Bernie Sanders urges international cooperation to curb AI’s ‘runaway train’

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek, calling for global institutions to be reformed to reflect modern geopolitical realities. • Guterres urged for stronger multilateralism and specifically demanded that the ceasefire in Gaza be respected to protect civilians.

• A recent disaster in Nepal has highlighted the practical advantages of maintaining strong diplomatic and strategic ties between Nepal, India, and China. • The event underscores how regional cooperation can provide critical support and resources during humanitarian crises, transcending political tensions.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged member states at the SCO summit to combat state-backed terrorism and eliminate "double standards" in global security. • The summit resulted in the approval of regulations for the SCO Universal Centre for Countering Security and a 2026-2030 action plan for developing regional ports and logistics centers.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif gathered for a group photo at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. • During the event, PM Modi was observed briefly exchanging words with President Xi Jinping, marking a notable interaction between the two leaders.

• A series of global meetings and diplomatic shifts have highlighted a growing fracture in international geopolitics. • The instability is primarily attributed to unpredictability in U.S. foreign policy and leadership.

• The Iranian regime is attempting to maintain control over the Strait of Hormuz by projecting a perceived threat to passing vessels. • US officials reported to Axios on August 19 that CENTCOM campaigns have successfully degraded Iran's maritime surveillance, limiting their monitoring capabilities to a few radars and Fast Attack Craft (FAC).

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for diplomacy over conflict in West Asia, emphasizing that terrorism remains a critical global challenge. • Modi urged a shift away from "action-reaction" strategies, calling for a more comprehensive approach to dismantle the global terror ecosystem.

• Geopolitical shocks and global conflicts are severely undermining Africa's climate goals by triggering widespread economic and environmental disruption. • These distant crises drive up inflation and increase the cost of energy, diverting critical funding away from vital climate resilience projects.

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) concluded its summit with a strategic goal to position itself as a global powerhouse challenging Western dominance. • Representing nearly half of the world's population, the group aims to foster a multipolar future, though the summit highlighted significant internal disagreements and divergent national interests.

Wong, 29, is accused of urging foreign powers to impose sanctions, blockades and other hostile measures against China Joshua Wong, one of Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy activists, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to conspiring to seek foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China, a national security charge that carries a maximum life sentence.Prosecutors have accused Wong, 29, of working with the exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law to urge foreign powers to impose sanctions, blockades or other hostile measures against China. Continue reading...

Human health, water supplies, nature, cities, infrastructure and economies could all be severely damaged by temperature risesGlobal heating will reach at least 1.8C under even the most optimistic future, well beyond the Paris agreement goal of 1.5C, according to a UN report that warns every fraction of temperature rise intensifies destructive extreme weather, glacier melt, ecosystem loss, and island and coastal city submersion.The report by the Nairobi-based UN Environment Programme confirmed overshooting the 1.5C goal inscribed in the landmark Paris agreement of 2015 was now “unavoidable” and, despite some progress in addressing the human-caused climate crisis driven by burning fossil fuels, likely in the next few years. Continue reading...

Matt Clifford, who drafted AI action plan and advised Starmer and Sunak, hired for senior role at US firmThe architect of the UK government’s AI strategy has joined the US startup Anthropic in a senior role a year after stepping down from his Downing Street post.Matt Clifford, a successful tech investor, was appointed as AI opportunities adviser by Keir Starmer last year but resigned from the unpaid role six months later for personal reasons. Continue reading...