🇨🇳 Rough animated film becomes surprise Chinese hit
A low-budget Chinese animated film that was widely mocked for its crude visuals has become a viral hit, with people packing cinemas to see just how bad it is.
🇨🇳 Rough animated film becomes surprise Chinese hit
A low-budget Chinese animated film that was widely mocked for its crude visuals has become a viral hit, with people packing cinemas to see just how bad it is.
Net gas injections into EU underground storage facilities reached their lowest August level in six years, according to TASS calculations based on Gas Infrastructure Europe data. Since early April, Europe has injected just 56% of the volume needed for winter. Storage facilities are 62.99% full, the lowest level for this date since records began in 2011.
Volkswagen’s labour representatives and major shareholder Lower Saxony have prepared alternative turnaround proposals that they intend to present at a supervisory board meeting next week, according to three people familiar with the matter.
A minister said Bangladesh could consider joining the Mecca pact, a mutual defense agreement signed this month by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. The move could complicate Bangladesh’s foreign relations, especially with neighboring India.
The European Commission said Ukraine must keep advancing rule-of-law and anti-corruption reforms to pursue EU membership. The reminder came after parliament blocked five key measures, reforms that are also needed to unlock part of 2.1 billion euros in EU financial support.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow continues to reject the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine. The “coalition of the willing” has backed plans to send a multinational contingent after a reliable halt to hostilities, though its size remains undisclosed.
A fire at a gas chemical complex under construction in Russia’s Far East on Tuesday killed one Chinese national. At least 19 people were hospitalized, while more than 100 others suffered injuries.
A fire broke out at the construction site of the Amur Gas Chemical Complex in Russia’s Amur Region, sending five people, including contractor employees, to hospital. The blaze was contained, nearby residents face no threat and preliminary information indicates the main equipment was not damaged. The cause and extent of damage are under investigation.
fireAmur Gas Chemical ComplexAmur Regionindustrial safety
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said security and anti-drone measures at critical infrastructure and other facilities vital to Russia’s economy and social sphere will be strengthened because of an obvious threat of attacks. The government will assess enterprises with inadequate protection, while any temporary state intervention would be targeted and would not change ownership or amount to nationalization.
Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, U.S. geopolitical analyst and former intelligence advisor David Oualaalou said China is not seeking global hegemony or imposing its governance model. Instead, he said, it shares technology and development opportunities while helping countries build their own capacity—an approach gaining support across the Global South and advancing a more multipolar world.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination says India urgently needs to address hate crimes against Bengali-speaking Muslims and strengthen protections for tribal peoples, disadvantaged castes and other groups. It cited reports of racial violence, excessive force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture and other abuses by law enforcement, urging investigations and accountability.
India faces criticism from UN discrimination watchdog
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇺🇸 Tens of thousands evacuated as Nevada wildfire rages on
Authorities in Nevada urge tens of thousands of people to evacuate and order schools to remain closed as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire bears down on the western US city of Reno.
🇺🇸 Tens of thousands evacuated as Nevada wildfire rages on
Authorities in Nevada urge tens of thousands of people to evacuate and order schools to remain closed as a fast-moving, wind-driven wildfire bears down on the western US city of Reno.
As summer draws to a close, brands including Birkenstock, J.Crew and Stanley are offering end-of-summer deals, with discounts of up to 75% on apparel and other products.
As the world’s hyperscalers pour huge sums into AI infrastructure, some investors are raising concerns that the buildout could come at the environment’s expense. Legal & General says Meta is not doing enough to keep its AI development environmentally clean.
While millions of Americans are struggling with high prices and weak hiring, new research indicates that the finances of younger generations are showing surprising resilience.
Scientists warn that policymakers, businesses and the media need to pay closer attention to how climate change could affect energy systems. Threats to energy security range from jellyfish swarms to a potential “Super El Niño.”
Greenworks’ MaximusZ is a five-motor electric riding mower: two motors drive the wheels while three power blades cutting a 54-inch-wide path. It promises four acres per charge and costs $8,799. Its quiet, low-vibration operation and lack of engine maintenance are advantages, but the proprietary charger, slow startup, and poor display are drawbacks.
Elon Musk’s Starlink has begun taking orders in Vietnam, where residential plans start at about €37 a month. The service could improve connectivity in remote and mountainous areas and offer backup communications during disasters, but its cost and Vietnam’s tight control of online speech mean greater access is unlikely to bring greater freedom of expression.
Bitcoin has seen an unusually large short squeeze as futures open interest plunges. Falling open interest and subdued funding rates suggest the rally remains structurally healthy.
