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'Human role narrowing': Anthropic calls for global AI slowdown as systems could escape control
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic suggested on Thursday that a global pause on building the most powerful AI systems as the latest models are beginning to show signs they could escape human control. The San Francisco-based company, which makes the Claude family of AI models, said in a report that a worldwide slowdown in cutting-edge AI development would "likely be a good thing" - but warned that if only one company stopped, rivals would simply race ahead. "We believe it would be good for the world to have the option to slow or temporarily pause frontier AI development to enable societal structures and alignment research to keep up with the advance of the technology," it said. Getting a real pause to work would mean multiple major AI companies in multiple countries - most notably the US and China - all agreeing to stop at the same time, under rules everyone could actually verify, Anthropic said. France 24, June 5

'World-first' vaccine designed by artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence has been used to develop a "fundamentally new" type of vaccine that could protect against large swathes of viruses and prevent pandemics, say researchers. The team at the University of Cambridge say it is the first time a vaccine's key component has been designed entirely by AI and then trialled in people. The vaccine was engineered to work on all coronaviruses which would include all Covid variants as well as viruses that currently infect animals yet have the potential to start the next pandemic. The work is still in the early stages, but the team is already developing separate vaccines that could tackle flu and Ebola. Vaccines teach our bodies how to spot an infection to increase our chances of fighting it off. But some viruses are adept at changing their appearance - or mutating - so vaccines can quickly go out of date. It's why Covid and winter flu vaccines need to be regularly updated. "We're always behind," said Prof Jonathan Heeney, from the University of Cambridge, adding "what we're trying to do is get ahead of the curve" and so far ahead they could protect against new outbreaks or pandemics. BBC news, June 5

China’s clampdown on capital flight wipes billions off UK banks
Asia-focused UK financial stocks have come under pressure following reports that lenders have stopped opening Hong Kong bank accounts for clients based in China as regulators seek to limit capital flight. The South China Morning Post has reported that residents in mainland China are facing stricter limits on opening accounts offshore as Beijing “steps up its regulatory oversight on capital flows”, prompting Standard Chartered’s shares to close down 2.8 per cent, HSBC shares to lose 1.8 per cent and the insurer Prudential to close down 7.6 per cent. The report said the Shanghai branch of the Bank of East Asia has suspended the opening of Hong Kong accounts in a move that would curtail the ability of high net worth clients to move assets around the world. The Times, June 4

Rolls-Royce under fire for outsourcing parts of UK nuclear project to South Korea
Rolls-Royce is facing mounting criticism from politicians and industry figures for a decision to outsource the core parts of a multibillion-pound UK government plan for three small nuclear reactors to South Korea. The announcement by the British engineering giant, the lead investor in a consortium developing the reactors, has raised questions about whether the government’s target of 70 per cent of the project being British-made will be met. Rolls-Royce SMR’s selection of South Korea’s Doosan Enerbility to finalise designs for key components for the small nuclear reactors has triggered warnings from industry representatives that the UK is squandering a chance to build its own supply chain for the technology. Liam Byrne, Labour MP and chair of parliament’s business and trade committee, said he would be writing to ministers seeking clarification as to how Rolls-Royce’s announcement is compatible with the 70 per cent target. “This decision raises serious questions about whether the government has a credible plan to turn its commitment to ‘Buy British’ into reality,” he said. “If taxpayers are helping fund a new strategic industry, we need to understand why key contracts are going overseas and what steps are being taken to build British capability for the future.” Financial Times, June 5

Trump lawyers refuse to reveal financial information to BBC in $10bn lawsuit
US President Donald Trump’s legal team has refused to hand over financial information requested by BBC lawyers in his $10bn defamation case against the broadcaster, according to court filings seen by the FT. Trump has accused the national broadcaster of “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring” a speech in a Panorama documentary to make it appear that he encouraged people to storm the US Capitol on January 6 2021. He is seeking $10bn in damages based on allegations that the documentary caused him reputational and financial injury and had harmed “the value of his brand, properties and businesses”. In response, the BBC has sought to identify the financial impact of the documentary, including serving a subpoena on the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, which holds the president’s business interests and assets. It is managed by his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, who is the sole trustee. The BBC legal team has requested the production of financial documents that reflect its holdings and value, assets, inventories and lists of properties held. This includes information regarding almost 400 entities owned by or associated with the trust, as well as requests for tax returns, according to court filings in May. A series of filings over the past few weeks has shed light on the battle over what Trump and the trust’s lawyers are willing to reveal as part of the “discovery” phase of the legal action, even as the BBC is being forced to hand over tens of thousands of documents. Financial Times, June 5

Average person eats six times more chicken than in 1961, UN report finds
The average person eats about six times as much chicken and twice as much pork as their grandparents’ generation did, data from a UN report suggests, with global meat supply having risen fourfold in the last 60 years and expected to keep rising. The supply of poultry rose from below 3kg a person in 1961 to 17kg in 2022, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization. Pork supply doubled to 15kg a person over the same period, while beef, the most polluting food, stayed steady at 9kg. Agriculture is the second most polluting sector of the global economy. Its planet-heating emissions are forecast to rise by 7.6 per cent over the next decade, according to the FAO’s review of the science on the drivers of meat supply and demand, with livestock responsible for an estimated 80 per cent of the increase. The report found the average global meat supply rose from 25kg per person in 1961 to 47kg per person in 2022. It found that about 14 per cent of meat and milk was lost during production or wasted after reaching supermarket shelves and restaurants. The Guardian, June 5

