Netanyahu to address the UN today with Israeli elections in mind
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the UN today during a whirlwind eight-hour trip to New York. As some of Israel’s traditional allies – including many European countries – distance themselves from the country over the war in Gaza and rising settler violence in the West Bank, Netanyahu is reportedly planning sideline meetings with leaders from countries that have continued to voice support – notably Argentine President Javier Milei, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, and Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo. Netanyahu is likely to use his UN address in part to make a campaign pitch to Israeli voters ahead of the October elections in which he’ll push back against critics of Israel, especially New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Protests are planned outside UN headquarters throughout the day. We’ll be in the room for the speech, so stay tuned for more tomorrow.
Venezuela to have elections – but when?
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez told the UN General Assembly yesterday her country should hold elections. Rodríguez herself has been in power since Washington deposed her former boss, anti-US strongman Nicolás Maduro, in January. Her sudden call for democratic accountability came after Donald Trump reportedly told her at a Tuesday bilateral meeting that Venezuela must have elections “at the end of the day.” Recent studies by local pollster Meganálisis show 75% of Venezuelans urgently want to hold a presidential vote. If the country does so, three immediate issues would arise: the timing of the vote, whether to include widely-supported opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who remains locked out of the country, and whether a legitimately elected government would honor the oil deal, struck under Rodríguez, which gives the US significant control over Venezuelan resources. Nearly 80% of Venezuelans oppose the deal.
Australia says rogue AI agent hacked its public health care site system
Australia said on Wednesday that rogue OpenAI agents had hacked the country’s public health website and accessed sensitive patient information back in June. At the time, OpenAI researchers were studying public health spending in the country, when an agent reportedly penetrated the country’s Medicare system, in which nearly all Australians are enrolled. OpenAI says it learned of the hack in August, but didn’t inform the Australians until this month, a delay that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called “unacceptable.” It’s the first known case of an AI agent breaching a government website, raising fresh concerns about privacy and the risks posed by AI tools. The announcement came just hours before executives from major AI companies – including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman – briefed the UN Security Council on the need for greater international coordination on AI governance.
