Meta says its AI model hacked into another company during testing

• The UN Security Council met on Wednesday to evaluate the ongoing threat posed by ISIL (Dae’sh) to global peace and security. • Briefings highlighted that ISIL, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates remain "adaptive and resilient" despite international counter-terrorism efforts.

• The Israeli military has ordered residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate for the first time in weeks, alleging that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah has committed a "blatant violation" of the current ceasefire. • Diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation were disrupted, with a State Department official reporting that the second day of talks ended prematurely due to escalating events on the ground.

• President Donald Trump has initiated a high-pressure diplomatic strategy combining military threats and negotiations to resolve tensions with Tehran. • The confrontation centers on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor that serves as a defining symbol of global energy security.

• International diplomatic talks have intensified to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran and secure safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. • The situation is critical because the strait serves as a primary global artery for energy supplies, making any disruption a threat to international oil markets.

• The United States reports that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is nearing completion following "positive" diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman. • Negotiators are currently focused on expanding safe shipping lanes through the strait, although several key differences between the parties remain unresolved.

• The 75-year-old global refugee system, established by the Refugee Convention and Protocol, is facing a crisis of effectiveness as it struggles to adapt to modern geopolitical realities. • While 149 state parties officially maintain their commitment to the treaties, the author argues that these obligations are being "hollowed out" in practice.

• Professor Rodrigue Tremblay published an analysis on August 4, 2026, arguing that U.S. President Donald Trump is more corrupt and dangerous than corporate media portrayals suggest. • The piece focuses on Trump's conduct since his second inauguration on January 20, 2025, claiming his actions demonstrate a significant risk to governance.

After Ukraine failed to shoot down a single ballistic missile fired by Russia on Wednesday, the president urged allies to increase supplies of Patriot interceptorsNato is working to get Ukraine the air defences it “urgently needs”, its secretary general has said, after Kyiv failed to shoot down a single Russian missile in an attack on Wednesday, and as Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow was seeking to significantly boost missile ⁠production ahead of winter.Speaking at a National Security and Defense Council meeting on winter resilience, the Ukrainian president did not rule out the idea that stalling missile supplies from western allies were “aimed at making Ukraine, so to speak, more willing to compromise” in peace talks with Russia. Continue reading...

Burmese pythons are an invasive species in the Everglades, and the challenge is part of initiative to remove themThe winner of this year’s annual Florida Python Challenge hunted down and eliminated 96 invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades national park, as part of an initiative to remove hundreds of the snakes from the area every year.The challenge invites hunters to participate in 10 days of capturing and humanely euthanizing as many of the invasive snakes as possible across eight designated hunting locations, with the winner taking home a cash prize of $10,000. The event is hosted by Florida fish, wildlife and conservation (FWC), the south Florida water management district, the National Park Service and others. Continue reading...

Chief executive Robert Thomson says ‘crass kleptomaniac’ AI companies are ‘in possession of stolen goods’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNews Corp has reported a slight slide in digital subscriptions at its Australian mastheads, erasing recent gains, among otherwise robust financials at the Rupert Murdoch-backed global conglomerate.Digital subscribers at News Corp Australia – a division that includes the Australian, the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun, among others – fell from 1,166,000 to 1,162,000 during the financial year, according to the company’s internal data published in its full year results on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Husic to take ‘short’ period of leave after collision on Sydney motorway on TuesdayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor MP Ed Husic was hospitalised this week after his car was involved in an accident with a truck travelling on Sydney’s M7 motorway.The incident happened when the Chifley MP was travelling home from his electorate office, around 6.20pm on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson. Continue reading...