• Gen Z jobseekers are rewriting job applications to pass AI detection
• Applying for a new job is increasingly difficult, as applicants navigate AI screening while trying to sound human and "hireable"
• AI can streamline the applications process, but it is also increasingly trivializing it

AI is becoming increasingly prominent in both job applications and hiring, with a new survey highlighting how Gen Z applicants are handling the challenge of appearing both human and attractive to an AI screening system.

Research by hiring platform Greenhouse of over 1,100 job seekers in the UK and Ireland has found that younger applicants are more aware of the challenges of AI job screening than those over 60.

The survey, which appears in the 2026 Greenhouse Future of Hiring Report, also reveals that 81% of applicants are rejected without speaking to anyone at the company they’re applying for. Could it be time for the whole hiring market to change, and offer applicants a new way to demonstrate who they are and what they can bring to a potential employer?

Interviewed by computer

The challenge with finding a job in 2026 is getting your application in front of a human. Doing so means it has to be impressive enough to be flagged by an AI system, typically an agent configured to evaluate CVs and applications and highlight the strongest candidates.

Greenhouse’s research found that 97% of job seekers wish they could showcase something that cannot be included in their application, which may point to a new way of doing things.

But it is the challenge of passing AI screening – whether by a written application or through an AI interview – that is most concerning. 42% of candidates have sat through an AI interview in the past 12 months, with 57% stating that it let them demonstrate their skills.

AI is changing the game

As anyone who has applied for a job in the past couple of years knows, AI plays a huge part in polishing a CV. But employers are finding that there is little to choose between applicants as the souped up resumes lack individuality.

“For the first time I can remember, neither side thinks hiring is working," noted Sharawn Tipton, Chief People Officer at Greenhouse.

"Candidates send applications into a black hole, while employers sift through AI-polished CVs that all look the same.”

The situation now is that applying for a job needs more than just a piece of paper to say what you’re done.

As Tipton adds: “The application used to be a front door. Now, too often, it’s a dead end. Candidates need a system that actually works and gives them a fair shot. Bolting bad AI on top only hurts them and employers.”

It seems a large problem to solve, but Greenhouse's Ophir Samson has a suggestion: "Trust must be built into the process from the start." Samson implies that applicants need to understand how they are being screened before they send their CV.

Watch Tonga vs Samoa in the final game of the Rugby League World Cup 2026 Pools B & C, at Western Sydney Stadium, as two fierce rivals seek to reach the semi-finals. With Tonga already qualified, any victory is enough for Samoa, who will also qualify if they avoid defeat by 46 points or fewer.

Tonga have been in the box seat since beating England 30-12 in their opening game of the pool, the Pacific Islanders' subsequent 36-0 victory over Lebanon guaranteeing a spot in the semi-finals. Halfback Isaiya Katoa was superb against England and the 22-year-old returns today after missing the at-times clunky win against Lebanon. Mate Ma'a Tonga will be determined to record a third pool victory here to guarantee they avoid tournament favorites Australia in the last four, while also ensuring vital bragging rights over their fierce rivals. They lost the 2021 quarter-final and want revenge.

To join their fellow Pacific Islanders in the semi-finals, Samoa have to win or avoid defeat by 46 points or fewer. Toa Samoa's 78-4 walloping of France in their opening fixture, followed by a no less impressive 64-6 victory over co-hosts Papua New Guinea, means they have a healthy points difference lead over rivals England to take the second spot in the combined Pools B & C. England only beating Papua New Guinea 34-12 helped their cause, too. Francis Manuleleua featured in the NRL Grand Final a few weeks ago for Newcastle but the second-row will see this as arguably the bigger game – a viral flag-waving video of the 22-year-old celebrating victory over Tonga at the last World Cup proves as much.

Here's how to watch Tonga vs Samoa from anywhere in the world – with FREE Rugby League World Cup 2026 streams explained.

Watch Tonga vs Samoa for FREE

Tonga vs Samoa is free on 7plus in Australia. 7plus requires an account with a valid Australia postcode (e.g. 2006)

Outside Australia today? NordVPN can help you unlock your free stream from anywhere in the world — find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch Tonga vs Samoa live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual Tonga vs Samoa stream. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

How to watch Tonga vs Samoa live streams in the US

Viewers in the US can watch Tonga vs Samoa live on Premier Sports, which is showing all 18 games of the men's Rugby League World Cup 2026.

A full tournament pass is available for just $25.

Abroad today? Use a VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream.

How to watch Tonga vs Samoa live streams in Australia

Tonga vs Samoa is live on free-to-air Channel 7 in Australia, while you can stream the match via 7plus.

Just create an account using a valid Australia postcode (e.g. 2042).

Not in Australia right now? You can use a VPN like NordVPN to watch Tonga vs Samoa as if you were back home.

How to watch Tonga vs Samoa live streams in New Zealand

Fans in New Zealand can watch Tonga vs Samoa for free on Sky Sport NZ, with live coverage on Sky Sport 1.

You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month.

Those outside of New Zealand can use NordVPN to gain access to their home streaming service.

How to watch Tonga vs Samoa live streams in the UK

UK-based fans can watch Tonga vs Samoa on Premier Sports 2.

Premier Sports costs £18.99 on a rolling monthly basis, or £150 for a year if you pay upfront. Alternatively, you can add it to an existing Sky TV, Virgin Media or Prime Video plan.

Away from home? Unlock your Tonga vs Samoa stream with NordVPN.

How to watch Tonga vs Samoa live streams in Canada

Tonga vs Samoa is available to watch on Premier Sports in Canada.

Premier Sports costs CA$29.99 on a rolling monthly basis, with savings available for longer-term plans.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Keybytes lets users assemble custom keyboards from magnetically connected individual keys
• Every Keybit contains its own RISC-V microcontroller for individual key operation
• A full-size Keybytes configuration could cost approximately $900 to assemble

MIT student Nathan Alspaugh has developed Keybytes, an open source keyboard project that lets users create custom layouts by connecting individual keys to a central controller.

The design uses magnetic connections and dedicated microcontrollers to support flexible arrangements.

Keybytes consists of two main elements: the Keyword controller and individual Keybit modules, which connect magnetically to form a personalised keyboard.

Magnetic keys allow custom layouts

Each Keybit contains a RISC-V microcontroller, allowing individual keys to operate independently rather than relying entirely on one central processor.

Every Keybit measures 19.05 x 19.05mm, corresponding to a standard 1U keyboard unit.

Its four-sided pogo pin connections carry power and I2C communications, allowing modules to connect through different edges and accommodate varied arrangements.

The central Keyword module contains two stacked circuit boards, with an Arm Cortex M4 microcontroller.

The Keyword controller contains two stacked circuit boards, with its upper board housing an Arm Cortex-M4 microcontroller, a Bluetooth antenna and flash memory.

Its lower board provides USB-C connectivity, charging functions and a buck-boost converter for power management.

Each Keybit accommodates a Cherry MX mechanical switch, giving builders the option of selecting compatible switches for their preferred typing experience.

The magnetic connections allow keys to attach around the Keyword controller or alongside other modules, removing the fixed layout restrictions found in conventional keyboards.

Alspaugh has published the project files, design assets and construction details on GitHub under the permissive MIT licence.

This allows others to examine the design, build their own units and modify the hardware according to their requirements.

Building a full keyboard could cost $900

Despite its flexibility, Keybytes remains an early-stage project, with Alspaugh reporting that the basic system had only recently reached a working state.

Publicly available project documentation currently shows limited combinations of modules rather than a completed, full-size keyboard layout.

The developer estimated that assembling a full-size version using approximately 2 Keyword controllers and 110 Keybits would cost around $900.

That figure indicates how quickly expenses could accumulate when each additional key requires its own circuit board, microcontroller, and other electronic components.

Builders must also account for printed circuit board production, component purchases, soldering, and custom 3D-printed enclosures.

These requirements could make large layouts considerably more demanding than smaller configurations designed around a handful of shortcuts.

The current design also has limitations in its lighting options, since the Keyword includes a status indicator while individual Keybits lack dedicated illumination.

Future versions could add features such as customisable RGB lighting, rotary controls, fingerprint recognition modules or a compatible touchpad. These remain proposed additions rather than confirmed developments.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1742) — hint #1 — Vowels

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1742) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1742) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1742) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1742) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1742) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1742, are…

• DROVE
• PRIED
• SHELL
• BEGIN

I’m glad I didn’t have many letters left after my wrong guess of “fried”.

Fortunately PRIED was the only option left — ironic considering that I almost entered the homophone pride, before realizing we had already ruled out a word ending in E after DROVE.

Daily Sequence today (game #1742) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1742, are…

• SHARD
• GECKO
• DRESS
• TWEED

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1741, Saturday, 31 October: ANIME, SWARM, CHALK, RAJAH
• Quordle #1740, Friday, 30 October: ULCER, DIMLY, BRAIN, BEGUN
• Quordle #1739, Thursday, 29 October: PRUDE, MINUS, SAVOY, USHER
• Quordle #1738, Wednesday, 28 October: DEALT, FLUME, SLEEK, RELIC
• Quordle #1737, Tuesday, 27 October: ANKLE, HAVOC, SULKY, WHITE
• Quordle #1736, Monday, 26 October: ASSAY, GLEAM, MUCUS, WRING
• Quordle #1735, Sunday, 25 October: RAINY, BUSED, PROXY, UNDID
• Quordle #1734, Saturday, 24 October: TOXIN, SMART, MOUSE, STYLE
• Quordle #1733, Friday, 23 October: BLIMP, HOIST, FRIED, LURID
• Quordle #1732, Thursday, 22 October: DECAL, WIDTH, WOKEN, LEVER
• Quordle #1731, Wednesday, 21 October: MOIST, VALVE, VERSE, NORTH
• Quordle #1730, Tuesday, 20 October: COYLY, SAUNA, TRIAL, RASPY
• Quordle #1729, Monday, 19 October: EXIST, DECOY, HITCH, FLUID
• Quordle #1728, Sunday, 18 October: FLINT, FUROR, WEDGE, RODEO
• Quordle #1727, Saturday, 17 October: QUARK, ENEMY, SPASM, BLOCK
• Quordle #1726, Friday, 16 October: SHORT, WORTH, JOIST, SLUNK
• Quordle #1725, Thursday, 15 October: STALE, EPOCH, PIANO, CORNY
• Quordle #1724, Wednesday, 14 October: TIMID, GROUP, GRILL, EVERY
• Quordle #1723, Tuesday, 13 October: FLUFF, DEBUT, TEETH, STEIN
• Quordle #1722, Monday, 12 October: HELLO, BELOW, RIGHT, SLANT

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1239) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HEAD
• TRIPPING
• CANINE
• LOVER
• DOGGY
• SELF
• MATURATED
• PUPPY
• HOUND
• INCISOR
• BROTHERLY
• BICUSPID
• UNREQUITED
• TRENCHED
• MOLAR
• FIEND

NYT Connections today (game #1239) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Dental
• GREEN: Romance
• BLUE: Keen on things
• PURPLE: Sodden with something missing

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1239) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: KINDS OF TEETH
• GREEN: KINDS OF LOVE
• BLUE: ENTHUSIAST
• PURPLE: SYNONYMS FOR "SOAKED" WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1239) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1239, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF TEETH: BICUSPID, CANINE, INCISOR, MOLAR
• GREEN: KINDS OF LOVE: BROTHERLY, PUPPY, SELF, UNREQUITED
• BLUE: ENTHUSIAST: FIEND, HEAD, HOUND, LOVER
• PURPLE: SYNONYMS FOR "SOAKED" WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED: DOGGY, MATURATED, TRENCHED, TRIPPING

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

Congratulations if you saw SYNONYMS FOR "SOAKED" WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED and scored yourself a Purple First. Of all the different types of wordplay deployed in this game I find letters changing the hardest to spot.

Having said that, I struggle with basic groups too. Today I included HOUND in the collection of KINDS OF TEETH — I was thinking of the houndstooth checked pattern, obviously.

Thankfully, I redeemed myself after this minor slip up and collected the four synonyms for ENTHUSIST, of which HEAD is my favorite because you can stick it after anything to turn them into a hippy obsessive: "Yeah man, he was a real Connections head."

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, October 31, 2026, game #1238)

• YELLOW: WORDS MEANING GOOD THAT SOUND BAD: GNARLY, KILLER, SICK, WICKED
• GREEN: MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS: DIRTY, DRY, SHAKEN, UP
• BLUE: THINGS WITH STRINGS: GUITAR, MARIONETTE, TASSEL, TENNIS RACKET
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS: DOWNFALL, SHAKESPEARE, SITCOM, STAYCATION

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #973) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #973) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• PEEL
• CASE
• RESET
• PAINT
• BRED
• SWORD

NYT Strands today (game #973) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #973) - hint #4 - spangram position

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #973) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #973, are…

• SNOOZE
• SLEEP
• CATNAP
• DOZE
• SLUMBER
• DROWSE
• SPANGRAM: ZZZZZZZZ

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Has there ever been a spangram made up of the same letter before?

I am annoyed because I didn’t immediately spot it and score a Spangram First, although I did have the fleeting thought “there are a lot of Zs in today’s game” without realizing why.

The words of this puzzle remind me of Morrissey’s under-appreciated 2017 song Spent The Day In Bed, a jaunty anthem in celebration of skiving while others are striving that includes the typical Morrissey line “I'm not my type, but I love my bed”.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, October 31, game #972)

• TOOTHBRUSH
• FANGS
• RING
• CANDY
• APPLE
• STICKER
• SPANGRAM: TRICKORTREAT

• Anthropic hiring manager Felix Rieseberg reveals that coding interviews are over
• In a blog post, the engineering manager explains that Claude codes better, making coding tasks obsolete
• Rieseberg encourages junior engineers to approach their work with a new attitude, while he examines a way to interview people who are good at AI coding

The end is nigh for coding tasks in interviews, certainly as far as Anthropic is concerned.

The AI company’s engineering manager Felix Rieseberg has published a blog post explaining how junior engineers should approach jobs and their current roles, after announcing the abandonment of coding interviews.

His rationale for the decision is straightforward: AI codes better than humans, making the assessment pretty pointless. At a time when Claude can demonstrate a superior grasp of coding, putting job candidates through the process no longer reveals anything “meaningful about the candidates,” according to Rieseberg.

Instead, he advises that junior engineers should focus instead on making an impact, while taking the time to understand the company and the people working within it.

No code candidates

Rieseberg is quick to the point: “This month, I laid the traditional coding interview to rest. As a hiring manager at Anthropic, I stopped asking candidates to do them.”

He explains that while coding challenges in interviews were once useful, that is no longer the past. “There’s no more point in giving you a little React challenge than there is in quizzing people about assembly; Claude is now better at both.”

Instead, Rieseberg offers some anecdotes of people who were active agents of change when joining new companies, and suggests making an impact is the answer. Radical ideas and a weekend coding a prototype with AI are the new coding interview, essentially, approaching being hired with a demonstration of the project they prompted and finessed, and its outcome.

“Sheer ignorance”

Rieseberg’s decision may have come out of the blue, but his rationale seems to make some sort of sense. He quotes actor and director Orson Welles, who responded to a question about his confidence to try new things with “Ignorance, sheer ignorance — you know there’s no confidence to equal it. It’s only when you know something about a profession, I think, that you’re timid or careful.”

With that as context, Rieseberg’s conclusion that coding interviews are not the answer when the company product already codes better than anyone it can hire has legs. Perhaps it was inevitable that the day would come, but crucially, Rieseberg isn’t giving up on hiring. Instead, he’s looking for a new way to do it, a route to finding new junior engineers without them needing a coding assessment.

“I’m probably not the only manager trying to figure out how to interview for people who build well with AI. I haven’t quite gotten there yet — but I’m scanning resumes and portfolios for little prototypes that exhibit taste, empathy, and principled thinking.”

It's time to travel back to the 1880s once more, and we join the Russell family at a tough time in season 4 of The Gilded Age. Having reversed the ban on divorced women last time out, Bertha and her clan are under intense scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Agnes spots a golden opportunity to climb the social ladder thanks to a presidential dinner, Marian is going out on her own and looking for some independence, and Peggy is trying to settle in with her new family.

