EconomyAirAsia’s Fernandes rejects financial concerns, signals new growth plans
AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes pushed back against a report questioning the airline’s financial health and indicated that the company plans to resume growth.

AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes pushed back against a report questioning the airline’s financial health and indicated that the company plans to resume growth.

Nine women have been found dead in a Johannesburg-area neighbourhood over roughly two months. Police say they have found no clear connection between the cases, while rights groups and gender-equality advocates accuse the government of failing to adequately respond to a wider femicide and gender-based violence crisis.

DigitalEurope Director General Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl said shielding children from social media risks requires a “joint responsibility” shared by the public and private sectors. The association, which represents companies including OpenAI and Meta, said it cannot be left to “one party”.
Canadians in Vancouver reacted to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s proposal to strengthen ties with the European Union, including the possibility of associate member status.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney secured an offer this week for Canada to become the European Union’s first associate member. The largely symbolic win supports his campaign to show that Canada can prosper while reducing its reliance on the United States, though the relationship still faces limits.
Russian Central Election Commission Deputy Chairman Nikolay Bulayev said Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, are now fully integrated into Russia’s election system. He said elections are being held under extremely challenging conditions, with measures taken to help residents and others exercise their right to vote.

Russia’s parliamentary election began on Sept. 18 and runs through Sept. 20. It is expected to serve as a rubber-stamp ritual for legitimizing Vladimir Putin’s rule, with anti-war candidates and genuine opposition largely barred. Kremlin-controlled parties are expected to prevail, amid predictions of widespread vote rigging.
More than 1,100 international observers from 133 countries will monitor Russia’s State Duma elections, Central Election Commission Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova said. A total of 381,341 observers are registered, including 209,548 appointed by 11 political parties.

Ahead of the Duma elections, the Kremlin intensified what is known as “ballot sterilisation” to eliminate signs of public dissatisfaction. Yabloko was barred from running, while Communist Party candidates were removed and campaigning restricted, reducing the possibility of a protest vote against United Russia.
Independent observers from Algeria, Cameroon, Burundi and the Comoros spent about an hour at a Moscow polling station on the first day of State Duma voting. They examined the organization, equipment and conduct of the process and reported no difficulties or violations.
More than 4.2 million voters have taken part in early voting across 12 Russian border regions, Central Election Commission Chair Ella Pamfilova said. The total includes the four regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporozhye, while eight other border regions continue to come under attack.

Grégoire Roos of Chatham House says Russia’s parliamentary election cannot meaningfully measure support for Vladimir Putin or the war because anti-war opposition has been excluded and competition is absent. Turnout, voting timing, the remaining parties’ performance and the Kremlin’s portrayal of participation as national unity may offer more revealing signals about the political system.

Russia began three-day elections for the 450-seat State Duma on Sept. 18, alongside votes for regional governors and parliaments. The tightly controlled process is expected to preserve United Russia’s dominance and help the Kremlin gauge support for the war in Ukraine. Democracy watchdogs say the elections are neither free nor fair.
Russia’s parliamentary election is under way, beginning in the Far East on Friday, 18 September before spreading nationwide over three days. Polls close Sunday evening after voters choose all 450 members of the State Duma.
Polling stations in Russia’s Black Sea city of Sochi resumed operations after a UAV attack threat led to a temporary suspension. Mayor Andrey Proshunin said the threat was in effect from 9:20 a.m. to 11:03 a.m. Moscow time.
All 633 polling stations for the State Duma elections have opened in the Donetsk People’s Republic, with voting proceeding normally, regional Election Commission Chairman Vladimir Vysotsky said. Early voting ran from August 30 to September 17, and preliminary figures showed at least 1 million people had voted by September 17, about 75% of eligible voters.
More than 1.5 million voters in 32 Russian regions had voted online in various election campaigns by 10 a.m. Moscow time on September 18, according to the federal Remote Electronic Voting portal. Over four million people registered on the platform for remote voting.
All polling stations across Russia opened as normal, Central Election Commission Chair Ella Pamfilova said. She reported that only minor issues occurred and that nothing extraordinary happened.

