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Former US defence secretary Leon Panetta has said that the United States’ war with Iran is likely to drag on for another six months and risks becoming another “forever war in the Middle East”, with no clear end in sight.“It’s no mystery that the United States and Iran are caught in a terrible stalemate, in which there really are very few options available to bring this war to an end,” said the ex-Pentagon chief, who served in former President Barack Obama’s administration and oversaw the operation that led to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s death in 2011.&nbsp;Panetta, who also served as CIA director, suggested in an interview with the Guardian that the conflict is on course to become “another failed war” in the Middle East “like Iraq and Afghanistan”.“I think the likelihood is this war is going to continue for another six months without being resolved,” he added.&nbsp;Panetta’s remarks come days after the US army secretary, Dan Driscoll, resigned abruptly, departing amid the conflict after reports of tensions with the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, over a series of firings.&nbsp;US service members “are going to war at a time when there’s tremendous turmoil at the Pentagon, in the command structure, which really creates a sense that there’s nobody in charge”, said Panetta, who served as defence secretary from 2011 to 2013.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>‘Adversaries of US meeting and supporting each other’</h2>&nbsp;“My biggest concern right now is we live in a very dangerous world, with the primary threats coming from China, from Russia, from North Korea, and from terrorism, and yes, from Iran as well. But what I’m concerned about is that we’re sending a message of weakness to our primary adversaries,” he added.Panetta claimed that the adversaries of the US are meeting and supporting each other in this axis that’s been created.&nbsp;However, the Pentagon had said in a statement that it was “firing on all cylinders” under Hegseth’s leadership.“The premise that the Department is in disarray is completely baseless and an insult to every dedicated professional and warfighter in this building who comes to work every day to defend this nation. This is what reform looks like,” it said.&nbsp;<h2>‘Hope Trump admin learsn long deployment of USS Abraham Lincoln’</h2>&nbsp;Panetta also said he hopes the Pentagon and Trump’s broader administration learn from what happened with the extremely long deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. “Bottom line is, you do not deploy people endlessly into a war zone without making some kind of plans for rotation,” Panetta said.&nbsp;Earlier this week, JD Vance told reporters that he would not describe the current military conflict with Iran a “war”. And asked whether he expected the conflict to be over by November’s US midterm elections, the vice-president said, “I think the reality is I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians.”&nbsp;<h2>‘US often entangles in wars that drain American resources’</h2>&nbsp;Last week, Panetta said that the US has often become entangled in wars that only drain American resources and compared the ongoing conflict to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.“I think we’re locked into an unwinnable war that is going to continue as other wars have continued without any satisfactory conclusion,” he told CNN in a July-end interview.&nbsp;“Whether it was Iraq, whether it was Afghanistan, or whether it’s Iran, we are finding ourselves in unwinnable wars that ultimately consume the United States, hurt our economy, and most importantly, I think, make us look weak to the rest of the world,” Panetta added.

Former US defence secretary Leon Panetta said he hopes the Pentagon and Trump’s administration learn from what happened with the extremely long deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. He added that people should not be deployed endlessly in a war zone without making any plans for rotation.

Former US defence secretary Leon Panetta has said that the United States’ war with Iran is likely to drag on for another six months and risks becoming another “forever war in the Middle East”, with no clear end in sight. “It’s no mystery that the United States and Iran are caught in a terrible stalemate, in which there really are very few options available to bring this war to an end,” said the ex-Pentagon chief, who served in former President Barack Obama’s administration and oversaw the operation that led to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s death in 2011. Panetta, who also served as CIA director, suggested in an interview with the Guardian that the conflict is on course to become “another failed war” in the Middle East “like Iraq and Afghanistan”. “I think the likelihood is this war is going to continue for another six months without being resolved,” he added. Panetta’s remarks come days after the US army secretary, Dan Driscoll, resigned abruptly, departing amid the conflict after reports of tensions with the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, over a series of firings. US service members “are going to war at a time when there’s tremendous turmoil at the Pentagon, in the command structure, which really creates a sense that there’s nobody in charge”, said Panetta, who served as defence secretary from 2011 to 2013. ‘Adversaries of US meeting and supporting each other’ “My biggest concern right now is we live in a very dangerous world, with the primary threats coming from China, from Russia, from North Korea, and from terrorism, and yes, from Iran as well. But what I’m concerned about is that we’re sending a message of weakness to our primary adversaries,” he added. Panetta claimed that the adversaries of the US are meeting and supporting each other in this axis that’s been created. However, the Pentagon had said in a statement that it was “firing on all cylinders” under Hegseth’s leadership. “The premise that the Department is in disarray is completely baseless and an insult to every dedicated professional and warfighter in this building who comes to work every day to defend this nation. This is what reform looks like,” it said. ‘Hope Trump admin learsn long deployment of USS Abraham Lincoln’ Panetta also said he hopes the Pentagon and Trump’s broader administration learn from what happened with the extremely long deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. “Bottom line is, you do not deploy people endlessly into a war zone without making some kind of plans for rotation,” Panetta said. Earlier this week, JD Vance told reporters that he would not describe the current military conflict with Iran a “war”. And asked whether he expected the conflict to be over by November’s US midterm elections, the vice-president said, “I think the reality is I don’t know the answer to that question. You would have to ask the Iranians.” ‘US often entangles in wars that drain American resources’ Last week, Panetta said that the US has often become entangled in wars that only drain American resources and compared the ongoing conflict to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. “I think we’re locked into an unwinnable war that is going to continue as other wars have continued without any satisfactory conclusion,” he told CNN in a July-end interview. “Whether it was Iraq, whether it was Afghanistan, or whether it’s Iran, we are finding ourselves in unwinnable wars that ultimately consume the United States, hurt our economy, and most importantly, I think, make us look weak to the rest of the world,” Panetta added.

Former US defence secretary Leon Panetta said he hopes the Pentagon and Trump’s administration learn from what happened with the extremely long deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. He added that people should not be deployed endlessly in a war zone without making any plans for rotation.

Iran War may drag on for another 6 months: Ex-US defence secretary Leon Panetta

After more than a decade of discussions, 128 countries have reached an agreement on a framework that could eventually lead to international rules governing autonomous weapons. The non-binding text was adopted by consensus on Saturday (Sep 5) during talks in Geneva under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, an international treaty developed under the framework of the United Nations. The agreement is being viewed as a significant step in efforts to address weapons systems capable of identifying and engaging targets with varying levels of human control.The breakthrough comes as governments grapple with how far machines should be allowed to make decisions involving lethal force. The issue has become increasingly urgent as advanced weapon systems feature in conflicts across Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East. Their growing use has fuelled concerns about civilian casualties, accountability and whether humans can retain meaningful control over decisions to use deadly force.<h2>What are killer robots?</h2>“Killer robots” is a widely used term for autonomous weapons capable of detecting and engaging targets based on their programming, rather than requiring a human operator to approve every individual attack.The technology has prompted a sharp divide among countries. Advocates of tougher international rules say humans must remain responsible for decisions involving lethal force. Others, including major military powers, have resisted binding restrictions.The final Geneva text also faced criticism from Stop Killer Robots, which argued that the language was weakened during the final hours of negotiations.“It’s a real shame that all the work done by states on the text over the past three years has been substantially diluted in the last hours,” Nicole van Rooijen, executive director of Stop Killer Robots, told Reuters.Negotiators worked through the night to bridge differences, particularly over how autonomy and human judgment should be addressed.The United States and Russia have backed national guidelines instead of legally binding global rules. Washington also pushed for greater flexibility in language concerning human judgment.For now, the agreement is only a political step. But after years of deadlock, the consensus could give governments a pathway towards formal negotiations on regulating autonomous weapons.

128 countries have agreed on a non-binding framework for autonomous weapons after Geneva talks, potentially paving the way for global rules on “killer robots” and human control over lethal force.

After more than a decade of discussions, 128 countries have reached an agreement on a framework that could eventually lead to international rules governing autonomous weapons. The non-binding text was adopted by consensus on Saturday (Sep 5) during talks in Geneva under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, an international treaty developed under the framework of the United Nations. The agreement is being viewed as a significant step in efforts to address weapons systems capable of identifying and engaging targets with varying levels of human control. The breakthrough comes as governments grapple with how far machines should be allowed to make decisions involving lethal force. The issue has become increasingly urgent as advanced weapon systems feature in conflicts across Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East. Their growing use has fuelled concerns about civilian casualties, accountability and whether humans can retain meaningful control over decisions to use deadly force. What are killer robots? “Killer robots” is a widely used term for autonomous weapons capable of detecting and engaging targets based on their programming, rather than requiring a human operator to approve every individual attack. The technology has prompted a sharp divide among countries. Advocates of tougher international rules say humans must remain responsible for decisions involving lethal force. Others, including major military powers, have resisted binding restrictions. The final Geneva text also faced criticism from Stop Killer Robots, which argued that the language was weakened during the final hours of negotiations. “It’s a real shame that all the work done by states on the text over the past three years has been substantially diluted in the last hours,” Nicole van Rooijen, executive director of Stop Killer Robots, told Reuters. Negotiators worked through the night to bridge differences, particularly over how autonomy and human judgment should be addressed. The United States and Russia have backed national guidelines instead of legally binding global rules. Washington also pushed for greater flexibility in language concerning human judgment. For now, the agreement is only a political step. But after years of deadlock, the consensus could give governments a pathway towards formal negotiations on regulating autonomous weapons.

