Malaysia plans to introduce a ban on social media accounts for people under 16 starting in 2026, becoming the latest country to push stricter digital age limits for children. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government aims to better protect minors from cyberbullying, online scams and sexual exploitation.
Authorities are reviewing verification methods used abroad, including electronic age checks through national ID cards or passports, though an exact enforcement date has not yet been set.
The move follows new rules introduced earlier this year, which require major digital platforms in Malaysia to obtain a licence if they have more than eight million users. Licensed services must adopt age-verification tools, content-safety measures and clearer transparency standards, part of a wider effort to create a safer online environment for young people and families.
Australia, which passed the world’s first nationwide ban on social media accounts for children under 16, is serving as a key reference point for Malaysia’s plans. The Australian law takes effect on 10 December and imposes heavy fines on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X and YouTube if they fail to prevent underage users from signing up.
The move has drawn global attention as governments grapple with the impact of social media on young audiences. Similar proposals are emerging elsewhere in Europe.
Denmark has recently announced its intention to block social media access for children under 15, while Norway is advancing legislation that would introduce a minimum age of 15 for opening social media accounts. Countries adopting such measures say stricter age limits are increasingly necessary to address growing concerns about online safety and the well-being of children.
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A national push to bring AI into public schools has moved ahead in Greece after the launch of an intensive training programme for secondary teachers.
Staff in selected institutions will receive guidance on a custom version of ChatGPT designed for academic use, with a wider rollout planned for January.
The government aims to prepare educators for an era in which AI tools support lesson planning, research and personalised teaching instead of remaining outside daily classroom practice.
Officials view the initiative as part of a broader ambition to position Greece as a technological centre, supported by partnerships with major AI firms and new infrastructure projects in Athens. Students will gain access to the system next spring under tight supervision.
Supporters argue that generative tools could help teachers reduce administrative workload and make learning more adaptive.
Concerns remain strong among pupils and educators who fear that AI may deepen an already exam-driven culture.
Many students say they worry about losing autonomy and creativity, while teachers’ unions warn that reliance on automated assistance could erode critical thinking. Others point to the risk of increased screen use in a country preparing to block social media for younger teenagers.
Teacher representatives also argue that school buildings require urgent attention instead of high-profile digital reforms. Poor heating, unreliable electricity and decades of underinvestment complicate adoption of new technologies.
Educators who support AI stress that meaningful progress depends on using such systems as tools to broaden creativity rather than as shortcuts that reinforce rote learning.
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A senior UN official has praised the Arab Digital Economy vision backed by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, calling it a leading regional model for accelerating digital development.
The initiative, adopted by the Arab League, was described as a significant milestone for collective progress, rather than fragmented national efforts.
Speaking at the Knowledge Summit in Dubai, Dr Abdallah Al Dardari noted that the UAE has secured a central position in global and regional technological advancements through forward-looking policies and a strong commitment to innovation.
He argued that the country’s digital achievements provide an ideal foundation for Arab nations aiming to strengthen their own digital ecosystems.
Moreover, he highlighted the UAE’s combination of advanced infrastructure, modern legislation and innovation-friendly conditions, adding that its experience offers valuable guidance for states working to build integrated digital economies that can respond to rapid global change.
Dr Al Dardari concluded that the UAE’s role in driving regional and international development offers a model for a future economy shaped by knowledge and technology, rather than traditional growth approaches.
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Nokia has announced a $4 billion expansion of its US research, development, and manufacturing operations to accelerate AI-ready networking technologies. The move builds on Nokia’s earlier $2.3 billion US investment via Infinera and semiconductor manufacturing plans.
The expanded investment will support mobile, fixed access, IP, optical, data centre networking, and defence solutions. Approximately $3.5 billion will be allocated for R&D, with $500 million dedicated to manufacturing and capital expenditures in Texas, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Nokia aims to advance AI-optimised networks with enhanced security, productivity, and energy efficiency. The company will also focus on automation, quantum-safe networks, semiconductor testing, and advanced material sciences to drive innovation.
Officials highlight the strategic impact of Nokia’s US investment. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick praised the plan for boosting US tech capacity, while CEO Justin Hotard said it would secure the future of AI-driven networks.
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Cyber Express reports that compromised VPN credentials are now the most common method for ransomware attackers to gain entry. In Q3 2025, nearly half of all ransomware incidents began with valid, stolen VPN logins.
The analysis, based on data from Beazley Security (the insurance arm of Beazley), reveals that threat actors are increasingly exploiting remote access tools, rather than relying solely on software exploits or phishing.
Notably, VPN misuse accounted for more initial access than social engineering, supply chain attacks or remote desktop credential compromises.
One contributing factor is that many organisations do not enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) or maintain strict access controls for VPN accounts. Cyber Express highlights that this situation underscores the ‘critical need’ for MFA and for firms to monitor for credential leaks on the dark web.
The report also mentions specific ransomware groups such as Akira, Qilin and INC, which are known to exploit compromised VPN credentials, often via brute-force attacks or credential stuffing.
