Headlines: 17-23 August 2026

Saturday, 22 August 2026

Ukrainian drones kill at least 10, hit warehouse of Russian online retailer Ozon (LINK) — 22 August 2026

France to speed up missile deliveries to Ukraine amid critical air defence shortage (LINK) — 22 August 2026

Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft are hiding $3 trillion in debt on the AI boom's hidden ledger (LINK) — 22 August 2026

Ebola frontline workers missing wages as outbreak spreads 'exponentially' (LINK) — 22 August 2026

Startup is training an AI model on skin that stays alive for a month (LINK) — 22 August 2026

First-of-its-kind jellyfish museum opens in Florida, showcasing otherworldly creatures older than dinosaurs (LINK) — 22 August 2026

Friday, 21 August 2026

Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and Otunnu show biggest gains in UN SecGen poll (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— Birkett moved into first place in the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general among eight candidates so far, after the Security Council held its second secret straw poll, on Friday, Aug. 21. Uganda's Olara Otunnu gained the sharpest percentage increase support for his candidacy. Yet no nominee drew the required nine yes votes from the Council poll to fully command a lead.

Who are the eight candidates running to succeed Antonio Guterres as UN chief? (LINK) — 21 August 2026

US plans $725 million payment towards its large UN debt (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— The $725 million would be less than 20% of the more than $4 billion that the U.N. said in May that the United States owed — though Washington has said that total figure is much lower and that it has made some payments. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this year that the U.N. faced "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid contributions from member states, and the global body has brought in large budget cuts.

U.S.-Canada trade talks collapse minutes before deadline for 50% tariffs to take effect (LINK) — 21 August 2026

US judge strikes down Trump immigrant visa ban affecting 75 countries (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Paredes banned 10 games as FIFA suspends 3 Argentina players for World Cup final scuffle (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— The ban for Paredes — who grabbed Spain's Eric Garcia by the throat and pushed Gavi to the ground — ranks with the FIFA sanctions for Uruguay forward Luis Suárez in 2014 as among the most severe in World Cup history. The ban for Paredes is effectively a one-year expulsion from the Argentina team as the FIFA calendar for national team schedules includes 10 games through June 2027. Argentina defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game ban while Thiago Almada was given a one-game suspension. FIFA imposed fines of $90,000 on Paredes and Molina, and $30,000 for Almada.

Iran and its major trading partner China push back after Trump threatens 'economic D-Day' (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— China: sanctions do not "fit the interest of any party". Iranian Foreign Ministry: "a recipe for an abysmal return to full-scale classic colonialism".

Panama Canal to cut number of ships passing through due to low rainfall caused by El Niño: 32 vessels a day from 15 September, compared to 36 currently (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Russia unleashes 135 drones on Ukraine, killing 2 in Kharkiv region and injuring 6 in Sumy (LINK) — 21 August 2026

China: Two Tiananmen Square vigil organizers found guilty in Hong Kong of 'inciting subversion' (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— The defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. Sentencing is expected on a later date.

U.S.: DOJ, TikTok settle for $400 million in children's privacy suit (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Trump administration's 75-country visa ban was illegal, judge rules (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— The State Department said earlier this year that it was halting immigrant visas for citizens of Afghanistan, Brazil, Yemen and dozens of other countries because the Trump administration determined people from those nations were likely to need public assistance if they came to the United States.

California trial against Meta seeks financial damages that could soar to $1.4 trillion (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Texas slashes $50m judgment against Alex Jones over false claim Sandy Hook shooting was hoax (LINK) — 21 August 2026

— The ruling does not affect a $1.4bn judgment against Jones in Connecticut, but is a significant legal victory for Jones after he and his company, Free Speech Systems, were found liable for damages for claiming the mass shooting didn't happen. The unanimous opinion issued by the Texas third court of appeals found that Sandy Hook parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis did not show sufficient evidence that harassment enflamed by Jones's hoax claims rose to a level that would allow them to exceed the state's $750,000 cap on damages.