If all that wasn't enough to pack into the eight episodes of the fourth season, we will also see George go toe-to-toe with a new rival: John D Rockefeller!

Here's how you can watch The Gilded Age season 4 online from anywhere with a VPN.

Use a VPN to watch The Gilded Age season 4 from anywhere

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country and unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

How to watch The Gilded Age season 4 in the US

The Gilded Age season 4 premieres on HBO at 9pm ET/PT on Sunday, November 1. Further episodes will go out one at a time in the same slot weekly.

If you don't already have access to HBO, you can still watch The Gilded Age season 4 and all of its programming online thanks to the HBO Max streaming platform. Plans start from $10.99 per month, or you can pay more to add live sports and bundle in other streaming services like Disney Plus and Hulu.

HBO is also available with different OTT cord cutting services, often as an added extra. YouTube TV, for example, lets you add HBO Max and is available to try before you buy thanks to its free trial.

Have one of these subscriptions but away when The Gilded Age season 4 is on? You can still access your usual streaming services from anywhere by using a VPN.

How to watch The Gilded Age season 4 in the UK

The Gilded Age season 4 will go out on Sky Atlantic in the UK. Note that episodes in the UK will air a day after their US release, at 9pm on Mondays, from November 2.

Episodes will also be available on catchup on Sky, as well as on the recently launched HBO Max service. It comes free with Sky TV plans, or you can get a standalone subscription from just £5.99 a month.

A further way to watch The Gilded Age season 4 in the UK is with a NOW Entertainment Membership from £6.99 a month.

Away from home? You can still connect to your usual streaming services by downloading a VPN and pointing your location back to the UK.

How to watch The Gilded Age season 4 in Canada

Crave is home to The Gilded Age season 4 in Canada, and follows the same weekly schedule as the US, with new episodes released every Sunday from November 1.

Prices start at CA$11.99/month and CA$119.99/year.

Away from home? You can access your subscriptions by downloading a VPN and pointing your location back to the UK.

How to watch The Gilded Age season 4 in Australia

If you're living Down Under, you will need Paramount+ to tune in to episodes of The Gilded Age season 4, with prices starting from $11.99 a month and episodes landing weekly from Monday, November 2.

Outside Australia? Aussies away from home can use a VPN to unblock Paramount+ and watch The Gilded Age season 4 as they would at home.

The Gilded Age season 4 – Need to Know

The Gilded Age season 4 official trailer

The Gilded Age season 4 cast

• Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell
• Morgan Spector as George Russell
• Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook
• Cynthia Nixon as Ada Forte
• Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn
• Denée Benton as Peggy Scott
• Taissa Farmiga as Gladys, Duchess of Buckingham
• Harry Richardson as Larry Russell
• Blake Ritson as Oscar van Rhijn
• Jordan Donica as Dr William Kirkland
• Simon Jones as Mr Bannister
• Jack Gilpin as Mr Church
• Ben Ahlers as John ‘Jack’ Trotter
• Celia Keenan-Bolger as Mrs Bruce
• Debra Monk as Mrs Armstrong
• Donna Murphy as Caroline Schermerhorn Astor
• Kristine Nielsen as Mrs Bauer
• Kelli O’Hara as Aurora Fane
• Taylor Richardson as Bridget
• Douglas Sills as Josh Borden
• John Douglas Thompson as Arthur Scott
• Erin Wilhelmi as Adelheid Weber
• Kelley Curran as Enid Winterton
• Audra McDonald as Dorothy Scott
• Ashlie Atkinson as Mamie Fish
• Ben Lamb as Hector, Duke of Buckingham
• Phylicia Rashad as Elizabeth Kirkland
• Brian Stokes Mitchell as Frederick Kirkland
• Jessica Frances Dukes as Athena Trumbo
• Hattie Morahan as Lady Sarah Vere
• Victoria Clark as Joan Carlton

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• ICE has requested numerous social media platforms to hand over data on users who are critical of its agents and operations
• Tech companies have complied, but are now expecting Democrat-led investigations into their compliance following the midterm elections
• Executives want to shield themselves from Congressional inquiries into their conduct

The US midterm elections are just days away, and big tech companies such as Google and Meta are already quietly defying Trump’s orders to hand over data on users who have criticized his stance on immigration.

The incumbent party usually loses seats in the midterm elections, and with a wave of Democratic governors potentially on the horizon tech companies are attempting to stave off future scrutiny.

“They need to be prepared to say, under oath, why they did what they did,” Rep. Shri Thanedar (D., Mich.) said, referring to an investigation into companies who have complied with Trump administration subpoenas.

T&C update: your data may be handed to the authorities

Numerous tech companies with platforms upon which people have voiced critical views of Trump’s handling of immigration policy have begun updating their terms of use to include transparency on how user data could be handed over to the authorities.

Much of the criticism has centered around how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have conducted operations investigating illegal immigrants.

As a recent Department of Homeland Security breach exposed, ICE agents have conducted undercover surveillance operations of protestors, critics, and journalists using wiretaps.

The DHS has also expanded its definition of doxing - the revealing of personal information such as a home address for malicious purposes - to include names and titles. Social media platforms and search engines such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok and X have then been scoured by ICE to identify anything it deems a threat to its agents or operations.

Many of these platforms have been handed administrative subpoenas that do not require approval from a judge. Citizen journalists with channels on YouTube have also been targeted by ICE, with requests to hand over customers’ personal information.

“Violence, threats, and conspiracies to impede law enforcement operations are not protected by the First Amendment,” said White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis.

People familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that the DHS has increased the number of grand jury subpoenas submitted to platforms that handle user data, which carry heavy consequences for noncompliance.

In order to prepare for potential Democrat inquiries into how tech companies have conducted themselves in line with such subpoenas, some companies have delayed or pushed back on some requests to help insulate themselves from investigations.

A letter from Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) to the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the acting head of the Government Accountability Office accused ICE of using subpoenas to “surveil, intimidate, and suppress the free speech of ordinary citizens and even the free press.”

An ICE spokesperson told the WSJ that all of its operations are “conducted in accordance with applicable law and policy.”

• Nvidia has quietly cut Rubin's listed HBM4 bandwidth from 22 TB/s to 19.2 TB/s per GPU and NVLink 6 from 3.6 TB/s to 3 TB/s
• The eight-GPU HGX Rubin NVL8 fares worst, losing 26% of its memory bandwidth and dropping from 2.3 TB to 2 TB of HBM4 capacity
• On paper, AMD's MI455X now leads on per-GPU memory bandwidth and Helios on scale-up bandwidth, though neither side's figures are benchmarked

Nvidia has quietly lowered the memory and interconnect bandwidth it publishes for Vera Rubin, cutting per-GPU HBM4 bandwidth by about 13% and NVLink bandwidth by about 17%, without a press release or explanation.

The Vera Rubin NVL72 product page now rates each Rubin GPU at 19.2 TB/s of HBM4 bandwidth, down from 22 TB/s, and 3 TB/s of NVLink 6 bandwidth, down from 3.6 TB/s.

Memory capacity holds at 288 GB, and the headline 50 PFLOPS of sparse NVFP4 inference remains unchanged; however, at rack scale, aggregate memory bandwidth slips from 1,580 TB/s to 1,400 TB/s and the NVLink total from 260 TB/s to 216 TB/s, while the two-GPU Vera Rubin Superchip drops from 44 TB/s to 38.5 TB/s.

An edit without an announcement?

The revision surfaced in a report from IT Home, which compared Nvidia's October documentation with a copy saved in June 2026. Wccftech then narrowed the window with Wayback Machine snapshots, placing the edit between September 1 and September 11. Nvidia, as Hardware Busters observed, went "the quiet way: by editing the product pages."

The timing matters here: the change landed shortly after Nvidia's August second-quarter results said Vera Rubin racks were already running at partners including CoreWeave, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, months after early systems began reaching select customers, and just as the fall production shipments Nvidia promised in May 2026 were due to begin.

This suggests the new figures describe hardware going out the door rather than a distant goal, and the nerfed figures sat on Nvidia's site for at least six weeks before anyone reported them.

The downgrade wasn't completely proportional, though, with some configurations taking a bigger hit.

Most noticeably, the HGX Rubin NVL8, Nvidia's standard eight-GPU server board, fares worst. The HGX page now lists 2 TB of HBM4 at 130 TB/s for the whole system, down from 2.3 TB and 176 TB/s, a 26% bandwidth cut.

NVLink Switch bandwidth falls from 28.8 TB/s to 24 TB/s, and dense training figures slip from 280 to 270 PFLOPS of NVFP4 and from 140 to 130 PFLOPS of FP8. Scale-out networking is the only line that rises, by 12.5% in most configurations, and Nvidia hasn't said why.

Scaling back to ensure delivery?

Interestingly, the math does not hold completely anymore: its per-GPU table still advertises 288 GB at 22 TB/s with 3.6 TB/s of NVLink, figures that no longer add up to the system totals printed beside them, and Nvidia's July Rubin architecture deep dive still promises 22 TB/s. Split across eight GPUs, the new totals come to about 16.25 TB/s and roughly 250 GB each.

This fits two potential readings: eight smaller HBM4 stacks running at just under 8 Gbps per pin, the industry baseline, or one of the usual eight stacks disabled per GPU, a trick Nvidia used on the 80 GB H100, but Nvidia hasn't said which approach it took.

The retreat makes more sense given the history here: JEDEC's HBM4 standard, published in April 2025, specifies up to 8 Gb/s per pin across a 2,048-bit interface, or 2 TB/s per stack. Nvidia wanted far more, but it might have had to settle for less.

According to a TechPowerUp report from March, Rubin's per-GPU target climbed from 13 TB/s at GTC 2025 to 20.5 TB/s by that September and 22 TB/s at CES 2026, and a SemiAnalysis note it relayed said SK hynix and Samsung were struggling to reach the final figure, with early shipments expected to be nearer 20 TB/s.

TrendForce reported in September 2025 that Nvidia was pressing suppliers for 10 Gbps per pin as AMD readied Helios, and warned that if volumes fell short or costs ballooned, Nvidia "may abandon the upgrade or segment its platform products."

By January, TrendForce said the request had passed 11 Gbps and sent all three HBM makers back to redesign, though an Nvidia spokesperson told Tom's Hardware that "our HBM4 memory partners remain on track for production shipments." SK hynix finished HBM4 development first, and Samsung began shipping in February at 11.7 Gbps, above Nvidia's stated requirement.

More than a year after TrendForce's warning, the revised sheet reads like its fallback scenario: a lower overall ceiling, plus a further-reduced HGX tier, and this seems to be because Nvidia needs to deliver solutions to its customers as a higher priority than chasing an elusive memory bandwidth goal.

Team Red for the win?

Because of the retreat, perceived or otherwise, the competitive picture shifts considerably, at least on paper. AMD's Instinct MI455X spreads 432 GB across 12 HBM4 stacks for 23.3 TB/s, which needs only about 7.6 Gbps per pin, below the JEDEC baseline. AMD bought its bandwidth with width rather than speed, so it never needed above-standard memory.

When it launched Helios in July 2026, AMD claimed 6% more HBM bandwidth than Vera Rubin NVL72's published figure; against the revised 1,400 TB/s, Helios' 1.67 PB/s is roughly 19% ahead. Scale-up bandwidth, Nvidia's traditional stronghold, was level at 260 TB/s per rack and now favors AMD by about a fifth, while the scale-out increase trims AMD's claimed 50% lead there to about a third.

For buyers running inference, the bandwidth line matters more than the FLOPS line. Nvidia's engineers write in that July deep dive that decode is bound by the memory subsystem, though they argue that what counts is how efficiently kernels use it, and that it is "not about peak bandwidth specs."

The marketing hasn't moved, however: the NVL72 page still promises up to 10x more tokens per megawatt and one-tenth the cost per million tokens versus GB200 NVL72, footnoted as subject to change, and Nvidia hasn't said whether it reran those projections on the lower figures.

None of this makes Rubin slow. At 19.2 TB/s, it still offers about 2.4 times a Blackwell GPU's 8 TB/s, rather than the 2.8x Nvidia's blog still claims. Jensen Huang said in August that "Vera Rubin, now in full production, was built to power exactly this moment." The moment, it turns out, arrived with a little less bandwidth than advertised.

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has pushed back at the suggestion that artificial intelligence could end software and SaaS businesses like his, arguing that AI will actually just make enterprise applications even more capable than they ever have been.

Speaking during his keynote at the company's annual AI World conference, Ellison directly addressed ongoing concerns that businesses could use AI to build their own software – we've already seen many popular apps and suites like Adobe's Creative Cloud be imitated by AI, for example.

"There's been some talk about there's going to be a SaaSpocalypse because everyone's going to use AI to build their own applications," he said. "I don't think that's quite true. I think companies will continue to build applications, but they will be quite different because of AI."

Future apps will be fully tailored to geographies and industries

Rather than making today's software redundant, Ellison believes AI will allow developers to make their apps far more comprehensive, capable of handling entire business processes and fine-tuned for every type of sector and business need.

He argued that even the most established enterprise applications today are only so good, automating just a proportion of the processes businesses actually need.

"They may be the best things that are commercially available... [but] they're not done," he revealed, acknowledging that many sectors still need to build their own extensions and buy other third-party apps and connectors.

"For the first time... [the] software industry can actually finish the applications if we start doing them industry by industry."

Oracle's biggest clear push is in the healthcare sector currently, with Ellison speaking on stage about the notoriously complex and highly regulated nature of this industry – immense challenges for one global software company when navigating endless geographical variabilities is a must.

SaaSpocalypse doesn't kill off apps – but it certainly shifts the focus from interface to functionality

Ellison also believes that AI could fundamentally change how workers interact with applications, replacing complicated menus, dashboards and multi-step processes with smoother, natural language interaction.

"If you can ask a question describing what you want to see, you should then immediately see it. Any other user interface is nonsense."

"There should be no training required to use any of these applications," he added.

While Ellison remains confident about the future of commercial software, that doesn't necessarily mean businesses will continue to interact with apps in the same way, and it seems that a company as big as Oracle is singing from the same hymn sheet.

In two separate interviews with TechRadar Pro, company execs pointed toward the same trend. Brian Chess, NetSuite's Chief Operating Officer, implied that the underlying business software could eventually become invisible to users.

Discussing customers who might prefer to access NetSuite through AI assistants like ChatGPT or other platforms like Slack, Chess said "If they never log in, that's ok with us." Oracle knows that as long as it can still serve as a company's system of record, adapting to new ways of access is a must.

But what this means is that, for software vendors, the value of their products will likely come more from the data, logic and processes they manage, rather than the polished interface they've been used to building for potentially decades.

Ultimately, earlier SaaSpocalypse concerns remain valid, but it's not so much about AI wiping software from the world entirely. It just marks the next chapter in software, where interfaces become less critical and functionality becomes the biggest USP.

Shares in Oracle rose around 14% to $144.14 in the couple of days that Oracle AI World took place, likely partly in thanks to Ellison's thoughts on the future of software as well as the company's whole suite of product announcements, but share prices are still down markedly on their late 2025 high of $330.34.

• AC Milan vs Inter Milan: Saturday, October 31 — 7.45pm GMT / 3.45pm ET
• Free Streams: CBS Sports Golazo (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK)
• Unlock your free stream with NordVPN (77% off today)

Watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan live streams as San Siro hosts the first Derby della Madonnina of the Serie A 2026/27 season. Fresh from a first league defat of the season, Ruben Amorim's Rossoneri are the designated home team against Cristian Chivu's unbeaten table-topping Nerazzurri.

Milan's 4-2 defeat by Bologna on Wednesday, to go with Inter's late-show 2-0 win at Venezia, increased the gap to seven points between the city and stadium rivals. Fifth in Serie A, Amorim's men have started to come unstuck in recent weeks, a 3-0 Europa League loss at Bournemouth preceding the Bologna reverse. The Portuguese boss is hopeful influential trio Mario Gila, Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira will return from injury, while 20-year-old rising star Alphadjo Cisse looks to add to his seven goals this season.

