Council

• The UN Security Council received updates on Libya's deteriorating situation, characterized by a political impasse that continues to delay long-planned national elections. • Recent escalations include armed clashes and drone strikes that resulted in a major oil refinery being set ablaze, threatening critical infrastructure. • An activist warned the Council that political division and insecurity are colliding with environmental shocks, including extreme heat and water scarcity, to create a severe peace and security crisis.

• The PCI Security Standards Council is hosting its Asia-Pacific Community Meeting in Kuala Lumpur to commemorate the organization's 20th anniversary. • The gathering focuses on the evolving landscape of payment security, specifically addressing how artificial intelligence is altering the industry. • The meeting is critical as banks and merchants face emerging fraud risks driven by AI-powered threats to financial transactions.

Conservative authority says site is not safe for vulnerable people charity serves or general publicWestminster council is making it “impossible” for soup kitchens to operate by complaining about the “crowds of vulnerable people” who turn up to be fed, a charity has said.Steven Stuart, who founded Friends of Essex & London Homeless (FOELH) with his wife, Cheryl, a decade ago, said constant complaints from the council could force the soup kitchen to shut down. Continue reading...

• The UN Security Council held an open debate on Thursday to address escalating military clashes and deadly attacks in Yemen. • Recent Houthi missile strikes targeting Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping vessels have intensified regional tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict. • These developments threaten to collapse the 2022 truce between the Houthi militia and the Yemeni government, further destabilizing the region.

Vape shops in England and Wales to be subject to planning permission while betting shop law change will also apply in ScotlandCouncils are to be given powers to stop betting and vape shops taking over their high streets under new plans announced by Andy Burnham.Local authorities will be able to reject new betting shops and adult gaming centres, while vape shops will be subject to planning permission under plans Downing Street says could be in place from the start of next year. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sadiq Khan urges Westminster council to adopt ‘positive vision of economic growth’ of nightlifeSadiq Khan has ordered Westminster council to scrap a policy that would ban new pubs and bars from opening in Soho and the West End of London.This comes after the Guardian revealed the council’s new licensing policy asks pubs to stop customers from standing up while consuming beverages, which it calls “vertical drinking”. The policy is under consultation and also asks pubs to have table service rather than allowing orders at the bar. Continue reading...

• The rise of agentic AI is shifting the cybersecurity landscape from human-centric defense to a paradigm of AI vs. AI. • Traditional security frameworks are becoming obsolete because they rely on human decision-makers to investigate alerts and validate threats. • This shift matters because autonomous AI attacks significantly compress the timeline between initial detection and full exploitation, outpacing human response speeds.