Circle has reached a front-of-shirt sponsorship agreement with Chelsea. Starting this season, its USDC stablecoin will be prominently displayed on the shirts of the club’s men’s, women’s and academy teams.
Cara, an art portfolio platform for creators who do not want their work used to train AI, has been targeted by trolls who seized and published its data. The person who scraped the artists’ work is now collaborating with them on a tool intended to help them.
EU countries have injected more than 39 billion cubic meters of gas into underground storage since April, meeting just 58% of the volume needed for the coming winter. Storage sites were 63.8% full on August 26, the lowest level recorded for that date, raising the risk that Europe will enter the heating season with record-low inventories.
The United States is discussing with Caracas the possibility of leasing some Venezuelan oil fields for 100 years, Bloomberg reported, citing sources. The terms remain unsettled and could change; the agency said any agreement could represent a virtually unprecedented US intervention in another country’s economy.
Meta is testing robots that can replace cables, reboot servers, and handle other tasks typically performed by technicians. The effort is raising concerns among some workers that their jobs could be at risk.
Anton Kobyakov, a Russian presidential adviser and executive secretary of the Eastern Economic Forum’s organizing committee, says regular container shipping through the Northern Sea Route has become an “Ice Silk Road.” He said the route offers unprecedented opportunities as logistics chains are disrupted and traditional routes face military and political tensions.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev says expanding the Northern Sea Route requires bunkering facilities, ship repair sites and rescue stations along the corridor. He also says ports, river links and a new rail route are needed to bring cargo from across Russia to the Arctic route.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 164 Shahed-type drones overnight, including many jet-powered models, while Ukrainian defenses intercepted 137. Warehouses outside Kyiv were hit during an unusual all-day barrage. Local authorities reported at least 10 civilians killed and 43 injured across Ukraine over the previous day.
Russia is continuing systematic strikes on Ukraine’s military and near-military infrastructure, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He said peace talks are currently on hold with no new ideas, while no phone call between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is planned for now. Putin is also preparing for talks with Alexander Lukashenko and the SCO summit.
Chinese ride-hailing company Didi Global expects to invest more than $200 million in Argentina this year. The funding will support new services in smaller cities and the development of safety technology, the company’s country manager said.
Russia’s Polina Yatsenko defeated Spain’s Andrea Lazaro Garcia 7-5, 6-1 in the women’s qualifying final to reach the 2026 US Open main draw. The 22-year-old, ranked 160th by the WTA, will make her debut at the tournament while competing under neutral status.
The share of Visa and Mastercard cards among Sberbank customers is falling every quarter, Deputy Chairman and CFO Taras Skvortsov said. He expects the cards to be gradually phased out as they wear out, leaving Russians with virtually none within several years.
A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s overhaul of mail-voting rules for a second time, days before midterm ballots are due to be sent. The judge said states lacked the time and money to redesign ballots, update election systems and train officials. A new hearing is set for September 3.
US politicsmail votingDonald Trumpelection litigation
Families of South Korean workers missing after a catastrophic flash flood in Nepal urged authorities on Friday to secure helicopter access for the search, warning that rescuers were losing critical time more than 48 hours after the disaster.
Rescue efforts are continuing in Nepal after devastating floods killed hundreds and left more than 1,400 people missing. The Red Cross has also voiced concern about humanitarian aid, estimating that nearly 100,000 people were affected by the disaster.
More than 90,000 people are estimated to have been directly affected by the Himalayan landslide and urgently need humanitarian assistance, the Red Cross said on Friday. Aid officials also warned that further flooding could occur.
Devastating flash floods along the Himalayan border between Nepal and China have killed at least 472 people and left more than 1,500 missing. More than 3,250 people have been evacuated by helicopter, while rescuers search for survivors and authorities warn that an upstream lake could overflow and cause further flooding.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi described Washington’s assertion that the Strait of Hormuz belongs to the United States as a delusion and hallucination. Donald Trump said on August 22 that he considered the strait US territory and later posted an image labeling it as such.
Iran calls US claim to Strait of Hormuz delusion, hallucination
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇳🇵 What caused the Nepal-Tibet flash floods?
A huge piece of ice that fell thousands of metres from a glacier into a river below may have unleashed the disaster in Nepal and Tibet. Here is what experts believe happened.
🇳🇵 What caused the Nepal-Tibet flash floods?
A huge piece of ice that fell thousands of metres from a glacier into a river below may have unleashed the disaster in Nepal and Tibet. Here is what experts believe happened.