Inter needed to own goals to overcome a spirited Venezia in midweek, but victory took the Nerazzurri top of the pile on goal difference from Lazio, who are also unbeaten. Absent since the surprise Champions League defeat by Club Brugge four games ago, talismanic captain Lautaro Martinez will again be absent, leaving much of the heavy attacking lifting to five-goal Marcus Thuram. Winless in the past seven Milan derbies, Inter need creative spark Nicolo Barella to step up.

Read on as we show you how to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan from anywhere, and for FREE.

AC Milan vs Inter Milan team news

AC Milan XI: Maignan; Gila, De Winter, Pavlovic, Diawara; Moreira, Musah, Modric, Pulisic; Rabiot; Ramos.

Substitutes: Bouyer, Torriani; Bartesaghi, Estupiñan, Perera, F. Terracciano, Vladimirov; Cisse, Comotto, Hutchinson, Jashari, Vos; Camarda, Menon, Ossola. Coach: Amorim.

Inter Milan XI: Martinez; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Spence, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, C. Augusto; Diouf; Thuram.

Substitutes: Di Gennaro, Taho; Bovio, Dimarco, Jakirovic; Mkhitaryan, Stankovic, Zielinski; Bonny, Esposito, Lavelli, Mosconi.

Use a VPN to watch any AC Milan vs Inter Milan stream

🌎 ABROAD? AC Milan vs Inter Milan will be broadcast in many countries around the world but if you're traveling outside your country you should consider using one of the best VPNs to unlock your domestic streaming service provided it does not infringe any terms and conditions.

How to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan live streams in the US

AC Milan vs Inter Milan live streams are available for free on CBS Sports Golazo, and on Paramount+ in the US.

As we've mentioned above, CBS Sports Golazo is a free channel.

The Paramount+ Essential package costs $8.99 per month or $89.99 per year, while Paramount+ Premium costs $13.99 per month or $139.99 per year.

However, for a limited time you can get 30 days for $1 via Walmart Plus.

Outside the US? Use NordVPN to access your usual AC Milan vs Inter Milan streams.

How to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan in the UK

In the UK, you can watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan live and for free on BBC Two.

BBC iPlayer will simulcast live coverage at the same time. All you need is a valid TV Licence and a UK postcode (e.g. SE1 7PB) for an account.

DAZN will also have the game available for free.

On holiday outside the UK? Explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

How to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan live streams in Canada

In Canada, DAZN and Fubo will broadcast AC Milan vs Inter Milan.

To watch on DAZN, you'll need the soccer package, which starts at CA$24.99/month.

On OTT streaming service Fubo prices start from CA$31.49 per month for Fubo's flexible Sports Monthly package. Although the best option right now is the Quarterly Package, with it costing just CA$27.99 CA$14.99 for each of the first three months.

Not in Canada? Use NordVPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your preferred AC Milan vs Inter Milan coverage from anywhere.

How to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan in Australia

Football fans in Australia can watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan on beIN Sports 2 and streaming service beIN Sports.

Subscriptions to beIN SPORTS cost AU$16.99 per month or AU$169.99 per year, with both options including a 7-day free trial. It's also available via Prime Video Channels as an add‑on for AU$14.99/month.

Outside Oz traveling? Use NordVPN to watch the AC Milan vs Inter Milan from anywhere in the world.

How to watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan in New Zealand

It's similar in New Zealand, where you can watch AC Milan vs Inter Milan on beIN Sports.

Subscriptions to beIN SPORTS cost NZ$14.99 per month or AU$149.99 per year, with both options including a 7-day free trial.

Outside New Zealand traveling? Use NordVPN to watch the AC Milan vs Inter Milan from anywhere in the world.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund: Today (Sat, Oct. 31) — 5.30pm GMT / 1.30pm ET
• Free Stream: Fandango Stream (US)
• Stream: Sky Sports (UK) / beIN Sports (AUS)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (up to 75% off)

Watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live streams as the Allianz Arena hosts the Bundesliga's first Klassiker of the season. German football's most successful sides have a fierce rivalry and both have unbeaten 2026/27 records to defend, while Harry Kane features in his first game since winning the Ballon d'Or.

Kane's ludicrous 89 goals for club and country since August 2025 (plus a Bundesliga title, European Golden Shoe and third at the World Cup) were enough to give the Bayern striker football's most prestigious individual honor, but his relentless quest for goals won't end here. With Roten boss Vincent Kompany absent after a spell in hospital with a virus, Kane will need to step up. Bayern beat third-placed Freiburg last weekend after two unexpected early draws and, with Michael Olise in form after a two-goal salvo in the midweek DFB Pokal win against second-tier Magdeburg, are starting to purr.

Borussia Dortmund, also unbeaten in the Bundesliga, are second to their Klassiker rivals only on goal difference after a fine start under Niko Kovac, back for a second spell in the Westfalenstadion dugout. BVB have conceded just four Bundesliga goals this term thanks to a 3-4-3 system led by center-back powerhouse Nico Schlotterbeck. Center-forward Serhou Guirassy has seven goals in all competitions this season, but will want to add to just two in the Bundesliga.

Here's how to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga 2026/27 from anywhere in the world.

Can I watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund for free?

Yes – if you live in the US, Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund is available for FREE on Fandango, alonng with 270-odd Bundesliga games this season.

Download the Fandango Stream app (or the Fandango app on a connected TV), or visit Fandango Stream in your browser.

Next, click on the Bundesliga tile and select the match. That's it! There's no cost, subscription, login or registration required.

Away from the US on vacation or business? You'll need a VPN to watch your regular stream as if you're back home — we recommend NordVPN.

Use a VPN to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund from anywhere

A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. If you're a US resident on vacation, that could mean watching Bayern vs Dortmund for free as if you were back home.

The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with an exclusive deal...

It's really straightforward to use a VPN to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you want to watch the Fandango stream, select 'United States' from the listed countries.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Fandango and tune into Bayern vs Dortmund.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live streams in the US

Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund will be shown on Fandango Stream for FREE in the US.

Fandango actually has two apps: the regular Fandango app you use for going to the movies and booking tickets, and Fandango Stream, which is the one you'll need for watching at home or on your phone.

You can also access Fandango Stream through your browser.

Outside the US for this Klassiker clash? Use NordVPN to unlock your stream of Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live streams in the UK

Sky Sports is broadcasting Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund in the UK on its Football channel.

Packages cost £35 per month for new customers, or £22 per month if you already have a Sky TV contract. The Sky Go app lets you watch on your laptop, mobile or tablet.

Fans can also tune in using a NOW Sports Membership, with 24-hour passes costing £14.99.

Not in the UK for Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund? Use NordVPN to access your usual Bundesliga streams.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live streams in Canada

Fubo is broadcasting every Bundesliga game this season in Canada, including Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund.

Prices start from CA$31.49 per month for Fubo's flexible Sports Monthly package. Although the best option right now is the Quarterly Package, with it costing just CA$27.99 CA$14.99 for each of the first three months.

You can also watch Fubo's content if you have a selected DAZN subscription in Canada.

Not in Canada? Use NordVPN to access your Bundesliga live streams from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live streams in Australia

Football fans in Australia can watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund on beIN Sports.

beIN Sports is carrying the game, along with every Bundesliga game, with a subscription costing AU$16.99 per month. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial. Cancel any time.

Outside Oz traveling? Use NordVPN to stream Bayern vs Dortmund all over the world.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Man City vs Brighton: Today (Sat, Oct 31) at 3pm GMT / 11am ET / 2am AEDT (Sun)
• Streams: Peacock (US) / Stan Sport (AUS)
• Unlock your stream with Proton VPN (up to 75% off)

Today’s Man City vs Brighton live streams see first play third in the Premier League 2026/27, with both sides seeking a return to winning ways after respective league losses last weekend. Unusually for such a big game, it's a 3pm GMT kick-off in the UK on Saturday afternoon.

Despite all of the controversy and those 114 charges off the field, City have been quite brilliant on it. Until last weekend, they'd won all seven of their league games with Erling Haaland looking as sharp in front of goal as his natty new haircut. That run came to an abrupt end at Villa Park, however, with Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson scoring twice in the Villans' 2-1 win. With Antoine Semenyo out long-term, much seems to rest on the shoulders of the big Norwegian, while Gianluigi Donnarumma's form between the sticks has been called into question of late.

And now they face a side that they've failed to beat at the last four times of asking in the EPL and, it doesn't feel too optimistic to suggest, are in the hunt for a Champions League spot of their own next season. A 3-0 walloping of champions Arsenal last month proved that Fabian Hürzeler's men have what it takes to beat the very best and, with 23 goals in eight outings, they're the top scorers in the division. They were well beaten last time out at Anfield (with Pascal Gross scoring at the wrong end, for a change), so Seagulls fans will hope Charalampos Kostoulas has packed his scoring boots for the trip north today.

Can Brighton bloody the noses of their hosts? Or will City get the job done like they did in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday? Here's how to watch Man City vs Brighton in the 2026/27 Premier League from anywhere in the world.

Man City vs Brighton team news

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Khusanov, Gvardiol, Fernandez, Anderson, Bouaddi, Doku, Haaland, Ndiaye

Brighton XI: Verbruggen, Boscagli, Dunk, Vuskovic, Costinha, Gross, Chema, Gomez, Ayari, De Cuyper, Kostoulas

Use a VPN to watch Man City vs Brighton from anywhere

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. One of our favorites is Proton VPN – it does everything and comes with up to 70% off.

It's really straightforward to use a VPN to watch Man City vs Brighton.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, Proton VPN is one of our favorites.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you want to watch the Peacock stream, select 'United States' from the listed countries.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Peacock and tune into Man City vs Brighton.

How to watch Man City vs Brighton live streams in the US

Man City vs Brighton will be shown on the Peacock streaming platform in the US.

To access EPL streams on Peacock, you'll need a Premium subscription, which costs $12.99 per month. Alternatively, get 12 months for the price of 10 with an annual subscription for $129.99/year.

The cheapest way to get Peacock Premium is with a 30-day trial to Walmart+ for $1. The streaming service is a member benefit.

Outside the US for this EPL clash? Use Proton VPN to unlock your stream of Man City vs Brighton.

How to watch Man City vs Brighton live streams in the UK

Man City vs Brighton isn't on UK TV due to the Saturday 3pm 'blackout' that means games kicking off at that time can't be broadcast live.

UK viewers can catch the game's highlights on the Sky Sports app shortly after the final whistle. Match of the Day will also provide highlights and analysis of this game on BBC One.

Traveling to the UK? If you're an American, Canadian, or Aussie traveling to this weekend, you can use Proton VPN to access your domestic Premier League streams.

How to watch Man City vs Brighton live streams in Canada

Fubo is broadcasting every EPL game this season in Canada, including Man City vs Brighton.

The best option right now is the Quarterly Package, with it costing just CA$27.99 CA$14.99 for each of the first three months.

You can also watch Fubo's content if you have a selected DAZN subscription in Canada.

Not in Canada? Use Proton VPN to access your Premier League live streams from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Man City vs Brighton live streams in Australia

Man City vs Brighton will be broadcast on Stan Sport in Australia.

Stan Sport subscriptions start at AU$29.99 per month, which includes the base plan (from AU$9.99) with the sport add-on (AU$20).

Outside Australia? Use a VPN to login to your Stan Sport account.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman would rather have RAM put into data centers
• Altman says it's 'quite terrible' that RAM is sitting in individual PCs
• The comments haven't gone down well with consumers online

The increasing demands from data centers powering AI engines has plunged us into a global RAM shortage crisis, and the CEO of one of the companies responsible thinks the memory that is available should be in data centers rather than individual PCs.

Offering up an opinion that's unlikely to add to his popularity among the general public, OpenAI boss Sam Altman told the Cheeky Pint podcast (via IGN) that "from a global allocation perspective, actually, it's quite terrible to have everybody have a bunch of the world's limited supply of DRAM sitting in their own computer."

Individual PCs rarely make full use of their RAM, was Altman's larger point, whereas data centers often do. "You want maximum utilization in the cloud if you're trying to deal with this very supply constrained environment," the OpenAI CEO continued. "And somehow many people's intuition is the opposite of that."

The PC owners Altman was referring to have had to deal with rising prices, job insecurity, and data center pollution thanks to the rise of AI chatbots like OpenAI's ChatGPT, so the opinion he's shared is unlikely to be supported by the masses.

Not a popular opinion

As you would expect, consumers aren't particularly pleased with what Altman has had to say. A Reddit thread discussing the comments is packed with pushback against AI, data centers, and the RAM shortage.

"It's only 64GB but he can pry it from my cold, dead hands," writes one commenter in the thread, while another is of the opinion that "[tech company executives] will destroy the planet by continuing with this mentality and then they'll promptly blame everyone else for the downfall".

The out-of-touch mentality of AI company bosses gets several mentions — as do their ethics, with bots like ChatGPT having built up their training data on vast amounts of information, often copyrighted, without paying for it. It's fair to say Altman's comments haven't gone down well.

Most analysts expect RAM to be in short supply for years to come, which is going to mean prices for consumer gadgetry continue to rise, and anyone thinking about building their own PC will have to pay top dollar for its components.

Over the past seven days, the tech world has been inundated with more news, events, and exciting announcements, and you can best believe we've had our ears to the ground to cover as much as we can.

Apple kicked off our week of news with another round of announcements, most notably its new M6 upgrades and the launch of its first-ever touchscreen MacBook. But as we prepare to leave 2026 in the past and look forward to a fresh year, we've used this week to reflect on the best tech of the past 12 months, rounding up products across 100 different categories for our Product of the Year winners.

As it is with every ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) recap, these roundups are designed to give you an at-a-glance look of some of the biggest stories we've reported this week, because even we understand that keeping updated with every new tech announcement isn't a walk in the park.

7. We revealed our favorite tech of the year

The past 12 months has been rich with new product announcements, and frankly, we've been spoilt for choice. But after much deliberation, we've put together our full list of Product of the Year winners across over 100 different categories.

It's been a monumental year for Apple to say the least. As far as phones go, the iPhone 18 takes the Phone of the Year crown while the MacBook Neo (Apple's flagship budget laptop) is our laptop of the year — but there's plenty more where that came from.

We didn't honor just the best phones, laptops, cameras, headphones, and soundbars, but streaming services, health tech, and smart home devices also made the final cut — so check out the full list to see which products defined 2026.

• Read more: Meet the TechRadar Product of the Year 2026 winners — our editors choose their favorite gadgets of the last 12 months

6. The $6.3bn Binance hack was the biggest in history

One of this week's last-minute breaking news stories, cryptocurrency exchange Binance was hit with an attack where $6.36 billion in tokens were withdrawn in less than 30 minutes. Researchers at TRM Labs linked the attack to North Korean hacker organization Lazarus Group.

While we don't know exactly what went down, Binance co-CEO Richard Teng confirmed the attack via a LinkedIn post. He also added that “the attacker did not simply use one engineer's permissions, and this was not a single 'one-click' action. It involved a more complex attack process". TRM Labs also said the attackers pulled funds from 10 different chains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Tron, Solana, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Avalanche, and Polygon.

That said, the attack did not target user funds, as Teng confirmed, sharing that “Binance will cover all losses from the SAFU fund and company funds".

• Read more: Binance hit by 'largest crypto theft on record' as North Korean hackers steal $6.3bn in just 20 minutes

5. Apple admitted a ‘small’ number of iPhone Duos have a screen issue

The launch of the iPhone Duo prompted worldwide excitement for Apple's first foldable phone, but a small number of users on Reddit have reported issues with the device's hinge cracking and causing the screen to break.

It's unclear whether these issues are a common occurrence across all iPhone duo devices or whether they're simply isolated incidents, but looking at the reports on social media we've assumed it's the latter. Foldable phones are innately more delicate than standard smartphones, and with many first-time users opting for the iPhone Duo, some may not be equipped with the knowledge of how to treat them.

Following the report, Apple shared a statement with us, saying "We are aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units. If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement".

• Read more: Apple responds to iPhone Duo 'crackgate' controversy — and admits it's 'aware of an issue' that affects a 'small number of units'

4. Samsung revealed it first open-ear earbuds

Remember when well-sealed noise cancellation was all the rage? Now audio manufacturers are obsessed with open, including electronics giant Samsung, which finally introduced its own pair of clip-on, open earbuds: Galaxy Buds On. They wrap around from the back of your ears to the ear hole and project sound. The coolest thing about Samsung’s pair is how they offer some external noise cancellation, so people next to you don’t have to listen to your music.

