Global oil markets are grappling with sharp volatility as geopolitical tensions disrupt energy supply routes and spark fears of a broader economic fallout. While crude prices have surged amid the conflict in West Asia, economists say markets are still trying to assess whether the spike is a temporary reaction or the start of a more prolonged supply shock.

Speaking to ET Now, Richard Yetsenga from ANZ Group said the current reaction in oil markets appears to be largely emotional rather than purely driven by fundamentals.

“Oh, it is definitely a knee-jerk reaction. Whether it is sustained or not depends on what actually happens with the conflict. And there is this catch-22 the market is probably in. In one sense the market is saying well the fundamentals look quite poor, 20% of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, it is not operating, that is very bullish for the oil price. On the other hand, implications for the US economy from that are quite poor, inflationary pressure high, gas prices pressure on consumers, political pressure back on President Trump. Does he then back off the military action because of the impact of oil and I think the last 24-48 hours in markets you have seen both sides of this story,” Yetsenga said.

The disruption around the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints — has heightened concerns across energy-importing economies, particularly in Asia. With many countries heavily dependent on imported crude, the sudden surge in prices is already forcing governments to consider emergency responses.

Yetsenga noted that most Asian economies are particularly vulnerable because they rely heavily on imported energy.

“Well, you have talked through it right there. Apart from Malaysia, the region is a collection of oil importers and energy importers and that puts them in a very difficult position at the moment. We are only eight or nine days into this conflict, already we are talking about the release from strategic petroleum reserves at a global level, even in some individual economies and then also some sort of supply rationing and already there are challenges with diesel and jet fuel particularly in different parts of the region. This goes into if you like exhibit A) the economic impact of this is potentially quite severe if it is sustained and of course we should be worried about that, but also that economic impact is going to put pressure on the offensive side of this conflict,” he said.
Governments across the region have begun taking precautionary measures. South Korea, for instance, has discussed limits on fuel consumption, while other countries are leaning more heavily on strategic reserves to cushion the immediate supply shock.Despite the intense market speculation that the conflict could end quickly, Yetsenga remained cautious about predicting the timeline of any resolution.

“Sorry, I am not a military strategist. I am not a political expert, that is question for those sorts of people….” he said when asked about expectations of an early end to the war.

However, he acknowledged that financial markets themselves may eventually play a role in shaping political decisions.

“Look, my view is that the pressure that markets put on the administration will ultimately be a factor probably that brings this action to a conclusion. We are only eight days into this or nine days. In previous occurrences it has taken meaningfully longer than this for the Trump administration to back off. So, I think I know the endgame. But the timing honestly we should be transparent is really anybody’s guess,” Yetsenga said.

According to him, the likely outcome is a negotiated halt to hostilities once the United States declares its objectives achieved.

“Oh, the endgame is there is some sort of cessation of hostilities because the US says that we have achieved our objectives and markets will welcome that and go back to some sort of the normalcy that we had before this kicked off the week before last. But, of course, the normalcy also even this year has had Greenland and Cuba and a few other issues in there, so it is still a world which is unsettled but one in which we can be a bit more analytical about,” he added.

For investors and policymakers alike, the coming weeks will likely hinge on whether the conflict escalates further or begins to cool. Until then, energy markets — and the economies that depend on them — remain caught between geopolitical risk and hopes for a swift return to stability.

OpenAI has confirmed it is postponing the launch of an “adult mode” for ChatGPT, saying the company will instead prioritise improving the platform’s core capabilities and user experience.

The move marks a shift from earlier plans outlined by Sam Altman, who indicated last year that the artificial intelligence developer would allow certain forms of adult content on its flagship chatbot once robust age-verification systems had been introduced.

However, OpenAI has now said that development resources are being redirected toward upgrades that will benefit a broader share of the chatbot’s rapidly expanding user base.

“We’re pushing out the launch of adult mode so we can focus on work that is a higher priority for more users right now,” the company said. “That includes gains in intelligence, personality improvements, personalisation and making the experience more proactive.”

The company added that it still supported the underlying principle behind the proposed feature, allowing adult users greater freedom in how they interact with AI systems, but acknowledged that implementing it safely would require additional work.

“We still believe in the principle of treating adults like adults,” OpenAI said. “But getting the experience right will take more time.”

The decision comes at a time of intense competition in the artificial intelligence sector. Since announcing plans to loosen restrictions on ChatGPT content in late 2025, Altman has repeatedly warned that OpenAI faces a “code red” challenge from rival AI developers.

Among the most prominent competitors are Google DeepMind and Anthropic, both of which are racing to release more capable generative AI systems.

OpenAI’s focus on performance improvements reflects the escalating pressure to maintain leadership in the AI market, where advances in reasoning capability, conversational tone and personalisation are increasingly seen as key differentiators.

The company says ChatGPT now has more than 900 million users worldwide, making it one of the fastest-growing digital platforms in history. Maintaining reliability, safety and usefulness at such scale has become a central priority.

Although the launch of adult mode has been delayed, OpenAI is continuing to develop age-verification and age-prediction systems designed to ensure younger users are protected from inappropriate content.

The technology analyses usage patterns and behavioural signals to estimate whether a user may be under the age of 18. If the system determines that a user is likely to be a minor, stricter safety filters are automatically applied.

These additional safeguards limit exposure to graphic violence, explicit content and sexual role-play scenarios.

The work is also partly driven by regulatory pressures in several countries. In the UK, for example, the Online Safety Act requires platforms hosting potentially harmful or adult material to ensure that under-18s cannot access such content without effective age verification measures.

As a result, any future “adult mode” would likely need to be accompanied by robust compliance systems in multiple jurisdictions before being deployed widely.