The US review of its military presence in Europe has reportedly prompted NATO countries to compete for the right to retain or host permanent American bases. Politico said Washington is also seeking allies’ views on defense spending and foreign policy, while demanding fewer restrictions on US troop use of European bases.
State Duma Financial Market Committee Chairman Anatoly Aksakov said Russia’s banking resilience should be judged by financial performance and the ability to adapt payment infrastructure, not by the number of institutions under sanctions. The sector posted record first-half profits, though the market is becoming more polarized and smaller banks face greater funding and income pressures.
Scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil are expected at the first international conference of the Siberian Ring Photon Source Shared Use Center in late October in Novosibirsk. The event will showcase SKIF’s capabilities to research institutions and industrial companies.
Bitcoin briefly reached $81,455 overnight, its highest level since May 15, before retreating as Nasdaq futures declined and gold extended its gains ahead of the weekend. Altcoins were consolidating.
The United Russia Party’s new Arctic section shows that state support for developing Russia’s northern territories is shifting from individual initiatives toward systematic legislative backing, economist Alexey Fadeev told TASS. More than 1,000 Arctic projects represent over $407 billion in investment, while the program combines industrial, social and environmental priorities.
Haakon VIII has inherited Norway’s throne after the death of his father, Harald V, adopting Harald’s motto, “Everything for Norway.” Having increasingly acted as regent in recent years, he takes over a monarchy facing scandals while his daughter Ingrid Alexandra becomes crown princess and heir.
Bank of China (Hong Kong) reported a 7.1% year-on-year rise in first-half net profit to HK$23.74 billion. Lower impairment charges and a wider net interest margin offset continued pressure on lending margins from falling Hong Kong interbank rates.
Bank of China Hong Kongbankingprofit
SSouth China Morning PostOriginal★★☆☆☆2026-08-28 10:36
China has warned of a “high risk” that a lake formed by a recent landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border could burst its banks and send a second flood downstream. The warning follows a deadly flash flood in the same area on Wednesday, which scientists say was triggered by a mountain glacier collapsing into a river.
Subhrasree Chakraborty’s final message came at 08:03 after she completed Nepal’s immigration formalities and waited to enter Tibet. Her family has heard nothing since deadly flash floods hit the Nepal-Tibet border, where at least 290 Indians are reported missing, many of them pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash.
Nepal floodsTibet borderIndian pilgrimsmissing people
Nepal and China have paused rescue operations after a barrier lake formed by a devastating flash flood began overflowing, raising fears of another destructive wave. More than 470 people have died, while hundreds remain missing in Nepal and Tibet; relief deliveries are also being blocked.
Five bodies have been recovered from a mudslide site in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, while 558 people are listed as missing, China Central Television reports. Local authorities gave the figures as of 3 p.m. local time, and search and rescue efforts are continuing.
China has expanded a land, water and air search for people missing after a mudslide on Nepal’s side of the China-Nepal border caused casualties at Gyirong Port in Xizang. By 10 a.m. Friday, 681 firefighters, 113 vehicles and thousands of rescue supplies were deployed, with drones and specialized teams monitoring affected areas and a barrier lake.
Economist Ken Rogoff explains how tensions between the US and Canada have been simmering since Donald Trump raised the idea of annexing Canada. The episode also covers diamonds and Dolly.
Circle is deprecating CCTP V1 and giving developers 95 days to migrate to V2. V1 burn limits will start declining on Oct. 31 before its contracts pause on Dec. 1, ending USDC transfers for integrations that still use the legacy routes. Users will retain access to funds and pending redemptions.
Nepal is confronting devastation from flash floods. Immediate priorities include locating the missing and supplying survivors with drinking water, food, shelter, clothing and medicine. Rebuilding confidence and entire communities will also be necessary, and recovery could take years.
Nepalese Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said flooding losses and damage could ultimately reach at least several billion dollars. The World Bank has pledged about $160 million for humanitarian needs by redirecting funds not yet disbursed for other projects, while the Asian Development Bank has committed $5 million.
New satellite imagery and video analysis indicate that the deadly Nepal floods began after part of a glacier near the Chinese border collapsed. The resulting debris flow raced downstream at up to 150 km/h, devastating communities across more than 80 kilometres. Scientists are still reconstructing the sequence, while authorities warn the danger may continue as a newly formed upstream lake overflows.
South Korea, India, China, the UK and the EU are intensifying rescue operations and humanitarian aid after devastating floods between Nepal and China. Hundreds of foreign nationals remain missing, while difficult Himalayan terrain hampers relief efforts and officials warn that a disaster-formed lake could burst, causing a second wave of flooding.
