Latest Developments

North America
Fortune

ChatGPT now lets you lock private chats with a PIN—but forgetting it could erase them for good

OpenAI is giving ChatGPT users a way to tuck sensitive conversations out of sight—but the new feature comes with a steep penalty if you forget your PIN. The company began rolling out locked chats on Tuesday, which let users keep selected conversations in their account while hiding them from their regular chat history, pinned chats, and conversation search. OpenAI says the feature is designed to keep sensitive conversations out of view when someone shares their screen or uses a shared device. Locked conversations move to a dedicated area under Projects > Locked chats, and opening them requires a four-digit account PIN. On supported mobile devices, users can also unlock them with Face ID, Touch ID, or their phone’s device unlock method. Users should think carefully before resetting a forgotten PIN. Doing so permanently deletes all locked chats, any memories stored only within locked chats, and files or other content protected only by the previous PIN. According to OpenAI, the deletion cannot be undone, and its support team cannot recover the content. Workspace administrators also can’t reset a user’s PIN or unlock their chats. Locking a chat changes where a conversation appears and how it’s opened—not how OpenAI handles it. According to the company, the feature doesn’t create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault, doesn’t change how long OpenAI retains the chat, and doesn’t alter a user’s “Improve the model for everyone” setting. It also doesn’t remove anything ChatGPT remembered before the conversation was locked, and it can’t override workspace policies, safety requirements, or legal and compliance obligations. In ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu workspaces, locked chats are still included in the conversation logs available through OpenAI’s Compliance Platform. Locked chats do get some separation when it comes to memory. When Memory is turned on, information from new messages sent after a chat is locked can be remembered for use in other locked chats, but it doesn’t carry over into regular conversations. The feature is rolling out gradually across ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans. On desktop, users can lock eligible conversations in the new ChatGPT app for macOS or Windows, in either Chat or Work mode. Voice works in locked chats on the web and in the iOS and Android apps where it’s available, but not in the desktop app. Not every conversation qualifies. Temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, chats created from shared links, and chats with scheduled tasks or meeting recordings can’t be locked, among others. Codex conversations and local Work conversations are also excluded, and the feature isn’t available on ChatGPT for Healthcare. Locking a chat also doesn’t delete an existing shared link. Anyone with that link can still view the previously shared content, though new messages sent while the chat is locked won’t be added. To revoke access, users need to delete the link separately. Shared links have been a privacy sore spot before: last year, OpenAI ended an option that let shared ChatGPT conversations be discovered on Google after user complaints. Files uploaded or created within a locked chat are protected along with the conversation and hidden from Space, ChatGPT’s area for saved files, until the chat is unlocked. Files that were already saved in Space before being added to the chat, however, remain available there. Locked chats keep sensitive conversations out of view, but they don’t stop OpenAI from processing them under its existing policies. Users who want to manage how their conversations are used to improve the model need to review their data controls separately.

ChatGPT now lets you lock private chats with a PIN—but forgetting it could erase them for good
Asia-Pacific
Channel NewsAsia

Thailand extends activist's jail term to more than 34 years

Arnon Nampa, a prominent activist and former human rights lawyer, flashes a three-finger salute as he arrives ahead of a Thai criminal court's verdict in a case of allegedly having insulted the monarchy, at the criminal court in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sep 26, 2023. (File photo: Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha) BANGKOK: A Thai court sentenced a leader of 2020 protests to an additional two years in jail on Friday (Oct 30), a rights group said, bringing his total term to more than 34 years. Human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa was convicted on a fresh count of lese majeste, the strict law that shields the Thai royal family from criticism but which critics say is used to muzzle dissent. Arnon rose to prominence in youth-led protests that saw tens of thousands of people take to the streets in 2020, calling for reform of the military-drafted constitution and the monarchy. The 42-year-old has been jailed since 2023 on multiple royal insult convictions linked to the protests and his social media posts. CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Arnon and four others were sentenced to two years and eight months under lese majeste, campaign group Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said in a Facebook post. Krisadang Nutcharut, a lawyer representing Arnon, confirmed the ruling to AFP, saying the charges stem from a 2020 protest in front of the Siam Commercial Bank headquarters. Three of the five sentenced on Friday were already serving separate royal insult sentences, Krisadang said, adding that Arnon's total was now more than 34 years. "It is now clear that the law has become a political tool used against opponents," he told AFP. Arnon was calling for increased transparency over a transfer of shares in Siam Commercial Bank, Thailand's oldest bank, from the Crown Property Bureau, Krisadang said. King Vajiralongkorn is the largest shareholder in SCBx, the bank's parent company, with a 23.6 per cent share, SCBx says on its website.