US House delivers rebuke to Trump as it votes to halt Iran war
The US House of Representatives has passed a measure that seeks to halt President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran. The 215-208 vote, which is largely symbolic, was successful after four Republicans joined Democrats in a public show of disapproval of the war, which began in February. The vote was to adopt the war powers resolution, which requires Trump to withdraw US forces or seek congressional approval for the conflict. It is unclear how much legal force this House measure would have. The White House has dismissed the merits of the resolution, saying it is an unconstitutional attempt to restrict presidential power. But its passing is significant because it adds to the pressure on the White House to find an end to the Iran War, as petrol prices have spiked and public opposition to the war has increased. This was the fourth attempt by the House to rein in Trump's war powers. The Senate advanced a similar resolution in May but has yet to hold a full floor vote. The measure considered on Wednesday was a concurrent resolution. If it is also passed by the Republican-controlled US Senate, it would not require the president's signature, though it could be subject to a legal challenge. BBC news, June 4

Israel announces continued operations in south Lebanon - hours after renewing ceasefire
Israel's ​military will continue to carry out operations in Lebanon for the time being and will not be withdrawing from the country, Defence Minister Israel ​Katz said on Thursday, despite the announcement of a new ceasefire after US-mediated talks on Wednesday. In a statement, ⁠Katz said that Israel's military would remain in swathes of southern Lebanon it is occupying as part of what Israel's government describes as a buffer zone meant to protect northern ‌Israeli communities from Hezbollah attacks. Israel and Lebanon agreed on Wednesday to implement a ceasefire but said it would require a “complete cessation” of fire by Iran-backed Hezbollah, according to a joint statement after US-led talks in Washington. The two sides, which do not have formal diplomatic relations, also agreed to create “pilot zones” in which the Lebanese armed forces “will take exclusive control of the territory to the exclusion of all non-state actors”. France 24, June 4

UK Treasury set to take control of fighter jet spending after defence ministry mishaps
The Treasury is preparing to seize control from the Ministry of Defence of spending on a multibillion-pound fighter jet programme in an effort to ensure that the UK’s planned increase in military expenditure avoids a repeat of past cost overruns. The move comes as wrangling over the government’s delayed 10-year military funding plan enters its final phase. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce an injection of about £15bn into Britain’s military up until 2030 as part of the settlement for the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan, people familiar with the matter said. That total is a compromise between the £12bn that chancellor Rachel Reeves attempted to impose and the £18bn that defence secretary John Healey and UK military chiefs insisted was the least they could accept, the people added. The settlement is expected to include up to £6bn extra for the Global Combat Air Programme, a sixth-generation stealth fighter jet that the UK is developing alongside Italy and Japan. Financial Times, June 3

Germany suffers historic UN security council defeat
Germany has suffered a significant diplomatic defeat after failing to secure a seat on the UN security council. In a secret ballot on Wednesday, Berlin was decisively outpolled by Austria and Portugal for the two rotating slots reserved for western nations. It was the first time Germany had lost a vote for the council, delivering a severe blow to its global standing. Traditionally, Germany’s status as the second-biggest financial contributor to the UN and its reputation in parts of the world as a large European power relatively untainted by imperial overreach outside Eurasia have made it a heavyweight in the global forum. Unlike the five permanent members, Germany must compete every decade for one of the council’s 10 non-permanent seats, which are held for two-year terms. Berlin had maintained an unbroken winning streak in these periodic ballots, making Wednesday’s failure to cross the required two-thirds voting threshold an unprecedented rejection by its international peers. The Times, June 3

Elon Musk’s SpaceX pitches investors $1.78tn valuation in historic IPO
SpaceX has said it is seeking to raise as much as $86bn at a valuation of $1.78tn, as Elon Musk’s rocket, satellite and AI group prepares for the world’s biggest initial public offering. The company plans to sell 555.6mn shares at $135 apiece, raising $75bn, according to an amended IPO filing on Wednesday. The fundraising could rise to $86bn if underwriters exercise a so-called greenshoe option to sell additional shares - giving the group a market value of $1.78tn. The IPO will cement Musk’s control of two of America’s most valuable companies, SpaceX and electric-car maker Tesla, a position without modern precedent. His special class of SpaceX shares will give him control of 82 per cent of the voting power at the rocket group. SpaceX’s listing comes amid a push by Big Tech groups to raise more capital to plough into the AI race. Alphabet this week moved to raise $85bn in equity while AI lab Anthropic announced it had confidentially filed for its listing. ChatGPT maker OpenAI is also expected to unveil its IPO plans soon. Financial Times, June 3

UK to challenge EU over ‘devastating’ plans to almost halve tariff-free steel import quotas
The UK business secretary, Peter Kyle, is to raise concerns about EU plans to dramatically reduce tariff-free imports of British steel with its trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, in Brussels on Friday. The UK steel industry has previously warned of “devastating” consequences from the new quota system being planned by the EU, which will cut overall tariff-free imports from non-EU countries by 47 per cent on 2024 levels from 1 July. Kyle’s meeting comes as industry leaders on the EU side worry about retaliatory measures by the UK affecting their own sales to Britain. The UK was part of the EU’s previous steel safeguards regime but after Brexit must design its own quota and tariff regime, also from 1 July. European Steel Association Eurofer, the EU trade industry body, has already written to Šefčovič to protest that the “UK is setting new quotas for the EU at extreme low levels” with the EU only getting 9 per cent of its previous levels of hot coil imports, 4 per cent of tin mill, and 3 per cent of merchant bars. In his letter, the Eurofer director general, Axel Eggert, said that the UK’s provisional quotas would slash their exports of organic coated products by 80 per cent with rebar steel down 45 per cent and steel rails down 38 per cent. The safeguards are being introduced on both sides of the Channel as an attempt to protect their industries from competition from China. The Guardian, June 4