• Read more: 'We analyzed 119 million ear data points' — how Samsung built Galaxy Buds On, its first open-type earbuds

3. The iMac and MacBook Pro got M6 upgrades

It's been an eventful few weeks at Apple, especially following the iPhone Duo launch, but the company's latest Mac and iPad upgrades are the icing on the cake, starting with M6 upgrades for the iMac and MacBook Pro. The iMac's pricing starts at $1,499, the same as its predecessor, while the MacBook Pro M6 also starts at the same level as its M5 predecessor, which is $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$3,199.

Marking the company's first 2nm chip, Apple says it will give new iMacs a notable boost for local AI processing, running 5x faster for on-device AI tasks than the previous-gen all-in-one with the M4 chip. As for the new M6 MacBook, Apple promises 30% faster graphics performance thanks to its 12-core GPU, as well as a 25% performance boost for on-device AI processing versus the M5.

At the same time, Apple unveiled its new OLED iPad mini starting at $699 / £699 / AU$1,099. Central to the refresh is the larger 8.5-inch OLED Super Retina XDR screen, promising a more immersive view with enhanced visuals, as well as a brightness boost, now topping out at 1,200 nits, which is a considerable leap over the previous mini's 500 nits.

• Read more: Apple reveals iMac M6 and MacBook Pro M6 — and the good news is there are no price hikes

2. Amazon gave us 8 new Echo and Alexa gadgets

Amazon gave its range of smart home devices some new siblings this week, announcing eight new gadgets including speakers and smart displays. Most of the products are available now, though some are only available for preorder.

Joining the mix is the new Echo Dot speaker, which packs a full-range driver for improved audio and 50% more bass, as well as a fourth microphone. There's also a new Echo Dot for kids.

But among the new devices is the Echo Studio with Home Camera, which combines audio and home security into one handy gadget. And it doesn't end there; the Alexa Home Map is a new smart display that renders your home in 3D, allowing you to see your entire smart home ecosystem of smart lights, speakers, displays, and cameras at a glance.

• Read more: 8 new Echo and Alexa gadgets that Amazon just announced — from an upgraded Echo Dot to an Echo Studio with a camera attached

1. Apple revealed its first touchscreen Mac

This week, Apple did the previously unthinkable and finally introduced a touchscreen MacBook Pro. New Apple CEO John Ternus got to do the honors at an unusual event in Hollywood, California.

Shortly after the reveal, we got our hands — or fingers — on the new laptops (14-and-16-inch) and found the experience surprisingly intuitive. Guess Apple was right to finally change its mind.

• Read more: Apple's Touchscreen MacBook Pro is finally here, and yes, touching a MacBook screen feels totally and wonderfully natural

• Watch Chelsea vs Man Utd FREE on CazeTV YouTube channel (Brazil)
• Unlock your stream with Proton VPN (up to 70% off)
• Chelsea vs Man Utd kick-off: Sat, Oct 31 at 8.30am ET / 12.30pm GMT / 11.30pm AEDT

He's had a quiet start to life at Chelsea, but this Halloween meeting feels like it's been stage-managed precisely for Danny Welbeck to haunt his former club. The Man Utd academy product is one of countless Red Devils to have flourished since leaving the Theatre of Dreams, which is anything but that these days.

The squabble between Bruno Fernandes and Michael Carrick, who remains "in charge" for now, was the perfect metaphor for United's malaise, a fan-favorite turned coach and their most important player taking chunks out of each other in a very public sphere, as the club's hierarchy continue to evade any real scrutiny. Neither of them has come out of this unscathed.

Fernandes' trial by social media has been brutal, while Carrick cut off his nose to spite his face by leaving his captain on the bench for last weekend's total annihilation by Bournemouth. It was their sixth defeat of the season from 12 games, and they're now just one point clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

But at least they didn't lose to Tottenham. Xabi Alonso got a small taste of Chelsea's cut-throat culture in the wake of their second home defeat to Spurs since 1990, a result that's cast an unflattering light over the mixed start to his tenure.

Only 17th-placed Crystal palace and newly promoted Ipswich have conceded more goals than the Blues this term, but only Brighton and Man City have outscored them. With five league goals and three assists to his name, Joao Pedro is a huge miss, but they have a ready-made replacement in Welbeck, who's scored eight goals in 20 appearances against Man Utd. Cole Palmer is also back from suspension.

Read on as we explain how to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd for free.

Chelsea vs Man Utd team news

Chelsea team: Penders; Acheampong, Fofana, Colwill, Palestra; Caicedo, Lavia; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Rogers

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Barco, Welbeck, Emegha, Quenda, Gusto, Chavarria, Nicoll-Jazuli, Subuloye

Man Utd team: Lammens; Yoro, Maguire, Martinez, Dalot; Santos, Baleba; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo

Subs: Darlow, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Mount, Zirkzee, Tielemens, Heaven, Lacey, Mainoo

Can you watch Chelsea vs Man Utd for free?

Yes. Chelsea vs Man Utd is being shown on the CazeTV YouTube channel in Brazil.

Traveling abroad right now? You can use a VPN to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd for free as if you were right at home.

Use a VPN to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. One of our favourites is Proton VPN – it does everything and comes with up to 70% off.

How to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd live streams in the US

Chelsea vs Man Utd is being televised on USA Network in the US.

Sling TV carries USA Network on its Blue plan, as well as NBC, ABC and Fox in select locations, plus FS1, FX and more. Prices start at $45.99, though it comes with an up to half-price discount for your first month.

Alternatively, USA Network is carried by YouTube TV and Fubo, which both offer free trials.

Free trials are also available for Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream, which include USA Network and NBC.

Outside of the US? Proton VPN can unblock your stream from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd live streams in the UK

In the UK, live Chelsea vs Man Utd coverage is being provided by TNT Sports 1.

You can add TNT Sports to your Sky, Virgin Media or EE TV package, or get an HBO Max plan that includes TNT Sports. Prices start at £25.99/month if you commit to a year.

Away from home? Proton VPN will let you access your TNT Sports stream from anywhere.

How to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd live streams in Australia

Stan Sport is showing Chelsea vs Man Utd in Australia.

Stan Sport costs AU$20/month on top of a Stan subscription, which itself starts at AU$9.99/month.

In addition to every game of the Premier League and Champions League, it's also home to Super Rugby, Six Nations and Nations Championship.

Not in Australia right now? Simply use a VPN like Proton VPN to watch the action as if you were back home.

How to watch Chelsea vs Man Utd live streams in Canada

The Chelsea vs Man Utd game is available to watch on DAZN in Canada.

DAZN, which is also home to the Champions League, Serie A, NFL and WTA Tour tennis, starts at CA$24.99/month.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Watch Australia vs Cook Islands FREE on 7plus (AUS)
• Stream on Premier Sports (US/CAN/UK)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)
• Kick-off: Sat, Oct 31, 5.05am ET / 9.05am GMT / 8.05pm AEDT

Watch Australia vs Cook Islands as the hosts play their final Pool A fixture of Rugby League World Cup 2026 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville. The Kangaroos are safely through to the semi-finals, whereas Cook Islands will head home following this match after losing their opening two games.

Australia remain heavy favorites to claim a fourth successive Rugby League World Cup title, but they have yet to hit top gear at the tournament. After edging past New Zealand 24-22, they were staring down the barrel of a shock defeat by Fiji last time out in Brisbane when their opponents crossed to go 20-12 up in the second half – only for the try to be disallowed and the Kangaroos to eventually triumph 36-22. While certain elements of the performance were unconvincing, there were also positives to take, with debutant Sam Walker scoring 16 points. Coach Kevin Walters has opted for eight changes with Reece Walsh returning at fullback, Tom Dearden at halfback and Ethan Strange named on the bench ahead of a potential Test debut.

The big storyline for Cook Islands is former Aussie Valentine Holmes returning to face the country for whom he won two World Cups with. The NRL star still holds the record for the most tries in a single match at the tournament, crossing six times against Fiji in 2017, and will relish facing Australia in Townsville, the city of his birth. Cook Islands briefly threatened a stunning victory against New Zealand last time out when they roared back from 12-0 down to lead 16-12, with Esom Ioka scoring a hat-trick. However, they ultimately lost 82-16 and now face the daunting task of trying to stop the 12-time champions.

Here's how to watch Australia vs Cook Islands from anywhere in the world – with FREE Rugby League World Cup 2026 streams explained.

Can you watch Australia vs Cook Islands for free?

Channel 7 and 7plus will show Australia vs Cook Islands for free in Australia.

You will need an account with a valid Aussie postcode (e.g. 2042).

Not in Australia today? You can use a VPN to watch Australia vs Cook Islands for free as if you were right at home.

Use a VPN to watch Australia vs Cook Islands live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual Australia vs Cook Islands stream. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

How to watch Australia vs Cook Islands live streams in the US

Premier Sports are showing all 18 games of the Rugby League World Cup, including Australia vs Cook Islands.

A full tournament pass is available for just $25.

Visiting the US from Australia? Use NordVPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream.

How to watch Australia vs Cook Islands live streams in Australia

As alluded to above, in Australia can watch Australia vs Cook Islands live on free-to-air Channel 7, while you can stream the match via 7plus.

Just create an account using a valid Australian postcode (e.g. 2042).

Outside Oz? You can use NordVPN to watch on 7plus from anywhere in the world.

How to watch Australia vs Cook Islands live streams in New Zealand

Australia vs Cook Islands is live on Sky Sport NZ in New Zealand, with live coverage on Sky Sport 2.

You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month.

Those outside of New Zealand can use NordVPN to gain access to their home streaming service.

How to watch Australia vs Cook Islands live streams in the UK

Fans in the UK can watch Australia vs Cook Islands on Premier Sports 2.

Premier Sports costs £18.99 on a rolling monthly basis, or £150 for a year if you pay upfront. Alternatively, you can add it to an existing Sky TV, Virgin Media or Prime Video plan.

Away from home? Unlock your Australia vs Cook Islands stream with NordVPN.

How to watch Australia vs Cook Islands live streams in Canada

Australia vs Cook Islands is available to watch on Premier Sports in Canada.

Premier Sports costs CA$29.99 on a rolling monthly basis, with savings available for longer-term plans.

Premier Sports is also home to Top14, Nations Championship, Bledisloe Cup, Six Nations and the Rugby Championship for those looking for their rugby union fix.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Pakistan vs Sri Lanka: Today (Sat, Oct 31) at 4am ET / 8am GMT / 7pm AEDT
• Watch FREE on Tapmad (Pakistan)
• Unlock your free stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)

Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in the final of their 2026 ODI tri-series, as the two sides from the subcontinent face off at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore with preparations continuing in earnest ahead of next year's 50-over World Cup.

Despite the chaos that constantly dogs Pakistani cricket off the field, they've been the best of the three sides on it during this two-week, three-team tournament. They got off to a storming start a pair of comfortable wins, thanks to a century from Salman Ali Agha against Sri Lanka in the first, and a six-wicket haul from spinner Arafat Minhas against England in the second. The most remarkable innings from Shadab Khan helped them to another win over England, his 113* from 96 balls getting the Men in Green over the line by one wicket. Now they have the chance to give their long-suffering fans a reason to smile in the final today – captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and opted to bowl first.

It looked like Sri Lanka's tournament was heading for the doldrums when England captain Harry Brook smashed a double century against them in their second game. What followed was quite extraordinary, as bulk runs from Pavan Rathnayake, Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka helped them chase down a mammoth 429 with just one ball remaining. A convincing eight-wicket follow-up victory over the hosts secured their place in today's final. It may not be a squad of the same vintage of their famous 1996 World Cup triumph, but the Lions might just be hitting their stride at the right time ahead of the 2027 competition.

A fantastic century from opener Kamindu Mendis laid the foundation for a testing total of 325-8 for the hosts to chase. Pakistan's batters will need to be at their best to steer their side to victory.

Read on as we explain how to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka online, on TV and potentially for free wherever you are.

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka team news

Pakistan XI: Maaz Sadaqat, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Agha, Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf

Sri Lanka XI: Kamindu Mendis, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (c, wk), Pavan Rathnayake, Sahan Arachchige, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka

Watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka for FREE

In Pakistan, you can stream the final of the ODI tri-series for free thanks to Tapmad.

The streaming service only requires an account to stream the action with no enhanced subscription needed.

Overseas? NordVPN will unlock your free stream of this match from anywhere in the world – we used it to watch previous matches in the series and the coverage was superb.

Use a VPN to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka from anywhere

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

How to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka live streams in the US

Dedicated cricket streaming service Willow TV is the place for US viewers to watch every game of this ODI tri-series – including Saturday's Pakistan vs Sri Lanka final.

If you don't have Willow as part of your cable package, you can watch it through your choice of Sling TV's Desi Binge Plus or Dakshin Flex plans – starting from $10 per month.

Outside the US? Use NordVPN to watch your Willow or Sling coverage from anywhere.

How to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka live streams in the UK

Sky Sports is the official UK broadcaster of this ODI tri-series, with the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka final going out on its Sky Sports Cricket channel on Saturday.

Sky Sports plans start from £35 per month, or £22 if you're an existing Sky TV subscriber. Alternatively, grab a more flexible Now Sports membership from £14.99 a day or £26.99 a month.

Abroad? Use NordVPN to access your preferred coverage of the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka final.

How to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka live streams in India

Cricket fans in India can watch this ODI tri-series final on the Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available via Sony LIV.

Sony LIV subscriptions in India start at ₹399 per month, while you can get its Mobile-Only yearly plan for ₹699.

If you're currently out of India but want to watch the series, you'll need to get yourself a VPN, as per the instructions above.

How to watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka live streams in Australia

Fox Sports 505 on Foxtel is showing the final of the ODI tri-series between Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in Australia, with live streaming also available via Kayo Sports.

Kayo Sports subscriptions start at AU$30 per month after a 7-day free trial. Or you can get your first month for AU$1.

Remember if you're out of Australia at all during the series, get yourself a VPN to stream from anywhere in the world.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Watch New Zealand vs Fiji in a make-or-break Rugby League World Cup 2026 Pool A clash at Cbus Super Stadium, Robina, as the two countries battle for a place in the semi-finals. The equation is simple: the winner goes through to the last four, while the loser goes home.

New Zealand bounced back from their 24-22 defeat by Australia in the tournament opener with an 82-16 rout of the Cook Islands last time out, but they had to fight back after falling 16-12 behind. They soon made their class tell, though, with Jamayne Isaako racking up 38 points – comprising three tries and 13 conversions – to break the record for the most points by a Kiwi player in a single match. They will have to be on their game against a Fiji side who ran Australia close in their second pool match, as Stacey Jones' team look to move one step closer to lifting the World Cup for just the second time.

Fiji may feel that they missed an opportunity to seal their place in the last four, having seen their game against Australia turn on a disallowed second-half try that would have put them 20-12 ahead. They ultimately lost 36-22 in Brisbane but will take plenty of confidence from their performance, especially given the way they dominated the Aussies' pack. The Fijians are aiming to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in their history but they face an uphill battle, with second-place New Zealand sitting five positions above them in the world rankings.

Here's how to watch New Zealand vs Fiji from anywhere in the world – with FREE Rugby League World Cup 2026 streams explained.

Watch New Zealand vs Fiji for FREE

New Zealand vs Fiji is free on 7plus in Australia and ThreeNow in New Zealand.

Outside either Australia or New Zealand today? NordVPN can help you unlock your free stream from anywhere in the world — find out more below.

Use a VPN to watch New Zealand vs Fiji live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual New Zealand vs Fiji stream. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

How to watch New Zealand vs Fiji live streams in the US

Viewers in the US can watch New Zealand vs Fiji live on Premier Sports, which is showing all 18 games of the men's Rugby League World Cup 2026.

A full tournament pass is available for just $25.

Abroad today? Use a VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream.

How to watch New Zealand vs Fiji live streams in Australia

New Zealand vs Fiji is live on free-to-air 7mate in Australia, while you can stream the match via 7plus.

Just create an account using a valid Australia postcode (e.g. 2042).

