Final

• Thailand and Malaysia have qualified for the ASEAN Championship 2026 semifinals, where they will face Singapore and Vietnam respectively in two-legged ties. • Malaysia will play defending champions Vietnam, with the first leg in Kuala Lumpur on August 16 and the second in Hanoi on August 19. • Seven-time winners Thailand will travel to face Gavin Lee’s Singapore side on August 15 before returning to Bangkok for the second leg on August 18.

• Singapore advanced to the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 semi-finals following a resilient 1-1 draw against Indonesia, earning praise from coach Gavin Lee. • In other group stage action, Malaysia secured a 1-0 victory over the Philippines via a Pavithran Gunalan header, setting up a semi-final clash with defending champions Vietnam. • Thailand finished first in Group B after a 2-0 win over Myanmar, driven by penalties from Worachit Kanitsribumphen and Jehhanafee Mamah to mark their fourth consecutive victory.

• Park Chan-wook's film *No Other Choice* was notably absent from the nominations for the 98th Academy Awards. • Despite being considered one of the biggest snubs of the 2025 awards season, the film is now finding a new audience via streaming platforms. • The lack of Oscar recognition highlights the ongoing tension and competition between traditional cinema and streaming hits during awards cycles.

• The U.S. Senate concluded its final session on Friday, rushing through a series of critical votes before beginning a weeks-long late-summer recess. • A key achievement of the session was the approval of a stopgap funding measure designed to prevent a government shutdown past the upcoming November elections. • This legislative push is strategically significant as both political parties seek to solidify their records and make their cases to voters ahead of the midterm elections.

• Singapore will face Indonesia tomorrow in their final ASEAN Hyundai Cup group stage match. • The Lions enter the game unbeaten with two wins and one draw, needing only a draw to secure a spot in the semi-finals. • Singapore will be missing midfielder Kyoga Nakamura, who is suspended after accumulating two yellow cards.

• Singapore advanced to the ASEAN football championship semi-finals after securing a draw against Indonesia on August 7, 2026. • Ilhan Fandi scored the equalizing goal, ensuring the Lions finished the group stage unbeaten with eight points from four games. • Singapore finished second in Group A behind Vietnam, maintaining a strong defensive record heading into the knockout rounds.

• PV Sindhu has a favorable path at the 2026 Badminton World Championships in New Delhi, avoiding top seeds An Se Young and Akane Yamaguchi until the semifinals. • Sindhu is projected to face China's third seed Wang Zhi Yi in the pre-quarterfinals, followed by a potential quarterfinal match against Indonesia's Putri Kusuma Wardani. • In contrast, Indian players Lakshya Sen and Ayush face significantly more challenging draws in their respective brackets.

Under the proposed agreement Tehran would control inbound traffic according to reportsUnderstanding reached on coordinates for shipping route through Hormuz, Iran saysAn Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda showed that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians. The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes, while HRW called for states to halt arm sales to Israel and put targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for ongoing crimes. Continue reading...

• On August 4, 2026, Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei reportedly issued a "final ultimatum" to President Pezeshkian. • The Supreme Leader has explicitly signaled his support for the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). • This development indicates a significant power struggle and tension between Iran's top religious leadership and its executive branch.

• The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games concluded with a fireworks-filled closing ceremony following the final day of competition. • The Isle of Man achieved a historic milestone by winning its first gold medal in 20 years, marking the final gold of the Games. • Scotland's Mel Woods was named athlete of the Games after winning the Women’s 400m T54 and the Women’s 1500m T54, the latter in a Commonwealth Games record of 3min 32.20sec.

• The White House has finalized an artificial intelligence oversight framework designed to review advanced AI models before and after their deployment. • The administration plans to brief leading AI developers on this blueprint to establish how the federal government will collaborate with the private sector. • This initiative aims to mitigate potential national security and safety risks while maintaining a "light-touch" regulatory approach to foster innovation.

• The U.S. Senate has finalized a funding patch that includes language to block President Trump's plan to install political appointees in charge of grant approvals. • The measure serves as a temporary delay rather than a permanent ban, as GOP senators successfully fought off efforts by Democrats to prohibit the rule change outright. • This conflict highlights a partisan struggle over the objectivity of the grant process and the extent of executive control over federal funding.

Review goes down to the wire after ministers speak with victims’ representatives and support servicesAndy Burnham is focused on preventing the release of child sexual abuse perpetrators as part of the government’s early release scheme, as urgent talks on which serious criminals could be exempted go down to the wire.Government ministers are understood to have 24 hours to assess which criminals can be released early to free up prison space, with every exemption weighed up against the threat of the criminal justice system’s collapse. Continue reading...

• 17-year-old Indian shuttler Tanvi Sharma has advanced to the final of the Taipei Open 2026, while fellow Indian player Unnati Hooda was eliminated in the semi-finals. • Sharma will face Vietnam's Nguyen Thuy Linh in the championship match to compete for her first BWF tournament title. • This victory is significant as Sharma previously suffered losses in the finals of the 2024 Odisha Masters and 2025 Guwahati Masters.

