Pentagon Ultimatum: Anthropic Faces Blacklist and Federal Compulsion if AI Guardrails Aren’t Dropped by Friday
25 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The U.S. Department of Defense has issued a strict ultimatum to the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, demanding that it remove its self-imposed ethical guardrails for military use by 5:01 PM on Friday, February 27, 2026. During a tense meeting at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei that the military requires unrestricted access to the company’s flagship AI model, Claude, for “all lawful purposes”. Continue reading
The Watchers Exposed: How a Single Platform Connects ChatGPT Selfies to Federal Intelligence Reports
Your Chatbot is Filing Reports to the Treasury: The Hidden Architecture of AI Surveillance
New UK ETA Scheme Grounds Dual British Nationals Traveling on Foreign Passports
Stop Guessing Your Prompts: 4 Game-Changing Lessons from the Vertex AI Prompt Optimizer
Maximizing AI Accuracy: Automating Workflows with the Vertex AI Prompt Optimizer
23 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The Vertex AI Prompt Optimizer is a tool designed to refine AI instructions automatically using ground truth data. By comparing initial outputs against high-quality examples, the system iteratively adjusts system prompts to achieve greater accuracy and consistency. The author illustrates this process through a Firebase case study, where the tool was used to transform rough video scripts into professional YouTube descriptions. Although the optimization process requires an upfront investment in time and tokens, it significantly reduces the need for manual human intervention. Ultimately, the source highlights how data-driven optimization can replace trial-and-error prompting with a more reliable, automated workflow. Continue reading
The Neurobiology of Heartache: The Shared Brain Pathways of Love Addiction, Childhood Trauma, and Prolonged Grief
24 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — This research explores the profound intersections between intense romantic love, debilitating grief, and clinical addiction. By examining these human experiences through psychological, neurobiological, and sociological lenses, a unified framework emerges: both obsessive love and prolonged grief are dysregulations of the brain’s fundamental reward and attachment systems. Continue reading
From Companions to Liabilities: Suicides Linked to AI Chatbots Spark a Legal and Regulatory Reckoning
The 2026 AI Reckoning: 5 Takeaways That Are Redefining the Future of the Internet
Feb. 24, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ – This report details how OpenAI internally questioned whether to alert authorities regarding the disturbing chat logs of a teenager who later committed a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada. Although the suspect’s account was terminated months before the attack due to violent content, the company ultimately decided her behavior did not meet the specific threshold for an emergency police referral at that time. Beyond her interactions with artificial intelligence, the perpetrator had established a concerning digital history through violent simulations on Roblox and firearms-related posts on social media. The situation has reignited a broader debate concerning the ethical responsibilities of tech companies in monitoring user data to prevent real-world tragedies. Currently, the organization is cooperating with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as investigators review the digital warning signs that preceded the event. Continue reading
Securing the Cyberspace: The Impact of Zambia’s 2025 Cyber Laws on Security and Civil Liberties
Zambia’s Digital Vault: 6 Takeaways from the New Cybersecurity Revolution
Feb. 24, 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ –Zambia is currently undergoing a rapid digital transformation characterized by the expansion of financial technology (FinTech), increased internet penetration, and a concerted government push toward a digital economy. However, this growth has been accompanied by a surge in cyber threats, including massive financial fraud, online scams, and critical data breaches. In response, the Zambian government overhauled its legal framework by enacting the Cyber Security Act (2025) and the Cyber Crimes Act (2025). While the government champions these laws as necessary for national security and child online protection, civil society and digital rights advocates warn that the legislation grants the state sweeping surveillance powers, threatening freedom of expression, privacy, and democratic participation Continue reading
Following the Money: The Unraveling of Jeffrey Epstein’s Elite Enablers
23 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — The provided sources detail the immense global fallout following a massive 2026 Department of Justice document release concerning deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Government investigations and news reports highlight how JPMorgan Chase executives reportedly ignored internal alarms to facilitate Epstein’s financial activities for nearly two decades. The materials reveal a vast network of enablers, leading to the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the resignations of prominent figures like Goldman Sachs lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler and UK Ambassador Peter Mandelson. Academic institutions like Harvard, Columbia, and UCLA are also facing internal reckonings as files expose deep ties between Epstein and various professors or donors. While the FBI maintains there is no evidence of a specific “client list” or blackmail, the documents have sparked a wave of accountability across global politics, finance, and elite social circles. Ultimately, the sources illustrate a systemic failure of high-level oversight that allowed Epstein to maintain influence long after his initial criminal convictions. Continue reading
Cartel Boss “El Mencho” Killed in Mexico, Sparking Nationwide Violence and World Cup Security Fears
The Fall of “El Mencho”: 5 Takeaways from the Chaos Reshaping Mexico
23 Feb. 2026 /Mpelembe Media — On Sunday, February 22, 2026, the long-standing pursuit of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes—the man known to the underworld and intelligence agencies alike as “El Mencho”—concluded in a violent, high-altitude end. For the Mexican military and its partners in Washington, the death of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader was the ultimate trophy of a decade-long hunt. However, as plumes of dark smoke rose over the coastal resort of Puerto Vallarta and civilians sprinted in panic through the Guadalajara International Airport, the victory felt pyrrhic. By sunset, Mexico had transitioned from a state of military triumph into what local social media and eyewitnesses described as a “war zone.”The stakes of this event transcend the borders of the criminal underworld. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than four months away and a U.S. administration that has formally declared “armed conflict” against the cartels, the fall of El Mencho is not merely a police matter; it is a global security event that threatens to reshape the Western Hemisphere. Continue reading