Not in Australia right now? You can use a VPN like NordVPN to watch New Zealand vs Fiji as if you were back home.

How to watch New Zealand vs Fiji live streams in New Zealand

Fans in New Zealand can watch New Zealand vs Fiji for free on ThreeNow or on Sky Sport NZ, with live coverage on Sky Sport 1.

You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month.

Those outside of New Zealand can use NordVPN to gain access to their home streaming service.

How to watch New Zealand vs Fiji live streams in the UK

UK-based fans can watch New Zealand vs Fiji on Premier Sports 2.

Premier Sports costs £18.99 on a rolling monthly basis, or £150 for a year if you pay upfront. Alternatively, you can add it to an existing Sky TV, Virgin Media or Prime Video plan.

Away from home? Unlock your New Zealand vs Fiji stream with NordVPN.

How to watch New Zealand vs Fiji live streams in Canada

New Zealand vs Fiji is available to watch on Premier Sports in Canada.

Premier Sports costs CA$29.99 on a rolling monthly basis, with savings available for longer-term plans.

If you're out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Imagine the scene. You're in the park with your family, you're running to catch up with them, and your earbud case falls out of your pocket, scattering your earbuds. You find one but the other has vanished and all you can see is gravel. Who ya gonna call?

For Just-a-fungi893 on Reddit, the answer is: ChatGPT.

"I spent a solid 10 minutes searching, knowing there's basically no way I'm going to find a tiny white earbud in a sea of white gravel, especially with the sun setting," they explained. "I use ChatGPT for A LOT of stuff, and it suddenly dawned on me to ask it for help instead of pointlessly scanning the area myself."

Five minutes later, earbud and owner were reunited, with ChatGPT steering him towards the exact point in the relevant photo. It's not because ChatGPT has magic powers, but because LLMs are really good at spotting tiny things in big pictures: earbuds in gravel, needles in haystacks, indicators of tumors in X-rays. It's all pattern recognition.

It's time to embrace our AI overlords vs no, it isn't

As fun as the story is — I'd never have thought of taking a photo and feeding it to a chatbot; it's smart thinking — one of the other comments on the Reddit thread made me laugh: Mindless-Apricot-236 responded that they once lost a screw outdoors, uploaded a picture to ChatGPT and "asked the oracle to help me find it. It said it found it. Showed me the picture... It just modified the original picture and put a random screw on it lol"

Other commenters had suggestions that didn't involve AI at all, such as 4-jr1's "how about next time you just open Spotify and listen for the one rock among hundreds that sings out loud" — although that wouldn't work if the headphones weren't on and paired; I have Bose QuietComfort earbuds and they don't turn on until they're in my ears — and SpehlingAirer's "When this kinda thing happens to me I turn on my phone's flashlight and bring it low to the ground pointing almost horizontally. The way the light reflects off the common background (gravel, carpet, grass, etc) and the way it reflects off the glossy plastic are often different enough to help spot it quickly."

And of course many of the best earbuds have some variation of Find My, enabling you to locate them from your phone. But it's nice to know that all those years we've been identifying bicycles, stairs and traffic lights in website CAPTCHAs has paid off: computer vision has become really incredible.

As to whether it's reliable, I'll just leave this, by AnalogAngeleno, here: "I tried something similar at a used bookstore. Took a photo of the shelve and asked it to help look for books since they were not in any kind of order. Unfortunately it started making up books that were not even there."

Still, you'll get different results depending on the type of task and the model you're using — evidently, this one worked well enough, and seems like a good tip to keep in mind for your own earbud emergency.

• Anduril plans to open BlueChip laptop orders in 2027 with Qualcomm
• BlueChip prototypes source 90% of component procurement costs from American and allied suppliers
• Anduril expects its laptops to cost 20% more than comparable devices

Anduril Industries has revealed plans to enter the laptop market through a partnership with Qualcomm, with plans to begin accepting orders for its BlueChip computers in 2027.

The defense technology company, best known for its military drones, intends to reduce reliance on overseas suppliers as it develops the new laptop line.

However, its current sourcing figures show that eliminating foreign suppliers remains a future objective rather than an existing achievement.

BlueChip begins with American manufacturing

The company has developed working prototypes featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon X Series processors, which will power the laptops.

Anduril says suppliers in the United States and allied countries account for 90% of the procurement cost of the components used in its prototypes.

The company already sources several parts locally, including batteries, computer enclosures and display glass.

Its strategy also involves using metals that American industries can extract, refine and process at commercial scale.

“Other companies might design their computers in the U.S., Anduril makes them here,” said Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, in a company video.

“We’re making parts out of metals that the U.S. knows how to extract, knows how to refine, knows how to process, and knows how to mill at scale at a reasonable price; and that goes for the entire laptop. The same thing goes for the battery technology.”

The company says the laptop is designed to withstand demanding environments, with replaceable upper and lower shells that allow users to customize its configuration.

These interchangeable panels could accommodate additions such as solar panels, specialised fabric materials and service insignia, according to Anduril’s video.

The design also allows flat phased-array antennas to be integrated directly into the laptop’s chassis, potentially supporting specialised applications in demanding operating environments.

Anduril estimates that producing a fully American-made laptop could cost 20% more than a comparable device, potentially limiting its appeal to ordinary consumers.

Therefore, it appears to be focused on customers with specific security requirements, including government agencies, military organizations, emergency responders, and public safety departments.

These buyers may accept higher prices to address concerns about hardware security and supply chain reliability.

A domestic supply chain remains difficult

Anduril acknowledges that producing complete laptops requires more than processors and selected parts.

Circuit boards, displays, batteries, and other essential components remain heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, complicating efforts to eliminate reliance on these suppliers.

“BlueChip will take a phased approach, beginning with expanding domestic sourcing and manufacturing, progressing toward eliminating reliance on foreign suppliers, and ultimately establishing an end-to-end American supply chain,” the company said in its announcement.

The project comes as semiconductor investment grows in the United States, including TSMC’s facilities in Arizona and Samsung’s site in Taylor, Texas.

These projects could improve access to locally fabricated chips, but they do not guarantee a domestic source for every part needed to assemble a laptop.

Taiwan has also planned support for smaller companies supplying TSMC through industrial parks in the United States.

Such initiatives could give BlueChip access to additional suppliers, although their eventual contribution to the laptop’s production remains unclear.

Via Tom's Hardware

• OpenAI will keep pushing AI’s scientific discoveries, Sam Altman says
• Some researchers are excited by the ‘fantastic’ breakthroughs
• But others warn that the pace of change is ‘psychologically taxing’

One of the promises that huge AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have made is that their machine learning models will help to solve some of the oldest problems in math and science. The pace of their discoveries has left many experts struggling to keep up, but OpenAI’s Sam Altman just has just said there’s much more in store — and not everyone is happy about that.

Speaking on the Cheeky Pint podcast, Altman outlined his belief that “Humanity deserves fundamental knowledge, and we should not be sitting on a major fundamental science discovery.”

That rationale is why OpenAI has published breakthrough after breakthrough in these fields, knocking down some of the oldest and toughest problems that have troubled great thinkers for years. But the way in which the company has set out its results has drawn criticism for often inadequate attributions and questionable verification processes.

While Altman acknowledged that, saying on the podcast that “I do have empathy for the method” and saying OpenAI’s quest for mathematical challenges did “get out of control” at times, he suggested that there’s much more to come. Asked if the firm has anymore unpublished breakthroughs in its vaults, he replied “We do. Of course.”

That’s led to accusations that, far from giving people “fundamental knowledge,” OpenAI is gatekeeping important discoveries. And there’s another problem: the sheer scale of the new research is swamping academics. For instance, Wired has noted that the company recently “dumped 722 manuscripts on 400 problems on GitHub,” leaving the scientific community to pick through the enormous mass of information.

And the impact of having the most important work in your life suddenly undercut by a machine is “psychologically taxing for many people,” said Thore Husfeldt of the IT University of Copenhagen. Husfeldt added that there is “a lot of doom and gloom, because every week, or every second week, the results announced by AI just annihilate the ongoing research projects of many people.”

Obliterating entire fields of research

AI models’ ability to solve thorny problems was keenly demonstrated when it apparently disproved the exponential time hypothesis (ETH), which argued that the effort needed to solve a problem increases with its complexity. That’s upended countless theories that assumed that ETH was correct and left many experts scrambling to catch up.

As Linköping University professor Peter Jonsson told Wired, although AI’s tendency to undermine years-long research can be irksome, “at the same time, we learn a lot from it. And this is what science is about.”

UC Santa Barbara professor Daniel Lokshtanov aptly described the mood among many scientists and mathematicians, saying “It’s just a giant bomb dropped into the middle of the field,” he says. “It’s really cool and terrible at the same time.”

For Husfeldt, meanwhile, the discovery is “fantastic.” He added: “Being a mathematician is a lot like stumbling about in a completely dark room. It’s like somebody just illuminated an entire subfield in floodlights of knowledge, and now we just run around like overexcited bunnies and look at all the nooks and crannies that we can suddenly explore. So it’s a super exciting time.”

In the case of the ETH theory, OpenAI’s work has not been peer reviewed or independently verified. But it’s clear that AI research is creating generational changes in many areas — and overturning entire fields of study in an instant, with all the excitement and chaos that comes with that.

Jonsson fittingly summed the situation up, saying: “I don’t care if it’s a human-written proof, or it’s written by AI, or if an alien transmitted this proof to us. If it’s true, then we must simply use it in the future.”

• Berkeley professor Richard Borcherds says he no longer grades homework
• The renowned mathematician stated that it is amost impossible to spot a human written submission among those created with AI
• Grading in Borcherds’ classes are now conducted with in-person exams, completed without resorting to electronic devices

Professor Richard Borcherds of the University of California, Berkeley, has revealed he has abandoned grading homework for his math students.

The decision appears to have been made following an improvement in AI-produced homework, which has left educators unable to spot human-penned submissions from those completed using AI.

British-born Borcherds – whose award-winning work includes infinite-dimensional algebras and is currently researching quantum field theory – has determined that his students will be assessed using traditional exams, without reliance on electronic devices.

The decision follows Berkeley’s previous evaluation of AI detection software that it found was unreliable, and prompted the university to allow professors to formulate their own AI policies within the course syllabus.

"Grading for correctness"

AI has changed the game as far as educators are concerned. While some appear content to let students submit work produced however they see fit, others are taking a more determined approach. Professor Borcherds has clearly seen a change in scores as the use of AI among his math students has increased.

“Online exams are now a waste of time as several students just use AI to answer the questions. I cannot tell which students are using AI, but I notice the average score increases a lot in online exams.”

Borcherds explained that what he calls “grading for correctness” essentially pushes students towards using AI. They’re employing a tool that can be guaranteed to produce the correct answer.

“Grading for correctness just adds a huge incentive for them to use AI for homework instead of doing it themselves and penalizes students for honesty. And paying to grade AI generated answers is a waste of time and money.”

Difficult assessments

Other educators have expressed similar concerns about AI, although to date none seem to have taken Borcherds more traditional stance on the technology. Some have found, however, that giving students the time and space to use AI has skewed their results, and limiting access to the technology provides more realistic grades.

Berkeley has previous explored the use of AI detection and found it lacking. By putting its professors in charge of determining departmental expectations of AI use in students, the university has given its educators the power to expect better from their students.

Professor Borcherds could be set to lead the way on this, and perhaps once this story attracts attention, more educators will take a stronger view of AI assistance in homework and assessments.

Via New York Post

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1238) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STAYCATION
• GUITAR
• DIRTY
• KILLER
• SICK
• DOWNFALL
• SHAKEN
• UP
• TENNIS RACKET
• SHAKESPEARE
• WICKED
• TASSEL
• SITCOM
• MARIONETTE
• DRY
• GNARLY

NYT Connections today (game #1238) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Confusing slang
• GREEN: Instructions for James Bond’s favorite cocktail
• BLUE: A twine in common
• PURPLE: Begin with canine control

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1238) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WORDS MEANING GOOD THAT SOUND BAD
• GREEN: MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS
• BLUE: THINGS WITH STRINGS
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1238) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1238, are…

• YELLOW: WORDS MEANING GOOD THAT SOUND BAD: GNARLY, KILLER, SICK, WICKED
• GREEN: MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS: DIRTY, DRY, SHAKEN, UP
• BLUE: THINGS WITH STRINGS: GUITAR, MARIONETTE, TASSEL, TENNIS RACKET
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS: DOWNFALL, SHAKESPEARE, SITCOM, STAYCATION

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I was on the right track with STARTING WITH DOG COMMANDS, as I saw the link between DOWNFALL, SITCOM and STAYCATION — but I thought KILLER was the fourth; something, in hindsight, that would take canine training to a whole new (and wrong) level.

After winning a Purple First for connecting the hardest group of the game, I made another error putting together the easiest/yellow group, including DIRTY among the WORDS MEANING GOOD THAT SOUND BAD.

After switching with GNARLY, another meaning for DIRTY came to mind and I was able to cobble together MARTINI SPECIFICATIONS.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, October 30, 2026, game #1237)

• YELLOW: PARTS OF A CAMERA: FLASH, LENS, SHUTTER, VIEWFINDER
• GREEN: AROUND A THEATER STAGE: BACKDROP, CURTAIN, PIT, WINGS
• BLUE: THROW____: HANDS, PILLOW, RUG, SHADE
• PURPLE: FRUIT WITH FIRST LETTER CHANGED: DEMON, DRAPE, GLUM, GRANGE

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #972) - hint #1 - today's theme

NYT Strands today (game #972) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• STEAK
• FISH
• CITY
• SANDY
• PLAICE
• TRICK
• RICE

NYT Strands today (game #972) - hint #3 - spangram letters

NYT Strands today (game #972) - hint #4 - spangram position

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #972) - the answers

The answers to today's Strands, game #972, are…

• TOOTHBRUSH
• FANGS
• RING
• CANDY
• APPLE
• STICKER
• SPANGRAM: TRICKORTREAT

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Without meaning to I collected the top three treats and then the bottom three treats — all neatly divided by the spangram.

The first word I spotted was TOOTHBRUSH, so I momentarily thought we could be looking for items that might make their way into a wash bag; my second word, FANGS, soon stopped that theory (as did today’s date!)

Here’s hoping you have a spooktacular Halloween.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, October 30, game #971)

• JUICE
• ELECTRICITY
• POWER
• ENERGY
• SPARK
• CURRENT
• SPANGRAM: PLUGGEDIN

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1741) — hint #1 — Vowels

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1741) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Quordle today (game #1741) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Quordle today (game #1741) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1741) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1741) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1741, are…

• ANIME
• SWARM
• CHALK
• RAJAH

A very rare appearance from the letter J in the middle of a word, today.

If it wasn’t for the letter H, I probably would have guessed “ragga” first but although it felt risky I couldn’t think of anything other than RAJAH.

Daily Sequence today (game #1741) — the answers

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1741, are…

• WARTY
• CASTE
• SUGAR
• FLUNK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1740, Friday, 30 October: ULCER, DIMLY, BRAIN, BEGUN
• Quordle #1739, Thursday, 29 October: PRUDE, MINUS, SAVOY, USHER
• Quordle #1738, Wednesday, 28 October: DEALT, FLUME, SLEEK, RELIC
• Quordle #1737, Tuesday, 27 October: ANKLE, HAVOC, SULKY, WHITE
• Quordle #1736, Monday, 26 October: ASSAY, GLEAM, MUCUS, WRING
• Quordle #1735, Sunday, 25 October: RAINY, BUSED, PROXY, UNDID
• Quordle #1734, Saturday, 24 October: TOXIN, SMART, MOUSE, STYLE
• Quordle #1733, Friday, 23 October: BLIMP, HOIST, FRIED, LURID
• Quordle #1732, Thursday, 22 October: DECAL, WIDTH, WOKEN, LEVER
• Quordle #1731, Wednesday, 21 October: MOIST, VALVE, VERSE, NORTH
• Quordle #1730, Tuesday, 20 October: COYLY, SAUNA, TRIAL, RASPY
• Quordle #1729, Monday, 19 October: EXIST, DECOY, HITCH, FLUID
• Quordle #1728, Sunday, 18 October: FLINT, FUROR, WEDGE, RODEO
• Quordle #1727, Saturday, 17 October: QUARK, ENEMY, SPASM, BLOCK
• Quordle #1726, Friday, 16 October: SHORT, WORTH, JOIST, SLUNK
• Quordle #1725, Thursday, 15 October: STALE, EPOCH, PIANO, CORNY
• Quordle #1724, Wednesday, 14 October: TIMID, GROUP, GRILL, EVERY
• Quordle #1723, Tuesday, 13 October: FLUFF, DEBUT, TEETH, STEIN
• Quordle #1722, Monday, 12 October: HELLO, BELOW, RIGHT, SLANT
• Quordle #1721, Sunday, 11 October: LILAC, INLET, TRIAD, SHAPE

• LG Display is investing heavily in OLED production up to 111 inches
• Current LG OLEDs top out at 97 inches
• Today's 97-inch panel is much older tech than smaller panels

If you're looking for home theater-size OLED TVs, you'll soon encounter two hard limits: availability and affordability. You can't currently buy an OLED larger than 97 inches because nobody makes them.