Thailand extends activist's jail term to more than 34 years
Asia-Pacific
Channel NewsAsia

China conducts combat readiness patrols around disputed shoal in South China Sea

China said that the patrols were a "necessary countermeasure in response to the Philippines' rights-violation and provocative acts". A satellite view of Antelope Reef in the South China Sea on Sep 25, 2026. (Photo: Vantor/Handout via Reuters) BEIJING: China's military said on Friday (Oct 30) its naval and air forces conducted combat readiness patrols around Scarborough Shoal, which has long been a flashpoint in tensions between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea. The People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, in a statement, said the patrols were a "necessary countermeasure in response to the Philippines' rights-violation and provocative acts", adding that it has strengthened such patrols this month. The Philippine embassy in Beijing and the Philippine military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tensions between China and the Philippines resurfaced at the close of a two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations defence gathering on Thursday, with Beijing accusing an unnamed Philippine politician of obstructing its participation in the event. Manila said China had been given an opportunity at the meeting to state its position. CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Related: Philippines summons China's envoy over remarks conveying 'threat' Why a remote Philippine island chain near Taiwan is drawing China’s attention China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea via a nine-dash line on its maps that cuts into parts of the exclusive economic zones of Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia. An international arbitral tribunal ruled in 2016 that China's sweeping claims have no basis under international law, a decision Beijing rejects. "Such patrols are aimed at further enhancing control and management over relevant waters and airspace, and serve as an effective countermeasure to cope with all sorts of rights-violation and provocative acts," the Chinese military said. Separately, the China Coast Guard also conducted law-enforcement patrols in the waters around the shoal on Friday, calling the activities "necessary countermeasure in response to the Philippines' rights-violation and provocative acts." Neither the Chinese military nor the China Coast Guard gave details on which Philippine actions they were referring to. Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.

China conducts combat readiness patrols around disputed shoal in South China Sea
Europe
The Guardian

Oil price rises above $115 a barrel amid fears US will renew strikes on Iran

Tensions in the Middle East have been rising, with Iran claiming to have hit commercial ships in the strait of Hormuz and Washington ordering some US diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/ReutersView image in fullscreenTensions in the Middle East have been rising, with Iran claiming to have hit commercial ships in the strait of Hormuz and Washington ordering some US diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/ReutersOilOil price rises above $115 a barrel amid fears US will renew strikes on IranBrent crude increase follows Tehran threatening retaliatory attacks on Gulf refineries and datacentres Oil has hit its highest level in more than five months as fears of fresh escalation in the Middle East conflict grip the energy markets. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, rose by 1% on Friday morning to above $115 a barrel – its highest level since May. The increase came after Tehran said it would attack oil facilities, undersea cables, datacentres and AI facilities in the Gulf region if a new US-Israeli offensive was launched against Iran. Richard Hunter, of the broker Interactive Investor, said: “Widespread reports that the US is considering renewed military strikes on Iran after the midterm elections rather than pursuing a diplomatic route was enough for the price to pop, after what many had considered would be a brief conflict is now in its eighth month.” Oil had traded at about $72 a barrel back in February, before the Iran war began, but soared to $126 a barrel by the end of April. Tensions in the region have been rising this week and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps claimed to have struck four commercial ships in the strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. The US state department ordered some diplomats and the families of US government employees to leave Saudi Arabia, which has faced continued attacks from Houthi rebels in Yemen. Susannah Streeter, the chief investment strategist at the broker Wealth Club, said fears were rising that American and Israeli forces would be ordered to launch strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure after the US elections on 3 November. She added: “At the same time, the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s facilities by Houthi rebels have intensified this week, and for ships attempting to cross the strait of Hormuz, it’s still a dangerous journey, with projectiles still being fired.” Streeter said Ukraine’s bombardment of Russian diesel refineries was also adding to supply concerns.