From a digital-security policy standpoint, the trend has worrying implications. It shows how traditional perimeter security (like VPNs) is under pressure, and reinforces calls for zero-trust architectures, tighter access governance and proactive credentials-monitoring.
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Security researchers have confirmed that the Ultralytics YOLO library was hijacked in a supply-chain attack, where attackers injected malicious code into the PyPI-published versions 8.3.41 and 8.3.42. When installed, these versions deployed the XMRig cryptominer.
The compromise stemmed from Ultralytics’ continuous-integration workflow: by exploiting GitHub Actions, the attackers manipulated the automated build process, bypassing review and injecting cryptocurrency mining malware.
The maintainers quickly removed the malicious versions and released a clean build (8.3.43); however, newer reports suggest that further suspicious versions may have appeared.
This incident illustrates the growing risk in AI library supply chains. As open-source AI frameworks become more widely used, attackers increasingly target their build systems to deliver malware, particularly cryptominers.
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Researchers have introduced a biology foundation model that can recognise over a million species and understand relationships across the animal and plant kingdoms.
BioCLIP 2 was trained on one of the most extensive biological datasets ever compiled, allowing it to identify traits, cluster organisms and reveal patterns that support conservation efforts.
A model that relies on NVIDIA accelerated computing instead of traditional methods and demonstrates what large-scale biological learning can achieve.
Training drew on more than two hundred million images that cover hundreds of thousands of taxonomic classes. The AI model learned how species fit within wider biological hierarchies and how traits differ across age, gender and related groups without explicit guidance.
It even separated diseased leaves from healthy samples, offering a route to improved monitoring of ecosystems and agricultural resilience.
Scientists now plan to expand the project by utilising wildlife digital twins that simulate ecological systems in controlled environments.
Researchers will be able to study species interactions and test scenarios instead of disturbing natural habitats. The approach opens possibilities for richer ecological research and could offer the public immersive ways to view biodiversity from the perspective of different animals.
BioCLIP 2 is available as open-source software and has already attracted strong global interest. Its capabilities indicate a shift toward more advanced biological modelling powered by accelerated computing, providing conservationists and educators with new tools to address long-standing knowledge gaps.
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The report was unveiled in Dhaka with representatives from government, international organisations, academia, civil society and the private sector. Officials described the assessment as a pivotal step as the country prepares for an increasingly AI-driven era.
The report outlines Bangladesh’s current strengths, including solid progress in e-government and high public trust in digital services, while also identifying areas requiring urgent attention.
Connectivity gaps, digital divides, limited computing capacity and the need for stronger data protection and cybersecurity remain key challenges. Policymakers noted that evidence-based decisions are essential as Bangladesh completes its National AI Policy.
International partners highlighted that the direction of AI development will depend heavily on choices made today. Strengthening digital infrastructure, improving skills, and building rights-driven governance structures were cited as central to ensuring AI benefits all communities.
Stakeholders also stressed the importance of using AI to improve services across health, education, justice and social protection without deepening existing inequalities.
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Google has launched an AI Skilling Blueprint for Africa, activating a $7.5 million commitment to support expert local organisations in training talent. An additional $2.25 million will be used to modernise public data infrastructure.
The initiative aims to address the continent’s widening AI skills gap, where over half of businesses report the biggest barrier to growth is a shortage of qualified professionals.
The framework identifies three core groups for development. AI Learners build foundational AI skills, AI Implementers upskill professionals across key sectors, and AI Innovators develop experts and entrepreneurs to create AI solutions suited to African contexts.
Partner organisations include FATE Foundation, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, JA Africa and the CyberSafe Foundation.
Complementing talent development, the initiative supports the creation of a Regional Data Commons through funding from Google.org and the Data Commons initiative, in partnership with UNECA, UN DESA and PARIS21.
High-quality, trustworthy data will enable African institutions to make informed decisions, drive innovation in public health, food security, economic planning, and ultimately strengthen a sustainable AI ecosystem across the continent.
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The rapid expansion of AI data centres is pushing up memory chip prices and straining an already tight supply chain. DRAM costs are rising as manufacturers prioritise high-bandwidth memory for AI systems, leaving fewer components available for consumer devices.
The shift is squeezing supply across sectors that depend on standard DRAM, from PCs and smartphones to cars and medical equipment. Analysts say the imbalance is driving up component prices quickly, with Samsung reportedly raising some memory prices by as much as 60%.
Rising demand for HBM reflects the needs of AI clusters, which rely on vast memory pools alongside GPUs, CPUs and storage. But with only a handful of major suppliers, including Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, the surge is pushing prices across the market higher.
Industry researchers warn that rising memory costs will likely be passed on to consumers, especially in lower-priced laptops and embedded systems. Makers may switch to cheaper parts or push suppliers for concessions, but the overall price trend remains upward.
While memory is known for cyclical booms and busts, analysts say the global race to build AI data centres makes it difficult to predict when supply will stabilise. Until then, higher memory prices look set to remain a feature of the market.
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