Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 13 October 2026 with the top five science and technology news happening around the world.
NASA’s Perseverance rover has travelled 28.1 miles (45.2 kilometres) across Mars since landing in 2021, surpassing the previous record held by the Opportunity rover. The six-wheeled robot is exploring Jezero Crater, searching for evidence of ancient microbial life and studying the planet’s geological history. NASA says the rover remains in excellent condition, with its autonomous navigation system handling about 90 per cent of its drives without human intervention.
Anthropic said its experiments suggest small AI models could become capable of autonomously replicating across vulnerable internet-connected devices within months. The tests found that models with fewer than 30 billion parametres could complete individual steps required for replication but struggled to execute the entire process independently. The company warned that self-replicating AI could be difficult to contain because it might identify and exploit unfamiliar devices without human assistance.
China-linked hackers accessed a regional organisation’s network in Suva, Fiji, for several days between July and August 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Fiji said. The embassy notified the Fijian government and the affected organisation, providing technical recommendations to strengthen network security, but did not identify the organisation. The incident follows other reported cyber activities attributed to Chinese-linked groups, including attacks on critical infrastructure and attempts to steal passwords from experts and professionals. Fiji’s government had not immediately commented on the reported breach.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration plans to transfer three senior officials from the Centre for Advancing Innovation and Standards for Super Intelligence (CAISSI) to the White House, according to reports by The Information. The move reportedly aims to improve coordination between the Commerce Department and the White House on AI policy and decision-making. CAISSI evaluates advanced AI models for safety and capabilities before their deployment. The report comes as the administration steps up efforts to coordinate federal AI policy and maintain U.S. leadership in the technology.
Britain’s AI Security Institute has gained access to the latest advanced AI models and is working with the U.S. government and major developers, including Google, to evaluate their safety, AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said. The institute aims to identify potential risks, test safeguards and help establish international AI safety standards before new models are released. The announcement follows concerns over access restrictions reportedly imposed on British testers by the White House and growing scrutiny of unexpected behaviour by advanced AI systems.
The proposed Green Energy Corridor could carry renewable electricity from the Caspian to Europe. But a completed feasibility study is only the begi...
Iranian negotiators have left talks with Qatari mediators aimed at ending the war with the United States, and a dr...
Azerbaijan's first Gabala Gastronomy Summit has brought chefs, local producers and international experts together to explore how traditional cu...
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education and living costs. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
A six-day humanitarian ceasefire in the Russian-held Ukrainian town of Oleshky ended on Sunday, 1 November, after facilitating aid deliveries and civilian evacuations.
Saudi Aramco's acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in artificial intelligence (AI) company HUMAIN is putting a spotlight on a wider investment question: why are some of the world's biggest energy companies moving deeper into AI, and what do they expect to gain?
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
Saudi Aramco's acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in artificial intelligence (AI) company HUMAIN is putting a spotlight on a wider investment question: why are some of the world's biggest energy companies moving deeper into AI, and what do they expect to gain?
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
Two of the United States' largest technology companies reported robust revenue growth in their latest quarterly results, underscoring the continued impact of artificial intelligence and cloud computing on the sector.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has praised Kazakhstan’s AI ambitions, highlighting its potential to become a global hub for Physical AI, launch startups and transform industries.
Türkiye is preparing to sue Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, over age-inappropriate content on social media, Turkish Education Minister Yusuf Tekin has said.
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