Apple lays off 200+ people across Vision Pro headset and Siri teams (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Rewilded land remains green amid drought-stricken English countryside, images show: National Trust's Holnicote estate says restored wetlands and rivers offer proof of resilience to drought, wildfires and flooding (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Fortune: AI productivity tools are overhyped and overfunded. Investors should look elsewhere (LINK) — 21 August 2026

I tested popular AI humanizers — and they made my writing much worse (LINK) — 21 August 2026

The best AI training costs nothing and takes 5 minutes: a weekly agenda slot, where one person shares one AI trend or one useful prompt, can build fluency faster than workshops by making training targeted, repeated, role-specific, and easy (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Taylor Swift's ex-boyfriend and RFK Jr.'s son Conor Kennedy put on Russia's most-wanted list (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan's family accuses gov't of defying hospital order: Khan was to remain there under medical care until the case was next heard on September 16: now back in jail (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Cameroon's 93-year-old president returns after 2 months abroad, raises health concerns (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Indian scientists directly date 3.5-billion-year-old evidence of life for the first time: single-cell microbial community in Bhitardari, India (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants: after France's 31 3 stars, Japan 20, Switzerland 4, UK 10 (LINK) — 16 August 2026

U.S. States vs. countries by GDP per capita: District of Columbia $277.7K, Liechtenstein $217.9K, Ireland $130.7K, New York $123.4K, 6th: Switzerland $115.6K (LINK) — 21 August 2026

Thursday, 20 August 2026

Bessent says US to impose 'toughest' ever sanctions on Iran, urges China to cooperate (LINK) — 20 August 2026

UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada condemn Israel's West Bank settlement project (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Israel plans to open up tenders for the construction of some 1,200 settlement homes in a strategically important part of the occupied West Bank.

Russian missile and drone barrage kills at least 14 in Ukraine's Kyiv region (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Moscow's fuel stations limit sales amid shortages (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

Ukraine: Russia maintains initiative on land, conducting more than 200 combat engagements each day (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Yemen's Houthis say they attacked Najran Airport, Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia has not confirmed or commented on the reported attacks (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

UAE suspends all trade and financial transactions with Iran after two ballistic missiles targeted the UAE. Iran denied firing the missiles (LINK) — 20 August 2026

US ramps up Cuba sanctions and detentions of Americans returning from the island (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— The Treasury and State departments announced Thursday that they are leveling new penalties against nine state-owned mining, metal and construction companies along with the leadership of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, or ICAP.

DR Congo to receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine effective in previous outbreaks as Ebola infections surge (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Bundibugyo virus is responsible for the current outbreak, which has so far killed 2,476 people out of the 5,208 confirmed cases.

Iran executes 21-year-old Afghan man for involvement in the deaths of four police officers in January protests, state media says: the 30th protester executed during the ongoing war and the fifth hanged in this case (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Mizan Online claimed Ghaem Hosseini was convicted "of drawing a weapon and causing fear and terror." The Norway-based Iran Human Rights group countered that "authorities have presented no evidence proving that his actions led to the death of any of the policemen."

Bangladesh elects ruling party Nationalist Party veteran Alamgir as president (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

India allows duty-free imports of 1 million metric tons of raw sugar: record-high domestic prices in the world's biggest sugar-consuming country: global sugar prices jump 4% (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Switzerland, China agree on a trade deal giving 99.8% of Swiss exports duty-free access to Beijing (LINK) — 20 August 2026

U.S.: NOAA releases fall weather predictions for all 50 states as El Niño grows stronger: most of the country is expected to see warmer-than-average weather over the next three months (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Each measles case in 2025 US outbreak cost almost $60,000, study estimates, or $134 million total: and this year's outbreak, which last week reached 2,566 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), would so far cost more than $150 million. (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Zambian police summon opposition leader for questioning the August 13 presidential election results (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

More than 2,300 Mexicans sent to Guatemala and Honduras as Trump ramps up third-country deportations (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

Honduras places 80% of country on El Niño drought alert (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

Moderna plunges 20% one day after cancer vaccine breakthrough sent shares up 177% (LINK) — 20 August 2026

PassBlue: Stark differences between the latest two nominees for UN boss: Ivonne A-Baki, an Ecuadorian backed by Tonga, and Olara Otunnu, a Ugandan diplomat and ex-UN official (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— A-Baki, 75, projected herself as an activist who would leave New York City often as UN boss to head to war zones and to insert herself directly into peace efforts to try to rebuild confidence in the UN. Otunnu, 75, said he would be a leader grounded in the UN Charter, focusing on consensus, reform of the institution and careful use of the secretary-general's "soft power".

