomb attack
Officials say a rebel leader known as “Marlon” ordered the attack in which 20 people were killed. ...
Starmer faces vote on inquiry over Mandelson vetting claimsStarmer faces vote on inquiry over Mandelson vetting claims
No 10 brands the move “a desperate political stunt by the Conservative Party”, which had asked for the vote. ...
Faulty assumptions leave Africa unprepared for a prolonged Iran shockFaulty assumptions leave Africa unprepared for a prolonged Iran shock
Most African governments are betting that the Iran shock will be short-lived. African leaders are hoping that modest policy tweaks will help them weather a crisis that has lifted oil prices, halted fertilizer supplies, and choked shipping traffic. That assumption is shaky, at best, and could prove very costly. Given ...
Burjeel healthcare group puts Islamic bond on holdBurjeel healthcare group puts Islamic bond on hold
The Scoop Burjeel Holdings postponed a planned $1.5 billion Islamic bond issue over the Iran war, pivoting from preparing to close the deal in London to ensuring its Gulf emergency rooms were well stocked in the early days of the conflict, the CEO of the Abu Dhabi-listed hospital group told ...
South Africa hunts for nuclear talent abroad as new reactor plans advanceSouth Africa hunts for nuclear talent abroad as new reactor plans advance
The News South Africa is hoping to lure back engineers working abroad as part of a recruitment drive to ramp up nuclear power capacity and ultimately supply about a tenth of the nation’s electricity, the country’s most ambitious energy project in decades. The plan aims to attract skilled migrants and ...