Russians began a three-day election on Friday to choose 450 members of the State Duma, the first such vote since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022. Only parties supporting Vladimir Putin and his war are registered, while the opposition is barred. Putin’s United Russia is expected to retain its dominance. Voting is also taking place in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories against Kyiv’s wishes.

Russia has begun its first parliamentary election vote since the war in Ukraine. On September 17, a precinct election commission member prepared a polling station in Moscow for the parliamentary elections.

Voting began in Russia’s Far East on Friday for a three-day parliamentary election, the first since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. United Russia is expected to retain power alongside parties backing President Vladimir Putin, after the only anti-war party was barred from the ballot.

Russians vote from Friday to Sunday for the State Duma and in local elections, in the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. United Russia, which backs Vladimir Putin, is expected to retain its dominance, while critics say the absence of genuine opposition means the outcome is largely predetermined.
Elections on Russia’s single voting day have begun in the Central Federal District, alongside contests for State Duma seats, three regional governors and some regional and local legislatures. The election for the ninth State Duma runs from September 18 to 20, with 10 parties taking part. Regional legislative elections are being held in 39 constituent entities, filling 23,000 seats.
More than 570 polling stations opened in Russia’s Astrakhan Region on the first day of State Duma voting, held from September 18 to 20. Voters are also electing deputies to the regional Duma, while about 15,000 people applied to use the Mobile Voter mechanism.
The main voting period for Russia’s State Duma elections has begun in the Irkutsk Region, with 1,852 polling stations open and more than 1.8 million voters registered. Voting was completed earlier at 43 polling stations in remote areas, where about 4,000 people cast ballots. The ninth State Duma election runs September 18–20.
Voting in Russia’s three-day State Duma elections has started at the Russian Consulate General in Phuket, Thailand, and will continue through September 20. Russian citizens aged 18 or older living or temporarily staying in the consular district can vote with a valid foreign-travel passport, without advance registration.

Russia begins a three-day State Duma election with little meaningful competition. Vladimir Putin’s United Russia is expected to retain its parliamentary dominance after liberal anti-war party Yabloko was barred from the ballot. The war in Ukraine is increasingly affecting daily life, while the Kremlin has tightened control over the vote.
Russia’s three-day State Duma election has started, with the first polling stations opening in Kamchatka and Chukotka. Early voting has been underway since late August in some remote areas and among soldiers at the front. Residents of Ukraine’s occupied territories will vote for parliament for the first time, while the Supreme Court barred the antiwar Yabloko party from the ballot.

Russians are voting for the first time since the Russia-Ukraine war began in 2022. United Russia, the governing party for more than two decades and backed by President Vladimir Putin, faces questions over whether opposition parties can mount a challenge. Al Jazeera’s Dmitry Medvedenko reports from Moscow.
Russia’s first voters arrived at polling stations in the Far East after voting began. Central Election Commission surveillance showed dozens of people at some Kamchatka stations within minutes of opening, collecting ballots and entering voting booths. State Duma and other elections run from September 18 to 20.
Russia began voting on September 18, 2026, for deputies to the ninth State Duma, along with regional and local elections held under the Single Voting Day framework. The legally designated date is the third Sunday of September, September 20 this year, but the Central Election Commission scheduled voting over September 18-20. Introduced in 2005, the system has been held annually in September since 2013.
The first day of Russia’s three-day State Duma election has begun in Kamchatka and Chukotka. A total of 178 permanent polling stations opened in Kamchatka and 54 in Chukotka, with 385 public observers monitoring the election.
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping CEO Sergey Kulikov said the organization has the expertise to work actively with Chinese companies on the Northern Sea Route. He described cooperation prospects ranging from classification and technical support for a new Arctic fleet to assessing vessels already in service, as cargo traffic grows.
The Russian embassy in South Africa recently posted an AI-generated image of BRICS leaders. Researchers say the wider use of artificial intelligence by public figures and institutions in communications could erode public trust.
Yulia Kuznetsova, a State Duma candidate for Russia’s Green Party, stopped answering calls on September 17 after a voter meeting in Moscow. Her team says she may be held at a police station, while election officials claim she withdrew her polling-station observers. Before disappearing, Kuznetsova said a document bearing her signature had been forged.
Russian scientists have identified the roughly 1,000-kilometer Keldysh Current, which carries warm, salty Atlantic water eastward through the Barents and Kara seas. By combining data from 25 expeditions conducted between 1995 and 2024, they found the near-surface flow affects seasonal sea-ice growth and thawing in the Russian Arctic.
Scientists in Bolivia have identified a small, leopard-coated wild cat as a previously unknown species. Genetic evidence led to its designation as Leopardus tilcayo, named after the local term “tilcayo.” Researchers described it as the first new wild cat species discovered in more than 100 years.

