In this issue: Afghan AI – Surrender, Iran – GOP Plus One In Issue 2026.28, AI That Glitters, we do…
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By STAFF “Hassan and I looked at each other. Cracked up. The Hindi kid would soon learn what the British…
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By STAFF This week’s report covers political, world, cultural, market, and sci-tech news from August 7-21, 2026 This report contains…
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Russia threatens UK will face ‘consequences’ after revelation Brit-made drones striking ‘deep inside’ country– www.thesun.co.uk
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RUSSIA has accused the UK of “deliberately escalating” the war in Ukraine after British-made drones were used to strike targets for the first time.
Built by two separate British companies, the aircraft have been deployed deep in mainland Russia, destroying refineries and warehouses of online retailer Wildberries.
A statement from the Russian Embassy to the UK said the reports show “London is deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis, while hypocritically professing a desire for peace”.
“London’s actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer,” it added.
Scott Bessent urges US partners to back plans to ‘squash’ Iran economy– www.bbc.co.uk
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The Iranian economy has long been struggling under the weight of decades of international sanctions, which left it in tatters.
Earlier this year, Iran experienced weeks of protests due to the spiralling cost of living and inflation – with everyday Iranians blaming the regime for their difficulties.
Official figures show that in the 12 months to February 2026, the price of basic necessities increased by an average 60%, while food prices doubled in the same period.
At the time, Trump told demonstrators “help is on the way” as he urged them to “keep protesting”.
A little over a month later, the US joined Israel in its attack on Iran – and later implemented a blockade on Iranian ports, threatening further sanctions.
In April, the US launched a wave of sanctions on foreign banks and firms doing business with Tehran after it became apparent military operations had not led to the overthrow of Iran’s regime nor its surrender, as Trump had initially hoped.
A 1-megaton nuclear blast could prevent 97% of a city-killer asteroid from hitting Earth – The Brighter Side of News
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Scientists may have finally proved that “empty” space isn’t really empty– www.sciencedaily.com
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Astronomers may have found some of the strongest evidence yet for one of quantum mechanics’ strangest predictions: even apparently empty space can influence the way light travels.
Known as ‘vacuum birefringence’, the phenomenon was predicted nearly 90 years ago by Werner Heisenberg, one of the pioneers of quantum mechanics. His work suggested that a perfect vacuum is not truly empty. Instead, it should contain ‘virtual particles’ that briefly appear and disappear.
Researchers, including Dr. Marcus Lower from Swinburne University of Technology, investigated this long-standing quantum mystery by studying a magnetar, a rare type of neutron star that possesses the strongest magnetic fields known in the universe.
Their observations may represent the first detection of vacuum birefringence occurring within a magnetar’s extraordinarily powerful magnetic field. If confirmed, the result could give scientists a new way to investigate the quantum universe. The findings were published recently in Nature.
Democrats Make South Carolina the First Contest in 2028 Presidential Primary Calendar – The New York Times
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Trump’s DOJ and Elon Musk Think AI Has a Right to Turn People Nude – Yahoo
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Netanyahu, Kushner agree US general to verify Hamas disarmament before Israel withdraws from Gaza– www.france24.com
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US envoy Jared Kushner agreed on Monday that an American general would verify Hamas‘s disarmament, an Israeli official said, as the premier insisted there would be no pullout from Gaza until then.
The understanding marks a new attempt by President Donald Trump‘s administration to satisfy Israel after Netanyahu, facing a tough re-election fight, publicly rejected the latest part of a US plan aimed at ending the devastating Gaza war.
Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a longtime family friend of Netanyahu, met the Israeli leader in Jerusalem a day after holding rare direct talks in Egypt with Hamas, which has publicly committed itself to the plan.
Read moreKushner, Hamas delegation in Egypt for talks on Gaza peace plan
The two sides “agreed that no redeployment or reconstruction would take place in the Gaza Strip before Hamas is disarmed throughout Gaza”, a senior Israeli official told AFP.
Clamping down: China tightens exit rules– www.france24.com
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In a document published on July 31, China‘s State Council announced that, in order to “preserve national sovereignty and interests”, border control officials could require travellers to provide additional information and documents about their reasons for travelling.
Those who provide false documents or statements could be prohibited from entering or leaving the country. Chinese nationals who have “acquired travel documents by deceit” or have been involved in “exiting or entering the country illegally” could face an exit ban of between six months and three years in addition to existing punishments, according to the new rules.