Argentina economic activity rises 2.7% in June, above expectations: driven primarily by mining, quarrying, and fishing: public administration, electricity, and education sectors recorded declines (ground news LINK) — 20 August 2026

Elon Musk's Grok is having a hard time: reportedly malfunctioning, making it even less useful than usual. (LINK) — 21 August 2026

FBI arrests woman over alleged plot to bomb New York capitol building (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Prosecutors allege that Jessica Bowie, 35, had previously pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS). She is charged with providing material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Bowie had "repeatedly surveilled the building" in advance, and was carrying a fake bomb and a defective gun, which had been supplied to her by undercover agents, prosecutors said. Bowie, from Albany in upstate New York, had allegedly discussed her plans with FBI informants and spent weeks with agents posing as IS members.

Founder of collapsed Chinese property giant Evergrande sentenced to life in prison and all of his personal property confiscated (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Hui Ka Yan pleaded guilty in April to several charges, including embezzlement of assets and corporate bribery. Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court also fined his former companies a total of $2.35bn over multiple crimes, including falsifying records and concealing debt.

U.S.: 40,000 bottles of Clear Eyes eye drops recalled nationwide over contamination risk, FDA says (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Switzerland: Retreating glaciers are taking entire worlds with them (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Some 40% of Switzerland's glacial reserves have disappeared in the past 25 years. Two EPFL researchers describe the scope of the impact. Switzerland could be nearly glacier-free by 2050–2070, with only a few giants, such as the Aletsch and Rhône glaciers, surviving to the end of the century.

Ranked: countries with the highest senior poverty rates: South Korea 39.8%, Croatia 30.7%, U.S. 22.9%, Switzerland 17.8%, Israel 16.0%, U.K. 15.0%, France 6.2%, Norway 3.2% (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Crops are becoming less nutritious: rising CO2 is the likely culprit for fewer nutrients like zinc, protein, and iron in our food (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Swiss tourist jailed a year for being out on beach and posting videos calling Bali's sacred day of silence 'crazy' (LINK) — 20 August 2026

LinkedIn data shows women account for just 26% of AI hires and a mere 13% of leadership positions (LINK) — 20 August 2026

AI is pushing older workers out of these jobs: computer programmers, accountants and auditors, management analysis, maintenance and repair, (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Loading operators, painters, orderlies, and nursing/home health aides were all considered very low on the list of AI-exposed jobs.

Replacing staff with AI backfires: 5 ways smart leaders generate real value instead: they help professionals find new avenues to growth (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Three-quarters of organizations have found AI layoffs cost more than they saved, and as many as nine in 10 companies would rethink them given the chance.

Tesla discontinues its solar roof tiles as not economically viable, only solar panels (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Pew says 10% of the .com Web now shows signs of AI authorship as against 0.1% of .gov (LINK) — 20 August 2026

AI "nudify" apps are making it easier than ever to create X-rated photos (LINK video) — 20 August 2026

Almost 40 per cent of music released globally in July 2026 used AI (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Flock's new AI police tool can track drivers without a name or license plate: identifies people by how they move (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Student journalists: AI is changing our work — and not for the better: 8.5 issues: in a few cases, teachers are using AI more than students (LINK) — 20 August 2026

AV Herald: United B763 at Geneva on Aug 20th 2026, engine shut down in flight (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— A United Boeing 767-300, registration N686UA performing flight UA-957 from Geneva (Switzerland) to Newark,NJ (USA), was climbing through about FL230 out of Geneva's runway 22 when the left hand engine emitted loud noise and was shut down. The aircraft returned to Geneva for a safe landing on runway 22 about 40 minutes after departure. A passenger reported a rumbling noise from the left hand side as well as some smell of burning plastics. After landing the captain announced that the left hand engine had "blown".