A catastrophic flash flood and landslide swept across the Nepal-China border region, engulfing towns, destroying bridges and killing hundreds on both sides, with many still missing. BBC Verify used verified videos and satellite imagery to trace the disaster’s path.
Nepal warned that a lake had breached its banks, while China suspended flood rescue efforts near the border because of a “real possibility” of a secondary disaster.
Nepal’s foreign ministry said on Friday that the country did not need foreign assistance for search-and-rescue operations after a devastating flash flood swept through several towns. Several countries had offered help because their nationals were missing in the disaster.
Earth scientists are examining satellite imagery from the Nepal-China border to find clues about the cause of catastrophic flooding. The images show bedrock and glacier collapse followed by flooding rivers.
Nepal’s disaster authority says 977 people are missing after severe flooding, including 28 police officers, 58 servicemen and 517 foreign tourists. Some 13,295 people are taking part in the rescue effort, with 3,253 rescued and nearly 469 bodies recovered. Preliminary data links the flood to a snow and rock avalanche near the Nepal-China border.
An Aberdeen fund has suffered a £200mn loss after the sale of UK broadband provider Airband to a Macquarie-backed rival fell through. The collapse is the latest sign of distress in the heavily indebted alternative-network sector.
Government figures show that the rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has reached two additional health zones, bringing the total number of affected areas to 60.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek and make state visits to Kyrgyzstan and Egypt from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3. The trip is expected to deepen practical cooperation, advance global governance reform and promote peace and development.
Xi JinpingShanghai Cooperation OrganizationKyrgyzstanEgypt
After reaching a deal with Shinhan Financial, global payments giant Visa is expanding its presence in Asia’s major crypto hub through Dunamu, the operator of South Korea’s largest exchange, Upbit, to pursue stablecoin payments.
Marvell Technology shares dropped 8% in premarket trading even after the company beat second-quarter revenue expectations, as its fiscal 2028 outlook fell short of what investors were seeking.
Jeff Bezos and Tom Brady are not the only wealthy Americans putting money into English football. Away from the Premier League’s glamour, investors are dealing with broken elevators, poor Wi-Fi and unforgiving fans.
Beyond Bezos and Brady, wealthy Americans invest in English football
FlashBREAKINGTranslated by Minutes
Norway's King Harald has died aged 89 and will be automatically succeeded by his 53-year-old son Crown Prince Haakon.
Harald remained a unifying figure in his country until the very end, a pillar of stability amid a string of family scandals that tarnished the final years of his reign.
Norway's King Harald has died aged 89 and will be automatically succeeded by his 53-year-old son Crown Prince Haakon.
Harald remained a unifying figure in his country until the very end, a pillar of stability amid a string of family scandals that tarnished the final years of his reign.
Sulaiman and Kasim Khan say they are increasingly worried after hearing that their father, imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, is agitated and suffering from severe anxiety. His family and party accuse authorities of ignoring Supreme Court orders on medical care, visits and calls, while the government denies the allegations and says he is stable.
Autostat Director Sergey Tselikov expects Russia to sell 1.3 million to 1.35 million new passenger cars in 2026, with 1.3 million the more likely outcome as fuel costs prompt buyers to delay purchases. Used-car resales are forecast to end near last year’s level at about 6 million vehicles.
A phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump is not currently planned, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He added that Putin did not meet CIA Director John Ratcliffe during his Moscow visit because the contact involved intelligence services, not the president.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin and US leader Donald Trump have not held any new talks. He said Trump’s reference to “good talks” with Putin concerned their previous contacts.
Crimea’s mobile armed units have begun using Nabat V.3 detectors to monitor the low-altitude airspace from ground level to 100 meters, with a range of at least 11 km. The devices are used by more than 50 mobile groups and vessels, scanning radio frequencies, tracking targets and transmitting video from enemy cameras.
The Bundeswehr has attended Cologne’s Gamescom for a decade, using cyber-defense demonstrations, virtual reality and career counseling to reach young people as it seeks to expand its ranks. Critics say the military should not recruit at an event centered on video games and leisure or portray service as an adventure.
A Chinese court sentenced Jiang Chaoliang, former party chief of Hubei, to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption. State broadcaster CCTV said he accepted bribes worth more than 746 million yuan ($111.01 million).
A US company founded a year ago and linked to President Donald Trump plans new projects in Bosnia-Herzegovina, lifting its total planned investment there to just over €2 billion, or $2.3 billion.
Russian newspapers say the purpose of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s unannounced Moscow visit remains unclear, prompting theories involving Iran, NATO tensions and renewed Russia-Ukraine peace efforts. Moscow also warned that it could strike British military facilities in Ukraine and beyond in response to Ukrainian attacks using British weapons.