128 countries have agreed on a non-binding framework for autonomous weapons after Geneva talks, potentially paving the way for global rules on “killer robots” and human control over lethal force.

What are ‘killer robots’? 128 countries reach agreement after Geneva talks on autonomous weapons

The 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi is scheduled to be held on September 12-13, with India as the Chair. The summit is expected to push for mechanisms to facilitate cross-border payments among members, including links between digital payment systems and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), with the concept of de-dollarisation of the BRICS economy. This concept is the ongoing, gradual process by which member nations are planning to reduce their dependence on the US dollar for international trade, investment, and foreign exchange reserves. The idea enables all trading goods and energy to be paid for directly using national currencies (such as the Indian rupee, Russian ruble, or Chinese yuan) instead of converting through the dollar. Other key methods of this concept include developing independent messaging and payment systems, like proposed blockchain platforms or the BRICS Bridge, to bypass Western-dominated networks like SWIFT. In addition, the method has come up with the concept of lending through institutions like the BRICS New Development Bank to expand local currency use.<h3>Why does BRICS focus on this shift?</h3>BRICS nations have been planning the concept to shield member economies from the influence of Western financial restrictions and asset freezes, especially highlighted after sanctions on Russia. The main focus was to gain economic sovereignty by lowering vulnerability to US monetary policy shifts, inflation, and exchange rate volatility. Other aims also include cutting transaction fees linked to constant conversion into US dollars for cross-border commerce. The 2025 BRICS leaders’ and ministerial statements situate these efforts within a broader project of strengthening Global South cooperation and reforming global governance structures.<h3>New Development Bank's role</h3>The New Development Bank stands as BRICS' clearest institutional vehicle for de-dollarisation. Its legal framework permits local-currency financing, with the 2022–2026 General Strategy targeting 30 per cent of commitments in members' national currencies, market conditions permitting. The Bank's annual report underscored that such lending reduces exchange-rate and interest-rate exposure. This matters for three reasons: it aligns financing with domestic revenue, minimising currency mismatch; it strengthens local capital markets by encouraging domestic-currency funding; and it offers BRICS a credible institutional pathway toward gradual diversification. Official BRICS statements consistently back this approach; April 2025's Foreign Ministers' statement stressed "continuously expanding local currency financing and strengthening innovation in investment and financing tools.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-trump-xi-putin-meet-happen-what-russian-deputy-fm-said-on-possible-trilateral-1788690532552">Will Trump-Xi-Putin meet happen? What Russian Deputy FM said on possible trilateral</a><h3>How UPI, CIPS, Pix and SPFS Could Link Up to Bypass SWIFT?</h3>To counter the dollar, the BRICS bloc is also developing BRICS Pay and alternative financial messaging systems in order to reduce its economic dependence on the Western-dominated SWIFT network. The bloc aims to interlink four national payment systems that include Russia's SPFS, China's CIPS, India's UPI, and Brazil's Pix, to enable direct, low-cost cross-border transfers without routing through SWIFT. Reports suggest that no fully unified BRICS payment system exists yet; SPFS and CIPS currently serve as SWIFT's main alternatives. A prototype was demonstrated in Moscow in October 2024, envisioned as an open-source, decentralised messaging system capable of handling high transaction volumes. However, interoperability between these platforms is still in the initial stage, with significant hurdles around message standardisation, security protocols, and differing national regulatory frameworks still unresolved. So, the proposed digital cross-border payments platform interlinks national payment systems instead of relying on a single dominant currency or Western infrastructure. It comes with a goal to settle cross-border trade using native local currencies, bypassing the US dollar and mitigating the risk of Western sanctions. It was proposed to turn down the dollar dominance, as the US dollar and SWIFT still command the vast majority of global trade settlements. Basically, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is a secure messaging network used by more than 11,000 banks worldwide to facilitate international wire transfers. It is controlled largely by G-10 central banks.

The de-dollarisation of the BRICS economy is the ongoing, gradual process by which member nations reduce their dependence on the US dollar for international trade, investment, and foreign exchange reserves. 

The 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi is scheduled to be held on September 12-13, with India as the Chair. The summit is expected to push for mechanisms to facilitate cross-border payments among members, including links between digital payment systems and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), with the concept of de-dollarisation of the BRICS economy. This concept is the ongoing, gradual process by which member nations are planning to reduce their dependence on the US dollar for international trade, investment, and foreign exchange reserves. The idea enables all trading goods and energy to be paid for directly using national currencies (such as the Indian rupee, Russian ruble, or Chinese yuan) instead of converting through the dollar. Other key methods of this concept include developing independent messaging and payment systems, like proposed blockchain platforms or the BRICS Bridge, to bypass Western-dominated networks like SWIFT. In addition, the method has come up with the concept of lending through institutions like the BRICS New Development Bank to expand local currency use. Why does BRICS focus on this shift? BRICS nations have been planning the concept to shield member economies from the influence of Western financial restrictions and asset freezes, especially highlighted after sanctions on Russia. The main focus was to gain economic sovereignty by lowering vulnerability to US monetary policy shifts, inflation, and exchange rate volatility. Other aims also include cutting transaction fees linked to constant conversion into US dollars for cross-border commerce. The 2025 BRICS leaders’ and ministerial statements situate these efforts within a broader project of strengthening Global South cooperation and reforming global governance structures. New Development Bank's role The New Development Bank stands as BRICS' clearest institutional vehicle for de-dollarisation. Its legal framework permits local-currency financing, with the 2022–2026 General Strategy targeting 30 per cent of commitments in members' national currencies, market conditions permitting. The Bank's annual report underscored that such lending reduces exchange-rate and interest-rate exposure. This matters for three reasons: it aligns financing with domestic revenue, minimising currency mismatch; it strengthens local capital markets by encouraging domestic-currency funding; and it offers BRICS a credible institutional pathway toward gradual diversification. Official BRICS statements consistently back this approach; April 2025's Foreign Ministers' statement stressed "continuously expanding local currency financing and strengthening innovation in investment and financing tools. Also read: Will Trump-Xi-Putin meet happen? What Russian Deputy FM said on possible trilateral How UPI, CIPS, Pix and SPFS Could Link Up to Bypass SWIFT? To counter the dollar, the BRICS bloc is also developing BRICS Pay and alternative financial messaging systems in order to reduce its economic dependence on the Western-dominated SWIFT network. The bloc aims to interlink four national payment systems that include Russia's SPFS, China's CIPS, India's UPI, and Brazil's Pix, to enable direct, low-cost cross-border transfers without routing through SWIFT. Reports suggest that no fully unified BRICS payment system exists yet; SPFS and CIPS currently serve as SWIFT's main alternatives. A prototype was demonstrated in Moscow in October 2024, envisioned as an open-source, decentralised messaging system capable of handling high transaction volumes. However, interoperability between these platforms is still in the initial stage, with significant hurdles around message standardisation, security protocols, and differing national regulatory frameworks still unresolved. So, the proposed digital cross-border payments platform interlinks national payment systems instead of relying on a single dominant currency or Western infrastructure. It comes with a goal to settle cross-border trade using native local currencies, bypassing the US dollar and mitigating the risk of Western sanctions. It was proposed to turn down the dollar dominance, as the US dollar and SWIFT still command the vast majority of global trade settlements. Basically, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is a secure messaging network used by more than 11,000 banks worldwide to facilitate international wire transfers. It is controlled largely by G-10 central banks.

The de-dollarisation of the BRICS economy is the ongoing, gradual process by which member nations reduce their dependence on the US dollar for international trade, investment, and foreign exchange reserves.&nbsp;

De-dollarisation question of the BRICS economy: How UPI, CIPS, Pix and SPFS could link up to bypass SWIFT? EXPLAIND

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday (Sep 6) threatened a “faster” and “more intense” attack after US strikes on Iranian tankers a day earlier. The American military on Saturday (Sep 5) said that it disabled three Iranian crude oil carriers after two US Navy ships were targeted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Following the US strikes, Tehran retaliated by attacking a US naval drone trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz. IRGC also targeted three oil tankers in the strait and three US military vessels in other areas.“The Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has come to an end,” Ghalibaf said in a speech carried by state media. He added that “any aggression against Iran’s interests and security will receive a faster, more intense and more painful response”.<h2>CENTCOM strikes Iranian oil tankers</h2>Earlier on Saturday (Sep 5), US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday (Sep 5) said that it struck three Iranian crude oil tankers. The strikes come after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted two US Navy Warships in the region with ballistic missiles. The US military said that CENTCOM “permanently disabled” disabled Iranian crude oil carriers after Tehran’s “failed attacks” on its vessels.Without specifying which US Navy vessels were targeted by the IRGC, CENTCOM said that “a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks.”“Following Iran’s failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask. American forces also completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo (also known as the “Noxen”) in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable after the crew was directed to abandon ship,” the CENTCOM statement read.It added that Iranian tankers were part of a “multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies.”<h2>Economic war wages on</h2>Speaking on the blockade of Iranian ports imposed by Washington, Ghalibaf called on authorities to better manage Iranian imports to counter what he described as the US campaign “seeking to paralyse the supply cycle and energy management”.Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi on Sunday (Sep 6) said that Tehran was seeking to inflict damage on the US economy through this war.“If America wants to inflict one dollar of economic damage on Iran, it inflicts tens of dollars of damage on itself,” he added.