Scientists have identified a new wild cat species, Leopardus tilcayo, in the first such discovery in a century. Slightly smaller than a domestic cat and about 45 centimetres long, it was initially mistaken for a pet.
Anthropic and OpenAI are pursuing smaller data center deals as they race to deploy AI capacity, sources told CNBC. The companies have announced a flurry of AI infrastructure agreements over the past year amid booming demand.

British woman Nusrat Osman was rescued in Malawi after nearly a week in captivity, police Inspector General Richard Luhanga confirmed. Four kidnappers were killed.

A school shooting in the southern Philippines on Friday killed three students, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman who turned the gun on himself, provincial officials said. The gunman also died.

Gunfire at Banga National High School in South Cotabato province on Friday killed at least two students and injured eight others, four critically, officials said. A person believed to be a 16-year-old suspected gunman was also killed. Authorities had not established how many shooters were involved.

A shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, southern Philippines, left at least one person dead and several injured on Friday. Authorities and local media have reported conflicting casualty figures, while the identities of the shooter and victims remain unconfirmed. Classes across Banga were suspended as police investigate.

A shooting at a school in Banga town, South Cotabato, in the southern Philippines, killed at least two people and injured four on Friday. Witnesses said the victims were students, while the number of shooters remained unclear.
A shooting at a high school in the southern Philippines on Friday left at least one person dead and four others injured, according to the provincial governor.
The World Data Organization’s China-ASEAN Data Cooperation Committee was established in Nanning, Guangxi, on Thursday. It will focus on cross-border data flows, inclusive access to intelligent computing power, joint rules and standards, and industry cooperation to narrow the data divide and support the digital economy.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun urged Japan to confront and deeply reflect on its history of aggression, saying concrete actions are needed to regain the trust of Asian neighbors and the international community. He warned that denying the crime of aggression challenges historical conclusions and the post-war order, and urged vigilance against a resurgence of Japanese militarism.

China’s refined oil product exports rose 12.7% year on year in August amid the Iran war, while jet fuel shipments reached a record high, according to customs data released Friday. Overall exports exceeded levels recorded before the war.
India coach Gautam Gambhir says 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi must wait for his chance to break into the team. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson opened in the series, while Gambhir said players who have performed consistently for two or three years will remain ahead of newcomers.

A World Meteorological Organization report says 2025 was one of the driest years for rivers worldwide in more than three decades. Terrestrial water storage has fallen since the mid-2010s, while glaciers recorded a fourth straight year of widespread loss. From 2023 to 2025, glaciers lost 1,400 gigatons of water, raising risks of floods and long-term water insecurity.

Yansanggou Xing Bridge in Sunjiaba, Gulin County, was built during the Qing Dynasty and once linked Sichuan and Guizhou. Mao Zedong first crossed it when entering Sichuan during the Long March, while tens of thousands of Central Red Army troops passed over it as the Four Crossings of the Chishui River began.

Thousands of migrants are being moved to a new facility in Ceuta, with officers firing warning shots. It is the fifth temporary reception space established to handle a crisis that began in late July, when more than 70,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco.
A UN fact-finding mission on Iran said Thursday that reasonable grounds existed to believe the United States was behind two February military strikes on a school and a sports facility in Iran, which it deemed war crimes. The mission also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during a deadly crackdown on anti-government protests.


A UN report cited a missile strike on a primary school that killed more than 150 people and another airstrike that killed 22 civilians as evidence signaling possible U.S. war crimes in Iran. Washington rejected the report.

