Oct 28, 2026, 04:30 PM UTC

International efforts to regulate autonomous weapons have taken a step forward as 128 UN member states agreed on a definition for autonomous systems in Geneva, while the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross warned against crossing a moral red line by allowing machines to target humans.

Simultaneously, military AI adoption continues to advance. Concept documents from Germany's Ministry of Defence indicate that semi-autonomous systems may act independently in specific situations, though officials stress that "the decision on the use of military force remains with humans." Germany also rejected US vendor Palantir to develop its own AI data analysis platform. Meanwhile, Ukraine and NATO have jointly developed two AI applications designed to forecast enemy drone trajectories and coordinate artillery operations.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Zeit, Hartpunkt

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has urged the public to remain calm amid heightened security measures along the nation's border with Russia, emphasizing that military deployments are a preventive step against potential provocations. Nausėda noted that "it is better to observe even excessive caution" rather than react after an incident occurs.

During an extensive interview, the president also highlighted gaps in Lithuania's air defense capabilities and acknowledged delays in joint drone manufacturing initiatives with Ukraine. Nausėda further addressed internal political friction between military leadership and the Ministry of National Defense, following public backlash over a ministry event. Additionally, he discussed national disaster management after recent severe storms and called for accountability regarding child abuse allegations involving the Catholic Church.

Sources: 15min, LSM

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies and the Prosecutor General’s Office are embroiled in a severe conflict after outgoing Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko accused National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) Director Semen Kryvonos of document forgery and orchestrating a sham adoption to avoid prosecution.

NABU and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) denied that Kryvonos was formally served with charges. They described Kravchenko's statement as an attempt to obstruct ongoing inquiries into a criminal ring involving current and former lawmakers along with officials from the Office of the President.

Shortly after publishing his video statement, Kravchenko left Ukraine in an official vehicle. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy subsequently asked parliament to quickly approve Kravchenko's dismissal.

Sources: NEXTA, OCCRP, The Insider, Радіо Свобода, Українська правда.

The Ukrainian parliament has passed legislation securing native-language education rights for national minorities, receiving 266 votes in the 450-seat assembly. The measure regulates classroom instruction and official educational certification in minority languages, resolving long-standing disputes concerning the country's ethnic Hungarian community.

The legislative approval satisfies key conditions set by Budapest, which agreed to allow the opening of the second and third negotiating clusters in Ukraine’s European Union accession process following the law's adoption. Beyond advancing integration with the EU, the reform establishes a foundation for bilateral diplomatic progress and potential high-level meetings between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian leadership.

Sources: 444, HVG, Telex

French emergency services continue to tackle wildfires across southern regions, though officials report progress on several major fronts. The blaze near Montséret in the Aude department is now contained after burning 100 hectares, while a separate fire in Puilaurens remains active across 225 hectares owing to inaccessible terrain.

In the Var department, local blazes have been extinguished, yet authorities prohibited public access to seven forest massifs due to severe heat risks. Meanwhile, conditions in Gironde have stabilized, prompting Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu to schedule an August 17 visit to initiate reconstruction efforts. According to the Ministry of the Interior, wildfires have destroyed 115,000 hectares across France since the start of the year.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération, RTBF Info.