New York Times loses defamation suit, ordered to pay $9.25M to former Alabama basketball player: wrongly linked him to a fatal shooting (LINK) — 20 August 2026

CERN's Large Hadron Collider reveals an atomic nucleus shaped like a bowling pin: sheds new light on the universe's first moments (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Norwegian Cruise Line drops 5%, Carnival falls 4%, Royal Caribbean slips 3% as oil climbs (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Bitcoin, ETH surge as Trump urges Congress to pass crypto Clarity Act (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Walmart reports slowest US sales growth since 2020 (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Warren Buffett's empire made a massive Alphabet AI bet on 14 August that nobody saw coming (LINK) — 20 August 2026

— Berkshire Hathaway disclosed on August 14 that it increased its stake in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) by 83% during the second quarter to nearly 106 million shares worth about $37.8 billion. That made Google's parent Berkshire's third-largest stock holding, behind only Apple and American Express.

Ghent academic who accused Jason Arday of plagiarism suspended from university: "They will almost certainly fire me" (LINK) — 20 August 2026

The meds that can make the heat harder to handle: many drugs used to treat mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, because of how they interact with the hypothalamus, the brain's thermoregulation centre (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Giant whales once rare along East Greenland now gather by the thousands in feeding frenzies due to retreating sea ice and shifting prey (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Microsoft will pay up to $279K for a lawyer who can build AI (LINK limited) — 20 August 2026

The 50 most beautiful cities in the world you can't die without seeing: includes Zurich, Lucerne, Annecy (LINK) — 20 August 2026

The 25 most beautiful towns in the world (tiny gems with huge character): none Swiss (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Scientists have built miniature brains that experience the passage of time: organoids — stem-cell-derived collections of brain cells — can 'sense' the passage of time and retain a cellular 'memory' of how long they have already spent developing (LINK) — 20 August 2026

Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Woman vying to become the first Caribbean head of the UN (LINK) — 19 August 2026

US national debt hits record $40 trillion, more than doubling in a decade (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Israel's deadly Gaza strikes cast doubt on ceasefire progress days after Kushner visit (LINK) — 19 August 2026

UN rights chief: Fresh US sanctions on ICC 'unacceptable' (LINK) — 19 August 2026

US provides $206 million for Gaza force despite deadlocked peace plan (ground news LINK) — 19 August 2026

Merck and Moderna vaccine breakthrough stops skin cancer returning in trial (LINK) — 19 August 2026

— Cancer experts say this is a breakthrough, but emphasise caution as the full results have not been released or peer-reviewed whereby independent experts examine and check the trial findings.

Moderna shares jump 175% on skin cancer trial success — (LINK limited)

Ukrainian man arrested in Croatia over Nord Stream pipeline blasts (LINK) — 19 August 2026

— The suspect is alleged by German authorities to have been one of the scuba divers who planted explosives on the pipelines in September 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russians are pulling billions from banks over fears Putin will raid their savings (LINK) — 19 August 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron signs assisted dying legislation into law: Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada have already legalised the practice (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Swiss individual taxation to be introduced only in 2032, the very last possible date (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Lake Zurich water level at lowest level since measurements began in 1951: 404.45 metres above sea level (LINK) — 19 August 2026

U.S.: Ex-Fauci adviser pleads guilty in COVID-19 records scheme: (LINK) — 19 August 2026

— Prosecutors said Dr. David Morens, 78, while working as a senior adviser with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, or NIAID, used his personal email account to intentionally conceal or destroy records of discussions related to COVID-19 research grants and an investigation into the pandemic's origins.