UN-backed human rights experts say the United States may have committed war crimes in two strikes on February 28 that killed more than 178 people, including 120 children. The attacks came at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Vladislav Maslennikov, a senior Russian official at the Arctic Council, said some European countries had effectively claimed the right to forcibly detain civilian vessels under what he called illegitimate unilateral EU sanctions. He described the actions as maritime piracy and said Brussels was clearly not ready for dialogue on Arctic issues.
Tax breaks are driving a rare alignment between Ottawa and the oil industry, giving Canada’s oil sands a boost.
The Trump administration said Thursday it approved a potential multibillion-dollar sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The deal would strengthen the Gulf ally’s military capacity amid the threat of a widening war in the Middle East.

The Trump administration is advancing a $24.3 billion fighter jet deal with Saudi Arabia as Iran-backed Houthis intensify attacks on the kingdom and seek control of the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The United States said Thursday it had approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Israel had previously raised concerns about Riyadh obtaining the aircraft, despite efforts to normalise relations.

The Trump administration says it has approved a proposed sale of nearly 50 F-35 fighters to Saudi Arabia, worth about $24bn. Critics in Congress and among US defence officials fear Riyadh could share sensitive technology with China; lawmakers have 30 days to review or block the deal.
The US administration has agreed to a proposed $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and related equipment to Saudi Arabia. Washington says the deal supports its foreign-policy and security objectives, while US intelligence has reportedly warned that China could gain access to F-35 technology through Saudi Arabia.

The Trump administration has asked Congress to approve a proposed $24.3bn sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is seeking US help in its war with Yemen’s Houthis, while US officials and lawmakers have raised concerns that China could gain access to the aircraft’s technology.

The US State Department has approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, saying the deal will strengthen regional security and stability.
The US State Department has approved a potential $24.3 billion sale of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia. The approval comes as the kingdom becomes increasingly drawn into the Middle East war.
Over the next decade, India’s leading multinational conglomerate Tata Group is facing a new power struggle between the chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts.

Anthropic says its Claude chatbot now leads more than a quarter of the company’s research and development. The disclosure comes as concerns grow that AI systems could soon improve themselves faster than humans can keep up.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took part in the largest pro-government rally since the war began. President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders and other senior officials watched the march.

Wine production in occupied Crimea fell 24.7% year-on-year from January through August 2026, while sparkling wine output dropped 38%, according to data cited by Kommersant. Producers face delayed deliveries of bottles and corks, higher transport and packaging costs, power outages, fuel shortages, a poor white-grape harvest, and fewer tourists. After Ukraine intensified attacks on the R-280 highway, carriers began refusing trips and fuel deliveries declined.
Japan’s oil refiners have secured enough crude supplies to last through November, the Petroleum Association of Japan said on Friday, despite concerns that renewed fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis could deepen tensions in the Middle East.
An estimated 125,000 people, including more than 57,000 children, have fled since fighting began in July between Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Yemen’s government and its Saudi ally. The UN calls it one of Yemen’s fastest and most volatile displacement waves in years. Thousands are risking the Bab el-Mandeb crossing to Djibouti, often in extreme heat and without enough water.

Britain appears ready to confront the uncomfortable reality that its Eurovision performance has deteriorated. Members of Parliament want to understand why the country keeps failing at the contest.
The article argues that while Western media amplify fears of a hypothetical Chinese robot army, the United States is sending humanoid military robots to Ukraine for live combat testing and exploring future battlefield and border-patrol uses. It also accuses Washington of blocking a binding UN treaty on lethal autonomous weapons, while China supports human control and a global ban.
A bell rang on Friday at the square of the 9.18 Historical Museum in Shenyang to mark the 95th anniversary of the September 18 Incident, which marked the beginning of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

Northeast China commemorated the 95th anniversary of the September 18 Incident with sirens, bell tolls and a moment of silence. A ceremony was held at Shenyang’s 9.18 Historical Museum, which also received newspapers and periodicals from 1931 to 1945. Japanese scholars and peace activists held a Tokyo symposium urging reflection on wartime responsibility and the accurate preservation of history.
The CLARITY crypto market-structure bill failed a Senate procedural vote 49-50. Even if seven Democratic senators reverse their votes and Republican Thom Tillis joins them, supporters would have only 57 votes, three short of the 60 needed. Reviving the bill also requires resolving policy disputes, navigating further Senate hurdles, winning House approval and fitting action into a compressed 2026 calendar.