The ban can also apply to citizens who have “participated in illegal activities” or “threatened national security and interests” while abroad.
The new articles also state that Chinese citizens can be prohibited from leaving the country if they “violate” regulations on the import and export of technology, and if these violations endanger China’s “industrial or technological security”.
BREAKING: Mangione defense urges NY judge to dismiss state charges under double jeopardy after federal guilty plea | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
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“New York law does not permit a person to be prosecuted and punished twice for the exact same crime under a statute that governs successive prosecutions, also known as the double jeopardy law.”
Following Luigi Mangione pleading guilty to federal charges on Friday morning, his defense has filed a motion in state court urging the judge to dismiss the charges under the state’s double jeopardy law. Mangione’s state case is currently scheduled to go to trial on September 8.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione’s attorney, spoke after the hearing, saying the plea triggers New York’s double jeopardy law. She said Mangione “has accepted full responsibility for the death of Brian Thompson.”
“Yet, he’s being prosecuted twice for the same conduct. As Luigi explained in court today, he endured years of severe, debilitating pain, following a broken back, while struggling to navigate our healthcare and health insurance systems. Like the thousands of people who have reached out since this tragedy to share their own experiences, he believed that the system had failed him and destroyed his life,” she said.
Zambia Detains Opposition Leaders Over Alleged Coup – Voice of Nigeria
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Trump calls on Iran to surrender, threatens Oman over Strait of Hormuz – Al Jazeera– news.google.com
Trump calls on Iran to surrender, threatens Oman over Strait of Hormuz – Al Jazeera– news.google.com
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- Trump calls on Iran to surrender, threatens Oman over Strait of Hormuz Al Jazeera
- As Iran Truce Expires and Options Shrivel, Trump Lashes Out The New York Times
- Trump swings hard at Oman and South Korea, but his foreign policy misses are piling up CNN
- Trump threatens to bomb US ally Oman if it ‘gets in the way’ over Iran deal BBC
- CNBC Daily Open: Markets caught between Mideast worries and AI optimism CNBC
China Sentences Evergrande’s Hui to Life for ‘Heinous’ Crime – Bloomberg.com
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US, South Korean militaries wrapping up drills early, a day after North Korea’s missile barrage– abcnews.com
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SEOUL, South Korea — The U.S. and South Korean militaries were wrapping up their annual drills six days earlier than initially scheduled on Friday in a conciliatory gesture toward North Korea, though the North said the step isn’t enough to convince it to return to talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier abruptly ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises just before they began Monday. Trump cited what he described as a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s refusal to support him over the war in Iran.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, brushed aside Trump’s overture on Wednesday, saying “the provocative, aggressive nature of the drills” won’t change only with the reduction of their duration and size.
The next day, North Korea fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea, apparently following through with its previous threat to respond to the U.S.-South Korean drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.
A research team from Penn State has claimed they’ve developed a way to use DNA as memory storage. This memory storage would use 100x less energy than current memory storage uses. This could significantly reduce the resource demand on AI Data centers. The findings were published in Advanced Publishing Materials.
One of the researchers, Kavya S. Keremane, stated “Biology and electronics are different domains. Bridging these two fields required developing an entirely new materials platform that allows them to function seamlessly together. By combining the information storage capabilities of DNA with the exceptional electronic properties of perovskite semiconductors, we created a bio-hybrid system that fundamentally changes how low-power memory devices can be designed.”
Scientists turn DNA into a memory device that uses 100x less power– www.sciencedaily.com
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DNA serves as the genetic blueprint for every living organism, but it is also an extraordinarily dense way to store information. A single gram can hold about 215 million gigabytes of data. Bringing that remarkable storage capacity into electronics could lead to more efficient data centers, faster processing and systems capable of handling increasingly complex information.
The challenge has been finding a way to make biological DNA function effectively alongside electronic materials. Penn State researchers have now developed an approach designed to overcome that incompatibility.
Colombia earthquake rescuers race to find survivors in rubble as death toll rises to at least 181– www.cbsnews.com
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Rescue workers and volunteers rushed to clear rubble as they searched for survivors in Colombia on Tuesday after the country was struck by its strongest earthquake on record.
At least 181 people died and 1,595 were injured in the earthquake, according to the country’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella.
De la Espriella said 195 people were reported missing. Civilian-run databases suggest the number of missing could be as high as 3,900. Many families posted information about loved ones online, hoping for information about their fate.
