Iniaes

In Nepal

More than 2,400 people are missing after devastating floods, with rescue crews working through deep mud and facing the risk of more flooding. Authorities have recovered 586 bodies, including some carried downstream into India. UNICEF says 17,000 children need assistance.

At a Washington paper mill

Investigators say a chemical tank that failed in May, killing people, had been declared unfit for continued service by an inspection contractor 10 months earlier. The finding raises direct questions about why the tank was still operating.

In tech and security

A federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully retaliated against AI company Anthropic after it resisted Pentagon demands to remove limits on military uses of its models. Judge Rita Lin permanently blocked the Defense Department’s supply-chain-risk designation, finding violations of the First Amendment, due process, and federal administrative law. The government can still pursue lawful alternatives to stop using Anthropic technology.

Separately, dialysis provider DaVita agreed to pay $15 million to settle proposed class-action claims over a 2025 ransomware attack and data theft incident that reportedly affected nearly 2.7 million people. DaVita operates more than 3,000 U.S. treatment centers.

At the White House

The Trump administration told the Supreme Court that its East Wing ballroom project was 65% complete, arguing it was too far along to stop. But records cited in reporting indicate the work was substantially less advanced under the progress standard in the project’s confidential agreement with contractor Clark Construction.

In technology and the courts

A federal judge has ordered the Pentagon to withdraw its supply-chain designation against AI company Anthropic. The court found the action amounted to illegal retaliation under the First Amendment, handing Anthropic nearly all the relief it sought in its lawsuit.

In public health

A Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce has expanded to 20 states, according to U.S. health officials. The FDA and CDC say it is now the largest recorded U.S. outbreak of the parasitic illness, with the investigation continuing as additional cases are identified.

In London

Four men have pleaded guilty to an arson attack that destroyed four ambulances run by Hatzola, a Jewish charity, in an area of London with a large Jewish population. The attack was part of a series of incidents targeting Jewish or Israel-linked sites in the capital.

In Gaza

Israeli strikes have killed at least four people in Gaza, including people sheltering in tents. The attacks come as overcrowded displacement camps face deteriorating sanitation and living conditions.

At the Federal Reserve

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh used his first Jackson Hole address to argue that financial conditions are not restrictive and that underlying inflation has not meaningfully improved. His remarks strengthened the case for higher interest rates, while he also rejected using forward guidance to signal future policy.

In Nepal

Flash flooding in Nepal has killed at least 579 people, with more than 1,900 still missing. Authorities are conducting rescues, caring for survivors, and working to identify those killed.

In Norway

King Harald V has died at 89, the royal palace announced. Europe’s oldest reigning monarch died at Oslo University Hospital and was immediately succeeded by his son, King Haakon VIII. Harald spent part of his childhood in exile in the United States during Nazi Germany’s occupation of Norway, then reigned for more than three decades.

In Nepal

A glacier collapse has triggered flash floods and mudslides, while a landslide has blocked a river and formed a new barrier lake. Authorities face a further threat if the natural dam fails, releasing water downstream.

In Hungary

Parliament has chosen an academic with no legal training to lead a new anti-corruption authority under Peter Magyar’s government. The body is meant to identify suspected misuse of public money during Viktor Orbán’s time in office and support possible prosecutions. Its effectiveness will depend on whether investigators can reach the people and records that matter.

In Britain

Reform UK says it will seek to limit voting in British elections to British citizens, ending voting rights for Commonwealth citizens on temporary visas. The proposed changes would also tighten postal voting rules and restrict election materials to English, Welsh, or Cornish.

In public health

Scientists report that flesh-eating bacteria are appearing in places once considered too cold to support them. The expansion raises concerns that warming waters may expose communities beyond the pathogens’ traditional hotspots, increasing the need for surveillance and prompt treatment of serious wound infections.

In UK welfare

Downing Street is expected to delay major welfare reforms until at least next year, waiting for two reviews before setting out changes. The pause comes as nearly one million young people in the UK are not in work, education or training, while long-term sickness benefit claims continue to rise.

In Norway

Norway’s King Harald has died at 89 after a 35-year reign. He was widely popular and broke with royal tradition when he married a commoner. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, will succeed him.