Ed Sheeran’s turbulent week is continuing: a major Irish radio station has removed his music, while Instagram followers are leaving him. Fallout from the controversy surrounding his US tour is growing ahead of his return to the stage tomorrow, without his touring musicians or opening acts.
Some analysts say renewed scrutiny of artificial intelligence could pose a risk to the stock market.

Portugal’s government approved a one-off pension supplement for more than two million pensioners, along with personal income tax cuts retroactive to January. The package is worth €800 million ($918 million) and is intended to ease cost-of-living pressures.
Once the music industry’s biggest headache, Napster is returning with a new plan to bring AI into the classroom and digitally clone teachers.

President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed European leaders on Sept. 18 to the inaugural Carpathian 8 Summit in Bukovel, western Ukraine. The forum brings together eight Carpathian countries, EU institutions and businesses to discuss security, energy, logistics and cross-border economic cooperation.

Harry Kane says 2025-26 was the best season of his life after scoring 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England. Although the tally makes him a leading Ballon d’Or contender, Kane says the award is decided by voters and his attention is now on winning trophies with Bayern.

Dutch company Minikim Holland B.V., owner of the Love Is brand, has sued Russian retailer Magnit and chip maker Moskovsky Kartofel in a Kaluga arbitration court. Minikim alleges that a Valentine’s Day promotion used packaging with a confusingly similar Love Is image without a copyright license.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday transferring the assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French groups to LEV Management. After Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most Western companies quickly sold their Russian operations and holdings, while the Kremlin has since made exits more difficult.

Saudi Arabia has sold about 60 million barrels of crude from its Gulf port of Ras Tanura, with shipments planned for this month and next through ship-to-ship transfers at Oman’s Sohar port, multiple trade sources said on Friday.
From Tesla’s FSD rollout to driverless lorries linking Lidl warehouses, a series of EU approvals suggests regulators are embracing autonomous mobility faster than expected, with no sign that the momentum is slowing.
French far-right politician Éric Zemmour said Friday that he will run in next year’s presidential election, joining fellow far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. His campaign calls for a crackdown on immigration, including expelling unemployed foreigners who are legal residents.

The China-Laos Railway carried 3.822 million metric tons of cross-border goods worth 23.38 billion yuan in the first eight months of 2026, Kunming Customs said. Total import and export value increased 31.5% year on year, with exports at 11.24 billion yuan and imports at 12.14 billion yuan.
The iPhone 18 has launched in India, with long lines outside Apple Stores despite higher prices for the Pro models. Separately, the Election Commission has barred both Trinamool Congress factions from using the party’s name and symbol in upcoming by-elections.

Australian Liberal MP Andrew Hastie told a parliamentary inquiry that Microsoft Copilot suggested he respond with phrases such as “congratulations!” after a terminally ill man said he planned to end his life through voluntary assisted dying. Hastie cited the incident as evidence of shortcomings in US-run software and called for AI operated in Australia. Defence officials warned that cutting Australia off from US-based processing could sharply reduce cyber capabilities.

Two suicide bombings at a police residential compound in Kohat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killed at least 16 people and injured more than 50, officials said. The dead included 11 civilians and five police officers. Police and counterterrorism forces killed six militants during a subsequent operation, while no group immediately claimed responsibility.

A shooting at a high school in the southern Philippines on Friday killed at least three young people and injured six others, including the gunman.
Three students were killed in a school shooting in the southern Philippines on Friday, provincial officials said. They included a 16-year-old suspected gunman, who officials said then turned the weapon on himself.

A school shooting in the southern Philippines has left at least one person dead and four others injured. Philippine police gathered at a school in Zamboanga on August 18, 2026.
Kanye West, also known as Ye, removed the previously listed October 10 and 11 performances at St. Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena from his 2026 tour schedule. Organizers had said more than 100,000 tickets were sold, but the venue said no rental agreement existed, while local outlets reported that senior officials had not approved the concerts.
Novo Nordisk is using Anthropic’s AI to accelerate drug discovery. The Ozempic maker sees a need to move faster in applying AI.
Pregnancy and becoming a new parent can create difficult workplace challenges for women. Many worry about how hiring managers or current employers will perceive them if they disclose that they are expecting a child.
Scientists say that, among the threats posed by uncontrollable artificial intelligence, dying from a plague ranks relatively low.