Ukrainian lawmaker Vadym Stolar has been charged in absentia in a major corporate raiding case involving officials from the President’s Office. Investigators say he fled abroad more than a month ago and faces accusations including organized crime, embezzlement, forgery and hacking. He denies wrongdoing.
China says it will take all necessary measures to protect its rights after the US announced broader economic sanctions on Iran and its trading partners. Washington warned that countries, banks and businesses continuing financial ties with Tehran could face isolation. Iran said it was fully prepared to counter the measures.
The powerful pro-Israel lobby is increasingly seen as a liability by both progressives and the right. Republican Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers and allies reportedly asked AIPAC not to campaign for him before the November election, fearing its backing could hurt him in a state with one of the largest Arab American populations. The group is also facing growing pressure as Americans across the political spectrum challenge US support for Israel.
At least 47 people were killed and 22 injured in an overnight gang raid on a neighbourhood overlooking Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, the UN said. The attack sparked anger over the lack of protection from repeated deadly assaults.
A deadly assault by a gang coalition on Kenscoff village in Haiti killed between 30 and 40 people. The farming community, southeast of Port-au-Prince, occupies a strategically useful position for armed groups. Gang violence has killed more than 3,000 people in Haiti in 2026 alone.
Russia’s Uraldronzavod has presented its Upyr-PVO fixed-wing UAV at the Patriots of Russia forum in Tyumen. The manufacturer says the compact aircraft can pursue and shoot down enemy drones, operate amid hostile electronic warfare and carry a four-kilogram payload.
University of Cambridge professor Ronita Bardhan says extreme heat is no longer only about climate exposure. Thermal safety also involves public health, energy security, urban design and inequality. In emergencies, protecting lives requires immediate access to shade, water, cooling centres, passive design or air conditioning, while adaptation and mitigation must advance together.
Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee says former President and opposition Armenia bloc leader Robert Kocharyan, his elder son Sedrak and four others have been detained in a criminal case. Kocharyan is accused of using his office and fabricated pretexts to take valuable real estate out of state ownership and acquire it below market prices. Investigators searched two family-owned companies. Opposition lawmakers called the case political persecution ordered by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Armenian law enforcement detained former president Robert Kocharyan, who leads a pro-Russian opposition alliance, in an anti-corruption investigation. Authorities allege he obtained state properties on fictitious grounds and sold them below market value. His lawyer confirmed formal charges and called the case politically motivated.
ArmeniaRobert Kocharyananti-corruption probepolitical opposition
Armenian state prosecutors detained former president Robert Kocharyan on Tuesday and formally accused him of a range of corruption-related offences allegedly committed during his time in office.
Kazakhstan expects to lose about 3.5 million metric tons of oil production this year because drone attacks damaged Caspian Pipeline Consortium infrastructure, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said. The annual target has been cut from 98 million to 96 million metric tons, while oil transit to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline is not planned to resume in the next three months.
NASA is preparing to launch its next flagship space observatory. Scientists plan to use it to investigate dark energy and dark matter, test gravity across vast scales and search for planets beyond the solar system.
Bondholders owed £1.3bn by Aston Martin have sought discovery in US courts over a contentious £550mn financing deal, ahead of a planned lawsuit against the carmaker in the UK.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Ukrainian authorities of spreading reports about a possible new Russian mobilization to “ideologically destabilize the situation” in Russia. Speculation has intensified as battlefield gains slow and voluntary recruitment struggles to offset losses. Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia could mobilize around 300,000 people after September’s State Duma elections, while Moscow has repeatedly denied such plans.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Ukrainian authorities of spreading claims about a possible new mobilization in Russia to “ideologically destabilize” the country. He called the reports deliberately planted fabrications. Speculation about a mobilization after State Duma elections has circulated for weeks; Volodymyr Zelensky alleges Russia may seek to mobilize up to 300,000 people in the fall, which Russian authorities deny.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called reports of a possible mobilization in Russia deliberate newspaper hoaxes circulated by the Ukrainian government to ideologically destabilize the country. Zelensky had repeatedly claimed Russian authorities would announce a new mobilization this fall, and Ukrainian media also carried the rumors.
Russia’s new Polye-31 UAV countermeasure station has begun arriving in the special military operation zone. Its manufacturer says the system protects facilities, vehicles, armored vehicles and personnel from reconnaissance, attack and kamikaze drones by jamming GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo signals, with a range of at least 2 km. It is installed on high ground.
The Bank of Russia bought 5.9 billion rubles ($69.92 million) of yuan on the domestic market, with settlement on August 24, 2026. Purchases settled on August 21 totaled 5.8 billion rubles ($68.74 million). The operations use the yuan-ruble instrument on the Moscow Exchange’s foreign-exchange section.
