Race

• Iowa Republicans in battleground House races voted to halt the war with Iran to address political pressure before the midterm elections. • The decision follows a period of soaring fuel prices and widespread public unpopularity regarding the conflict. • This shift indicates that Republicans are prioritizing voter concerns over military engagement to maintain or gain control of Congress.

• OpenAI released its latest AI model, Astra, despite previous warnings about the existential risks of artificial intelligence. • The company paused some AI training development for two weeks following a 2026 security breach at Hugging Face. • Astra was launched with limited cybersecurity capabilities to mitigate potential threats to human safety.

• A Newsweek analysis identified four close House races in Colorado, Arizona, and California that could be most affected by changes to mail-in ballot rules. • These contests in districts CO-08, AZ-01, AZ-06, and CA-22 are all listed as "Toss Up" in the September 11 Cook Political Report. • The stakes are high because mail ballots accounted for nearly 75% or more of the total turnout in these states during the general election two years ago.

• A growing group of artificial intelligence executives is calling for a slowdown in the development of the industry's most advanced models. • These leaders are raising concerns about whether rapidly evolving technology can be kept under human control or if it will eventually threaten human survival. • This push for caution has rattled financial markets as investors weigh the risks of AI development against potential growth.

Neck-and-neck with Lula in polls, Flávio Bolsonaro fires up his base in the bellwether state of Minas Gerais – starting at the scene of his father’s stabbingA giant banner of Brazil’s incarcerated former president Jair Bolsonaro fluttered in the morning breeze as his eldest son, Flávio, touched down at an airfield on the fringe of a city that will soon help decide the future of one of the biggest democracies on earth.“Brazil is rudderless. Brazil has no president and Brazil needs a president – and that president is Flávio Bolsonaro,” the far-right senator declared as he waded into the flock of supporters who had gathered to welcome him to Juiz de Fora, one of the largest cities in the battleground state of Minas Gerais. Continue reading...

• Global spending on AI security is projected to grow 68.7% next year as companies like SK Shieldus and AhnLab expand their protection services. • Gartner forecasts that total investment in AI protection will reach $4.78 billion in the coming year. • This surge in spending reflects a corporate race to secure autonomous agents, which are AI systems capable of performing tasks without constant human input.

The man who once helped Richard ‘Dirty’ Desmond save a load of tax was wheeled out to face Laura KuenssbergYou wait years for one party donation of £36m and then two come along at once. Reform can hardly believe its luck. All hail the crypto billionaires. Tacky pale turquoise suits all round. And Nigel Farage won’t have to worry about spending any of his own money – if you can call the £5m freebie his own money – on his security. Nor do those champagne and oysters lunches to discuss loose change donations of £500K from people living overseas pay for themselves. From now on Reform won’t need to bother getting out of bed for anything less than eight figures.Fair to say that if it had been Labour or the Tories trousering £72m from Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo then Reform would be on full outrage rampage. How the political system was rigged against it and how the two main parties are hotwired cash machines. In bed with the super-rich. But since the money is heading towards its own bank account, everyone in the party is totally chilled. This is just the way life ought to be. Who wouldn’t want a country where two billionaires can attempt to buy the democratic process? Continue reading...

Country heads to the polls as latest polling shows 0.3-point gap between left and right wing blocsin StockholmHej, that’s hello in Swedish, from Stockholm, where I spent this morning eating Swedish pastry and meatballs talking to voters about the country’s prospects as they cast their votes in today’s parliamentary elections. Continue reading...

• US stock market investors are preparing for a critical week centered on the Federal Reserve's upcoming decision regarding interest rates. • Market participants are monitoring retail sales data and inflation signals to determine if policymakers will keep rates unchanged or implement another increase. • The outcome will directly impact market volatility and investor sentiment as the central bank balances persistent inflation against economic health.

• Swedish political parties began their final campaign push on Saturday to attract voters ahead of the national election. • Recent opinion polls indicate a tightening race between the left-wing and right-wing political flanks. • The outcome will determine which coalition controls the government and sets the country's policy direction.

• The Social Democrats are currently leading in the polls for Sweden's upcoming election, though their advantage is narrowing. • A victory for the Social Democrat-led coalition would provide a rare win for Europe's center-left political movement. • The tightening race creates uncertainty for the Swedish government's future policy direction and the broader European political landscape.

• The BBC is canceling several television shows across its comedy, entertainment, sport, and news departments as part of a £500 million savings plan. • The corporation cut three entertainment programs in late July, including Drag Race UK and a celebrity spin-off of Mastermind. • These budget cuts reduce the variety of available content for viewers and eliminate production jobs within the entertainment sector.

• Hong Kong is falling behind Singapore in the adoption and development of artificial intelligence. • Local experts state that the city must overcome risk aversion and refine its governance frameworks to increase AI usage. • A failure to adapt could diminish Hong Kong's competitiveness as a global financial hub compared to regional rivals.

• India is joining other Asian nations like Singapore and Hong Kong in the development of tokenised bonds, which are digital versions of traditional debt securities. • The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation raised its first digitally native bonds in June, following the Hong Kong government's multi-currency digital bond sale in November last year. • A lack of secondary trading and interoperability, or the ability for different systems to communicate, could limit the growth of these markets in emerging economies.