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened a “faster” and “more intense” response after US strikes disabled three Iranian oil carriers, warning that Washington would face a “more painful” retaliation.

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday (Sep 6) threatened a “faster” and “more intense” attack after US strikes on Iranian tankers a day earlier. The American military on Saturday (Sep 5) said that it disabled three Iranian crude oil carriers after two US Navy ships were targeted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Following the US strikes, Tehran retaliated by attacking a US naval drone trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz. IRGC also targeted three oil tankers in the strait and three US military vessels in other areas. “The Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has come to an end,” Ghalibaf said in a speech carried by state media. He added that “any aggression against Iran’s interests and security will receive a faster, more intense and more painful response”. CENTCOM strikes Iranian oil tankers Earlier on Saturday (Sep 5), US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday (Sep 5) said that it struck three Iranian crude oil tankers. The strikes come after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted two US Navy Warships in the region with ballistic missiles. The US military said that CENTCOM “permanently disabled” disabled Iranian crude oil carriers after Tehran’s “failed attacks” on its vessels. Without specifying which US Navy vessels were targeted by the IRGC, CENTCOM said that “a US aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer successfully evaded multiple unprovoked Iranian attacks.” “Following Iran’s failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask. American forces also completely destroyed the unladen crude oil carrier M/T Kylo (also known as the “Noxen”) in the Gulf of Oman, striking the vessel in multiple critical locations to render it inoperable after the crew was directed to abandon ship,” the CENTCOM statement read. It added that Iranian tankers were part of a “multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies.” Economic war wages on Speaking on the blockade of Iranian ports imposed by Washington, Ghalibaf called on authorities to better manage Iranian imports to counter what he described as the US campaign “seeking to paralyse the supply cycle and energy management”. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi on Sunday (Sep 6) said that Tehran was seeking to inflict damage on the US economy through this war. “If America wants to inflict one dollar of economic damage on Iran, it inflicts tens of dollars of damage on itself,” he added.

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened a “faster” and “more intense” response after US strikes disabled three Iranian oil carriers, warning that Washington would face a “more painful” retaliation.

‘More intense, more painful response’: Iran’s Ghalibaf threatens after US strikes on oil tankers

US President Donald Trump’s hair is again making headlines as he appeared with a different colour and style, days after he denied wearing a wig. The look drew attention on X, where users joked about the hair color and shape. Trump had previously clarified that he doesn't wear a wig. His latest hairstyle appears to be darker brunette hair and his familiar side-parting suddenly flipped to the opposite side. The sudden makeover was spotted on Friday, September 4. He was photographed as he arrived in New Jersey to spend the weekend at his Bedminster golf club.&nbsp;As he sported a new look, internet went into a frenzy. X users asked what was happening to his hair, with some saying he looked like he was “melting” and others comparing the colour to Rudy Giuliani or the style to Robert Redford. The reactions are social media commentary and do not establish that Trump wears a wig. One post asked, “what is the world is going on with Trump’s hair?”Another wrote, “Why does he look like he’s melting?” A third user commented, “Trump is obviously wearing a new wig.” Another wrote, “A new hair color doesn't change the fact that he looks like a clown.” Another wrote, “It looks like they’re trying for a sort of Robert Redford look.. ? That would fit with his delusional fantasy view of himself.”<h2>Trump denies wearing a wig</h2>During the September 2 dinner, Trump spoke about a 2024 campaign rally in <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/ohio/2">Ohio</a> for then-Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. He recalled strong winds at the event and used that experience to reject claims that he wears a wig. “I went up to the speaker, and it was blowing so hard,” Trump said. “I don’t wear a wig. But that night, they found out I did not wear a wig because if you did, it was not going to be on your head very long.”At a 2015 campaign rally, he said, “I don’t wear a toupee; it’s my hair, I swear,” before adding, “This is getting crazy,” while pulling on his hair.<h2>Trump’s hair has been discussed for years</h2>In 2018, Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference, “I try like hell to hide that bald spot, folks. I work hard at it.” His hair also drew attention during an August 5 speech in Las Vegas, when journalist Aaron Rupar wrote, “Is Trump rocking a wig, or what the hell is going on here?” Trump’s longtime doctor, Dr. Harold Bornstein, told The New York Times in 2017 that Trump took finasteride, used to treat male-pattern hair loss and an enlarged prostate. Mayo Clinic lists the same uses.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Donald Trump’s new hairstyle and darker hair colour have sparked reactions on X, days after he denied wearing a wig. Trump recalled a windy 2024 Ohio rally to reject wig claims, while his hair has remained a subject of public and media attention for years.

US President Donald Trump’s hair is again making headlines as he appeared with a different colour and style, days after he denied wearing a wig. The look drew attention on X, where users joked about the hair color and shape. Trump had previously clarified that he doesn't wear a wig. His latest hairstyle appears to be darker brunette hair and his familiar side-parting suddenly flipped to the opposite side. The sudden makeover was spotted on Friday, September 4. He was photographed as he arrived in New Jersey to spend the weekend at his Bedminster golf club. As he sported a new look, internet went into a frenzy. X users asked what was happening to his hair, with some saying he looked like he was “melting” and others comparing the colour to Rudy Giuliani or the style to Robert Redford. The reactions are social media commentary and do not establish that Trump wears a wig. One post asked, “what is the world is going on with Trump’s hair?”Another wrote, “Why does he look like he’s melting?” A third user commented, “Trump is obviously wearing a new wig.” Another wrote, “A new hair color doesn't change the fact that he looks like a clown.” Another wrote, “It looks like they’re trying for a sort of Robert Redford look.. ? That would fit with his delusional fantasy view of himself.” Trump denies wearing a wig During the September 2 dinner, Trump spoke about a 2024 campaign rally in Ohio for then-Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. He recalled strong winds at the event and used that experience to reject claims that he wears a wig. “I went up to the speaker, and it was blowing so hard,” Trump said. “I don’t wear a wig. But that night, they found out I did not wear a wig because if you did, it was not going to be on your head very long.”At a 2015 campaign rally, he said, “I don’t wear a toupee; it’s my hair, I swear,” before adding, “This is getting crazy,” while pulling on his hair. Trump’s hair has been discussed for years In 2018, Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference, “I try like hell to hide that bald spot, folks. I work hard at it.” His hair also drew attention during an August 5 speech in Las Vegas, when journalist Aaron Rupar wrote, “Is Trump rocking a wig, or what the hell is going on here?” Trump’s longtime doctor, Dr. Harold Bornstein, told The New York Times in 2017 that Trump took finasteride, used to treat male-pattern hair loss and an enlarged prostate. Mayo Clinic lists the same uses.

Donald Trump’s new hairstyle and darker hair colour have sparked reactions on X, days after he denied wearing a wig. Trump recalled a windy 2024 Ohio rally to reject wig claims, while his hair has remained a subject of public and media attention for years.