The United Nations said on Tuesday that human rights conditions in Myanmar had reached a new low. Widespread abuses against the Rohingya minority and a growing illicit economy, partly fueled by illegal rare-earth mining, are worsening civilian suffering.
Nine years after the Myanmar military’s 2017 genocidal campaign, Rohingya continue to flee. The article says abuses including killings, forced recruitment and labour, detention, movement restrictions and sexual violence persist under the Arakan Army, while more than 150,000 Rohingya have reached Bangladesh since late 2023 and international commitments to accountability and protection remain unmet.
The United States is widening sanctions on Iran’s financial networks, targeting crypto, gold, aviation and shipping while warning foreign entities that help move Iranian funds. Analysts say the pressure could worsen inflation and expand informal markets without changing Tehran’s behavior.
Iranian officials are keeping up their tough rhetoric toward the United States after Washington announced a fresh package of sanctions. Tehran has promised countermeasures as the country continues to suffer from already high inflation.
The US is seeking to cut Iran off from the global economy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new sanctions wave, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast”, covering nearly 60 entities, people and vessels and extending secondary sanctions to shipping, gold, aviation, technology and digital assets. Official figures show Iran exported about $56bn to at least 112 countries and territories in 2024 and imported $68.5bn from at least 87, with trade increasingly oriented towards Asian and regional partners.
A formidable gang alliance has launched a fresh, violent assault on an agricultural settlement. The once-peaceful community lies in the hills above Haiti’s capital.
Kazakh Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said the Kondensat refinery will process Russian oil delivered by rail. Up to 30% of the resulting gasoline and diesel will remain in Kazakhstan, while 70% will be shipped to Russia. He said the project could bring investment and preserve jobs.
Solana ETFs have posted gains for five straight days after attracting $33.5 million on Monday, their largest one-day inflow since December. Cumulative net inflows reached a record $1.22 billion, while trading volume rose to $166.8 million.
Peru will welcome Pope Leo XIV in November with a hymn honoring a Catholic nun killed by Maoist insurgents. The ceremony celebrates the pope’s return to the country where he worked for decades as a missionary.
Pakistan says Field Marshal Asim Munir made progress during meetings in Tehran, but Iran’s security establishment remains wary of Washington. Munir met senior political and security officials to encourage a return to US talks, as President Masoud Pezeshkian urged an end to the war while military leaders threatened devastating retaliation.
The United States has offered through intermediaries to lift sanctions and end its economic blockade of Iran in exchange for Tehran opening the Strait of Hormuz and stopping attacks by proxy forces in the region, Al Hadath TV reports. Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir conveyed the proposal during a visit to Iran.
United StatesIranStrait of HormuzPakistan mediation
Pakistani officials say high-level talks in Tehran made significant progress toward ending the US-Israel war on Iran. Pakistan’s army chief and interior minister discussed preventing escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and reviving the Islamabad MoU. Iran’s president urged the US to change its tone and approach toward Tehran.
Pakistani mediators say talks in Tehran aimed at ending the US-Israeli war on Iran have made “progress.” Iran says it will respond to new US “economic D-day” sanctions. Meanwhile, commodity-vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to a three-month low, while the IMO has recorded 68 maritime incidents since the war began.
US-Iran talksPakistan mediationIran sanctionsStrait of Hormuz
Altcoins added $215 billion in market value from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22, lifting TOTAL2 more than 24% and back above $1 trillion. With 56% of Binance-listed altcoins reclaiming their 200-day averages, analysts see an early altseason signal, although the market is already short-term overbought. The rally’s durability depends on Bitcoin holding the roughly $75,000–$76,000 support zone it recently reclaimed.
A $215 Billion Altcoin Rally Depends on Bitcoin Holding Its Reclaimed Market Structure
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇳🇵 Nepali para swimmer has sights set on Asian glory
Harka Man Gharti, 21, is training with three other disabled swimmers who will represent Nepal in the Asian Para Games in Japan in October, chasing medals despite limited resources in the Himalayan country.
🇳🇵 Nepali para swimmer has sights set on Asian glory
Harka Man Gharti, 21, is training with three other disabled swimmers who will represent Nepal in the Asian Para Games in Japan in October, chasing medals despite limited resources in the Himalayan country.
Kyiv says the attacks are intended to disrupt Russian supply chains and place additional pressure on Putin’s wartime economy. Ozon is identified as the next target among Russia’s retail giants.