Ruslan Pankratov, a member of the Officers of Russia expert council, said CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s visit to Moscow highlighted the importance of dialogue between Russia and the United States despite continuing contradictions and mutual mistrust. He said talks do not remove conflicts but show that serious countries sometimes engage even with unwelcome counterparts. Russia said the August 25 visit involved contacts between the two countries’ intelligence agencies.
The collapse of Woodford continues to leave investors perplexed. Campaigners are pressing for a public inquiry, arguing that few lessons have been learned.
King Oyo Nyimba, who led the Tooro kingdom in western Uganda, has died aged 34, the kingdom’s prime minister announced Thursday. Crowned at three, he became the world’s youngest reigning monarch in 1995.
Ugandan King Oyo Nyimba has died at the age of 34, according to the prime minister of his kingdom. He became the world’s youngest reigning monarch when he took the crown in 1995.
Russia and the United States agreed to keep developing business and humanitarian ties and to prepare for US representatives to join upcoming international events. Talks covered continued bilateral dialogue and possible US participation in Roscongress Foundation events, including forums on business, culture and science.
A 64-year study of yellow-bellied marmots in Gothic, Colorado, nearly lost its uninterrupted record after the National Science Foundation rejected continued funding. Researchers turned to an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms and a Solana meme coin; creator fees from the token have raised more than $150,000 for the project.
Its population dropping from 10,000 people to just 216, the village of Zaozerny is one of hundreds of rural settlements in Kazakhstan hollowed out by waves of migration to the country’s ever-expanding cities.
Its population dropping from 10,000 people to just 216, the village of Zaozerny is one of hundreds of rural settlements in Kazakhstan hollowed out by waves of migration to the country’s ever-expanding cities.
Liverpool drew 2-2 at Newcastle in their opening league match, while Nottingham Forest have lost twice to Leeds in three days. Both teams are seeking their first win of the season at Anfield. Liverpool are pursuing more wingers, while Forest manager Oliver Glasner says his side must rebuild through hard work.
HMRC data shows that 240 people each reported more than £1 million ($1.36 million) in cryptocurrency gains, as tax scrutiny of crypto assets intensifies in the UK.
United Kingdomcryptocurrencycapital gainstax scrutiny
Mass production has begun in Russia of the Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare system, a defense industry source told TASS. The source said the system can effectively counter Starlink, has been used in the special military operation zone and now has global influence.
Gareth Redmond-King of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit warns that climate change is intensifying extreme weather while making the climate system more unstable. El Niño and other natural phenomena can amplify the disruption, turning Europe’s heat, drought, water shortages, storms and flash floods into a new normal for which governments remain poorly prepared.
Traders returning from their August breaks will face a range of market risks, including growing concern over elevated government debt and inflation that may persist.
The BBC saw extensive destruction while travelling from Kathmandu to Trishuli, one of the areas worst affected by flooding near the Tibetan border. Ambulances and hearses were travelling along the route, and rescuers said floodwaters had swept away entire villages as operations continued.
Cara Severino, 25, has told her family she is safe after losing contact during the flash floods on the China-Nepal border. She had no phone reception and a flat battery, and is now hiking with Nepali trekkers, trying to cover more than 110km on foot to reach Kathmandu. At least 469 people have died and more than 1,500 remain missing.
Sitting at home, Shekhar Agrawal repeatedly calls different numbers, hoping someone can provide clues about his sister and teenage niece, American tourists who have been missing since catastrophic flash floods devastated Nepal and Tibet on Wednesday.
Nepali and Tibetan communities in Australia are organising vigils and fundraising after floods and landslides in Nepal killed 469 people and left more than 1,300 missing, according to police. Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said 39 Australians were missing and announced a $5m support package. Community groups are helping families trace relatives and supporting relief efforts.
Nepal’s death toll from massive flash floods has reached 469, police said Friday. Rescue teams are searching for hundreds of people still missing near the Nepal-China border.
Relatives of Shylaja and Chandrasekaran Muralitharan and their two sons, among 39 Australians missing after flash floods in Nepal, say they are worried but hopeful the family is safe and can be rescued. The disaster’s death toll has neared 400, while about 1,400 people, mostly tourists, remain unaccounted for.
Nepal floodsmissing Australiansflash floodingsearch and rescue
Rescue teams used heavy machinery to search through mud and debris in Nepalese towns devastated by a flash flood two days earlier. As hopes of finding survivors waned, officials worked to limit the danger of further flooding.