‘Am I melting?’ Trump’s new hair sparks hilarious reactions on X, but he insists he doesn’t wear a wig

Former CIA Director ​​David ​Petraeus ​in an interview has claimed that the United States bases in the eastern Gulf states ​i​s ​”no longer viable.​” He said that both the maintainence and functioning of the US bases have been affected. &nbsp;In an interview with ​​Global Gambit, the retired Army general cited Iran’s attacks on US bases, saying the military locations and critical infrastructure were used as “leverage.” He also claimed that America has used “perhaps half of our missile interceptors” in the Iran conflict. He urged the Trump administration to shift to inexpensive drones and learn from Ukraine.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-war-is-small-potatoes-for-us-says-trump-as-he-defends-vance-1788601061216">Iran war is "small potatoes" for US, says Trump as he defends Vance</a>&nbsp;“We need to learn from the Ukrainians, who are using 10,000 cheap drones per day. The exchange that they’re getting for those is absolutely massive. Ukrainians have hit all these oil storage and refinery capabilities. They’ve hit every single refinery within 3,000 kilometers of Ukraine,” he said. Petraeus added that the cost the US incurred by shooting an expensive missile interceptor to take down a $50,000 Iranian drone “is obviously not one that is sustainable.”&nbsp;Petraeus did not specify exactly which bases are not “viable.” Iran has targeted several US bases and facilities in West Asia in re<a href="">c</a>ent months. The long list includes the Marine Corps site, King Hussein Base, Prince Hassan Air Base, and Al Azraq Base, all in Jordan. Others include Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as the Navy Fifth Fleet assets at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Also hit were Al Minhad Air Base and Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the largest U.S. installation in the region—and facilities and warehouses in Erbil, Iraq.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-iran-s-pickaxe-mountain-that-trump-has-again-threatened-to-bomb-1788585763463">What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain that Trump has again threatened to bomb?</a>

Meanwhile, an Axios report said that the Trump administration is looking beyond the war and working on a broad plan that could reshape the US approach to the region after the war ends. It includes expansion of Abraham Accord. Trump has privately told people that he is working on "something much bigger" for the Middle East once the war with Iran is over. This comes even as US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran that the US will destroy and sink Iranian oil tankers if Tehran attacks US Navy ships, saying, “All they have to do is not shoot at” the US Navy, as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified across the region. &nbsp;

Former CIA Director David Petraeus has warned that US bases in the eastern Gulf are “no longer viable” after Iran’s attacks. He urged Washington to use cheaper drones, citing Ukraine’s strategy

Former CIA Director David Petraeus in an interview has claimed that the United States bases in the eastern Gulf states is ”no longer viable.” He said that both the maintainence and functioning of the US bases have been affected. In an interview with Global Gambit, the retired Army general cited Iran’s attacks on US bases, saying the military locations and critical infrastructure were used as “leverage.” He also claimed that America has used “perhaps half of our missile interceptors” in the Iran conflict. He urged the Trump administration to shift to inexpensive drones and learn from Ukraine. Also Read: Iran war is "small potatoes" for US, says Trump as he defends Vance “We need to learn from the Ukrainians, who are using 10,000 cheap drones per day. The exchange that they’re getting for those is absolutely massive. Ukrainians have hit all these oil storage and refinery capabilities. They’ve hit every single refinery within 3,000 kilometers of Ukraine,” he said. Petraeus added that the cost the US incurred by shooting an expensive missile interceptor to take down a $50,000 Iranian drone “is obviously not one that is sustainable.” Petraeus did not specify exactly which bases are not “viable.” Iran has targeted several US bases and facilities in West Asia in recent months. The long list includes the Marine Corps site, King Hussein Base, Prince Hassan Air Base, and Al Azraq Base, all in Jordan. Others include Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, as well as the Navy Fifth Fleet assets at the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Also hit were Al Minhad Air Base and Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the largest U.S. installation in the region—and facilities and warehouses in Erbil, Iraq. Also Read: What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain that Trump has again threatened to bomb?

Former CIA Director David Petraeus has warned that US bases in the eastern Gulf are “no longer viable” after Iran’s attacks. He urged Washington to use cheaper drones, citing Ukraine’s strategy

Are US bases in Gulf 'not viable' after Iran attack? Ex-CIA chief Petraeus makes BIG claim

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Sunday (Sep 6) shared Moscow’s position on a possible trilateral between the US, China and Russia. This comes amid speculation surrounding a meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. If the meeting happens, it would mark a rare encounter between the leaders of the world’s three major powers. This comes as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are visiting Moscow and Kyiv as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine.<h2>What did Sergei Ryabkov say?</h2>Speaking about the possible talks between the leaders, Ryabkov said that Moscow has not ruled out a trilateral meeting between the presidents of the US, China and Russia. According to Russian state news agency TASS, the deputy foreign minister suggested that before moving on to the actual preparations for the meeting, the agenda for the talks should be decided.“Here, the ‌main ⁠question boils down to how the substance of the meeting will be formulated, and what ​we can ​expect ⁠as a result,” he was quoted as saying.<h2>Will Trump-Xi-Putin meeting happen?</h2>Ryabkov’s remarks come days after Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on Tuesday (Sep 1) suggested a possible meeting between the three leaders. Ushakov made the remarks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, saying that the possibility of the meeting between the three leaders was discussed between Putin and Xi during talks in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-xi-putin-meet-soon-kremlin-hints-at-possible-apec-talks-1788356805140">Trump-Xi-Putin meet soon? Kremlin hints at possible APEC talks</a>When asked about the possibility of such a meeting, Ushakov told state TV, “This issue was discussed, yes.”He added that all three leaders were expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18-19.“Xi Jinping mentioned that Donald Trump would be attending, and Vladimir Putin would likely be attending as an invitee,” Ushakov said.“And if things go as planned, a meeting between the three of them could be arranged,” he added. “Or, at the very least, a meeting with everyone would be a must.”Russia, China and the United States are among the 21 economies that make up APEC.However, Washington has not confirmed that Trump will attend the gathering. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly earlier said: “We have no announcements regarding President Trump’s attendance at APEC at this time.”

Amid speculations of a possible trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, here’s what Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Moscow’s position.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Sunday (Sep 6) shared Moscow’s position on a possible trilateral between the US, China and Russia. This comes amid speculation surrounding a meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. If the meeting happens, it would mark a rare encounter between the leaders of the world’s three major powers. This comes as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are visiting Moscow and Kyiv as part of efforts to end the war in Ukraine. What did Sergei Ryabkov say? Speaking about the possible talks between the leaders, Ryabkov said that Moscow has not ruled out a trilateral meeting between the presidents of the US, China and Russia. According to Russian state news agency TASS, the deputy foreign minister suggested that before moving on to the actual preparations for the meeting, the agenda for the talks should be decided. “Here, the ‌main ⁠question boils down to how the substance of the meeting will be formulated, and what we can expect ⁠as a result,” he was quoted as saying. Will Trump-Xi-Putin meeting happen? Ryabkov’s remarks come days after Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on Tuesday (Sep 1) suggested a possible meeting between the three leaders. Ushakov made the remarks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, saying that the possibility of the meeting between the three leaders was discussed between Putin and Xi during talks in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Also read | Trump-Xi-Putin meet soon? Kremlin hints at possible APEC talks When asked about the possibility of such a meeting, Ushakov told state TV, “This issue was discussed, yes.” He added that all three leaders were expected to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November 18-19. “Xi Jinping mentioned that Donald Trump would be attending, and Vladimir Putin would likely be attending as an invitee,” Ushakov said. “And if things go as planned, a meeting between the three of them could be arranged,” he added. “Or, at the very least, a meeting with everyone would be a must.” Russia, China and the United States are among the 21 economies that make up APEC. However, Washington has not confirmed that Trump will attend the gathering. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly earlier said: “We have no announcements regarding President Trump’s attendance at APEC at this time.”

Amid speculations of a possible trilateral meeting between US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, here’s what Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Moscow’s position.

Will Trump-Xi-Putin meet happen? What Russian Deputy FM said on possible trilateral

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi under India’s 2026 chairmanship from 12–13 September. It is expected to bring together the bloc’s 11 members, partner countries and outreach invitees. So, with just a few days left for the summit to kickstart, we take a look at the New Development Bank established by the BRICS countries.&nbsp;<h2>Establishment of NDB</h2>&nbsp;Headquartered in Shanghai, China, the bank was established through the2014 Fortaleza Declaration with the aim of financing infrastructure and sustainable-development projects in BRICS and other developing countries. It started its operations in 2015.&nbsp;Its Initial members were Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa but NDB has admitted additional members beyond the original BRICS countries&nbsp;<h2>Reducing dependence on Western institutions</h2>&nbsp;The bank provides loans for projects such as transport, energy, water, sanitation, and urban development. Promoting sustainable development, renewable energy, supporting climate-resilient infrastructure, are some of the environmentally friendly areas where the bank works.&nbsp;One of the major benefits for BRICS nation is the reduced dependence on Western institutions. It gives emerging economies an additional source of development finance alongside institutions such as the World Bank and IMF.&nbsp;According to the data available, since its inception in 2015, the bank has made a total approval of $42.9 billion, approved 139 projects &nbsp;and had 115 projects in its portfolio at the end of 2025.&nbsp;Metros, railways, roads, logistics infrastructure, clean energy and energy efficiency, water and sanitation, urban infrastructure and affordable housing are the major sectors NDB has invested in.<h2>Role of NDB in supporting local currencies</h2>&nbsp;NDB supports the use of local currencies by helping BRICS countries in giving them loans &nbsp;and raising funds in the currencies of its member countries. This is vital as it reduces dependence of BRICS nations on the US dollar. This reduces the need for borrowers to take dollar-denominated loans.&nbsp;NDB has expanded beyond the original five BRICS members. But compared with the World Bank's scale and global reach, NDB remains considerably smaller. I&nbsp;

It gives emerging economies an additional source of development finance alongside institutions such as the World Bank and IMF.