Retired U.S. teacher Ronald Sakolsky returned to China’s Mu Us Desert and planted three saplings with environmentalist Yin Yuzhen and her husband, Bai Wanxiang. Their reunion renewed a friendship that began 26 years ago with Sakolsky’s $5,000 donation and a tree-planting effort that has since grown into a forest of more than 50,000 trees.
Sliman Mansour, a founding figure of contemporary Palestinian art, has died aged 79 after a long illness, his family said. His paintings joined ancient regional traditions with themes of land, memory and resistance. During the first Intifada, he helped establish the New Vision group, which used locally sourced materials after artists boycotted Israeli-made supplies.
Taku Ueno, who buys American beef, Spanish olive oil and Italian tomatoes for his supermarkets south of Tokyo, has seen those imports become costlier almost by the day as the yen falls relentlessly. The pressure is prompting Japanese companies to seek new ways to hedge against a prolonged period of yen weakness.
A member of the Russian Battlegroup Dnepr’s unmanned-systems forces, identified by the call sign Maikop, said Russian operators had worked out Ukraine’s use of airborne electronic warfare. After seeing EW pods on a Baba-Yaga drone, they approached from the side and above to avoid detection, completed their mission and destroyed the airborne systems.
Shares in Melrose Industries gained 8% on Tuesday after the owner of GKN Aerospace said it was aiming to restore full production at its Garden Grove facility on September 28. The company will pay up to $100 million to settle damage claims linked to a chemical tank that overheated in May.
The U.S. State Department is preparing to return diplomats to Middle Eastern embassies that were evacuated before and during the war with Iran, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing an internal department document.
United StatesIran warMiddle East embassiesdiplomats
An approaching typhoon has forced hundreds of flights to and from Japan’s subtropical Okinawa island to be canceled as the country’s holiday period nears its end.
Hundreds of Flights Canceled as Typhoon Bears Down on Okinawa
FlashTranslated by Minutes
⛵ Slow boat to Amsterdam ships Caribbean cargo using sail power
Gliding into the port of Amsterdam under full sail, a twin-masted sailboat delivers 40 tonnes of Caribbean rum, coffee and cocoa to the Netherlands, on a mission to raise awareness about emissions from shipping.
⛵ Slow boat to Amsterdam ships Caribbean cargo using sail power
Gliding into the port of Amsterdam under full sail, a twin-masted sailboat delivers 40 tonnes of Caribbean rum, coffee and cocoa to the Netherlands, on a mission to raise awareness about emissions from shipping.
Stephen Collinson writes that Donald Trump’s presidency rests on the belief that he and the United States are powerful enough to compel allies and adversaries to accept his will. That philosophy is facing its most serious tests as confrontations with Iran and Canada deepen.
Russian newspapers highlight Europe’s efforts to increase arms supplies to Ukraine amid persistent air-defense shortages. Brussels plans to provide another €27 billion by the end of the year from a €90 billion loan; France has agreed to supply new SAMP/T systems, while the UK has authorized SCALP missile assembly in Ukraine. The review also notes expanded US sanctions on Iran and growing Russia-India trade and high-level contacts despite pressure from Washington.
Ukraine arms aidEuropean air defenseRussia-India tiesUS Iran sanctions
A survey released Tuesday says Asia-Pacific family offices are directing more money toward sustainability projects and taking a “systems-level” approach to increase their impact. The trend is expected to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an impact-investing hub. The share allocating over half their portfolios to impact and ESG strategies rose to 27 per cent from 17 per cent.
Asia-Pacificsustainabilityimpact investingfamily officesHong Kong
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-08-25 09:59
Asia’s super-rich are ‘going all in’ on sustainability as impact investing grows: survey
The 174-kilometre Ultimate Trail of Mont Blanc, a world-renowned annual alpine race, is about to begin. But residents of Chamonix have increasingly criticised the event, creating a tense atmosphere ahead of its 23rd edition.
Ultimate Trail of Mont BlancChamonixalpine running
Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old fisherman from Yorkshire, is believed to have been killed by a first-person-view drone near Lyman in Donetsk on 10 June. He left Britain in April to join pro-Russian separatists and was granted Russian citizenship for taking part in the military campaign. The Foreign Office is supporting his family.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy should add at least €20 billion ($23.3 billion) to next year’s budget deficit, arguing that the move would not need approval from the European Union.
Protesters blocked roads and burned tyres in several parts of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, over prolonged power outages and a deteriorating electricity network.
Police in eastern India’s Bihar state used water cannon and detained dozens of protesters on Tuesday as they tried to march to the governor’s residence. The demonstrators demanded cancellation of a civil services recruitment exam over alleged question-paper leaks and other wrongdoing.
