BAC

Sudan has two rival power structures and no recognised government. The army-backed administration controls much of the formal state apparatus, while the Rapid Support Forces exercises authority across territory it holds. Washington's position is that neither side represents legitimate constitutional governance, leaving Sudan with authorities but no internationally recognised government.

President Trump is calling on Congress to cut short its recess and return to Washington to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security, according to the White House. The appeal comes as the government shutdown continues, leaving the department partially unfunded and intensifying pressure on lawmakers to reach a deal.

Footage circulating online shows a Ukrainian Yak-52 trainer aircraft in action against a Russian attack drone, with the backseat gunner firing small arms at the drone before making an obscene gesture toward it. The clip highlights Ukraine's improvised use of light training aircraft with a rear-mounted gunner to intercept cheap Russian drones, a tactic that has drawn attention for its scrappy, low-cost approach to air defense.

Vertex Japan, a venture arm backed by Singapore state investor Temasek, has invested in Heartbeats, a startup that makes digital trading cards. The deal, reported exclusively by the Wall Street Journal, signals continued investor appetite for digital collectibles, with Vertex betting the format can appeal to fans of trading cards who want ownership that is easier to buy, sell and store online.

China has halted diesel exports and India is holding refined product back from the market, while the United States continues draining the last of its Strategic Petroleum Reserve and presses allies to open their own reserves. The moves come despite the Strait of Hormuz remaining open and Saudi Arabia pumping at high levels, prompting skepticism among commentators about official explanations for the fuel squeeze and growing concern over global diesel supply.

Early odds for the 2026 Super Bowl have been updated, with the Los Angeles Rams installed as favorites following the Philadelphia Eagles' comeback, while the Buffalo Bills slid down the betting board. The shake-up is drawing attention from NFL fans and bettors assessing how the new season's early results might shape February's championship race.

Mac users are discussing how turning off Apple Intelligence in macOS can reclaim a notable amount of local disk space, reportedly used for on-device AI models and caches. A tool circulating online automates removing the associated files after the feature is disabled, and commenters are debating whether Apple makes it too hard to fully opt out of the AI features and free the storage they occupy.

Donald Trump has voiced support for banning US diesel exports, according to a circulating headline. The proposal would keep more fuel domestically at a time when US consumers have faced elevated energy prices. Backers see it as a way to lower costs at home, while exporters and fuel producers warn it could disrupt refined-product markets. Details of scope and timing remain unclear.

Pizza Bot has been introduced as an open-source tool that provides an inbox for background AI agents, allowing developers to manage messages and tasks handled by autonomous software. The project is being covered by technology outlets, and interest centres on how such infrastructure could help teams coordinate agent workflows and monitor their output in production environments.

Carlos Alcaraz returned to action at the Japan Open in Tokyo, winning on day two of the tournament. The day also marked the start of what Kei Nishikori has indicated will be the final event of his career, giving the home crowd a last chance to see the Japanese former world number three compete. Highlights from the day's matches are drawing strong attention from tennis fans worldwide.

A security write-up reports that passive FTP can remain enabled on a MacBook even after an Apple Store DFU reset, with no GUI setting available to switch it off. The author documents this and other observations after having a device reset at an Apple Store, raising questions about what survives Apple's device-level restore process and how users can control it.

Orange Business has been selected to provide the European Union's backbone network for trusted data exchange. The contract positions the French telecom firm's enterprise arm at the core of the EU's digital infrastructure, supporting secure cross-border data sharing between member states. The move is being noted as a significant win for European digital sovereignty efforts.

A Republican senator's attempt to set a perjury trap for special counsel Jack Smith has backfired, according to CNN coverage drawing heavy attention. The confrontation, aimed at ensnaring the prosecutor overseeing cases involving Donald Trump, instead appears to have misfired politically. Commentators are weighing in on why the strategy failed and what it means for Republican efforts targeting Smith.

US Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed Pope Leo's appeal to protect human-made art from the spread of artificial intelligence. The Pope has argued that creativity rooted in human experience must be defended as AI-generated images, music and writing flood cultural spaces. Sanders' support gives the Vatican's message an unexpected political echo in the United States, and the alignment of a progressive lawmaker with the pontiff on technology's reach into culture is drawing attention.

Actress Gillian Anderson has responded after facing backlash for telling theatregoers that fans sitting in the front row were 'distracting' and should stop doing so. Her comments, made around her West End stage work, prompted criticism from fans and theatre audiences. Anderson has now addressed the reaction, and the exchange is being widely discussed among celebrity and theatre followers.

President Trump has reversed his long-standing opposition to mail voting, urging Republicans to cast ballots by mail as polling suggests Democrats' chances of winning control of Congress are improving. The shift reflects growing concern within his party that its past attacks on mail ballots could depress Republican turnout in the upcoming midterm elections while Democratic enthusiasm rises.

Small businesses are pushing back against widespread fatigue affecting workers and customers, according to a widely shared report. The piece highlights how some shops and entrepreneurs are adapting their practices to cope with burnout and economic strain. Viewers are reacting strongly, with engagement topping 600,000, suggesting the topic of workplace and owner exhaustion is resonating broadly.

The leader of Yemen has announced major military operations targeting the Iran-backed Houthi movement. The announcement was carried by major international outlets including Reuters and NBC News. Details on the scale, timing, and forces involved have not yet been made clear, but the move signals an escalation in Yemen's long-running conflict and in regional tensions tied to the Houthis' activities.

The United States has withdrawn all bombers deployed to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, saying in a statement that the aircraft have been redeployed to their home stations in the US. The base has regularly hosted US strategic bomber rotations, and the removal ends the current deployment, prompting questions about the timing and what it means for NATO operations.

Ethiopia's government has publicly accused the Tigray People's Liberation Front of receiving backing from Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea, claiming the TPLF and its alleged allies are working to undermine Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government. The accusation escalates tensions across the Horn of Africa and the Nile basin, where Ethiopia's relations with Cairo and Khartoum are already strained over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and regional rivalries.