Oil price rises above $115 a barrel amid fears US will renew strikes on Iran
North America
Yahoo Finance

Wes Moss Says $1 Million in the S&P 500 Pays Just $12,000 a Year in Dividends. Here’s His Fix.

A million dollars in the S&P 500 generates far less dividend income than most retirees expect, and climbing toward higher yields introduces risks that only show up when markets turn ugly. Are you ahead, or behind on retirement? SmartAsset's free tool can match you with a financial advisor in minutes to help you answer that today. Each advisor has been carefully vetted, and must act in your best interests. Don't waste another minute; learn more here. This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them. Wes Moss put a hard number on a retirement problem most savers never work out. On the Clark Howard Podcast episode on September 29, 2026, he pitched a dividend “yield ladder” as an alternative to an annuity. Moss said, “The S&P 500 yield is only about 1.2%.” “On a million dollars, you’re going to get 12 grand in dividends,” Moss noted. “But if you go up the yield ladder: utility ETFs around 3%, big energy companies closer to 4 to 4.5%, REITs and closed-end funds in the 7 to 8% range,” Moss said. A retiree who parks everything in an index fund like the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) receives a small dividend stream. Any dollar beyond that must come from selling shares, even in down markets. Moss is correct on the income math. Each step up the ladder increases cash flow on his million-dollar example. Here is what that looks like if Wes Moss’s yields hold: The risk mounts with every rung. Utilities are regulated monopolies selling electricity and water, so their payouts tend to be steady. Their prices still fall when interest rates rise. Energy giants earn their dividends from oil and gas prices. When commodities collapse, payouts can be frozen or cut. REITs are required by law to pay out most of their taxable income, which inflates their yields and leaves little buffer. Closed-end funds often borrow to boost payouts. Some distributions are returns of capital, meaning part of your “income” is your own money handed back. Run a hypothetical stress test on the top rung. If REIT and fund payouts on $1 million fell by a quarter, $70,000 of income would shrink to $52,500.

Wes Moss Says $1 Million in the S&P 500 Pays Just $12,000 a Year in Dividends. Here’s His Fix.
Asia-Pacific
Channel NewsAsia

Philippines raises volcano alert level as blast sends ash skyward

Smoke billows into the sky as Mayon volcano erupts as seen from Legaspi City, Albay province, south of Manila on Oct 30, 2026. (Photo: AFP/Zarlian Sayat) MANILA: One of the Philippines' most active volcanoes fired a dark column of ash thousands of metres into the sky on Friday (Oct 30) in a "moderately explosive eruption" that lasted nearly six minutes, the state seismology office said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in towns and cities surrounding Mount Mayon, but the country's volcano institute raised the alert level from 2 to 3 on its 0-5 scale and called for evacuations within 6km of the crater. The 3,000m ash column gradually drifted southwest onto nearby population centres, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a bulletin. "Mayon is in a new phase of magmatic eruption, with increased chances of lava flows and hazardous PDCs (pyroclastic density currents) ... affecting the upper to middle slopes of the volcano in the immediate days to weeks," it said. CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less It urged local officials to evacuate areas near the crater "due to the danger of PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls and other volcanic hazards", with planes also advised to avoid flying close to the mountain. The 2,462m Mayon, rising in a near-perfect cone about 330km southeast of Manila, is one of three Philippine volcanoes that have shown elevated levels of activity this year, though no major eruptions occurred. In June 2023, more than 12,000 people living on its lower slopes were moved to evacuation centres to protect them from ash and toxic gases spewing from its crater. Earthquakes and volcanic activity are common in the Philippines due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. The country's most powerful eruption in recent decades was Mount Pinatubo in 1991, which killed more than 800 people and produced an ash cloud that travelled thousands of kilometres.