And you probably can't afford a 97-inch OLED TV because it's terrifyingly expensive: today LG is listing its 97-inch OLED for $19,999 (reduced from $24,999) / £15,999. But it looks like both of those things are about to change.

LG Display is reportedly investing big money in big OLED, though: it and its partner Guangzhou Development Zone Holding Group are reportedly investing an extra 1 billion yuan to upgrade its production facilities for giant OLED displays.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the market analysis company TrendForce says that the announced upgrades mainly target "large-size OLED module manufacturing, with products covering 77-inch, 83-inch, 97-inch, and 111-inch," with the ability to debut a 111-inch panel being a "major highlight of the project."

Bigger and potentially more affordable TVs are always welcome. But we do have some questions.

What panel is LG intending to use?

The big question for us is whether the investment will mean improvements to the existing 97-inch panel's technology.

The 2026 version of LG's 97-inch OLED TV is a 4K native panel with a native refresh rate of 120Hz, but while the model is the LG G6, its panel is not the same as its smaller siblings: they all get LG's Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 panel, but the 97-inch is an older, non-Tandem panel — in fact it dates back to the LG G2 from 2022, so it's several generations behind. That means it isn't as bright and doesn't have the same color accuracy as the other models.

That difference is important, because these large OLEDs are up against some of the best mini-LED and increasingly, RGB mini-LED TVs — and those TVs are exceptionally bright and accurate as well as increasingly affordable. It's possible to buy high-quality 98-inch Hisense TV for just $3,999, which is a lot for a TV but not a lot for a 98-inch one — and is obvious just a fraction of the 97-inch OLED price.

We're keeping our fingers crossed here: if LG Display breaks the size barrier and makes ultra-large Tandem RGB TVs that are less expensive to manufacture, that'd be great. The worst case scenario is that we get the same kind of panel that's currently in the 97-incher, but a bit bigger — but it seems like that the aim is to upgrade the technology, given that production of smaller sizes was mentioned as a goal as well.

And that might be the bigger win from the project for most of us: if the project succeeds in making producing 111-inch OLED viable, and therefore improves the process and lowers the cost of 77-inch and 83-inch models too, that's probably the real benefit.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

• San Francisco lab Radical Numerics says its Omnii-1 model designed bacteriophages that were given to a patient with a drug-resistant infection, a world first
• The phages were built by rewriting the gene for T7's tail fiber, the protein the virus uses to latch onto bacteria
• Nobody outside the company knows whether it worked, because the results have not been published, peer-reviewed, or disclosed yet

Radical Numerics has announced its AI-designed viruses (bacteriophages) were given to a sick person, but has not provided much further insight about what happened next.

The San Francisco AI lab announced in October 2026 that bacteriophages designed by its new genome model had been administered to a human patient with an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection, under a physician-led compassionate-use pathway authorized by the FDA.

If the claim holds, it is the first time an AI-designed organism of any kind has been put into a person as medicine.

Not a new phenomenon, but one that could do with AI assistance

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria and ignore human cells entirely. They have been used as therapy for more than a century, predating penicillin, and have enjoyed a quiet revival as antibiotics have begun to fail.

The World Health Organization considers phage therapy broadly safe, and unlike broad-spectrum antibiotics, a phage can target one bacterial strain while leaving the rest of your microbiome alone.

That precision is also the problem: each phage recognizes a narrow set of bacterial surface receptors, so treating a patient means finding one that matches their specific infection. Clinicians screen existing phage libraries, then environmental samples, then give up and try engineering as a last resort. For someone with sepsis, that search is not an academic exercise but an important life-or-death situation.

The scale of the underlying problem is not in dispute. The Global Burden of Disease project estimated that antimicrobial resistance was associated with roughly 4.7 million deaths in 2021, with projections indicating that between 2025 and 2050, close to 40 million deaths could be attributable to it.

Radical Numerics was founded by members of the team behind Evo and Evo 2, the Arc Institute genome models that generated the first entirely AI-written phage genomes. That earlier work produced 700,000 candidate genomes; 285 were synthesized, and 16 produced viable viruses. It was a proof of concept with a punishing, yet promising hit rate.

Omnii-1 is the follow-up, and the company's technical write-up describes a narrower, more surgical approach. Rather than inventing whole genomes, the model edits the targeting component. The team worked with T7, a well-characterized 40-kilobase E. coli phage, and rewrote gp17, the receptor-binding tail fiber.

The numbers the company is willing to share are genuinely interesting. At 11 to 15 amino acid changes from wild type, 69.9% of designed variants were recovered as viable phages, against 4.8% for random controls. Of 6,694 variants with measurable activity, 2,161 beat the original, including some carrying 28 amino acid substitutions.

A promising, but unproven and unpublished play

The company tested its designed cocktail against bacteria isolated from a real patient's infection, confirmed it eliminated that isolate in vitro, and then administered it. The patient reportedly had an E. coli infection that had resisted not only antibiotics but every available phage, which is effectively the worst position one can be in when it comes to infectious diseases.

Radical Numerics has since declined to describe the patient's clinical course, outcome, hospital, or physicians, citing patient privacy and the fact that even limited clinical detail could identify the patient.

The company self-published the technical report on its website and has not had it peer-reviewed, but has separately indicated the treatment is proprietary and something it hopes to commercialize.

That silence held as of October 29, nine days after the announcement, when trade coverage for infectious disease clinicians still reported no disclosed clinical course, no outcome, and no peer-reviewed publication. The technical write-up remains the only account of the case.

In fairness to Radical Numerics, its own write-up states plainly that single-patient observations cannot establish safety or efficacy, which is more cautionary than most product launches manage. CEO Eric Nguyen has also said the company intends to publish through peer review.

Outside experts have landed somewhere between intrigued and unconvinced, which is the correct place to land. Harvard microbiologist Michael Baym, who was not involved, said the result would be incredible if it works, but added that his instinct is skepticism until the treatment finishes and the viruses' novelty can actually be examined.

The commercial logic is much easier to establish; phage hunting is slow, and Radical Numerics believes it can compress design to days rather than months.

Ottawa Hospital infectious disease clinician Marisa Azad, who is collaborating with the company, has described the conventional search as remarkably time-consuming, and she is not wrong. If AI can reliably shorten that loop, it changes who gets treated in time, allowing for a more cost-effective and broader audience for said treatments.

There is cause for some concern too: a model that can design viruses to order is, structurally, a model that can design viruses to order. Radical Numerics acknowledges this directly by committing to biosafety, containment, and data-sharing measures scaled to the model's capability.

It is the same dual-use problem that has dogged every capable biological design tool, and one that AI labs have been publicly wrestling with as their systems get better at biology.

Engineered phages have reached patients before, most famously a 2019 case in which modified phages treated a disseminated drug-resistant Mycobacterium abscessus infection. What is new here is not the therapeutic concept but the design process, and the governance questions attach to the AI-driven process, not the concept itself.

AI has moved from reading biology to writing it and handing the result to a doctor. That is a different category of claim than an AI model proposing a cancer hypothesis or outperforming specialists on rare-disease diagnosis, both of which keep a human firmly in the loop before anything enters a bloodstream.

For now, however, a very clever experiment was run on a very sick person, and we still don't know how it went or when somebody decides to tell us. If it does pan out however, it will have massive rammifications for an industry that is only expected to grow across the next few decades.

• Fujifilm plans to multiply magnetic tape production fivefold by fiscal 2028
• The company is committing ¥10 billion ($63.3 million) to its Odawara plant expansion
• Offline tape copies can reduce exposure to remote cyberattacks on networked systems

Fujifilm has revealed plans to increase its magnetic tape production capacity fivefold by fiscal 2028 in response to rising data storage demands driven by AI.

The Japanese company has allocated ¥10 billion ($63.3 million) to expand its Odawara plant near Tokyo, marking its largest investment in tape production for approximately 20 years.

The project will concentrate on advanced cartridges capable of retaining up to 100TB, although Fujifilm has not disclosed its expected annual output following expansion.

Magnetic tape finds renewed purpose as AI data volumes surge

Magnetic tape remains commercially useful because organisations can store enormous quantities of information without keeping the medium continuously connected to computer networks.

Data centres, financial institutions and research organisations use it to preserve backups, particularly when information must remain available for years rather than immediate retrieval.

The technology dates back decades, with Fujifilm beginning development in 1954 for television broadcasting equipment before expanding into audio and video recording applications.

A 2026 IDC survey found that 94.7% of organisations reported storing larger volumes of information after adopting artificial intelligence technologies across their operations.

It also estimates that global data generation could reach 718 zettabytes by 2030, approximately four times the 2024 volume.

Each zettabyte represents one billion terabytes, indicating the scale of storage capacity potentially required as digital activity expands.

Magnetic tape can help accommodate this growth by providing a relatively inexpensive way to retain large volumes of data offline for extended periods, without occupying costly high-speed storage.

Tape also offers protection against certain cybersecurity incidents because stored cartridges can remain disconnected from operational systems.

Keeping copies offline can reduce their exposure to remote attacks, although physical damage, mishandling and other risks remain possible.

Rising drive prices improve magnetic tape's cost advantage

The economics of competing storage technologies have strengthened tape's appeal as semiconductor shortages push up SSD prices and data centre demand increases pressure on hard-disk drive supplies.

According to Fujifilm’s analysis with Brad Johns Consulting, tape storage costs about 1 cent per GB, compared with 3–3.5 cents per GB for raw HDD storage.

This implies that storing 100 TB of data on magnetic tape costs approximately $1,000, compared with $3,000 to $3,500 using HDDs, potential savings of about 67–71%.

Japanese companies are now investing across several storage technologies, suggesting that they expect continued demand for different capacities, speed, and cost.

Kioxia plans to invest ¥5 trillion (~$37 billion) alongside American partner Sandisk over six years, to expand semiconductor memory production.

Toshiba intends to spend approximately ¥60 billion (~$380 million) enlarging its Philippine hard-drive factory, to double manufacturing capacity.

Hoya plans a ¥50 billion (~$317 million) investment in Vietnam for glass substrates used in hard drives, while NHK Spring has outlined an additional ¥35 billion (~$222 million) in production spending.

These investments indicate that magnetic tape's renewed appeal coincides with expansion elsewhere in the storage market, rather than a retreat from SSDs or HDDs.

Via Nikkei Asia

• DT Research unveils the LT365PA, a 15.6-inch rugged laptop offering Nvidia RTX A2000 or RTX 5000 Ada graphics
• It targets crime scene, crash reconstruction, and command post work, and reaches resellers worldwide in Q1 2027 but has no published price yet
• Much of the design carries over from 2023's LT355, and PNY lists an end-of-life window for RTX A2000 modules in that same quarter

Police crash investigators could soon be processing 3D scans and drone footage at the roadside instead of back at the station, if DT Research gets its way.

The California company has unveiled the LT365PA, a 15.6-inch rugged laptop with optional discrete Nvidia graphics, aimed at crime scene investigators, crash reconstruction teams, and military command posts.

The pitch for potential customers is simple enough: the ability to crunch video, drone imagery, 3D scans, and sensor feeds where the data is collected, rather than waiting on a network connection or a distant data center.

A workstation GPU in a rugged shell

The official DT Research's product page says the LT365PA runs on an Intel Core Ultra 5 225H or Core Ultra 7 255H with 16GB to 32GB of LPDDR5 memory, up to 2TB of storage, and Windows 11 IoT Enterprise.

The 15.6-inch touchscreen is rated at 1,200 nits, with a 4K panel and two MIL-STD-3009 Class B night-vision displays (one for naked-eye use, one for night-vision goggles) available as options. The chassis is IP65 rated and MIL-STD-810H certified, and a CAC reader, RFID and NFC readers, GPS, 4G LTE, and a NIST-compliant BIOS round out the extras public-sector buyers often tend to prefer.

DT Research offers an Nvidia RTX A2000 or what it calls an "RTX 5000A," which appears to be the Ada Lovelace-based RTX 5000 Ada Generation. The gap between the two is large: PNY's embedded MXM line card lists the A2000 module with 2,560 CUDA cores and 8GB of memory, while the RTX 5000 Ada has 9,728 CUDA cores and 16GB at a 115W power rating, giving it more than four times the peak FP32 throughput.

That GPU does most of the AI processing in DT Research's pitch; the NPU inside Intel's Arrow Lake-H chips is rated at just 13 TOPS, as we noted when Intel announced the family, so the heavy video analytics and 3D work DT Research describes will fall to the Nvidia silicon.

Same premise, a different model number and upgrades under the hood

Agencies with long memories may recognize the LT365PA. DT Research's LT355, launched in 2023, was also a 15.6-inch rugged laptop with a 1,200-nit screen and embedded Nvidia RTX A1000 or A2000 graphics, and it too was pitched to law enforcement and the military. At the time, Tsai said DT Research had listened to customers and "developed the next version of our rugged laptop to include an NVIDIA graphics card."

Compare the two spec sheets side by side, and a lot carries over: display brightness, the night-vision options, the operating temperature range, the enclosure materials, and the ratings of the hot-swappable battery packs are identical, and the GPU version still ships with a 230W power adapter.

What has changed is the newer Intel platform, the RTX 5000 Ada option, a 1.1lb (0.5kg) weight saving, and 4K and IR camera options. There is a step back, too, at least on paper: the LT355's two memory slots supported up to 64GB, while the LT365PA tops out at 32GB of LPDDR5.

"Today's field teams need the same high-performance AI computing capabilities at the edge," DT Research president Daw Tsai said in the company's announcement, which says the LT365PA will reach authorized partners and resellers worldwide in the first quarter of 2027. Pricing has not been disclosed.

A crash investigation pitch is arguably the most persuasive part of DT Research's launch. According to the Federal Highway Administration, "every minute of incident delay multiplies traffic queues by a factor of four," and the likelihood of a secondary crash climbs 2.8% for each minute the original incident remains a hazard. Anything that lets investigators confirm their scans and photos are complete before a road reopens has real value.

Despite leaning on such a specific example, the laptop itself doesn't capture anything. Laser scanners and drones do that, and DT Research names no software partners or processing-time figures to show how much faster the LT365PA makes the job.

There are practical trade-offs as well. At 8.6lb (3.9kg), the LT365PA is heavier than our top-rated rugged laptop, the Panasonic Toughbook 40, at 7.4lb, and its IP65 rating is a notch below the IP66 rating of the Toughbook 40 and Getac's B360X lineup. DT Research cites MIL-STD-810H for shock and vibration but publishes no drop height or a fuller list of test methods, whereas Durabook itemizes a long list of 810H tests behind the Z14I-DX3, from altitude to explosive atmosphere.

DT Research also publishes no battery life figure. The two standard packs work out to roughly 123Wh combined, and the GPU model ships with a 230W adapter, nearly double the 120W unit supplied with the standard version, which suggests those hot-swappable batteries will earn their keep under sustained GPU load.

Whether US police forces actually get this upgrade is a separate question. As MIT Technology Review's James O'Donnell has written, "police departments in the US have extraordinary independence," with more than 18,000 of them each deciding what technology to buy, so there is no single customer to win here.

The AI angle deserves a bit of pushback: DT Research pitches on-device video analytics without saying which applications it has validated or tested against, and that is where police technology matters most. The same MIT Technology Review reporting covered an AI tool that tracks people by clothing and body attributes in a way that sidesteps local facial recognition bans. The LT365PA is only hardware, but what agencies run on it will determine how welcome it is.