A sexual assault case against RCMP Const. William McNutt was dropped because of delays in the justice system. The complainant says she would have chosen restorative justice if it had been available.
‘Aid influencers’ are accused of using Nepal flood victims to grow their social media followings. Organisations are meanwhile exploring new ways to raise awareness and funds for relief efforts.

The Federal Reserve’s 25-basis-point rate increase pushed the one-year Treasury yield to 4.45%, putting pressure on crypto lending returns. Coin Metrics found Aave USDC lenders earned 31 basis points less than Treasuries on average, while Morpho’s median USDC vault exceeded the benchmark by 65 basis points but had about 3.3 times the volatility. The article argues CDOR may better measure on-chain credit conditions than SOFR.

China’s fiscal revenue increased 5.7% year on year in the first eight months of 2026, finance ministry data showed, easing slightly from the 5.8% growth recorded in January-July.
The documentary NAZA has yet to secure an Israeli distributor or public screening. The article frames the backlash against the film and its creators as part of a broader refusal to confront the reality in Gaza, noting that critics repeatedly say they do not intend to watch it and attack it over alleged journalistic shortcomings.

Oktoberfest opens in Munich at noon on September 19 and is expected to draw more than 6 million visitors through October 4. The city is introducing AI-based crowd monitoring, additional cameras and a coordination center after dangerous overcrowding last year. Beer costs €14.80 to €15.90 per liter, while water costs €11.

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk continued competing after suspected incontinence during the Hyrox Beijing race and went on to win, prompting public-health and fairness criticism. She apologised and gave up her points, while organisers apologised, promised full refunds to affected participants and updated rules to allow withdrawals when bodily fluids pose health or contamination risks.

Childhood friends from Wales who founded the viral spirit brand Au Vodka after leaving school are each taking home at least £75 million ($101 million) from its sale.
Asian Games athletes will stay in wooden container rooms or an Italian cruise ship. South Korea’s delegation criticised leaking pipes and undersized beds, saying athletes over two metres tall cannot stretch out their legs. Organisers say they are taking concrete steps to improve conditions.

The South Korean president has urged Donald Trump to pursue dialogue with Pyongyang. Trump said in August that he planned to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year and again praised their relationship, while Pyongyang has shown little response.
A new European Council on Foreign Relations study says most Europeans still want a stronger, more united Europe, but doubt that goal can be achieved. About 68% perceive decline rather than renewal.
A University of Cambridge study says fighters from Boko Haram’s two factions routinely used ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI and DeepSeek for technical and military advice, including building more powerful bombs, planning attacks and solving combat problems. Material obtained by Al Jazeera also shows ISIL supporters sharing methods to bypass AI safeguards and obtain weapons information.

Slow-moving thunderstorms brought severe flooding to eastern Spain, killing at least one person near Barcelona. Valencia and Barcelona saw torrential rain, strong winds and hail, while submerged roads, cancelled flights and a postponed La Liga match disrupted the region. Tropical Storm Dujuan is expected to strengthen into a category one typhoon and could affect southeastern Japan, including Tokyo.

The China Marrow Donor Program has recorded more than 24,000 unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donations. Its registry now includes nearly 3.79 million voluntary donors, with 441 donations serving 35 countries and regions overseas. The program received full accreditation from the World Marrow Donor Association in March 2026.
Russian Battlegroup North’s 11th Army Corps says its interceptor-drone crews have destroyed more than 150 Ukrainian rotor drones in the Kharkov Region since early September. The unit says constant aerial monitoring and rapid interceptions have reduced Ukrainian reconnaissance and artillery-adjustment capabilities.
The pound edged higher on Friday after data showed UK retail sales unexpectedly increased in August. The latest upbeat figures add to pressure on the Bank of England to raise interest rates.
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