Fighting is intensifying in Donetsk as Russia claims its forces are advancing toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Ukraine has praised a new European Union effort to unlock frozen assets.
As part of an $18bn settlement in a child-safety lawsuit, Meta is introducing new restrictions on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, including a two-hour daily limit, hidden like counts, no autoplay and stronger age checks. US parents and teenagers welcome some changes but remain sceptical they will address social media’s wider harms.
Meta has agreed to pay $18bn and alter features on Facebook and Instagram to settle a lawsuit brought by 29 US states over allegedly addictive products targeting young people. Claims elsewhere, including Kenya and the Netherlands, remain unresolved, while wider questions about Meta’s algorithmic influence over harmful content, politics and democracy continue.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Kyiv fully understands Moscow’s demands but does not want to discuss them peacefully. He said Russia is therefore continuing its special military operation while maintaining what he described as positive momentum on the front lines.
Nearly two-thirds of South Koreans support developing their own nuclear weapons, according to a poll. The result highlights concerns over the reliability of US security guarantees after President Donald Trump unilaterally reduced joint military exercises with Seoul.
US officials said the military used a laser this week to shoot down three drones belonging to Mexican drug cartels in southern Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, near the US-Mexico border.
US militaryMexican drug cartelsdronesUS-Mexico border
A second deportation flight arrived in Haiti on Thursday after temporary protected status for Haitian migrants ended. In Maryland, a Haitian community is grappling with raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Baltic Sea countries plan to create a joint drone defence task force so they can respond quickly as the threat of hybrid attacks grows, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Friday.
Baltic Sea nations plan drone defence task force, Germany says
FlashTranslated by Minutes
🇲🇽 Young Mexicans battle for 'aura' in latest social media trend
Young Mexicans face off in one of the latest social media trends, the 'aura battle,' a contest where rivals showcase their best moves, poses and meme-inspired gestures to see who has the most 'aura'.
🇲🇽 Young Mexicans battle for 'aura' in latest social media trend
Young Mexicans face off in one of the latest social media trends, the 'aura battle,' a contest where rivals showcase their best moves, poses and meme-inspired gestures to see who has the most 'aura'.
At the height of China’s controversial one-child policy, some children were separated from their birth families and placed for adoption. One adoptee, now an adult, is seeking answers about her background.
Persian Gulf oil exports have recovered to about two-thirds of their pre-war level, reaching roughly 15-16 million barrels per day as Strait of Hormuz transits increase, Bloomberg reported, citing Goldman Sachs analysts. Full recovery would require another 6-8 million barrels per day through the strait.
CENTCOM chief Admiral Bradley Cooper said US forces had provided coordinated protection for nearly 1,500 commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz over several months, carrying almost 750 million barrels of crude. He claimed Iran has exported no oil since the US resumed its maritime blockade in mid-July. US forces have also redirected 75 vessels and disabled three.
Some cybersecurity experts say obsolete technology may offer an unexpected advantage: hackers often ignore systems used by very few people. Examples include Eudora email, ground-based radio beacons, paper maps, basic phones and magnetic tape, although experts stress that fully patched, up-to-date software is usually safest for everyday use.
The EU is pressing Meta to bring to Europe the same protections for under-18s that it accepted in a landmark US settlement, including screen-time limits and stronger parental controls on Facebook and Instagram. Brussels is also seeking additional measures.
Kraken users were briefly locked out between Aug. 17 and Aug. 24 amid activity that appeared designed to spread sanctioned funds and trigger account restrictions.
Andrew and Tristan Tate will stay in custody in Miami after a federal judge declined to rule on their bail request. They are contesting extradition to the UK, where they face rape, assault, human trafficking and money-laundering charges. Both deny wrongdoing and say their online personas were fictional.
A US federal judge in Miami is considering whether Andrew and Tristan Tate should be granted bail as they contest extradition to the United Kingdom, where they face rape and human trafficking charges. The brothers have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Andrew and Tristan Tate asked a Miami court to release them while they contest extradition to the UK over rape and trafficking charges. Their lawyers said they were not flight risks, while government attorneys cited their resources and claims of holding multiple passports. A magistrate judge will rule later on bail.
Bitcoin options worth $6.4 billion have expired after the cryptocurrency climbed from roughly $62,000 to around $80,000. Traders are now rebuilding positions around a markedly different price range.
UEFA is preparing a legal complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino over what it describes as “unfair management” tied to his abandoned proposal to let private investors into the World Cup. After receiving assurances from FIFA, UEFA has paused its threatened boycott of next season’s FIFA competitions but says it will continue pressuring Infantino before his March re-election bid.
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