Missing asylum-seeking children

A parliamentary report says 40 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children remain missing from UK Home Office hotel accommodation. Of 472 children reported missing, 432 have been found, with some located in exploitative circumstances. The report raises renewed concerns over safeguarding and trafficking risks.

In tech and security

A developer says AliExpress code used inaudible Web Audio processing to measure device-specific audio behavior, a technique that can help fingerprint browsers without cookies. The code also appeared to disrupt Bluetooth headphone switching.

In the United States, a judge has blocked the Pentagon from blacklisting AI firm Anthropic, finding the department acted unlawfully in what the company said was punishment for criticizing the government.

Britain’s heat-stressed railways

Heat-related failures have exposed the strain on Britain’s rail infrastructure during one of its hottest and driest summers on record. A derailment near Lewes in East Sussex injured 30 people, followed by another involving a Greater Anglia train in Essex. Network Rail says a system built for cooler, wetter conditions is under exceptional pressure.

Searches in Nepal

Families have traveled to Nepal to search for 33 British nationals reported missing, including children aged 13 and 14. Few further details were provided in the summary.

In U.S. courts

A federal judge in Boston has again blocked the Trump administration’s mail-in voting restrictions ahead of the November midterms. Judge Indira Talwani extended the pause for at least two weeks, finding Democratic-led states and voting-rights groups were likely to prevail. Absentee and overseas ballots remain available in many states for now.

In California, a federal judge ruled that the Pentagon illegally labeled AI company Anthropic a supply-chain risk. Judge Rita Lin found the designation was retaliation over constitutionally protected activity, violating First Amendment and due-process protections. The dispute grew from conflict over how the military could use Anthropic’s AI systems.

Separately, three Stars and Stripes journalists are suing the administration, alleging an effort to fire them violates the Constitution.

In AI security

OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and more than 100 other companies are calling for stronger defenses against AI-enabled cyberattacks. Their letter urges early access to frontier models for vetted defenders and greater protection for hospitals, water systems, and internet infrastructure. It includes no deadlines, funding commitments, or measurable targets.

In naval production

The U.S. Navy has issued standards meant to speed approval of metal 3D-printed parts for submarines. Approved components will be able to replace traditional cast and wrought parts without repeated individual approvals, while remaining subject to inspection rules. The Navy says the change could ease delays caused by obsolete parts and vanished suppliers.

Off Ireland

Britain will deploy an air-defense frigate off Ireland during an EU foreign and defense ministers’ meeting in County Wicklow. Legal restrictions mean the ship must remain roughly 14 miles offshore and cannot fire over Irish territory. An Irish liaison officer will be aboard to authorize any use of long-range weapons.

In Syria

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has appointed Mazloum Abdi, the former commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, as a presidential adviser. The appointment comes three days after the SDF was dissolved, a notable move to bring a former rival force into Syria’s new governing structure.

In health

The FDA has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for people at higher risk. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have new mRNA formulations, while Sanofi has a non-mRNA option. Manufacturers can begin shipping doses to pharmacies and doctors’ offices.

In the UK, researchers estimate that at least 15,000 women each year develop undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder after childbirth, with the true figure possibly twice as high. Experts are calling for coordinated postnatal support and better training for GPs to recognize symptoms.

In U.S. policy

Congress faces another dispute over hemp restrictions as House Republicans work on a temporary funding bill after the August recess. The issue nearly disrupted the Senate’s earlier negotiations.

In accountability

A federal judge has approved Bank of America’s $72.5 million settlement with victims of Jeffrey Epstein over the bank’s dealings with the convicted sex offender.

In Nepal and Tibet

Flooding triggered by a glacial collapse has killed nearly 400 people across the Nepal-Tibet region, with about 1,400 still missing. The U.S. Geological Survey says a massive release of ice and debris set off the disaster, as rescue teams continue searching affected areas.

In U.S. housing

Millions of renters could qualify for payments from a nearly $360 million proposed settlement involving RealPage and property management companies. They were accused of using rent-pricing software to inflate multifamily rents, allegations the companies deny and a court has not yet ruled on. Eligible tenants rented covered apartments between October 2018 and November 2025, with any payments dependent on final court approval.