For crash and forensic teams still working on 2023-era gear, an LT365PA with the RTX 5000 Ada would be a genuine step up. The RTX A2000 version is a far more modest refresh, however, and with shipments not starting until 2027 and procurement cycles to follow, most investigators will not be unpacking one for a while yet.

Speaking on-stage at the company's recent AI World conference, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison declared AI could eventually make everyone "healthier and wealthier".

Apparently unfazed by the technology's impacts on humanity, Ellison does acknowledge that governments need to have a shift in mindset to adapt to this new future.

In a Q&A during the conference's hotly anticipated final keynote, Ellison outlined a future where AI systems and robots could dramatically reduce the cost of goods and services. But rather than accepting the suggestion that AI would end up replacing us all, he argued that the technology would ultimately serve to make us more productive, allowing workers to achieve things that simply weren't possible before.

AI won't replace us, but it will change the economics of work in a lasting way

"I think that's kind of nonsensical," Ellison said about predictions that AI will eventually replace everyone.

The multi-billionaire accepted AI and automation will inevitably displace some jobs, pointing toward rideshare services in a hint to ongoing approval of driverless cars in Las Vegas and other cities.

But he also stressed not all jobs would be impacted equally, revealing his pilot qualifications on-stage and stressing that autopilot hasn't replaced human pilots despite being a decades-old technology.

Although humans will continue to play supervisory roles in many industries (we're already seeing human knowledge worker roles evolve into AI agent managers in some cases), Ellison argued that the overall benefits would be positive, providing governments get involved to support the humans they represent.

Painting a picture of what he meant, he described a hypothetical house being constructed entirely by robots in a scenario where automation had replaced human labor. Whereas human labor would have accounted for, say, 80% of the cost of a house before, four-fifths of the house instantly becomes cheaper because of the impact of automation.

He used this example to set the foundation for the idea of 'universal high income' – a concept already floated by other tech billionaires, including Elon Musk.

Taxation needs to change to enable the provision of a universal income

"We need to change from taxing human labor to taxing value added," he said. "So when the robots add value, all that value that the robots add is taxed, and we could have universal high income."

Universal high income is an evolution of the universal basic income concept, which provides citizens with a regular payment that covers essential living costs. Instead, he suggested that the enormous productivity gains that AI could eventually unlock could create enough wealth to support much higher incomes, despite declining human work activity.

He referenced economist Milton Friedman's negative income tax proposal, describing it as a "reverse income tax" that could help distribute some of the wealth generated by AI.

"The robots are adding value. The government's taxing the value... We all become wealthy as a result."

However, Ellison's vision is a wildly ambitious one that would require a colossal change to today's systems. It would take more than a decade, he admitted. While a future of AI-induced human wealth with less work might sound far-fetched at best in today's economy, Ellison's optimism remains on track.

"All of that is doable," he concluded.

layoffs.fyi has tracked over 135,000 layoffs in the tech sector alone in 2026 to date, including around 21,000 Oracle workers in the 12 months between June 2025 and June 2026, and likely thousands more in September 2026.

• AI-generated code security improved for the first time in a year, with vulnerability rates dropping from 44% to 38%
• Top models performed better at preventing common flaws like XSS, but still struggled with complex security reasoning
• Researchers stress AI-generated code still requires independent security testing and verification before deployment

Computer code generated by frontier AI models has gotten more secure and consequently - contains fewer vulnerabilities.

This is according to a new report by Veracode, which claims this is the first significant improvement in a year.

In July 2025, Veracode started releasing its GenAI Code Security Report, which analyzed code generated by LLMs for vulnerabilities and security risks. Since then, the company’s researchers noticed a trend - the code was functioning almost perfect, but on the security side it left much to be desired.

Are XSS flaws worth the trouble?

“We’ve been analyzing code generated by multiple LLMs for more than a year. Until now, we have not seen a marked improvement in AI code security, despite consistently near-perfect functionality,” said Chris Wysopal, Co-founder & Chief Security Evangelist at Veracode.

“This is the first time since running our study that we’ve been able to report a meaningful move on the security dial.”

That meaningful move is a jump from 56% to 62% in overall AI-generated code security. At the same time, there’s been a drop in vulnerabilities from 44% to 38%, Veracode added, saying this was the most significant improvement since the reports started coming out. Anthropic's Claude Opus 5.5 and OpenAI's GPT-6-Sol co-lead the rankings at 73%, surpassing the previous high of 68% set by GPT-5.5 in July 2026.

“Ten models now clear 60%, up from four in the last report, and the overall average has jumped six percentage points,” Wysopal said. “With around half of code now generated by AI, today’s results are truly encouraging.”

To draft the report, Veracode tested 18 models across four languages (Python, C#, JavaScript, and Java), and four Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) categories (CWE-89, CWE-327, CWE-80, CWE-117). Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6-Sol claimed the top spot with 73% followed by GPT-5.5 which holds 68%. In July, six of 11 models scored between 50 and 53, while today only two remain in that band, while 10 scored at least 60%. The bottom is still at 44% - 50% percent.

While the results are definitely commendable, there is a caveat. Apparently, the main driver of the overall gain was on cross-site scripting (XSS), which is arguably one of the weakest categories. XSS rose to 18% which is also the single biggest change in the dataset. According to Veracode, XSS is the “easiest vulnerability to fix through pattern recognition”, which is exactly how LLMs improve. In cases where data-flow reasoning across multiple functions is required (such as, in log injection cases, for example), LLMs continue to stall.

Low-hanging fruit

In other words, AI has just picked low-hanging fruit and called it a day. We’re not sure if we should be disappointed with this, since XSS attacks are common and the vulnerability is still present across the web.

In the report, Veracode also said that water was wet and the sky is mostly blue: it found that top-performing models cost more.

However, they said throwing money at the problem most likely isn’t the best solution: “The models that produce the most secure code are the ones that cost the most to run at scale, yet they still fail on more than one in four security tasks,” Wysopal said. “The answer should never be to use the most expensive model and hope for the best. A mid-tier model at a 60% pass rate plus Veracode scanning is more accurate, more cost-effective, and more scalable than a frontier model at 73% with no verification.”

In conclusion, the improvement is there, but “mends a small part of a larger wound”, Veracode said. Organizations should make sure they combine AI code with continuous and independent security verification that can catch what the models miss.

• Google's subsidiary Tuike Finland cleared and drained 330 hectares of forest at Muhos for a data center site
• The company failed to get the necessary environmental impact assessments completed before carrying out the felling
• A preliminary police investigation is now taking place, based on 'ambiguities and ‌shortcomings in the drainage and water management', although the results of this won't be known until 2027

A preliminary police investigation is now underway into Google's clearing of a forest in Finland to make space for an AI data center.

As The Guardian reports, the allegation is that Google's subsidiary Tuike Finland cleared and drained 330 hectares of forest at the site in Muhos before it had ensured the necessary environmental impact assessments were completed.

Yle (Finland's public broadcasting company) further reports that the police have said that the investigation is into suspected environmental damage, but the other possible charges could be added depending on its ongoing findings.

Finnish police said: "Based on preliminary information, there have been ambiguities and ‌shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the construction site of Tuike Finland ​Oy's datacentre project."

The investigation will be far from a short process, though, and won't be completed until some point in 2027.

Construction work was stopped on the data center in Muhos, and also at a second data center site at Kajaani-Otanmäki, on October 14. In both cases, the environmental assessments were apparently incomplete.

Antti Järvinen, who heads up Google Finland as country manager, apologized for the forest clearances, but said that Google had acted according to the "best understanding we had of the legislation at the time."

Analysis: the rush for AI data centers

Some 400,000 trees have reportedly been felled across both sites (250,000 of those at Muhos). As The Guardian makes clear in a separate report from last week (via Tom's Hardware), there are a lot of very unhappy Finnish people, as you might imagine.

Many of them question the building of data centers at all, and the AI gold rush that's the driving force behind this activity. There's apparently little direct benefit for the people of the country where these projects are underway, with only a small number of local jobs created. As a professor of computer science at the University of Helsinki, Jussi Kangasharju points out, "Really, for Finland, there are no benefits. They are international companies serving international customers. Datacentres ultimately have little benefit for others except the datacentre operator."

Others obviously worry about the impact on wildlife. Finnish conservationists inform us that the three-toed woodpeckers in the forest have been displaced, and The Guardian highlighted that in Otanmäki, wolves that had nowhere to go when the trees were felled ended up coming into a local village.

It will be some time before the criminal investigation is completed, as noted, but you can bet that the results are going to be closely watched.

• An AI agent was connected to a secure internal Defense Department network
• The agent was given login details to allow it to perform coding tasks, but also allowed it to bypass security controls
• The agent sent sensitive information, including the credentials, to a high-risk third party website

An Accenture contractor at the Department of Defense is in hot water over an AI agent that was given access to the Pentagon’s secure internal network.

The Claude Code agent then collected data from the network - which is used by multiple intelligence agencies - and sent it to a third-party website.

Login credentials were confirmed to have been leaked by the agent, with other controlled unclassified information potentially put at risk.

Don’t connect unauthorized agents to secure networks

According to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to Wired, “It puts all the data that’s in there at risk. There could be somebody out there with the ability to log into a secure environment without anyone knowing,” the source said.

“It’s 100 percent a national security threat and could cause irreparable harm.”

Despite Claude currently being banned from use for Defense Department staff due to Anthropic's supply chain risk designation, the Accenture employee is alleged to have given their personal Claude account access to a secure production environment in order to write and deploy code.

For two months, the AI agent had access to the secure internal network before the risk was identified and patched - but sources say once the connection was discovered it was not treated as severe or urgent by Accenture employees.

The contractor is alleged to have given the AI agent login credentials to the DoD’s Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNet) in order to allow it to write code. But in order to function properly, the AI agent also needed the internet to perform its tasks.

The login credentials give the AI agent the ability to bypass the security controls enforced by the login process, and the AI agent then sent the credentials and a map of NIPRNet to a third party website.

“We are in a conflict with Iran right now,” the source added. “It’s the worst time to be having this kind of cavalier attitude.”

Both employees and contractors for the DoD are required to report any cybersecurity incidents within 72 hours, but according to the source, the Accenture employee did not raise the alarm.

“The Department does not comment on the status of its networks or systems,” the DoD told Wired.

“We take all concerns seriously. These allegations were thoroughly and independently investigated and found to be without merit. We fully complied with our legal and contractual obligations,” an Accenture spokesperson said.

The Celebrity Traitors season 2 Finale is out tonight, and it's starting to get really, really tense.

After a tense round table saw Kenny use his double vote to banish Joanne, the traitors struck again. They left viewers baffled when they elected to kill Sharon over Michael, a decision that might prove costly.

Michael seems to have been possessed by the spirit of Sherlock Holmes now as, after weeks of him throwing out countless incorrect theories, he's correctly identified Maya and Kenny as being suspicious.

He was really piling the pressure on Maya at the round table when, under the slightest bit of heat, James Acaster cracked and confessed to his treachery.

With the faithful hot on the trail of the traitors now, who will win?

The finale airs October 30 at 8pm BST. Here's how you can watch The Celebrity Traitors online from anywhere with a VPN (75% off) and potentially for free.

Can I watch The Celebrity Traitors for free?

Yes. Faithfuls (and everybody else) in the UK can watch The Celebrity Traitors FREE of charge on BBC One and the channel's BBC iPlayer streaming platform and app. Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, episode 5, episode 6 , episode 7 along with episodes 8 & 9 are streaming now; Episode 10 — the finale — airs on Fri, Oct 30.

How to watch The Celebrity Traitors from anywhere

If you're keen to watch The Celebrity Traitors S2 but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, you can always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.

Use one of the best VPNs to watch The Celebrity Traitors 2026 (season 2) from anywhere:

Using a VPN is incredibly simple:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the US and want to view your usual UK service, you'd select a UK-based server from the list.

3. Binge the backstabbing. Head to your usual local streaming service and watch Traitors.

*SPOILERS*

In case you missed the first eight episodes, here's a quick rundown to get you up to date.

The two original Traitors were Richard E. Grant and Maya Jama. they decided to go with two very different styles of game play... Maya Jama played the game as you're meant to, while Richard E. Grant immediately told everyone he was a traitor. Unsurprisingly, he was voted out at the first Round Table.

The Traitors have since been recruiting, meaning that the line-up of backstabbers now includes James Acaster and Prof. Hannah Fry.

Those among the dead include Bella Ramsey, of The Last Of Us fame and Amol Rajan, of Amal Rajan fame.

After successfully voting out a traitor in the first round table, the faithfuls banished two of their own; Julie Hesmondhalgh and Myha'la.

Rob Beckett was murdered after a tense game of hide-and-seek, but the faithful got their revenge by banishing Traitor Prof. Hannah Fry.

Youtuber King Kenny took her place in the turret, and immediately got into the spirit of treachery. He has none of the hangups that James Acaster has about murdering, and so far seems as though he was born to be a traitor.

The traitors murdered Ross in plain sight by boring him to death, spraying 'poisonous perfume' and then making him yawn. Ross' death caused confusion, and threw a lot of suspicion onto Leigh-Anne, who didn't help her case by sporting some very villainous gloves at the round table.

It was Jerry, though, who was banished in the end. A comment made by Michael Sheen about having 'the strongest possible group of faithfuls' was what seem to put paid to Jerry's time in the castle.

Episode 8 saw Miranda murdered, which to be quite honest has ruined it for us, she was 70% of why we were still watching.

Joanne was banished at the round table by Kenny with his double-dagger. Following that, the traitors inexplicably chose to murder Sharon rather than Michael, and now Michael is really onto them.

In a completely unexpected twist, James Acaster held his hands up and openly admitted that he had been recruited as a traitor.

Read on as we explain how to watch the final episode of The Celebrity Traitors 2026 from anywhere – as well as the spinoff Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked, and the final on Friday, October 30.

Can I watch The Celebrity Traitors UK in the US?

The Celebrity Traitors (2026) will arrive on Peacock in "Q4 2026", which is not a surprise – NBC/Peacock is home to all things The Traitors. The US release date is due to be announced shortly.

If you're a UK resident who is currently across the pond, a VPN will help you tune in to your BBC. NordVPN is our recommended provider, and you can find out why with our in-depth NordVPN review.

Can I watch The Celebrity Traitors 2 in Canada?

In Canada, subscription service Crave is streaming all 6 previous episodes of The Celebrity Traitors season 2. Viewers can also chose between French and English.

Crave plans start from CA$11.99 a month and offers classic HBO series, on-demand movies and Crave originals alongside TV shows such as The Traitors Canada season 4.

Visiting Canada from the UK? Use a VPN to watch The Celebrity Traitors season 2 online – plus all the other content you'd normally stream at home.

Can I watch The Celebrity Traitors season 2 in the UK?

The Celebrity Traitors continues tonight, Friday 30 October 2026 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The series airs two nights a week on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8pm.

Visiting the UK? from Ireland Use a VPN to access your usual The Celebrity Traitors on iPlayer.

Can I watch The Celebrity Traitors 2 in Australia?

The Celebrity Traitors season two is available in Australia for free on 10.

Fans can catch up on the first 8 episodes, as well as watch new episodes at exactly the same time as they air in the UK. All you need is a 10 account, and they're completely free.

Episodes are also available on Paramount Plus.

Outside Australia? NordVPN will help you gain access to free 10 streams while you're out of the country.

Can I watch The Celebrity Traitors 2 in New Zealand?

For Kiwi viewers, The Celebrity Traitors UK season 2 will stream on ThreeNow starting October 4 – three days after it starts in the UK on BBC iPlayer.

Visiting New Zealand? Grab this VPN (75% off) now to watch all your usual British streaming services when traveling.

The Celebrity Traitors series 2 (2026) – Need to Know

The Celebrity Traitors 2 trailer

You may also enjoy watching...

• How to watch The Celebrity Traitors: Uncloaked season 2 for free
• How to watch The Traitors Ireland season 2
• The Traitors India season 2: free streams and how to watch
• Watch The Traitors: New Blood season 1 online

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• IPVanish has launched a dedicated IP, a feature reviewers have long flagged as missing.
• It gives you a fixed VPN IP address that no other user shares, with five locations at launch.
• It's aimed at people who need reliable logins and remote access, but there's a privacy trade-off to weigh up.