The announcement about ChatGPT’s delayed adult mode came as OpenAI faced internal controversy following the resignation of a senior executive linked to its robotics division.

Caitlin Kalinowski stepped down after raising concerns about the company’s partnership with the United States Department of Defense.

Kalinowski said she was troubled by the potential implications of AI technologies being used in areas such as mass surveillance or autonomous weapons systems.

“AI has an important role in national security,” she wrote in a statement on social media platform X. “But surveillance of Americans without judicial oversight and lethal autonomy without human authorisation are lines that deserved more deliberation than they got.”

She emphasised that her concerns related primarily to the speed with which the deal had been announced rather than the concept of national security collaboration itself.

“These are governance concerns first and foremost,” she said. “Issues this significant require clearly defined guardrails before agreements are announced.”

In response, OpenAI said it would update the terms of its defence agreement to ensure that its technology cannot be used for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons systems.

A company spokesperson said the partnership was intended to support responsible national-security applications of AI while maintaining clear ethical boundaries.

“We believe our agreement with the Pentagon creates a workable path for responsible national security uses of AI while making clear our red lines: no domestic surveillance and no autonomous weapons,” the spokesperson said.

OpenAI added that it would continue engaging with employees, policymakers and civil society groups to ensure its technology is deployed responsibly.

The delay of ChatGPT’s adult mode reflects the broader challenge facing AI companies as they attempt to balance technological innovation, safety safeguards and regulatory compliance.

As generative AI tools become more widely used for everything from work productivity to creative expression, companies are increasingly under pressure to introduce new features carefully and responsibly.

For OpenAI, the immediate focus appears to be ensuring that ChatGPT’s core intelligence and usability continue to improve — a strategy the company believes will have a greater impact on its hundreds of millions of users than expanding the range of content the chatbot can produce.

Whether adult mode eventually launches may depend on how effectively OpenAI can implement reliable age verification and content moderation systems — a complex technical and legal challenge that is still evolving alongside the rapidly advancing capabilities of artificial intelligence.

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The upcoming Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is still months away from its official reveal, but early leaks are already looking promising for smartphone enthusiasts. Despite some minor changes, you might get your lucky shot with this flagship around August 2026. That will only happen if the company follows its usual launch timeline.

Here’s what the latest render leaks show about Pixel 11 Pro Fold’s successor.

Familiar Design With Subtle Refinements

At first glance, the leaked renders reveal a design very similar to that of its predecessor, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold. However, closer inspection reveals several small yet meaningful updates.

As Android Headlines reports, one of the most noticeable changes involves the camera module. In the updated design, the LED flash and microphone appear to be integrated within the pill-shaped oval section of the camera island, rather than being positioned outside the housing.

Additionally, the transition between the camera island and the rear panel is now smoother, replacing the previous sharper edge with a curved connection. This adjustment slightly elongates the internal oval cutouts within the camera module.

Slimmer Foldable Form Factor

Another significant improvement involves the device’s thickness. According to the leaked CAD specifications, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold may measure approximately 10.1 mm when folded, making it thinner than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold‘s 10.8 mm profile.

When unfolded, the device is expected to measure just 4.8 mm, compared with the previous model’s 5.2 mm thickness. These refinements suggest that Google is focusing on creating a sleeker and more comfortable foldable smartphone without drastically altering the device’s overall dimensions.

Tensor G6 Chip Expected to Boost Performance

GSM Arena reports that performance upgrades are also expected with the inclusion of the new Google Tensor G6 processor. The next-generation chip is rumored to deliver stronger AI capabilities, improved energy efficiency, and faster overall processing performance.

While the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has not yet been officially announced, the early leaks indicate that Google’s upcoming foldable phone could emphasize refined design, slimmer hardware, and enhanced performance when it arrives later this year.

Originally published on Tech Times

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‘Our plan for 10,000 genuinely affordable, social and council homes is building record numbers’

More than 1,500 new homes will be built across Manchester by the council, which has promised that more than one-fifth will be ‘genuinely affordable’.

The council has struck a deal with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to finance around 1,600 apartments and houses on brownfield parcels of land. While many of the homes will be available on the open market, at least 20 per cent will be let at the ‘Manchester Living Rent’, set at or below the local housing allowance level.

Seven projects will be built by This City, the council-owned property developer behind No 1 Ancoats Green, a 129-home scheme which opened last year. Council leader Bev Craig called that ‘a great start’, but wants to kick on with construction.

She said: “Our plan for 10,000 genuinely affordable, social and council homes is building record numbers. We built more last year than any year since the early 2000s.

“This partnership with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund will enable us to drive forward the work of This City to build the homes the city needs on council-owned land.

“Completing No.1 Ancoats Green last year was a great start – but this collaboration with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund provides long-term assurance that we can bring forward and deliver even more ambitious schemes.

“We already have a strong pipeline of projects in place, including the next This City development in the Northern Quarter, with further sites across Manchester. This means we are building many more homes capped at the Manchester Living Rent in the coming years .”

Town hall papers have named the seven sites where This City will build. They are Postal Street in the Northern Quarter (126 homes), Monsall Road in Harpurhey (651 homes), Grey Mare Lane in Beswick (145 homes), Hyde Road in Longsight (84 homes), Kirkmanshulme Lane also in Longsight (88 homes), Heyrod Street in Piccadilly (no figure given) and Downing Street in Ardwick (181 homes).

Construction work is expected to start on Postal Street next year, with other sites earmarked to begin in 2028, 2029, or 2030.

The projects are expected to be signed off by a meeting of the council’s executive at 3pm on Friday, March 13.

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