AM General

A diplomat says every candidate vying to become the next United Nations secretary-general has received a veto from a Security Council member during the selection process. The revelation underlines how the council's five permanent members can block contenders behind closed doors. It has drawn attention to criticism of the opaque way the world body chooses its top official.

Attention is on Spain's general election, with poll trackers following which party and candidate is most likely to form the next government and choose the prime minister. Commentators are weighing voting intentions across parties and the chances of a majority, as results remain close and coalition arithmetic looks decisive for who takes office.

Robotics startup Physical Intelligence has opened a beta of its API, giving developers access to its frontier robot foundation models. The company, which builds general-purpose control models intended to work across many different robot hardware platforms, says the beta lets engineers query its models remotely rather than deploying them locally. The move is being read as a step toward making advanced robotic manipulation capabilities available to a broader set of developers, in the way language model APIs opened up access to AI text generation.

A German robotics entrepreneur has become a billionaire and is now investing heavily in facilities designed to train and test humanoid robots, Forbes reports. The move signals growing confidence that humanoids will move from labs into commercial deployment, with dedicated training spaces likened to gyms for robots. It highlights Germany's emerging role in the global race to build general-purpose humanoid machines.

A religious sculpture titled 'Entre dos tierras' is being shared under travel and Sunday tags, presenting the artwork to a general audience. The piece, whose Spanish title means 'Between two lands', is framed as a travel and religion item rather than part of a specific news event. No further details about its location, artist or any controversy are given.

An account known for circulating leaks about unreleased products told followers it would answer questions only in general terms that day, inviting them to leave questions in the replies. It is unclear what subject the questions concern or why only vague answers would be given.

Powderfinger fans are scrambling for tickets to the band's 2027 reunion tour, with guides on how to secure seats circulating widely. The Australian rock band's comeback has driven a surge in searches and interest, as buyers seek advice on presales, registered access and sale times ahead of general onsales.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers is asking the US Supreme Court to take up a challenge brought by an online student over vaccination requirements. The case centres on whether students learning remotely can be subjected to immunisation mandates. The appeal puts the state's top lawyer squarely in a broader national debate over the limits of vaccine requirements.

Physicists have run simulations of what could happen if two wormholes collided, and the results were stranger than expected. The study explores how these hypothetical tunnels through spacetime might behave when interacting, with implications for our understanding of gravity and general relativity. Science enthusiasts are sharing the story widely.

Hindi-language study material covering environment current affairs for 2026 is circulating among Indian exam candidates preparing for recruitment tests like SSC, NTPC and GD. The material compiles important environment and general knowledge questions for the year, and aspirants are engaging with it in large numbers as competitive exam preparation ramps up across the country.

An IAS general studies coaching programme has introduced a comprehensive course on environmental ecology aimed at candidates preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2027. The course is taught by Dr. Abhishek Sir and covers the environment section of the syllabus. Aspirants are discussing the launch as many begin early preparation for the 2027 exam cycle.

An artist says a long, exhausting day left no time for a new comic page, but being in the middle of Inktober, they posted a quick drawing anyway: a peaceful sleeping roach floating in space, alongside their cat. The piece was shared with Inktober 2026 and general art tags for the community.

Rebeca Grynspan, a Costa Rican economist who leads the UN Conference on Trade and Development, is being reported as a frontrunner to become the next UN Secretary-General. Coverage is focusing on her Jewish background and her positions on Israel, as attention turns to who could succeed António Guterres in the role.

Students preparing for the RRB Junior Engineer 2026 recruitment exam are turning to a compiled set of 121 previously asked biology questions presented by Parmar Sir of the Parmar Railway coaching channel. The material has drawn strong engagement from exam candidates, who are using past-year questions to prioritise revision as preparation for the 2026 cycle picks up. Biology remains a recurring component of the general science section in RRB exams.

Governments meeting at the COP17 biodiversity summit in Yerevan, Armenia, face scrutiny over whether they are delivering on commitments to halt the destruction of nature. The UN Secretary-General has urged an end to the "war on nature", and delegates will now be pressed on whether countries are doing enough to implement the global plan to protect ecosystems and species.

A humorous false etymology is circulating claiming that 'chip' stands for 'Computer Hybrid Integrated Potato', joking that the first computer chips were made of potatoes. In reality, microchips are etched from silicon and get their name from small chips of material. The post is being shared as light wordplay amid general online interest in semiconductors.