The 18th BRICS Summit will be held in New Delhi under India’s 2026 chairmanship from 12–13 September. It is expected to bring together the bloc’s 11 members, partner countries and outreach invitees. So, with just a few days left for the summit to kickstart, we take a look at the New Development Bank established by the BRICS countries. Establishment of NDB Headquartered in Shanghai, China, the bank was established through the2014 Fortaleza Declaration with the aim of financing infrastructure and sustainable-development projects in BRICS and other developing countries. It started its operations in 2015. Its Initial members were Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa but NDB has admitted additional members beyond the original BRICS countries Reducing dependence on Western institutions The bank provides loans for projects such as transport, energy, water, sanitation, and urban development. Promoting sustainable development, renewable energy, supporting climate-resilient infrastructure, are some of the environmentally friendly areas where the bank works. One of the major benefits for BRICS nation is the reduced dependence on Western institutions. It gives emerging economies an additional source of development finance alongside institutions such as the World Bank and IMF. According to the data available, since its inception in 2015, the bank has made a total approval of $42.9 billion, approved 139 projects and had 115 projects in its portfolio at the end of 2025. Metros, railways, roads, logistics infrastructure, clean energy and energy efficiency, water and sanitation, urban infrastructure and affordable housing are the major sectors NDB has invested in. Role of NDB in supporting local currencies NDB supports the use of local currencies by helping BRICS countries in giving them loans and raising funds in the currencies of its member countries. This is vital as it reduces dependence of BRICS nations on the US dollar. This reduces the need for borrowers to take dollar-denominated loans. NDB has expanded beyond the original five BRICS members. But compared with the World Bank's scale and global reach, NDB remains considerably smaller. I

It gives emerging economies an additional source of development finance alongside institutions such as the World Bank and IMF.

BRICS 2026: Twelve years after Fortaleza, inside Shanghai’s NDB bank

India’s four BRICS chairmanships—in 2012, 2016, 2021 and 2026—reflect the changing priorities of both the grouping and New Delhi’s foreign policy. From strengthening BRICS’ institutional foundations and financial cooperation to pushing counter-terrorism, consensus-building and Global South priorities, India’s role has steadily expanded. In 2026, technology, resilience and global governance reform have emerged as key pillars of its BRICS strategy.<h2>BRICS chairmanship in 2012</h2>During India’s first BRICS chairmanship was in 2012. In that year, New Delhi’s primary objective was to give greater institutional shape and credibility to what was still a relatively informal grouping of emerging economies. India moved the bloc from an informal dialogue forum toward a concrete, institutionalised entity. India put forward the core proposal to create a new multilateral development bank financed by the Global South. This directly resulted in the heads of state instructing their finance ministers to study its feasibility. This Indian initiative laid the direct groundwork for the formal establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) in 2014.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/short-videos/brics-summit-2026-35-roads-to-remain-affected-during-motorcade-rehearsal-1788680087653">BRICS Summit 2026: 35 roads to remain affected during motorcade rehearsal</a><h3>2016: Using BRICS to highlight terrorism and connectivity</h3>By India’s second BRICS chairmanship in 2016, the grouping had acquired greater political significance, and New Delhi used the Goa Summit to push issues extending beyond economics. The eighth BRICS Summit was held under the theme “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions”, with India seeking to broaden the organisation’s agenda around security, connectivity and development. Terrorism became one of New Delhi’s most important priorities. India sought to bring greater international attention to terrorism and the networks that support it, particularly against the backdrop of growing tensions in South Asia. The summit provided India with a platform to make the case for stronger international cooperation against terrorist organisations and their financing, while also reinforcing its position on cross-border terrorism. At the same time, India promoted regional connectivity and economic integration as important components of the BRICS agenda.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brics-summit-2026-putin-s-second-india-visit-in-10-months-comes-amid-focus-on-russian-oil-1788508682752">BRICS Summit 2026: Putin’s second India visit in 10 months comes</a><h3>2021: Maintaining consensus amid the pandemic and China tensions</h3>India assumed the BRICS chairmanship for a third time in 2021, but the circumstances were markedly different from its earlier presidencies. The 13th BRICS Summit was held virtually as countries continued to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, India was confronting an acute military standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control. Against this backdrop, India adopted the theme “BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus.” The emphasis was on maintaining the functioning of the grouping despite the difficult international environment and differences among its members.&nbsp;The pandemic also pushed health cooperation, economic recovery and resilience higher on the agenda. For India, the challenge was to preserve BRICS as a functioning multilateral platform while simultaneously managing its increasingly complicated relationship with China. This made consensus-building particularly important: New Delhi had to advance its interests without allowing bilateral tensions to completely overshadow the wider BRICS agenda.<h3>2026: From BRICS cooperation to a Global South platform</h3>India’s fourth BRICS chairmanship in 2026 focuses more heavily on institutional development, economic cooperation and specific geopolitical concerns, New Delhi is now seeking to shape the direction of an expanded BRICS+ grouping. India has placed a strong emphasis on a “Humanity First” and people-centric approach, with the 2026 agenda organised around four broad pillars: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability. The expansion of BRICS has also dramatically increased the geographic and political diversity of the grouping, making consensus-building more complex while simultaneously increasing its potential as a platform representing developing and emerging economies.&nbsp;For New Delhi, this provides an opportunity to position BRICS as an important vehicle for Global South advocacy. Rather than presenting the grouping simply as an alternative economic bloc, India is seeking to use its chairmanship to push issues such as development, technology, financial reform, climate action and greater representation for developing countries in global institutions.

India’s four BRICS chairmanships in 2012, 2016, 2021 and 2026 reflect an evolving strategy—from institution-building and financial cooperation to countering terrorism, maintaining consensus amid tensions, and championing the Global South cause

India’s four BRICS chairmanships—in 2012, 2016, 2021 and 2026—reflect the changing priorities of both the grouping and New Delhi’s foreign policy. From strengthening BRICS’ institutional foundations and financial cooperation to pushing counter-terrorism, consensus-building and Global South priorities, India’s role has steadily expanded. In 2026, technology, resilience and global governance reform have emerged as key pillars of its BRICS strategy. BRICS chairmanship in 2012 During India’s first BRICS chairmanship was in 2012. In that year, New Delhi’s primary objective was to give greater institutional shape and credibility to what was still a relatively informal grouping of emerging economies. India moved the bloc from an informal dialogue forum toward a concrete, institutionalised entity. India put forward the core proposal to create a new multilateral development bank financed by the Global South. This directly resulted in the heads of state instructing their finance ministers to study its feasibility. This Indian initiative laid the direct groundwork for the formal establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) in 2014. Also Read: BRICS Summit 2026: 35 roads to remain affected during motorcade rehearsal 2016: Using BRICS to highlight terrorism and connectivity By India’s second BRICS chairmanship in 2016, the grouping had acquired greater political significance, and New Delhi used the Goa Summit to push issues extending beyond economics. The eighth BRICS Summit was held under the theme “Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions”, with India seeking to broaden the organisation’s agenda around security, connectivity and development. Terrorism became one of New Delhi’s most important priorities. India sought to bring greater international attention to terrorism and the networks that support it, particularly against the backdrop of growing tensions in South Asia. The summit provided India with a platform to make the case for stronger international cooperation against terrorist organisations and their financing, while also reinforcing its position on cross-border terrorism. At the same time, India promoted regional connectivity and economic integration as important components of the BRICS agenda. Also Read: BRICS Summit 2026: Putin’s second India visit in 10 months comes 2021: Maintaining consensus amid the pandemic and China tensions India assumed the BRICS chairmanship for a third time in 2021, but the circumstances were markedly different from its earlier presidencies. The 13th BRICS Summit was held virtually as countries continued to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, India was confronting an acute military standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control. Against this backdrop, India adopted the theme “BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus.” The emphasis was on maintaining the functioning of the grouping despite the difficult international environment and differences among its members. The pandemic also pushed health cooperation, economic recovery and resilience higher on the agenda. For India, the challenge was to preserve BRICS as a functioning multilateral platform while simultaneously managing its increasingly complicated relationship with China. This made consensus-building particularly important: New Delhi had to advance its interests without allowing bilateral tensions to completely overshadow the wider BRICS agenda. 2026: From BRICS cooperation to a Global South platform India’s fourth BRICS chairmanship in 2026 focuses more heavily on institutional development, economic cooperation and specific geopolitical concerns, New Delhi is now seeking to shape the direction of an expanded BRICS+ grouping. India has placed a strong emphasis on a “Humanity First” and people-centric approach, with the 2026 agenda organised around four broad pillars: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability. The expansion of BRICS has also dramatically increased the geographic and political diversity of the grouping, making consensus-building more complex while simultaneously increasing its potential as a platform representing developing and emerging economies. For New Delhi, this provides an opportunity to position BRICS as an important vehicle for Global South advocacy. Rather than presenting the grouping simply as an alternative economic bloc, India is seeking to use its chairmanship to push issues such as development, technology, financial reform, climate action and greater representation for developing countries in global institutions.

