Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Australia’s election regulator has warned that artificial intelligence is making democracy harder to protect, while saying responsibility for addressing the threat does not rest with him alone. The regulator said the growing challenge posed by AI would require action beyond his own office, rather than being treated as an issue he could fix single-handedly.

The US Justice Department has ordered California to review a list of people it believes may have been sent mail-in ballots for November’s election despite not being US citizens. Acting deputy attorney general Trent McCotter gave officials 48 hours to examine the names and establish the citizenship status of each person. The list was supplied on a password-protected thumb drive. Where citizenship could not be independently confirmed, Mr McCotter instructed election officials to segregate the ballots while checks continued, rather than cancel them. He also told California officials not to issue a ballot to anyone on the list who had…

A court hearing that was due to examine Bryan Kohberger’s attempt to overturn his guilty plea for the murders of four University of Idaho students has been abruptly cancelled, with no explanation made public. Kohberger, 31, had been due to appear by video before Judge Steven Hippler on Thursday. The hearing was expected to focus on his new lawyers’ application for the judge to be removed from the case. The defence has alleged that Judge Hippler displayed bias through his handling of the proceedings, including refusing to delay the trial and making critical remarks about Kohberger during sentencing. Prosecutors have…

Koch Disruptive Technologies has made a strategic investment in Emanate, a San Francisco-based start-up developing software to automate industrial sales and account management. The value of the investment has not been disclosed. Emanate said the partnership would extend to companies owned by Koch, although neither side identified a business currently using its technology. Koch is the second-largest private company in the US, with operations spanning refineries, factories, agricultural supply chains, software and logistics. It says it generates more than $125 billion (£94 billion) in annual revenue and employs about 120,000 people across more than 50 countries. Jon Chisholm, managing director…

Chuck Lorre has said his initial doubts about casting Anna Faris in the sitcom Mom were ultimately justified, after she left the series in 2020. The showrunner makes the claim in his memoir, Sitcom, in which he recalls having “initial reluctance” about placing Faris in the leading role. “I initially said no. I wasn’t sure Anna would be appropriate for this kind of material,” Lorre writes. He says he later changed his mind after reflecting on how he had “bungled” his relationship with Charlie Sheen. That experience led him to conclude that an actor’s private life should not determine whether…

Richard Keys has criticised Manchester United’s recruitment and claimed new signing Youri Tielemans is already past his best after a difficult start at Old Trafford. The Belgium international moved to United from Aston Villa in what had appeared to be a shrewd deal, but his early performances have failed to impress. Keys used the midfielder as an example while questioning the club’s summer business. Richard Keys on Manchester United recruitment Speaking on Keys & Gray Unleashed, the former Sky Sports presenter said United had been shopping at the wrong end of the market compared with their rivals. “They shopped at…

Two 18-year-olds have died and a 20-year-old man has been injured after a family dispute escalated into a shooting in Mesquite, Texas, police said. Officers were called to the 2200 block of Amber Springs Drive shortly after midnight on Wednesday, October 14, following reports of gunfire. The incident had initially been reported at the 2800 block of Clearwater Drive, but investigators later established that the shooting took place on Amber Springs Drive. Police found two 18-year-old men suffering from gunshot wounds in the road. Both were taken to Baylor Hospital, where they later died. A third victim, a 20-year-old man,…

US influencer Ryan Pownall has claimed his reported fling with Australian OnlyFans star Annie Knight prompted her then-boyfriend Henry Brayshaw to propose just 48 hours later. Pownall made the allegation in a video shared with his 1.1 million followers, in which he described Knight as “once my girl” and appeared with her on a date in Los Angeles. The pair were shown kissing repeatedly, while Brayshaw could be seen in the background. The influencer said his involvement with Knight began in Cancun in 2025, where he claimed she suggested they meet in Los Angeles for a date. He also discussed…

The United Nations is demanding that Israel do more to stop settler violence against Palestinian farmers, as pressure mounts over the issue. The development comes alongside renewed warnings from Benjamin Netanyahu about a possible attack before Israel’s elections. Mr Netanyahu has again warned that Israel’s “enemies” are planning an assault ahead of the vote, though his opposition has dismissed the claim as a political tactic. The competing developments have placed renewed focus on both settler violence and the political tensions surrounding Israel’s elections.

Donald Trump has said “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration will begin in Greenland, despite no clear indication of which projects he was referring to and a history of failed extraction attempts on the Arctic island. The US president made the claim on Truth Social early on Wednesday, describing Greenland as “our new and beautiful Greenland”. The self-governing territory remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark and is not part of the United States. Greenland’s severe climate and limited infrastructure have repeatedly deterred companies from developing its natural resources. Previous efforts to extract rare earth minerals, oil or gas have…