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Ukraine’s foreign minister says Russia is deliberately targeting civiliansThe Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad marks a day of mourning today after a Russian attack killed five people yesterday, with two more killed and 79 injured in total in the wider Dnipropetrovsk region.“This is another crime by Russia against peaceful people. Those who lived, worked, and raised children. Russian attacks bring death and destruction to our cities and villages,” Dnipropetrovsk governor Oleksandr Hanzha said. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Postal Service is rapidly developing a complex screening system for mail-in ballots following an executive order from President Trump. • Two dozen states and various voting organizations are challenging the order, arguing that it illegally restricts voting rights. • Concerns have emerged regarding implementation, as officials report that postal clerks have not yet been trained on how to validate or reject election mail.

Exclusive: Experts and former officials say accounts are running dry, and funding a war with no clear endgame is the main challengeDonald Trump’s war on Iran has driven the US military into a severe financial crisis, with the US navy forced to transfer money from its payroll and other sources to cover the costs of combat, according to documents obtained by the Guardian, and interviews with navy officials, contractors and defense analysts.The US-Israeli operation, which has depleted US munitions stockpiles and prompted retaliatory Iranian strikes that have wrecked strategic bases across the Middle East, is piling pressure on budgets across the military. Continue reading...

• Chinese AI firms are rapidly launching new models to close the technological gap with Silicon Valley competitors. • Moonshot AI has introduced Kimi K3, a 2.8 trillion-parameter model that currently stands as the world’s largest open AI model. • Despite this progress, a significant disparity remains in perceived quality, with Anthropic holding a 93.5% "best model" rating compared to Alibaba's 0.2% as of August 2026.

Authorities in Delaware tackle cluster with vaccination and contract tracing – but field has been weakened by cutsMeasles outbreaks are igniting throughout the United States as the nation passes the highest case count in 30 years – putting greater pressure on state and local health departments and highlighting the importance of early identification and quick action.The US has officially surpassed last year’s tally of measles cases, reaching 2,371 confirmed infections by the end of July. Those numbers have been driven by clusters in Arizona, South Carolina, and Utah – but in times of high transmission, outbreaks elsewhere become more likely. And with decreasing vaccination rates across the country, these sparks are falling on increasingly dry timber. Continue reading...

Helicopter surveillance finds dead and dying greater crested terns off South Australian coast as H5 virus spreadsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMore than 80 dead and sick birds seen on rocks off the South Australian coast are suspected to be the first mass mortality event from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, only six weeks after the disease arrived in Australia.Authorities reported on Saturday that helicopter surveillance had revealed 49 dead greater crested terns on Baudin Rocks, near Robe, as well as 35 more sick terns. Continue reading...

• Asia-Pacific executives report that AI is now deeply embedded in regional business operations and reporting, enabling professionals to shift their focus toward strategic growth. • To build trust in these tools, 75% of organizations are currently subjecting their AI models to internal audit scrutiny. • Despite the rapid adoption, leaders warn that critical areas such as data sovereignty, governance, and the risks of "shadow use" are lagging behind.