• The EUR/USD currency pair remained steady around 1.1610 during the early Asian session on Friday. • Traders are currently analyzing a hawkish interest rate hike from the European Central Bank. • Market participants are awaiting U.S. Consumer Price Index data and trade balance reports to determine future currency movements.

• European equity markets stabilized recently following a period of selling as investors prepare for an upcoming European Central Bank decision. • U.S. stock futures rose slightly after Wall Street experienced declines driven by higher bond yields. • Market participants are now awaiting the release of Producer Price Index and Consumer Price Index data to gauge inflation trends.

• Southeast Asian nations are navigating the artificial intelligence competition between the United States and China to maximize their own economic and technological gains. • Thailand reportedly paused 166 data center projects on September 4 to establish stricter rules regarding resource use and economic benefits. • Host countries must decide how much land, electricity, and water they should trade for foreign investment to ensure local development.

The former Australian of the Year said she stood with survivors of sexual violence ‘everywhere’ and ‘no matter who they are’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGrace Tame has apologised for her comments labelling the rape of Israeli women by Hamas during the 7 October attacks as “propaganda” and “debunked”, saying her words were “misinterpreted”.The former Australian of the Year issued the apology in an Instagram video on Thursday. The comments were made in an ABC interview about Israel and Gaza in March. Continue reading...

• Asian stock markets declined on Tuesday as investors reacted to rising oil prices and anticipated upcoming U.S. inflation data. • The MSCI Asia-Pacific index fell 1 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei and South Korea's KOSPI both dropped by more than 1 per cent. • Higher oil prices, which have topped $100 per barrel, increase costs for businesses and consumers, putting downward pressure on regional equity markets.

• France's Mistral AI raised €3 billion in a funding round led by Samsung to help Europe reduce its reliance on US-based artificial intelligence platforms. • The investment represents the largest financial boost to date for European efforts to build independent AI capabilities. • This funding increases the global competition for sovereign AI, which refers to a nation's ability to produce its own AI without depending on foreign technology.

Brandon Herrera of state’s 23rd congressional district calls insults against women and unhoused people ‘jokes’A Republican candidate for a key congressional district in Texas has come under scrutiny over a series of derogatory comments made about women in his social media posts and videos.Brandon Herrera, who is the GOP candidate for Texas’s 23rd congressional district, has made a string of insults while fashioning a rightwing online persona as the “AK Guy”, and hosts a YouTube channel with more than 4 million subscribers that tests and reviews firearms. Continue reading...

• AI firms MiniMax and Zhipu AI began pursuing mainland China listings in Shanghai or Shenzhen shortly after their debuts in Hong Kong. • These companies are joining a broader group of Hong Kong-listed technology firms, including Dobot and various chip makers, seeking A-share listings. • This shift to mainland markets allows these AI companies to secure the capital necessary to fund their next growth phase.

• Mistral raised €3bn in a funding round led by Samsung, marking the largest private-tech fundraising event in European history. • The investment increases the company's valuation to €21bn, up from approximately €12bn one year ago. • This capital supports growing demand for AI in high-end manufacturing and cybersecurity for European banks following a security incident involving OpenAI and Hugging Face agents.

Centrist Chris Pappas faces progressive primary challenger Karishma Manzur while Republicans eye chance to flip seatNew Hampshire voters head to the polls Tuesday for primaries that will set up a closely watched Senate contest – a vulnerable open seat Democrats must defend if they are to have any shot at reclaiming the upper chamber.The race opened when Jeanne Shaheen, 79, the state’s three‑term incumbent Democratic senator, announced her retirement. Congressman Chris Pappas, who represents New Hampshire’s first district, is seeking the nomination and enters the final stretch with a clear financial edge: more than $4m cash on hand, according to his latest filings. But his main challenger, Dr Karishma Manzur – a scientist and progressive activist with no experience holding public office – has gained ground. Continue reading...

• European biomedical innovation is declining as clinical trials and investment shift toward other global regions. • The region previously led the world in pharmaceutical research and delivered medical advances that transformed millions of lives. • Patients in Europe are missing out on breakthrough treatments due to this loss of competitive edge in medical research.

• Singer Cara Delevingne is adopting a more provocative public image following a photoshoot for Playboy magazine and the release of a music video for her song "Crazy, Baby." • The 34-year-old artist recently shared a photo of herself posing topless in bed with her pet cat. • This shift in branding marks a transition toward more adult-oriented content for the singer's professional portfolio.

• Republicans are working to defend their majority in the US House of Representatives as 50 competitive races approach for the 2026 midterms. • Democrats need to gain three seats in these contests to reclaim control of the chamber from the Republican party. • The outcome of these specific races will determine which party holds the legislative power to pass laws and manage the federal budget.

• Voters in Saxony-Anhalt began casting ballots on Sunday in a state election where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is competing for power. • Lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund, who is 35 years old, stated that the party's rise "can no longer be stopped." • A victory would make the AfD the first far-right party to take power at the state level in Germany since World War Two.