India’s four BRICS chairmanships in 2012, 2016, 2021 and 2026 reflect an evolving strategy—from institution-building and financial cooperation to countering terrorism, maintaining consensus amid tensions, and championing the Global South cause

BRICS Summit 2026: How four chairmanships reshaped India’s global strategy

Indonesia's Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted early Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of several flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as ash spewed across the western part of the country. Following the eruption, a fountain of lava was seen and booming sounds were heard up to 700 km (435 miles) away from the Anak Krakatoa volcano. Multiple videos of the volcanic eruption have surfaced on social media, showing a fountain of lava coming out of the volcanic mountain along with booming sounds. The volcanology agency warned that Indonesia witnessed two new eruptions on Sunday. After ash from the volcano was detected in the airspace surrounding Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, officials announced a suspension of operations from 01:30 am Sunday (Saturday 1830 GMT).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Anak Krakatau volcano erupting in Indonesia. <a href="https://t.co/ZX7hs0aU30">pic.twitter.com/ZX7hs0aU30</a>&mdash; распад и неуважение (@VictorKvert2008) <a href="https://x.com/VictorKvert2008/status/2096468331540656181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"The latest paper test...showed positive results indicating the spread of volcanic ash in the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport area; consequently, the airport closure was extended until Sunday at 09:30 am (0230 GMT)," the transport ministry said in a statement Sunday. The suspension of the flights was later extended by four hours due to increased eruptive activity.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/supercontinent-pangea-ultima-extreme-heat-will-kill-all-humans-in-200-million-years-1788677124492">Supercontinent induced climate change: Extreme heat will kill all humans in about 200 million years</a><h3>Over 22,000 passengers affected</h3>The transportation ministry stated that over 22,000 passengers have been impacted by the suspension, as 209 flights were affected, particularly to and from Singapore, due to the volcanic eruption. Other major affected international routes included Doha, Sydney, and Kuala Lumpur. Local airport authorities also reported that at least 16 domestic flights to Bali were cancelled. Anak Krakatoa, meaning "Child of Krakatoa", is located in the strait separating Java and Sumatra. Port authorities stated that ships navigating the strait should exercise heightened caution due to potential disruptions from volcanic activity, and are barred from entering the 3-kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano. The volcano has experienced intermittent activity since it first emerged from the sea in the early 1900s, forming within the caldera left by the catastrophic 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatoa, one of history's deadliest and most destructive volcanic disasters, which killed an estimated 35,000 people. Indonesia, an archipelago nation in Southeast Asia, lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region marked by frequent volcanic and seismic activity due to the convergence of tectonic plates.

 After ash from the volcano was detected in the airspace surrounding Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, officials announced a suspension of operations from 01:30 am Sunday (Saturday 1830 GMT).

Indonesia's Anak Krakatoa volcano erupted early Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of several flights at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport as ash spewed across the western part of the country. Following the eruption, a fountain of lava was seen and booming sounds were heard up to 700 km (435 miles) away from the Anak Krakatoa volcano. Multiple videos of the volcanic eruption have surfaced on social media, showing a fountain of lava coming out of the volcanic mountain along with booming sounds. The volcanology agency warned that Indonesia witnessed two new eruptions on Sunday. After ash from the volcano was detected in the airspace surrounding Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, officials announced a suspension of operations from 01:30 am Sunday (Saturday 1830 GMT).

&nbsp;After ash from the volcano was detected in the airspace surrounding Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, officials announced a suspension of operations from 01:30 am Sunday (Saturday 1830 GMT).

VIDEO: Lava fountains, booming sounds heard after Indonesia's Anak Krakatoa volcano erupts; over 200 flights grounded

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticised Canada for the way it is handling trade talks with the US. In an interview with a TV channel, Bessent said that the trade war with Canada would have a "negligible" effect on US prices. In fact he went on to compare &nbsp;Canada’s attitude to a little dog barking at a much bigger one.&nbsp;On being asked by Fox News what he thinks will happen with the ongoing trade standoff, Bessent compared the northern neighbor to a "little yippy dog."&nbsp;"I had a German shepherd and there was a Dachshund that used to antagonize her at the playground and it kind of reminds me of that," Bessent said.&nbsp;"This little yippy dog used to bark away and for a long time a 110-pound German shepherd was ignoring the Dachshund and then one day she had enough," he further said.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/possible-avenues-for-settlement-outlined-russia-on-ukraine-talks-with-us-1788674611561">'Possible avenues for settlement outlined': Russia on Ukraine talks with US</a>&nbsp;Bessent then went on to criticise Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for "refusing a great trade deal".&nbsp;"They were given the opportunity for a great trade deal and they didn't want it," he said in the interview.&nbsp;Bessent also seemed less bothered by the impact the trade war could have on US prices and said he is happy to debate with anybody on the topic.&nbsp;"I would like someone to show me the statistical significance of the Canadian tariffs on U.S. prices. I'm happy to debate them," the secretary said.&nbsp;The comment comes amid a continued war of words between Bessent and Carney lately. Bessent has in the past accused Carney of caring more about political image than about what’s best for Canada’s economy.&nbsp;

Bessent also seemed less bothered by the impact the trade war could have on US prices and said he is happy to debate with anybody on the topic.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticised Canada for the way it is handling trade talks with the US. In an interview with a TV channel, Bessent said that the trade war with Canada would have a "negligible" effect on US prices. In fact he went on to compare Canada’s attitude to a little dog barking at a much bigger one. On being asked by Fox News what he thinks will happen with the ongoing trade standoff, Bessent compared the northern neighbor to a "little yippy dog." "I had a German shepherd and there was a Dachshund that used to antagonize her at the playground and it kind of reminds me of that," Bessent said. "This little yippy dog used to bark away and for a long time a 110-pound German shepherd was ignoring the Dachshund and then one day she had enough," he further said. ALSO READ: 'Possible avenues for settlement outlined': Russia on Ukraine talks with US Bessent then went on to criticise Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for "refusing a great trade deal". "They were given the opportunity for a great trade deal and they didn't want it," he said in the interview. Bessent also seemed less bothered by the impact the trade war could have on US prices and said he is happy to debate with anybody on the topic. "I would like someone to show me the statistical significance of the Canadian tariffs on U.S. prices. I'm happy to debate them," the secretary said. The comment comes amid a continued war of words between Bessent and Carney lately. Bessent has in the past accused Carney of caring more about political image than about what’s best for Canada’s economy.

Bessent also seemed less bothered by the impact the trade war could have on US prices and said he is happy to debate with anybody on the topic.

'Little yippy dog' says Bessent about Canada over trade deal with US, slams Mark Carney

Approximately 800 barrels of Guinness - which is a type of beer - has been stolen from an industrial estate in Runcorn, England. The thieves reportedly stole the beer by driving off from a depot with two HGV trailers. About 70,000 pints worth of the stout, estimated to be worth £115,000 or USD 1,56,279, Cheshire Police said. One wagon-load was taken at about 19:45 BST and a second one was stolen at about 21:30, according to police. The stolen barrels had been destined for pubs, the police added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/4-minutes-priceless-treasure-gone-thieves-pull-off-superfast-bronze-age-gold-heist-in-spain-1787836837015">4 minutes, priceless treasure gone: Thieves pull off superfast Bronze Age gold heist in Spain</a>&nbsp;Det Sgt McClatchy said: "It is famously said that 'Guinness is good for you', but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for." One lorry was seen heading in the direction of the Mersey Gateway bridge, and the second headed in the direction of Rainhill and Watkinson Way. Police said that both HGVs were believed to have been driven by men. The first driver is described as white with a short dark beard and he was wearing a beanie hat, while the second is believed to have been wearing a cap. The trailers are described as white tri-axle curtain side trailers with branding for logistics company GXO on curtains and rear doors. Police said they have unique numbers on their rear doors in the top left corner.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/the-sweetest-crime-of-the-century-400-000-chocolate-bars-vanish-in-massive-heist-in-europe-kitkat-nestle-1774851074871">The sweetest crime of the century?400,000 chocolate bars vanish in massive heist in Europe</a>&nbsp;This is latest in escalating global trend in high-value alcohol thefts. Cargo security firms like Verisk CargoNet reported that cargo theft losses spiked past $304 million in the second quarter of 2026 alone, largely driven by sophisticated fraud schemes. Cheshire Police are hunting the male drivers and reviewing local dashcam footage. Anyone with information can contact Cheshire Constabulary online or call 101. Tipsters should reference incident number IML-2408641. Officials also want surveillance video captured near Aston Lane during the evening. The department has not announced any arrests or recoveries.

More than 800 barrels of Guinness, worth around £115,000 and equal to 70,000 pints, were stolen from a depot in Runcorn, northwest England. Two HGV trailers were driven away in separate incidents, with police searching for the stolen Guinness and vehicles.