Philippines raises volcano alert level as blast sends ash skyward
Japan
Nikkei Asia

Japan's Marubeni looks to profit from bottlenecks arising from AI boom

Marubeni, one of Japan's five big trading houses, sees physical constraints for energy and resources arising from the AI boom as an opportunity for growth. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) TOKYO -- Japanese trading house Marubeni is betting on physical bottlenecks such as demand for energy and natural resources stemming from the artificial intelligence boom to drive its growth, expanding its exposure to businesses that supply and manage the power, metals and communications infrastructure needed to support rising demand for computing power.

Japan's Marubeni looks to profit from bottlenecks arising from AI boom
Asia-Pacific
The Straits Times

From ramen to $9.90 steaks: Japan Foods cuts a third of outlets but serves up profit with Steak 99

Ajisen Ramen at AMK Hub on Feb 2, 2022. This outlet has since been converted to a Steak 99 restaurant, based on Google search. SINGAPORE – Japan Foods has returned to profit after cutting nearly a third of its outlets in Singapore and turning its focus to halal dining concepts and affordable meals. The group, which operates Japanese cuisine brands including Ajisen Ramen and Yakiniku Shokudo, had 46 restaurants as at Sept 30, down from 68 a year earlier. Alongside closing weaker-performing outlets, it also converted some existing restaurants to newer concepts, including its proprietary halal Steak 99 brand. Launched in October 2025, Steak 99 had grown to 14 outlets by Sept 30. As a result, Japan Foods posted a net profit of $234,000 for the six months ended Sept 30, reversing a loss of $3.3 million a year earlier. This was despite revenue falling 18% to $30.2 million as its restaurant network shrank. In response to questions from The Straits Times, Japan Foods said its halal concepts had shown encouraging performance and growth potential. “Halal dining also allows us to cater to a broader customer base, including both Muslim and non-Muslim diners, providing opportunities to reach a wider market,” it said, adding that it would continue investing in both halal and non-halal brands. Steak 99, which serves steaks starting from $9.90 and free-flow sides, generated $9.5 million in revenue during its first half, accounting for nearly a third of group sales. Besides opening new outlets, the new brand also occupies outlets previously taken up by Ajisen Ramen restaurants, including those at Plaza Singapura, Bedok Mall and Tampines Mall. Japan Foods has also launched Wagyu Steak 99, Shabu Suki 99 and Yaki Zakana 99 under its “99” series. Each brand offers a $9.90 value menu item aimed at cost-conscious diners. The company will monitor the newer brands’ performance and customers’ response to them, in order to determine its next steps. Asked how it decides on which outlets to close and if more closures are on the cards, Japan Foods said it regularly reviews the performance of individual restaurants and brands to assess their long-term viability. This includes discontinuing weaker-performing brands and, where appropriate, terminating leases early.

From ramen to $9.90 steaks: Japan Foods cuts a third of outlets but serves up profit with Steak 99
Asia-Pacific
Channel NewsAsia

Nvidia's Huang says dealings with firm in US spy probe were 'normal': Report

He said Nvidia's relationship with Singapore-based Megaspeed International officials was proper and the company had checked that Megaspeed did not illegally divert Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during the opening ceremony of the "Invest in Germany Summit" in Berlin on Oct 19, 2026. (File photo: AP via dpa/Fabian Sommer) 30 Oct 2026 10:58AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Read a summary of this article on FAST. Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang defended the company's business with Singapore-based Megaspeed International, calling it "normal and not unusual", Bloomberg News reported on Thursday (Oct 29). Huang's comments followed a New York Times report that said a former Megaspeed executive was under US investigation for allegedly spying on behalf of China. Huang said Nvidia's relationship with Megaspeed officials was proper and the company had checked that Megaspeed did not illegally divert Nvidia artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China, Bloomberg News reported. "We've studied all their deployments of our GPUs and counted every one," Huang said in an interview with Bloomberg. The remarks followed a New York Times report that US authorities were investigating a former Megaspeed executive for allegedly providing information to the Chinese government and helping evade US chip export curbs. Huang said his interactions with the executive were typical of those with Chinese customers and executives and that the person was no longer with Megaspeed, according to the report. Nvidia has argued that smuggling of its advanced AI chips into China is not a significant issue despite US export restrictions, the report added. Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.

Nvidia's Huang says dealings with firm in US spy probe were 'normal': Report