Climate change is cooking Europe's oceans, scientists find: parts of the oceans around Europe reaching 6 degrees Celsius above average this week (LINK) — 19 August 2026

London's first official bathing area hit by toxic algae outbreak: Ham and Kingston site on the Thames became a bathing spot as recently as May this year (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Physicists think they've discovered a new type of quantum matter: under the right conditions, two fundamentally different types of quantum particles can form "quantum droplets" — an ansatz, (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Pakistani government files challenge against Imran Khan private hospital move (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Lebanon hands former Syrian army general to Damascus after arrest warrant: transfer is the first from Lebanon involving a Syrian military officer who fled after al-Assad's government was toppled in 2024 (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Missouri judge hands Trump, GOP major redistricting win ahead of midterm elections (LINK) — 19 August 2026

India news: US envoy's Kashmir remarks reignite Pakistan row: US envoy Sergio Gor said Jammu and Kashmir an "important part of India" (LINK) — 19 August 2026

AP: Prince Harry and Meghan are returning to the U.K. with their children: but they won't resume their roles as working members of the royal family (LINK) — 19 August 2026

ECB's President Lagarde at World Economic Forum council: Europe can't afford to miss out on the AI revolution: "Europe largely missed out on the first digital revolution" (LINK) — 19 August 2026

From robot dogs to helpers, China puts robotics ambitions on display at world conference (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Bodies of Belgian climbers who vanished 34 years ago found on melting Trift glacier in southern Swiss Alps (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Life science industry in Geneva on a roll again (LINK) — 19 August 2026

U.S.: Pilot killed, 2 Pa. State Police troopers injured in midair crash at Carlisle Airport, Pennsylvania (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Google is offering college students a year of its AI Pro plan for free: likely an attempt to juice Gemini usage numbers but it comes with 5TB of cloud storage (LINK) — 20 August 2026

5 tools for building and deploying AI agents in production (LINK) — 19 August 2026

Tuesday, 18 August 2026

4 Israeli air strikes hit Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria's Idlib in first attack since al-Assad's fall (ground news LINK) — 18 August 2026

— The strikes followed a recent visit by a Turkish military delegation to the airfield as part of efforts to reactivate it, which Israel had monitored closely amid concerns over Syria rebuilding its air force.

Zambia President Hichilema reelected for a second term, receiving roughly 60 per cent of the vote (ground news LINK) — 18 August 2026

DR Congo Ebola outbreak 'far from being under control': WHO chief: moving faster than any previous epidemic of the disease and risks spreading to more countries (LINK) — 18 August 2026

WHO official says Congo Ebola outbreak can still be brought under control within three months "if [we] have the necessary resources" (ground news LINK) — 18 August 2026

— The outbreak, Congo's worst yet of 17, has so far killed at least 2,325 people. Resources are currently lagging requirements, and the WHO has raised about 60% of the $115 million it is seeking for the Ebola response.

Trump says no talks are taking place with Iran and none are scheduled but insists the Strait of Hormuz remains "open and operating" despite limited traffic and a reported strike on a ship exiting the waterway (ground news LINK) — 18 August 2026

Trump's Kennedy Center reveals why a massive tarp and scaffolding are still covering up the entrance: installing and then removing Trump's name from the building appears to have damaged the marble facade, lawyers say: Trump's name will return by September 8 at the earliest (LINK) — 18 August 2026

US 30-year bond yields hit highest level since 2007 as war, oil worries fester (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Oil prices jump above $90 a barrel for the first time since 30 July after US-Iran ceasefire expires and Trump threatens Oman (LINK) — 18 August 2026

— Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it "gets in the way" of his effort to end the war, the second time he has directed such a threat at the longtime US strategic partner. "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them," Trump told Fox News on Monday.

One dead and hundreds ill in UK salmonella outbreak believed linked to eating food made with imported eggs (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Pakistan top court orders Imran Khan's hospital transfer within two days amid access battle (LINK) — 18 August 2026

More than 100 dead after goldmine collapses in western Central African Republic: caused by a landslide (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Thousands mourn Jason Arday in London, blaming 'racist' press for his death (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Miami hits 100°F for first time since 1942 (LINK) — 18 August 2026

CNET: 11 ways ChatGPT is completely and utterly unreliable: it's essentially a glorified search engine that's no easier than using Google to perform research tasks — diagnosing physical health issues: the answers that come back can read like your worst nightmare (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Walmart store workers have a new responsibility: correcting AI errors (LINK) — 18 August 2026

Monday, 17 August 2026

Vote on best language learning app 2026 by 10 September for 23 September award: app profiles (LINK) — 18 August 2026

World off-track on nearly every food system goal, latest FSCI assessment reveals: for some indicators, such as greenhouse gas emissions from food systems, no country in the world is projected to meet the target (LINK) — 17 August 2026

— The study finds that, of 30 indicators, only one — mobile phone subscriptions, a proxy for connectedness and resilience — has been met by most countries. For 22 indicators, fewer than one-third of countries will meet their global target or benchmark by 2030. The indicator "greenhouse gas emissions from food systems" has one of the largest gaps, with the global average 75% away from the target. No country in the world will meet the target at its current pace.