In tech and security

Major technology companies are warning that AI-enabled cyberattacks could become substantially more capable within months. Automated tools could help attackers find vulnerabilities, craft convincing scams, and scale operations faster than organizations can strengthen defenses.

In the war in Ukraine

Russia says it could target British military facilities in Ukraine or elsewhere in retaliation for London’s support for Kyiv. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also accused Britain and France of escalating the conflict.

In the Himalayas

More than 1,300 people are reported missing after a glacier collapse triggered deadly flooding in the Nepal-Tibet region. Authorities are also watching a rapidly expanding barrier lake, which could unleash another surge into river valleys already devastated by the first flood.

In Britain

Heavy thunderstorms have flooded dozens of homes in England and Wales after a summer marked by drought. The Environment Agency issued 40 flood alerts across parts of England, while forecasters warned some areas could receive up to 75 millimetres of rain in 12 hours.

Separately, the number of asylum seekers housed in UK hotels has halved over the past year, according to the Home Office. Thirteen hotels closed in the last month, though more people are now being placed in privately rented shared housing, shifting the accommodation problem rather than solving it.

U.S. diplomacy

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Washington and Beijing to overcome obstacles in their relationship ahead of Xi Jinping’s planned U.S. visit next month and talks with President Trump.

Trump is also seeking to revive direct negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, aiming for verifiable limits on Pyongyang’s nuclear program and an end to North Korean support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In Bosnia’s war-crimes legacy

Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb general convicted of war crimes and serving a life sentence, has died in prison at 84. Mladić’s forces besieged Sarajevo and carried out the Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed.

At Frankfurt Airport

German health authorities are investigating how two Frankfurt Airport workers contracted and died from malaria. Officials have installed mosquito traps, begun monitoring, and asked doctors to watch for symptoms as they try to determine the source of the infections.

In Nepal

The confirmed death toll from flash flooding along the Nepal-Tibet border has risen to at least 273. Search teams are still looking for hundreds of missing tourists after floodwaters devastated the region, including Nepal's Rasuwa district.

In Pennsylvania

Two unvaccinated people, including an infant, have died of measles in Lancaster County. They are Pennsylvania's first reported measles-related deaths in 35 years.

In U.S. security

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating a major cyber incident claimed by the Qilin ransomware group. ATF says the affected standalone system was separate from its main network, and its enterprise systems and eForms service do not appear to be disrupted.

In the U.K.

Home Office figures show the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels has halved over the past year. The figures also show declines in legal migration arrivals, asylum claims, and small-boat arrivals.

In energy

Ireland is reopening its long-settled argument over nuclear power as electricity demand rises sharply, driven in part by data centres supporting artificial intelligence. The question is whether an energy system built without nuclear generation can keep pace while meeting climate targets and maintaining reliable supply.

In Nepal

Flash floods and landslides in Nepal’s mountainous border region near China have killed at least 165 people, with hundreds still missing. Police say 826 people are unaccounted for, including more than 529 tourists and 33 UK nationals, among them two teenagers. Flooding has cut transport links and complicated search efforts.

In France

Two people were killed and 10 injured after a car drove into a crowd in Caen. Police arrested a suspect and said the incident followed a reported fight at a nearby bar. Investigators are working to establish the circumstances and motive.

In tech and security

The U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA has added six vulnerabilities to its catalog of flaws known to be under active exploitation. They include a high-severity Citrix NetScaler issue, along with vulnerabilities affecting Linux and Microsoft SQL Server. Organizations using the affected systems are being urged to apply available fixes promptly.

In finance

From next month, UK financial firms will face expanded Financial Conduct Authority requirements to report non-financial misconduct, including bullying and harassment. The rules extend beyond banks to investment firms, insurers, hedge funds and pension businesses, covering nearly 40,000 companies.

In the arts

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has died at 97. Known worldwide for her polka dots, pumpkins and Infinity Mirror Rooms, Kusama became one of contemporary art’s most recognizable figures. Her career also ranged through painting, sculpture, performance and writing.