IPVanish has launched a dedicated IP, an optional add-on that fills one of the most noticeable gaps in its feature list.

Until now, the provider only offered shared, dynamic IP addresses. Reviewers have repeatedly pointed to the missing option as a weak spot, particularly for remote workers and small businesses, and as recently as last week, rivals were still listing it as something IPVanish couldn't do.

NordVPN and Surfshark have offered dedicated IPs for years, so the launch brings IPVanish closer in line with the best VPN services on the market.

How IPVanish's dedicated IP works

When you connect to a VPN normally, you share an IP address with everyone else on that server, and you might get a different one each session. A dedicated IP flips that: it's a unique address assigned to a single user, and it stays the same every time you connect.

This stops you from getting locked out of your accounts when service providers get suspicious of your ever-changing IP address, and you can also add it to your allowed lists for remote work networks, staging servers, or a home NAS.

The add-on launches in five locations: New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo. It supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2, and works across IPVanish's Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Android TV, Fire TV, and Apple TV apps.

You buy and manage it through the IPVanish account portal, after which it appears under a Dedicated IP tab in the app's Locations menu. You're not locked in, either. You can switch between your dedicated IP and the regular shared servers at any time, so you only use the fixed address when you need it.

The privacy trade-off

This isn't an always-on feature, however. Shared IPs let you blend into a crowd, while a dedicated IP makes it easier for trackers to build a profile of your activity.

For everyday browsing, a shared IP remains the more private choice, which makes the option to easily switch back a welcome touch. But if endless verification checks or locked accounts have been driving you up the wall, the new feature is worth a look.

It also rounds out a busy year for the provider, following the launch of Threat Protection Pro and its ongoing move to RAM-only servers by 2027.

• PS5 Bazzite Deck is a new spin on this gaming-focused version of Linux
• It allows you to boot your PS5 to a Steam Deck interface and play PC games
• You need to jailbreak your Sony console to run it (via the PS5 Linux loader), and that's a risky path to take for a number of reasons

Don't want to fork out all that cash for a Steam Machine? If you've got a PS5, you could turn it into a spin on Valve's gaming PC thanks to a custom version of a Linux distro — although the major catch is you'll need to jailbreak your console.

TechPowerUp noticed the PS5 Bazzite Deck project on GitHub, which takes this flavor of the gaming-focused Bazzite distro and adapts it for Sony's console. (Bazzite Deck is different from vanilla Bazzite, as it was built specifically for handhelds to offer an experience similar to SteamOS for the likes of the Asus ROG Ally — but without some of the headaches of running Valve's OS on that portable).

When PS5 Bazzite Deck is run on a jailbroken console, it'll boot straight into the Steam Deck interface (Steam Gaming Mode), and you can play your PC games from there.

You don't need to install the PS5 Bazzite Deck OS, either; you can just run it from a USB stick (via the PS5 Linux loader). As the developer VivaLaVent explains, when you next restart the PS5, it'll boot its own operating system again, and you'll be back at Sony's welcome hub.

So the PS5 isn't modified by running this OS as such, except for the fact that you have to jailbreak the console (then run the PS5 Linux Loader).

This project is compatible with the base PS5 and PS5 Pro consoles, and you can also switch to a desktop mode running KDE Plasma on your PS5, should you wish.

Of course, game compatibility is going to be hit-and-miss, although a gamer on Reddit observed that they've successfully run Horizon Zero Dawn, Palworld, Genshin Impact, and Rimworld — although Marvel Rivals was a non-starter.

Analysis: interesting times

I should make it very clear up front that I wouldn't recommend jailbreaking your console even as an experiment. There are potential legal ramifications (depending on where you live) with doing so, the possibility of Sony banning your account, and a whole raft of risks (including the third-party software involved, of course). So, if you do want to turn your PS5 into a take on a Steam Machine in this way, proceed at your own risk.

That said, there's an increasing amount of activity around getting the PS5 to run PC games, as you might have seen, so clearly this is something that quite a few gamers are interested in. Most notably, we've seen Playden, which is a very different way of running PC titles on a PS5, by using a compatibility layer (a custom port of Wine) to pull this off. PS5 Bazzite Deck differs in that it replaces the entire OS with a new one, as opposed to running on top of Sony's system.

By all accounts, PS5 Bazzite Deck is pretty slick. One Redditor shares their experience: "I've been using this distro for 4 days, and WOW! Seriously, it's way better than the others. There are constant updates that bring bug fixes."

The DualSense controller support is also niftily implemented by all accounts, as you can pair to both Linux and the PS5 system (saving you from unpairing when switching between the two). The controller's touchpad works like a mouse on the PS5 Bazzite Deck, and seemingly waking from sleep takes only two seconds (much faster than the PS5's normal wake time).

Another gamer on Reddit declares: "If the PS5 turns out to have been the perfect Steam Machine all along, it would be so funny."

But I refer you back to my previous advice on jailbreaking (and game compatibility). Still, this kind of modding is attention-grabbing, to say the least, and we're also seeing it in reverse, with a breakneck pace of development for PS5 emulation on the PC (very much accelerated by the use of AI, it's worth noting).

That effort is, of course, generating a ton of interest given that GTA 6 is nearly here, and indeed there are theories floating around that the work on that PS5 emulator could force Rockstar to launch the PC port much earlier than intended (before an emulated version is up and running). The rumor mill reckons we could see the PC version of GTA 6 early in 2027 as a result.

• Researchers report the first confirmed PHP2Shell compromises, targeting organizations linked to the US government
• Attackers chained PHP2Shell with a Linux privilege-escalation flaw to gain root access and persistence
• Breaches progressed from initial compromise to Active Directory attacks within minutes, underscoring patching urgency

We now have confirmation of the first successful exploits of the infamous PHP2Shell vulnerability discovered earlier this month.

The news comes courtesy of cybersecurity outfit Dream, who claim to have seen attackers breach organizations affiliated with the US government.

PHP2Shell is a name given to two critical-severity vulnerabilities found in PHP. When they were first disclosed, most of the cybersecurity community went full panic mode, given that PHP powers roughly 70% of all websites and web apps on the internet, and there was no patch at the time. The flaws allegedly enabled complete website takeover, and some government and education organizations in Europe even preemptively shut down their websites, in anticipation of mass exploitation attempts.

But after the dust settled, a strange thing happened - there were no successful attacks. Researchers were seeing attempts and probes, but no successful breaches. Amazon said it observed first attacks four days before the patch, and Cloudflare later tracked “thousands” of attempts in the 10 hours before the patch was announced. This grew to tens of thousands within an hour of disclosure, and hundreds of thousands within two hours. Now, it’s gone into the millions.

Some said exploiting the bugs was easier said than done, and that threat actors were hitting different roadblocks, including Address Space Layout Randomization, a security feature that randomly changes where a program’s code and data are stored in memory every time it runs. Still, they warned that all of that might be temporary, and that a successful hit was a question of “when”, not “if”.

Targeting firewalls

Now it seems the claims were on point, as Dream says Chinese threat actors successfully chained PHP2Shell with a Linux kernel privilege-escalation flaw against Palo Alto Networks firewalls, breaching 25 servers, some allegedly belonging to US government-affiliated organizations.

The attacks started on October 23 2026, probing firms in the US, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, and soon focused on Palo Alto Networks’ PAN-OS-powered devices, running an older, vulnerable version of the OS.

According to Dream, the crooks chained PHP2Shell with Fragnesia, a local privilege escalation flaw that allows unprivileged users to obtain root access. It was disclosed in mid-May this year and is tracked as CVE-2026-46300.

After breaking into the devices, the attackers ran some 40 custom post-exploitation scripts, Dream added.

“Within hours of compromising a US government-affiliated firewall, they had tunneled into the internal network, compromised a third server using the same PHP2Shell exploit, and launched a full Active Directory attack campaign - all through a chain that started with a single unauthenticated HTTPS request to a management interface that should never have been exposed to the internet,” the company’s report reads.

Not automated

To make matters worse, the researchers believe the attackers still have unabated access.

“The total chain - from unauthenticated HTTPS connection to persistent root webshell - completes in under 15 minutes,” Dream said. The researchers could not say what the endgame was here because that information was not found in the artifacts they retrieved. Besides the obvious, which seems to be persistent access and credential theft, the threat actors could do anything from dropping backdoors to exfiltrating sensitive information.

In the context of “Black October”, and the fact we’re seeing a significant increase in automated attacks, it is also worth mentioning that this incident was likely not AI-powered.

Dream did find evidence of AI usage but believes it was not fully automated. Claude Code was installed, as was an offensive security platform called AIscan, which was configured with Chinese AI models DeepSeek and Kimi. Furthermore, they found API keys for FOFA, a Chinese counterpart to the Shodan search engine.

With the help of FOFA, the attackers allegedly identified around 19,000 internet-connected Palo Alto Networks firewalls, which they used as a starting point for their attacks.

Via The Register

• A Kentucky man has won a religious exemption against using AI
• The ruling says he no longer has to use AI tools at work
• The man argued AI contravened his deeply held religious beliefs

If you’ve ever looked to the heavens in exasperation after being told you have to use AI at work, your prayers might soon be answered, if a Kentucky man’s example is anything to go by. That’s because he’s just been granted a “first of its kind” religious exemption from using AI after successfully arguing that it went against his beliefs.

As reported by the Religion News Service (via TomsHardware), University of Kentucky research administrator David Durman reacted with apprehension when his employer started asking its workers to use AI in their day-to-day jobs. The problem for Durman was that this would mean offloading his thinking to a machine — something which, as a humanist, went against his principles.

“The process and work involved in thinking through situations, through my work, through my ethics, through the way I handle other people, is a key component in being able to develop myself as a moral person,” Durman told RNS. “And offloading that labor, regardless of whether it’s taxing or not, is undercutting my ability to be a moral actor.”

For Durman, AI also has the potential to harm society. He stated that he advocates for and believes in human flourishing, but that “At a societal level, I think that the use of AI technology runs counter to that.”

Your belief must be sincere

Durman won his religious exemption with the help of the American Humanist Association (AHA), with AHA attorney Alexandria Huiskens saying that “This is the first of its kind at the AHA and for humanism generally to exempt those who see AI use as flying in the face of their freedom of conscience.”

Durman and the AHA based their argument on Title VII, a US federal law that grants workers exemptions in their work requirements due to religious beliefs. Although humanism — which places an emphasis on human virtue and agency — is generally considered to be non-religious, federal courts have ruled that it can be treated as a religion.

The University of Kentucky accepted Durman’s appeal, meaning he no longer has to use AI at his place of work. He does still have to meet and cooperate with his colleagues who use AI, however.

If you think this might be a quick ticket out of using AI, though, there’s a catch. Douglas Laycock, an emeritus law professor at the University of Virginia and the University of Texas, noted that your professed beliefs have to be sincere to qualify under Title VII, so you can’t just pick a religion and say that using AI violates its tenets if you don’t actually subscribe to that belief system.

Still, for those who do hold sincere religious principles and feel that AI contravenes them, there could be a new way to dodge those mandatory AI workflows whenever you head into the office.

• A big update for Google Home is rolling out
• The improvements include better support for Matter devices
• It's rolling out now for Android and iOS

It's not been the easiest of years for the Google Home app and anyone trying to use it — what with the whole Gemini switchover and everything that's gone along with it — but the smart home app is now continuing to move in the right direction with another major update for Android and iOS.

As detailed in the official changelog (via 9to5Google), the update includes a bunch of fixes for Gemini: transferring music between rooms, setting timers, and controlling YouTube TV playback should now work more reliably, with fewer "sorry, I didn't understand" responses when no voice command has been issued.

There's a new Home Premium benefits screen, and more accurate icons for Matter-controlled windows and doors on Android, including garage doors, windows, gates, blinds, and cabinets. These controls, plus those for Matter devices showing energy data, will be more specific and tailored, and less generic.

If you've got cameras set up, you get more reliable event timeline scrolling on iOS, a smoother live view on foldable phones on Android, plus improved Wi-Fi connectivity and faster night vision switching across all your Nest cameras. There are also upgrades including more accurate status light behavior on specific camera models.

Check for your update

Other fixes and improvements include online status indicators that are more reliable on iOS, spaces that load more smoothly on Android, and a number of quality tweaks to various visual layouts — including the Thread setting screen on iOS and the parental controls page on Android.

At the same time, firmware updates are rolling out for the Google TV Streamer, Nest Wi-Fi units, and Nest and Google Home speakers. Across the board you should see fewer bugs and more reliable operation, while numerous security patches have also been applied to keep your smart home devices safe.

On the speakers, there are upgrades to streaming performance, audio quality, volume tuning between paired speakers, local network discovery, Bluetooth streaming, Wi-Fi 7 compatibility, and controls for Google Meet voice controls. It's a fairly comprehensive update — though it hasn't addressed all the issues users are continuing to have.

Google says the update is rolling out now, and may take a few days to reach everyone. You should get it automatically eventually, but if you want to check manually, tap your profile picture then Manage apps and devices in the Play Store app on Android, or tap your profile picture then App Updates in the App Store on iOS.

• The Pentagon is probing a potential cyberattack on military bases that affected commissary freezers
• Numerous military bases reported malfunctions and issues with refrigeration units in August 2026
• Authorities are in contact with their French counterparts to look for similarities in a similar cyberattack that hit French supermarkets in October

Throughout August 2026, multiple military bases across the US reported issues with freezers malfunctioning and food spoiling in base commissaries.

The Pentagon has now decided to launch an investigation into whether the malfunctions were actually a coordinated cyberattack that echoes a similar recent attack against French supermarkets.

To that end, the Pentagon has confirmed it is in contact with French authorities, and a unit of the US Cyber Command is collaborating with multiple agencies including the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division’s Cyber Field Office.

Freezers set to defrost in midnight attacks

According to Reuters, six military bases reported issues with commissary freezers on social media in August, with Fort Irwin, F.E. Warren, Naval Station Newport, Columbus and Travis all confirmed to have been affected.

The attacks showed similarities to the attack on freezers in French supermarkets, with units set to defrost or temperatures turned up overnight. When commissary workers came in to start work, they found freezers full of hot, spoiled food.

“Trust us when we say it was 'spoiled,'” Fort Huachuca shared on social media.

“We are aware of speculation regarding a potential cyber incident. The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the criminal investigative arm of the DoW Office of Inspector General, is leading a joint investigation,” the Defense Department said in a statement. “For security reasons, we do not comment on ongoing law enforcement investigations.”

The brand that was targeted in the attacks on French supermarkets, Danfoss, said in a statement at the time that many of the supermarkets were running obsolete devices, or devices were running outdated firmware, making it easier for hackers to gain access.

The Internet of Things has made it easier to manage fleets of devices that traditionally would have required individual management - such as freezers and refrigerators in a supermarket - but they also make devices internet facing, creating a potential entry point for hackers.

If the firmware that governs their connectivity isn’t kept up to date, it can become vulnerable to remote takeover, with the hackers able to change settings or hijack the device.

• Watch Beat Luke Littler — Netflix (Global)
• BLOCKED? Use Norton VPN to stream from anywhere
• Premiere: Friday, October 30 at 7pm GMT / 3pm ET

A two-time world champion with 30 tournament wins to his name, Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is used to beating the best professional darts players in the world. Now the teenage sensation will face a whole new challenge as he takes on 24 ‘amateurs’ in a high-stakes showdown.

The 19-year-old will put his skills to the test in a series of one-leg shootouts against a series of talented opponents. These include women's world number three Fallon Sherrock and two of the sport’s rising stars in Mitchell Lawrie and Jayden Walker. Interesting 'amateurs' it must be said.

Each player will take on Little in a standard leg of darts, starting from 501, and if anyone manages to beat the reigning world champion, they will walk away with a staggering £501,000 in prize money.

"There’s half a million quid up for grabs; I won’t be going easy at all. I’ll be wanting to beat everyone who comes up,” said Littler. “Maybe the first few legs could be a bit nervy, but once I get going, then I don't think anyone will stop me.”

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