Wildfires sweeping through forests and peatlands in South Sumatra have blanketed parts of Indonesia in hazardous haze. About 3,000 people held a special prayer for rain in Palembang, while emergency crews used aircraft for cloud seeding and water bombing. Authorities arrested 72 people over alleged land-clearing fires, and smoke has reached Malaysia and Brunei.
Authorities in Indonesia’s South Sumatra province organized a mass Islamic prayer for rain as fires in forests and peatlands generated suffocating haze across parts of the country.
A tornado caused major damage in the southern French village of Pomas, injuring 41 people and affecting around 300 homes. The area was under a thunderstorm alert. Scientists say climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent and intense.
A tornado struck Pomas in south-west France, injuring 39 people, including two critically, while 15 were taken to hospital. Winds reaching 117km/h damaged about 300 homes, deployed more than 120 emergency workers and left roughly 2,800 homes without electricity across 10 villages.
A tornado swept through Aude in southern France late Monday, damaging more than 300 residences and injuring 15 people, according to the local administration.
A rare tornado moved through southern France near Carcassonne, damaging about 100 homes and injuring at least 26 people. It formed beneath a supercell thunderstorm near the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A tornado struck the village of Pomas in southwestern France, damaging about 300 homes and injuring around 40 people, officials said. Fifteen people were hospitalized. The storm uprooted trees, caused power cuts and major transport disruption, and led to the cancellation of a Vuelta a España stage.
A tornado struck the village of Pomas in France’s southwestern Aude region on Monday, injuring 41 people and damaging around 300 homes. The severe weather tore roofs from buildings, caused power cuts and transport disruption, and led authorities to cancel a Vuelta a Espana cycling stage.
An American Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft has reportedly landed in Moscow, according to online air-traffic monitoring systems. The plane departed Andrews Air Force Base near Washington, stopped in Riga, and arrived in Moscow at around 10 a.m. Moscow time.
United StatesRussiamilitary transport aircraftMoscow
German business sentiment improved more than expected in August, according to an Ifo survey, adding to indications that Europe’s largest economy is moving toward a long-awaited recovery.
A week after completing her first historic spacewalk, French astronaut Sophie Adenot is set to venture outside the International Space Station again on Tuesday as part of her mission.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China firmly rejects unilateral sanctions lacking a basis in international law or authorization from the UN Security Council. He warned that economic war and maximum pressure would deepen conflicts and disrupt global financial order, urging a return to dialogue and negotiations.
Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said Ukrainian forces are systematically targeting employees of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, disrupting shift rotations and endangering regional nuclear safety. He said a Ukrainian drone strike on an Enerhodar bus stop on August 18 killed one worker and injured 20.
Record heat and drought are endangering urban trees, even as their shade and evapotranspiration help cool cities and bring wider health and environmental benefits. Experts say protecting established trees should come before planting replacements, with deep watering and improved soil helping them withstand a changing climate.
Russia says Britain’s decision to share missile blueprints with Ukraine demonstrates direct UK involvement in the war. Kremlin adviser Andrei Fedorov warned that British factories producing drones for Ukraine could be targeted by “unknown sources”, including possible cyber, political or “semi-military” action.
With fewer open roles, one-click applications, and the rise of artificial intelligence, applying for a job has become easier than ever. The story argues that everyone is paying the price for that convenience.
Vladimir Putin visited Iturup Island for the first time as Russia’s president, prompting a strong protest from Japan over the disputed territory. Analysts cited domestic political motives and pressure on Tokyo, while suggesting Moscow may also be seeking closer strategic coordination with Beijing against Japan.
Vladimir PutinIturup IslandJapan-Russia disputeRussia-China relations
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met India’s national security advisor and special representative on the China-India boundary question, Ajit Doval, in Beijing. Han called for a strategic, long-term approach, stronger mutual trust and managed differences, while Doval said India was ready to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and address the boundary issue.
BlackBerry CEO John Giamatteo says robotics is among QNX’s fastest-growing businesses as the company expands its software beyond the automotive sector.
New installations have appeared on an islet near Antelope Reef in the disputed Paracel archipelago, according to satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters. Analysts believe China is building its largest military base there.
ChinaSouth China Seamilitary basesatellite imagery
Canada is expected to unveil retaliatory tariffs on US goods after trade talks collapsed and 50% US tariffs on Canadian products took effect. Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected what he called a “bad deal,” while President Donald Trump threatened a 50% tariff on Canadian automobiles, parts and steel from January 1, 2027.
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