— Most regions of the world would need dramatic annual changes to achieve 2030 targets. For example, Africa will require at least a 15% to 20% improvement across 23 indicators every single year, and Asia will have to cut food insecurity by more than 63% every year. High-income regions are not exempt. In Europe, 19 indicators remain unattainable by 2030.

— For the first time, the Food Systems Countdown Initiative (FSCI) study goes beyond tracking trends to assess progress and measure how food systems are actually performing and how much more they need to improve to meet globally set targets. FSCI is a global interdisciplinary research collaboration co-led by Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

U.S.: Trump administration can't move forward with relocating FBI HQ to Reagan Building, judge rules (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Trump must pay E. Jean Carroll $5 million — Supreme Court (LINK) — 17 August 2026

— Carroll received $5.6 million in the case—consisting of the $5 million award plus interest—through a court-controlled account in July, after the Supreme Court initially ruled against the president, but this will give her the freedom to spend that money and ensure it is no longer tied up amid the proceedings. The $5 million award was one of two fines Trump has been ordered to pay Carroll in two separate lawsuits. The other, which carries an $83.3 million penalty, is still being appealed.

Grenade attack near private school in Afghan capital wounds numerous children, authorities say (ground news LINK) — 17 August 2026

Al Jazeera: Trump's approval rating sinks to new low at 33 percent (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Euronews: Trump's AI George Washington image has him on a black horse: in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation the black horse is famine, representing food scarcity and economic hardship (LINK) — 17 August 2026

U.S.: Luigi Mangione's state murder trial for killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson postponed indefinitely after federal guilty plea (LINK) — 17 August 2026

OpenAI disbanded the team that assessed catastrophic model risks, weeks after its own models escaped a test environment and attacked Hugging Face (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Rights group urges FIFA to block Infantino re-election bid over term limits (LINK) — 17 August 2026

— FairSquare says the FIFA president should not be able to run again under the world football organisation's statutes, arguing he ?has already served the maximum three terms permitted under the body's statutes. FIFA presidents are limited to three terms in office. However, in 2022, Infantino successfully argued that his first spell in charge, which began when he was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress ?in 2016 following Sepp Blatter's resignation, should not count towards that limit because it completed an interrupted mandate.

U.S.: Judge orders release of woman accused of WWII Memorial vandalism (LINK) — 17 August 2026

— Melissa L. Farris, 41, was charged with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans' memorials after prosecutors say she defaced the memorial with graffiti last Thursday. The felony counts carry a maximum of 10 years in prison. The judge released Farris on a personal recognizance bond on the condition that she surrender her passport, not leave the country and stay away from the veterans' memorial. In a motion filed shortly after the hearing, prosecutors with the U.S. attorney's office in D.C. asked the judge to reconsider.

RV campers compared (our headline) (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Space Daily: At the start of 2019, fewer than 2,000 active satellites circled Earth. By June 2026 there were 15,711 — and nearly two out of every three belonged to a single constellation: SpaceX's Starlink (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Travelers' Choice Awards: Best beaches in the world: 1. Isla Pasion, Cozumel, 2. Elafonissi Beach, Crete (LINK) — 17 August 2026

FIFA's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour has been sacked by the governing body, less than three weeks after he strongly criticised its president Gianni Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in competitions to private investors, BBC Sport has been told (LINK) — 17 August 2026

Can vitamin C cure a cold? Nobel Prize winner convinced us it could, but it can only reduce severe symptoms by about 10%. Linus Pauling's recommendation for good health, at around 1,000–2,000mg a day, is around the upper limit of what's now considered safe to consume (LINK) — 17 August 2026