Approximately 800 barrels of Guinness - which is a type of beer - has been stolen from an industrial estate in Runcorn, England. The thieves reportedly stole the beer by driving off from a depot with two HGV trailers. About 70,000 pints worth of the stout, estimated to be worth £115,000 or USD 1,56,279, Cheshire Police said. One wagon-load was taken at about 19:45 BST and a second one was stolen at about 21:30, according to police. The stolen barrels had been destined for pubs, the police added. Also Read: 4 minutes, priceless treasure gone: Thieves pull off superfast Bronze Age gold heist in Spain Det Sgt McClatchy said: "It is famously said that 'Guinness is good for you', but that is only the case when it has been bought and paid for." One lorry was seen heading in the direction of the Mersey Gateway bridge, and the second headed in the direction of Rainhill and Watkinson Way. Police said that both HGVs were believed to have been driven by men. The first driver is described as white with a short dark beard and he was wearing a beanie hat, while the second is believed to have been wearing a cap. The trailers are described as white tri-axle curtain side trailers with branding for logistics company GXO on curtains and rear doors. Police said they have unique numbers on their rear doors in the top left corner. Also Read: The sweetest crime of the century?400,000 chocolate bars vanish in massive heist in Europe This is latest in escalating global trend in high-value alcohol thefts. Cargo security firms like Verisk CargoNet reported that cargo theft losses spiked past $304 million in the second quarter of 2026 alone, largely driven by sophisticated fraud schemes. Cheshire Police are hunting the male drivers and reviewing local dashcam footage. Anyone with information can contact Cheshire Constabulary online or call 101. Tipsters should reference incident number IML-2408641. Officials also want surveillance video captured near Aston Lane during the evening. The department has not announced any arrests or recoveries.

More than 800 barrels of Guinness, worth around £115,000 and equal to 70,000 pints, were stolen from a depot in Runcorn, northwest England. Two HGV trailers were driven away in separate incidents, with police searching for the stolen Guinness and vehicles.

Beer heist in England: More than 70,000 pints stolen from depot in two trucks

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Saturday held three hours of talks in Moscow to end the Ukraine war. Though, there was no indication from both the sides of any breakthrough, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said the talk was substantive, constructive and extremely frank talks.&nbsp;Ushakov, said Americans Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner "outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement" but did not clarify what it meant.&nbsp;Ushakov said the Russian side presented its clear and comprehensive assessment of the situation developing amid the special military operation.&nbsp;"In particular, note was taken of the real advances made by the Russian army within the combat zone; confidence was expressed in achieving the stated objectives, and the need to eliminate all root causes of the conflict was emphasised," he noted.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-severe-than-before-iran-warns-us-of-tougher-retaliation-after-three-tankers-destroyed-1788636991378">Iran retaliates after US destroys three tankers, warns of wider attacks</a>&nbsp;Ushakov described the talks as timely and highly beneficial for both sides. He said it was agreed that the heads of state of Russia and the US would continue maintaining personal contact, while engagement through Witkoff and Kushner would also proceed, reported ANI.&nbsp;Just before the talks were to be held, Moscow and Kyiv announced temporary pauses in attacks.The Kremlin said Russian forces would not strike Kyiv for three days from midnight Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Ukraine would stop strikes on Moscow until Monday.&nbsp;“The Russian president, the commander-in-chief, has given the order from midnight tonight not to strike Kyiv for three days,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.&nbsp;Peace efforts have struggled to make progress as Russia and Ukraine continue heavy long-range attacks. The fighting has also pushed civilian casualties to some of their highest levels since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.&nbsp;(With inputs from agencies)

Ushakov described the talks as timely and highly beneficial for both sides and said the Russian side presented its clear and comprehensive assessment of the situation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Saturday held three hours of talks in Moscow to end the Ukraine war. Though, there was no indication from both the sides of any breakthrough, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said the talk was substantive, constructive and extremely frank talks. Ushakov, said Americans Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner "outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement" but did not clarify what it meant. Ushakov said the Russian side presented its clear and comprehensive assessment of the situation developing amid the special military operation. "In particular, note was taken of the real advances made by the Russian army within the combat zone; confidence was expressed in achieving the stated objectives, and the need to eliminate all root causes of the conflict was emphasised," he noted. ALSO READ: Iran retaliates after US destroys three tankers, warns of wider attacks Ushakov described the talks as timely and highly beneficial for both sides. He said it was agreed that the heads of state of Russia and the US would continue maintaining personal contact, while engagement through Witkoff and Kushner would also proceed, reported ANI. Just before the talks were to be held, Moscow and Kyiv announced temporary pauses in attacks. The Kremlin said Russian forces would not strike Kyiv for three days from midnight Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Ukraine would stop strikes on Moscow until Monday. “The Russian president, the commander-in-chief, has given the order from midnight tonight not to strike Kyiv for three days,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Peace efforts have struggled to make progress as Russia and Ukraine continue heavy long-range attacks. The fighting has also pushed civilian casualties to some of their highest levels since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. (With inputs from agencies)

Ushakov described the talks as timely and highly beneficial for both sides and said the Russian side presented its clear and comprehensive assessment of the situation.

'Possible avenues for settlement outlined': Russia on Ukraine talks with US

At least two people were killed, and two others were critically injured after a small plane crashed in northwest Fresno in California on Saturday afternoon (local time). According to Fresno Fire Department, the aircraft crashed near Sierra Sky Park Airport on Blythe Avenue, and two people died in the crash, while two others were taken to a hospital in critical condition, the department said. The circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear and a probe is underway.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">CALIFORNIA | Plane crash reported in Northeast Fresno <a href="https://t.co/9fRf0CZIEo">https://t.co/9fRf0CZIEo</a> <a href="https://t.co/N2vMOER4eK">pic.twitter.com/N2vMOER4eK</a>&mdash; Breaking X (@BreakingXAlerts) <a href="https://x.com/BreakingXAlerts/status/2096373297927643540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Fresno Police Department, Fresno Fire Department, PG&amp;E, Fresno County Sheriff's Office and North Central Fire Department.d. The response came as authorities worked at the crash site near the airport, with further details awaited from officials. Power was briefly disrupted for nearby residents following the crash, according to PG&amp;E's outage map. The outage was subsequently restored.&nbsp;&nbsp;In a statement, Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi said that it was a “rare and tragic situation in northwest Fresno.” "My immediate concern is for the survivors of this heart wrenching situation. At the appropriate time, my office will reach out and ensure they have what they need as they recover," he added. "I want to thank the first responders and City Manager Georgeanne White for responding to the scene and working to save lives. I ask our community to pray for this family who are going through something unimaginable."

Two people were killed and two others critically injured after a small plane crashed near Sierra Sky Park Airport in northwest Fresno, California, on Saturday afternoon. Emergency teams rushed to the scene, while authorities continued investigating the cause of the crash

At least two people were killed, and two others were critically injured after a small plane crashed in northwest Fresno in California on Saturday afternoon (local time). According to Fresno Fire Department, the aircraft crashed near Sierra Sky Park Airport on Blythe Avenue, and two people died in the crash, while two others were taken to a hospital in critical condition, the department said. The circumstances surrounding the crash remained unclear and a probe is underway.

Two people were killed and two others critically injured after a small plane crashed near Sierra Sky Park Airport in northwest Fresno, California, on Saturday afternoon. Emergency teams rushed to the scene, while authorities continued investigating the cause of the crash

Plane crashes in California's Fresno, leaves 2 dead, 2 injured; probe underway | VIDEO