Over 1,100 homes across the country were destroyed, and over 8,300 damaged, de la Espriella said. Rescue workers and volunteers were seen clearing rubble by hand in some places.
The 7.4 magnitude quake struck cities across Colombia’s western region shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time Monday, sending panicked residents onto the streets.
FBI chief Kash Patel builds unusual law enforcement ties with China and Russia to fight global crime – India Weekly
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State Department offers $500K in grants as part of free speech push in Britain– www.foxnews.com
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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The U.S. Embassy in London is offering up to $500,000 in grants to bolster shared values between the United States and the United Kingdom, including freedom of speech, due process and limited government, but at least one British critic is rejecting the offered funding as “MAGA money meddling.”
Liberal Democrat MP Lisa Smart framed the grant as “Trump’s MAGA money meddling in democracy,” in a quote to The Guardian.
“We have a proud tradition of liberty and freedom of speech in this country,” Smart added.
That tradition, according to free speech defenders, is under threat across the pond.
Paramount weighs moving CBS News out of NYC amid merger battle with AGs Letitia James, Rob Bonta: report | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
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CBS News employs roughly 1200 people worldwide with a large portion based in the Big Apple.
Paramount CEO David Ellison is reportedly considering moving CBS News out of New York City as the company’s legal fight with its state attorney general over its proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery heats up.
Sources close to Paramount told The New York Post that moving CBS would give Elison greater leverage against the California Attorney General led coalition of 12 states looking to block the merger.
CBS News employs roughly 1,200 people worldwide with a large portion based in the Big Apple. A massive relocation would no doubt have a major impact on jobs and the city’s media industry.
One media executive familiar with Paramount’s plans said Ellison could potentially move CBS News operations to Atlanta, where CNN is headquartered. The possible relocation is being considered as part of emergency plans if Paramount’s legal fight with state officials continues long past October.
The CBS Broadcast Center in Manhattan could also be sold for billions of dollars, according to a source close to the company.
China ‘funding pro-Palestine marches in UK’ – The Telegraph
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Iran-US war latest: Tehran’s army chief tells Trump ‘we’ll break your legs’ and places $30k bounty on US soldiers– www.independent.co.uk
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An Iranian military official said on Sunday that Qatar should let an Iranian team in to investigate the fate of Iranian pilots who Tehran says are being held there, Iranian media said on Sunday. Qatar denies holding any pilots.
Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, said the air force and fact-finding team had been waiting for months to enter Qatar, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Baqerzadeh accused Qatari officials of repeatedly delaying the investigation and preventing the pilots’ return to Iran. He called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to urgently follow up on the case.
PM says death of Jason Arday is ‘a tragedy on so many levels’ – The Independent
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Premier says gun buyback ‘a price worth paying’, will fight for it at the ballot – ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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Push to oust US ambassador from Canada expands – and ‘51st state’ could take up the issue in fall– www.independent.co.uk
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How to beat an earthquake: The Colombian city where no one died – The Washington Post– news.google.com
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- How to beat an earthquake: The Colombian city where no one died The Washington Post
- Hopes fade in Colombia as more bodies recovered days after powerful quake reuters.com
- Groom-to-Be, 24, Found Dead in Rubble of Collapsed Building Days Before His Wedding People.com
- A Bright Spot in Colombia as Rescuers Free Quake Victim The New York Times
- Colombia’s earthquake tore apart this family with triplets. Only one survived cnn.com
D.C. police arrest numbers rebound amid federal surge, but operation’s effect still unclear– www.washingtontimes.com
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The first full year of President Trump’s crime crackdown in the District saw federal law enforcement agencies make thousands of arrests, with the extra manpower contributing to lower crime statistics and helping the Metropolitan Police Department apprehend the most suspects since before the pandemic.
But a clear breakdown of the 16,000 arrests during the federal surge, which began in August 2025, is unavailable. For all of 2025, Metropolitan Police recorded more than 24,000 arrests — the highest total since 2019, when nearly 28,000 suspects were apprehended.
Arrest records show that Metropolitan Police nabbed more people for weapons offenses (1,552) and traffic violations (4,537) last year than in any year listed in the department’s arrest history, which dates back to 2013 on the Open Data DC platform.
In 2011, Myanmar suspended a giant China-backed dam after public outrage; it now plans to restart a proje – The Times of India
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Myanmar announces bilateral Rohingya repatriation as ICJ genocide case continues – Jurist.org
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