• A comprehensive list of theatrical releases transitioning to streaming platforms has been released for August 2026. • The guide highlights several titles, including a notable horror film recommended by Entertainment Editor Rory Mellon and Senior Streaming Writer Alix Blackburn. • This update provides a critical resource for viewers who missed the cinema window and are looking for the year's biggest hits.

The double assassination of two Scots in the Costa del Sol may have ended the war between the Lyons and the Daniels – but the crimes haven’t gone awayIt was a warm evening in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol last year when two Scottish men met a violent end.The punters of Monaghans seafront bar had barely finished watching the Nations League final on 8 June when a car pulled up outside. A masked gunman emerged and headed to the table of 46-year-old Eddie Lyons Jr, shooting him at point-blank range. The assassin turned the gun on Lyons’ friend, the bar’s owner Ross Monaghan, 43, but it jammed. Continue reading...

• Parliament has cleared a new anti-paper leak Bill aimed at preventing examination fraud, while Neeraj Chopra and other athletes overcame wind conditions to qualify for the Commonwealth Games finals. • The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged financial irregularities in the West Bengal government's relief efforts following Cyclone Amphan in 2020. • In a separate development, the government announced that participants in a specific unnamed activity will not face action, though this protection excludes individuals with criminal records.

• Political parties in Negeri Sembilan have intensified their campaign efforts in the final hours leading up to the state elections scheduled for tomorrow. • The surge in activity specifically targets undecided voters and aims to maximize voter turnout across the state. • These final maneuvers are critical as parties vie for a decisive majority in a highly competitive electoral environment.

• The European Union is shifting its approach to artificial intelligence, moving beyond digital regulatory policy to treat AI as a critical strategic priority. • Despite producing world-class research and talent, the EU lacks the computing infrastructure and growth-stage capital necessary to compete with non-European frontier AI development. • To address these gaps, Brussels is organizing a first-of-its-kind AI roundtable of national leaders to coordinate a more aggressive regional strategy.

• The European Union is shifting its approach to artificial intelligence, moving beyond digital regulation to focus on strategic development and competitiveness. • While the EU produces top-tier research and talent, it currently lacks the large-scale computing infrastructure and growth-stage capital necessary to compete with non-EU frontier AI development. • To address these gaps, Brussels is organizing a first-ever AI roundtable of national leaders to coordinate a more aggressive regional strategy.

• With only 99 days remaining until the November 3 midterm elections, Democrats and Republicans are finalizing their core campaign strategies to mobilize voters. • Democrats are focusing their messaging on economic affordability and the cost of living to attract a broad coalition of voters. • Republicans are leaning into the popularity and influence of Donald Trump to drive turnout and support their candidates.

Los Angeles prosecutors give detailed account of Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s last night Prosecutors on Monday gave a moment-by-moment account of the last night of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, showing that after a stream of text messages with the singer D4vd, her phone went permanently silent when she arrived at his home.The texts were shown in court on the fifth and probably final day of a Los Angeles hearing to determine whether he will go to trial in her killing. Continue reading...

• India achieved its strongest performance of the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Sunday, securing one gold and two other medals. • Hurdler Tejas Shirse qualified for the men's 110m hurdles final after clocking 13.76 seconds in Heat 1. • Shirse is viewed as a strong contender for the final, as his personal best and national record stand at 13.27 seconds.

• India and Pakistan have received direct entry into the quarterfinals for both the men's and women's cricket competitions at the 2026 Asian Games. • The tournaments will follow the T20 format and be hosted at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi prefecture, Japan. • Shreyas Iyer will lead the Indian men's squad, while Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the Indian women's team.

• India, captained by Shreyas Iyer, has secured direct entry into the quarter-finals of the Asian Games cricket tournament. • The competition will be held in Nagoya, Japan, utilizing the T20 format for both the men's and women's events. • Other opening matchups include Bangladesh vs. China, Sri Lanka vs. Malaysia, and Pakistan vs. Thailand, with winners advancing to the semi-finals.

• On July 24, India's campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games intensified with athletes competing across six different sports. • In swimming, RVVBK Budigina and Ali Imam successfully qualified for the men's S13 100m freestyle final. • Para powerlifting is a primary focus for the day, with seven Indian lifters competing at the SEC Armadillo in pursuit of podium finishes.

• The Guardian team has released their final tournament verdicts and awards for the 2026 World Cup, highlighting the best games, goals, and individual performances. • Key highlights include a "magical" atmosphere at the Estadio Azteca and a standout performance by Erling Haaland, who is described as "breaking America." • The coverage reflects a massive surge in soccer's popularity within the U.S., serving as a cultural reprieve during the political climate of a second Trump administration.

Marat Ganiev, 55, fails in attempt to permanently halt remaining charge of perverting the course of justice The man previously charged with killing 19-year-old Melbourne woman Isla Bell has failed in his attempt to have the final charge against him relating to her death thrown out.Marat Ganiev, 55, was initially charged with the murder of Bell, 19, after her remains were found in a bag in a Dandenong rubbish tip on 20 November 2024, about six weeks after the night police believe she died. Continue reading...