CultureJapan’s matcha boom is giving fresh momentum to a tea sector that has endured declining consumption and weak prices for decades. Growers are expanding production as demand from overseas buyers surges. That effort is creating new challenges for producers. The report examines developments in the tea-growing regions of Uji and Shizuoka.
EconomyNigeria approved tax waivers for nearly 4,000 electric vehicles during the first half of 2026, government data shows. The authorities are seeking to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles through such measures. However, unreliable electricity supplies across the country pose a challenge to those plans. Power shortages are limiting the momentum behind Nigeria’s EV push.
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OtherThe Powerball jackpot has climbed to $1 billion, making it the largest lottery prize seen so far this year. No one has won the jackpot since May. Jason Allen reports on the growing prize. The update was featured by CBS Mornings, which airs weekdays on CBS and streams through the CBS News app.
SocietyLawyers for Andrew and Tristan Tate are seeking their release from a Miami jail, arguing that the facility’s conditions are harsh. Prosecutors have rejected that basis, saying FDC Miami is “not a Marriott” but that the brothers’ conditions of confinement remain “reasonable.”
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WorldA ferry caught fire while travelling through Indonesia’s Lombok Strait, leaving one person dead. More than 210 people were evacuated from the vessel, including two Australians. The ferry was sailing from Bali toward Lombok when the blaze began. The incident marks Indonesia’s second major ferry fire in just a few days, as rescue efforts continue.
PoliticsPresident Donald Trump spoke briefly with reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Aug. 11, 2026.
TechCybercriminals did not need to become smarter last year; they only needed artificial intelligence. Attacks carried out by AI-powered hackers rose 89 per cent from the previous year. The pattern indicates that cyberattacks are becoming faster and more efficient. Dr Gatra Priyandita of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute examines whether AI’s contribution to defence can outweigh its boost to offensive hacking.
EconomyUS consumer prices increased 0.2% in July, exactly matching forecasts. The annual increase was 2.5%, tying the slowest pace recorded since March 2021. Energy, gasoline and grocery prices all declined during the month. The reading may reduce pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.
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TechChinese technology company Honor is introducing a product it describes as the world’s first commercially available “robophone.” Its camera is controlled by artificial intelligence and can follow the movements of people and objects. CNA correspondent Deborah Wong discusses the launch with an analyst from Counterpoint Research. The conversation examines China’s competitive advantage in the smartphone market.
EconomyWall Street remains split over whether the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next month. The July inflation report could play a decisive role in shaping expectations. Jane Foley of Rabobank told Reuters that a hike is far from certain. Even a benign inflation reading, however, may not resolve the disagreement over what the Fed should do.
Reuters
PoliticsPresident Trump has publicly addressed a secret aircraft switch after leaving Turkey last month. He departed following a NATO summit on a plane other than Air Force One, while many other people were still permitted to board. His comments Tuesday marked the first time he had spoken publicly about the change. The switch has prompted fresh questions surrounding the departure.
EconomyEd Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, says he is experiencing what he calls “FEMO,” short for fabulous earnings momentum. He lifted his year-end forecast for the S&P 500 to 8,400. That figure is described as the most bullish estimate on Wall Street.
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PoliticsCBS News projects that moderate David Crowley narrowly won Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor. His victory upset democratic socialist Francesca Hong in a closely contested race. Ed O’Keefe explains how the contest unfolded. The report is featured through CBS Mornings’ news coverage and analysis.
EconomyEurope is placing a multi-trillion-euro bet on producing more of its own electricity. The strategy aims to tackle high energy costs, geopolitical vulnerability and industrial decline. The discussion examines whether renewable energy, nuclear power and a sweeping grid overhaul can provide energy security before Europe’s competitors move further ahead.
Reuters
EconomyN Chandrasekaran will leave his post as chairman of Tata Sons in February 2027, ending his leadership of the holding company behind one of India’s biggest conglomerates. He has decided not to seek another term. The move follows months of tension with Tata Trusts, which holds a majority stake in Tata Sons. The report says Priyata Brajabasi is covering the development from Bengaluru.
SocietyVietnam is confronting a steep decline in births as its population ages. The country, home to more than 100 million people, was once associated with large families, but fertility has fallen to 1.9 children per woman. The figure is causing concern within the government, which spent more than four decades focused on restraining population growth. A two-child policy was standard during that period, until the restriction was formally lifted in June 2025.
WorldThe United States and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have each reported attacks on shipping in strategically important waterways. The incidents took place in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz and at the Red Sea entrance. Washington said a Navy helicopter launched two missiles to disable the steering gear of a Panama-flagged cargo vessel after it repeatedly ignored warnings over an alleged breach of a naval blockade. Houthi-run Saba news agency meanwhile reported that an attack in the Red Sea killed three Pakistani citizens. Negotiations aimed at ending the Iran war have reached an impasse.
WorldA Russian overnight attack struck a shopping mall in Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said. Another Russian attack in Odesa caused a fire in an apartment on the fifth floor of a multistory residential building. The report describes the immediate aftermath in the two Ukrainian cities, with damage reported at commercial and residential sites.
The Associated Press
WorldA Syrian court has sentenced ousted leader Bashar al-Assad to death following a trial held in absentia. The ruling convicted him of crimes that include killings, torture and arbitrary arrest. The landmark judgment has prompted reactions from Syrians. The video contains sensitive footage that may disturb some viewers.
Reuters
SocietyThe Met Office has issued a rare amber warning for extreme heat on Thursday. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-to-high 30s across the Midlands and south-east England, with a possible peak of 38C. Prime Minister Andy Burnham is due to chair a Cobra committee meeting on Wednesday to discuss the government’s response. A Downing Street spokesperson said firefighters, farmers and NHS staff were all dealing with weather-related challenges.
BBC News
PoliticsLebanon’s parliament has approved the abolition of the death penalty in what is described as a significant first for the region. A separate legislative change will commute existing death sentences to life imprisonment. The vote marks a major change in the country’s capital-punishment system. Al Jazeera reporter Ali Hashem is reporting from Beirut.
Economy8:50Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, says corporate earnings are helping push markets higher. He suggests that his previous outlook may not have been optimistic enough and discusses lifting his year-end S&P 500 forecast from 8,250 to 8,400. Yardeni also addresses the artificial-intelligence trade and its role in current market activity.
Bloomberg Television
WorldFormer Chinese premier Zhu Rongji has died at the age of 97. He served as China’s fifth premier from 1998 to 2003. Regarded as an ardent reformist, he was credited with helping steer the country into the modern era and led efforts to secure its entry into the World Trade Organization. State media said Zhu died in Beijing at about 11am local time after medical treatment was unsuccessful. CNA also spoke with Tianchen Xu, a senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit.
WorldFox News correspondent Peter Doocy reports from the White House on the latest developments. The report concerns an alleged Iranian threat targeting President Donald Trump in Turkey. Its headline portrays Trump as bringing out the “BIG GUNS,” using emphatic language to describe his response. The item presents the alleged threat as the central focus of the update.
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