The United States has called for the permanent abolition of the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, the body that deals with decolonization and special political matters. The demand, presented as urgent news, is circulating widely and drawing attention to what it would mean for the committee's mandate and the UN's handling of decolonization issues.

Personal finance columnist Liz Weston addresses whether relocating to a different state invalidates or changes an existing estate plan. Her answer, published via OregonLive, explores how wills, trusts and other documents generally remain valid across state lines but may need updates to reflect new state laws on taxes, probate and asset distribution, making a review advisable after a move.

US President Donald Trump held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York City. The encounter between the two leaders at the annual gathering of world leaders is drawing attention amid ongoing international focus on the war in Ukraine and US support for Kyiv.

A fitness coach known online as Coach Luke has posted new content aimed at people interested in health, fitness, nutrition and general wellness. The message consists mainly of topical tags rather than detailed advice, so no specific claim or event can be drawn from it. Beyond the tags themselves, there is no measurable discussion or engagement attached to the post.

Spanish trade unions have called a nationwide general strike for November 11 to demand action on the housing crisis and higher wages. Organisers are urging workers across the country to walk out in protest at soaring rents and the rising cost of living. The call comes as housing affordability remains one of Spain's most contentious political issues, with the strike expected to disrupt transport, services and businesses nationwide.

The UN Fourth Committee has endorsed the Security Council's position supporting autonomy as the framework for resolving the Western Sahara dispute. The move aligns the General Assembly's decolonisation committee with years of Security Council resolutions treating Morocco's autonomy plan as the basis for negotiations. Coverage highlights what supporters view as growing international recognition of Morocco's stance, while the Polisario Front and Algeria continue to reject autonomy and demand a referendum on self-determination.

Iraq's Foreign Minister held talks with the UN Deputy Secretary-General covering global economic challenges and prospects for development cooperation. The discussion reportedly focused on how international partnerships can support economic development, with the Iraqi foreign ministry publicising the meeting through its official channels.

H5N1 bird flu has been detected in dairy cattle in Washington state for the first time, and a worker exposed to the infected animals has tested positive for the virus. The cases extend the outbreak of the virus in US dairy herds and raise fresh concerns about animal-to-human transmission, though health officials continue to say the risk to the general public remains low. The development is being closely watched by pandemic and public health observers.

Residents are seeing more coyotes in suburban neighborhoods, prompting the question of whether the sightings are cause for alarm. Experts generally note that coyotes are common in urban fringe areas and usually avoid people, but advise securing trash, supervising pets, and never feeding the animals. Concerns tend to rise when coyotes lose their fear of humans or appear in daylight.

The European Commission's department for financial stability, financial markets and capital markets union, known as FISMA, has a new leadership. John Berrigan has stepped down as director-general, and Paulina Dejmek Hack has taken over the post. The change comes at a busy time for EU financial policy, with work ongoing on capital markets union, banking regulation and the bloc's response to shifting global financial conditions.

Windsor is hosting a gathering of presidents, generals and elite knights behind reinforced walls, according to a Spanish-language report. The account claims that beneath the ceremony lies suspicion: secret facilities have been destroyed with precision. No independent details about the meeting or the alleged destruction are available.

Hyundai has created a dedicated RX team to accelerate production of the Atlas humanoid robot, developed by its Boston Dynamics unit. The move signals the automaker's intent to move Atlas from demonstration stage toward manufacturing at scale, as companies race to bring general-purpose humanoids into factories and commercial use.

Rabab Fatima has arrived in Kabul to take up her role as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan. Her arrival marks the start of her mission leading UN engagement with the country's Taliban authorities at a time of ongoing concern over humanitarian needs, women's rights and international recognition. Details of her priorities have not yet been announced.

A state attorney general has secured $2.7 million in a lawsuit concerning the mishandling of customer data. Details of the defendant and the specific privacy violations have not been released in the available coverage, but the settlement underscores growing state-level enforcement around how companies collect, store and protect consumer information.

Photography tagged posts featuring close-up shots of blue wildflowers are being shared across nature and photo-of-the-day communities. The images emphasise macro and close-up techniques, and circulate alongside a wide set of English- and German-language photography hashtags. Engagement is minimal so far, with the content reaching a general nature and wildlife audience.