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that they had attacked several vessels, including some allegedly linked to the United States, in response to US strikes on Iranian oil tankers earlier in the day. IRGC said its naval forces “targeted three oil tankers on the unauthorised route of the Strait of Hormuz and three vessels affiliated with the child-killing America in other areas”.&nbsp;The force also warned other ships against using routes it considers unauthorised for crossing the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp;The claim came hours after Iran threatened stronger attacks on US naval vessels if Washington continued striking Iranian ships.&nbsp;Iran’s Khatam al Anbiya central command issued the warning after the United States said it had destroyed three Iranian oil tankers.&nbsp;“The US terrorist army is warned that if the evil actions, insecurity and harassment of Iranian ships and the naval blockade of Iran continue, the strikes by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran against US military vessels in the region will be more severe than before and there is a possibility of their expansion,” the command said.<h3>US says three Iranian tankers destroyed</h3>The warning followed a US Central Command statement that American forces had destroyed three Iranian tankers after what Washington described as attempted missile attacks on US naval vessels.CENTCOM said the tankers had links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It accused the IRGC of unsuccessfully trying to attack American warships.&nbsp;“Following Iran's failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask,” CENTCOM said.&nbsp;US forces also targeted the M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM said the tanker was empty and that American forces struck it at several critical points after its crew abandoned the vessel.&nbsp;CENTCOM released video showing large explosions and flames rising from the targeted ships.&nbsp;The US military said the three tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar network that allegedly funds the IRGC and its regional allies.&nbsp;CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper defended the strikes and issued a warning to Iran.“If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost -- taking out three of yours,” Cooper said.<h3>Strait of Hormuz becomes key flashpoint</h3>The latest exchanges have increased tensions in the six-month conflict between Iran and the United States.&nbsp;Iran continues to restrict movement through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments.&nbsp;Washington has responded by increasing pressure on Iranian ports through its counter-blockade.&nbsp;Iran’s latest claim of attacks on vessels could further raise tensions in the strategically important waterway, with both sides warning of further military action.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they retaliated against vessels after the US destroyed three Iranian tankers, escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that they had attacked several vessels, including some allegedly linked to the United States, in response to US strikes on Iranian oil tankers earlier in the day. IRGC said its naval forces “targeted three oil tankers on the unauthorised route of the Strait of Hormuz and three vessels affiliated with the child-killing America in other areas”. The force also warned other ships against using routes it considers unauthorised for crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The claim came hours after Iran threatened stronger attacks on US naval vessels if Washington continued striking Iranian ships. Iran’s Khatam al Anbiya central command issued the warning after the United States said it had destroyed three Iranian oil tankers. “The US terrorist army is warned that if the evil actions, insecurity and harassment of Iranian ships and the naval blockade of Iran continue, the strikes by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran against US military vessels in the region will be more severe than before and there is a possibility of their expansion,” the command said. US says three Iranian tankers destroyed The warning followed a US Central Command statement that American forces had destroyed three Iranian tankers after what Washington described as attempted missile attacks on US naval vessels. CENTCOM said the tankers had links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It accused the IRGC of unsuccessfully trying to attack American warships. “Following Iran's failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently disabled the IRGC crude oil carriers M/T Downy off the coast of Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask,” CENTCOM said. US forces also targeted the M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM said the tanker was empty and that American forces struck it at several critical points after its crew abandoned the vessel. CENTCOM released video showing large explosions and flames rising from the targeted ships. The US military said the three tankers were part of a multibillion-dollar network that allegedly funds the IRGC and its regional allies. CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper defended the strikes and issued a warning to Iran. “If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost -- taking out three of yours,” Cooper said. Strait of Hormuz becomes key flashpoint The latest exchanges have increased tensions in the six-month conflict between Iran and the United States. Iran continues to restrict movement through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments. Washington has responded by increasing pressure on Iranian ports through its counter-blockade. Iran’s latest claim of attacks on vessels could further raise tensions in the strategically important waterway, with both sides warning of further military action.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they retaliated against vessels after the US destroyed three Iranian tankers, escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Iran retaliates after US destroys three tankers, warns of wider attacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin on Saturday (September 05) as Washington stepped up efforts to end the war in Ukraine.&nbsp;The meeting came ahead of the envoys’ expected visit to Kyiv on Sunday. It will be their first trip to Ukraine since US President Donald Trump returned to office last year and promised to push for an end to the conflict.&nbsp;Putin welcomed Kushner and Witkoff at the Kremlin and acknowledged the difficulties facing the talks. He also asked them to pass on his “best wishes” and “words of gratitude” to Trump.&nbsp;“Dear colleagues, I warmly welcome you to Moscow. The situation is, of course, not simple,” Putin told the envoys in footage shown on Russian television.&nbsp;“But before we begin to address it, I would like to ask everyone to convey their best wishes and words of gratitude to U.S. President Mr Trump,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-celebrates-srcc-s-100-years-says-college-has-shaped-generations-for-a-brighter-future-1788624660000">PM Modi celebrates SRCC’s 100 years, says college has shaped generations for a brighter future</a>&nbsp;<h3>Russia, Ukraine announce temporary pause in strikes</h3>The talks took place as Moscow and Kyiv announced temporary pauses in attacks.&nbsp;The Kremlin said Russian forces would not strike Kyiv for three days from midnight Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Ukraine would stop strikes on Moscow until Monday.&nbsp;“The Russian president, the commander-in-chief, has given the order from midnight tonight not to strike Kyiv for three days,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.&nbsp;Peace efforts have struggled to make progress as Russia and Ukraine continue heavy long-range attacks. The fighting has also pushed civilian casualties to some of their highest levels since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.&nbsp;Trump said he sent Witkoff and Kushner to explore whether the two sides could reach an agreement.&nbsp;“I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators. They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it,” Trump said.&nbsp;Trump did not say whether the US proposal would require Ukraine to give up territory. He said only that Washington had “an idea for peace”.&nbsp;Witkoff and Kushner have taken part in earlier US diplomatic efforts involving Gaza and Iran. They have also travelled to Moscow several times as part of attempts to find a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine war.<h3>Zelenskyy accuses Russia of targeting Kyiv visit</h3>The latest diplomatic effort has come as attacks across Ukraine have intensified.&nbsp;Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to disrupt the planned US delegation visit. Overnight strikes hit areas around Kyiv, including the capital’s two airports.&nbsp;He also linked Russian attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region to preparations for the US visit.“Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

Putin held talks with Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in Moscow as Russia and Ukraine announced a temporary pause in strikes ahead of the US delegation’s expected visit to Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin on Saturday (September 05) as Washington stepped up efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The meeting came ahead of the envoys’ expected visit to Kyiv on Sunday. It will be their first trip to Ukraine since US President Donald Trump returned to office last year and promised to push for an end to the conflict. Putin welcomed Kushner and Witkoff at the Kremlin and acknowledged the difficulties facing the talks. He also asked them to pass on his “best wishes” and “words of gratitude” to Trump. “Dear colleagues, I warmly welcome you to Moscow. The situation is, of course, not simple,” Putin told the envoys in footage shown on Russian television. “But before we begin to address it, I would like to ask everyone to convey their best wishes and words of gratitude to U.S. President Mr Trump,” he added. Also Read: PM Modi celebrates SRCC’s 100 years, says college has shaped generations for a brighter future Russia, Ukraine announce temporary pause in strikes The talks took place as Moscow and Kyiv announced temporary pauses in attacks. The Kremlin said Russian forces would not strike Kyiv for three days from midnight Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Ukraine would stop strikes on Moscow until Monday. “The Russian president, the commander-in-chief, has given the order from midnight tonight not to strike Kyiv for three days,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Peace efforts have struggled to make progress as Russia and Ukraine continue heavy long-range attacks. The fighting has also pushed civilian casualties to some of their highest levels since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. Trump said he sent Witkoff and Kushner to explore whether the two sides could reach an agreement. “I sent Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, two great negotiators. They've done a great job, and we sent them over to see whether or not we can get something done. And there may be a good chance that we'll do it,” Trump said. Trump did not say whether the US proposal would require Ukraine to give up territory. He said only that Washington had “an idea for peace”. Witkoff and Kushner have taken part in earlier US diplomatic efforts involving Gaza and Iran. They have also travelled to Moscow several times as part of attempts to find a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine war. Zelenskyy accuses Russia of targeting Kyiv visit The latest diplomatic effort has come as attacks across Ukraine have intensified. Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to disrupt the planned US delegation visit. Overnight strikes hit areas around Kyiv, including the capital’s two airports. He also linked Russian attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region to preparations for the US visit. “Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

Putin held talks with Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in Moscow as Russia and Ukraine announced a temporary pause in strikes ahead of the US delegation’s expected visit to Kyiv.

‘Situation is not simple’: Putin meets US envoys in Moscow over Ukraine peace push

An American AI company has decided the easiest place to build a very large data centre is not America.&nbsp;The Deal&nbsp;Together AI, which serves open-source models to customers, announced a partnership on August 31 with HUMAIN, the Saudi state-backed artificial intelligence company, for a 250 megawatt facility in the kingdom.&nbsp;The site would house roughly 120,000 semiconductors. Together AI will use HUMAIN's chips and give HUMAIN a share of the revenue in return, rather than buying the hardware outright.&nbsp;The company, valued at $8.3 billion in July, says it expects the facility to produce more than $5 billion in annualised revenue. It describes the deal as among the largest AI infrastructure agreements for open source anywhere.&nbsp;Why Not America&nbsp;The stated reason is the interesting part, and it has been reported plainly rather than hinted at: building in Saudi Arabia lets the company bypass American backlash over data centres.&nbsp;That backlash is real and growing. Data centres consume enormous quantities of electricity and, in many designs, water. American communities have increasingly organised against them, utilities have struggled to connect them, and several states have seen local fights over land, grid capacity and residential power prices rising alongside new construction.&nbsp;For a company that needs 250 megawatts, those are not abstractions. They are years of permitting and the possibility of losing anyway.&nbsp;Saudi Arabia offers the inverse. Power is abundant and cheap, land is not contested in the same way, and the state is actively courting exactly this construction as part of its economic diversification away from oil.&nbsp;What Saudi Arabia Is Assembling&nbsp;This is not a single opportunistic deal. HUMAIN has been signing partners at pace.&nbsp;Microsoft announced an enhanced partnership with HUMAIN, including new enterprise AI offerings and an AI PC. Qualcomm has announced AI infrastructure work in the kingdom with the same company. HUMAIN has separately arranged a $1.2 billion financing package with Infra to fund 250 megawatts of data centre space, and is working with center3 on plans described as reaching a gigawatt.&nbsp;The pattern is a state-backed entity positioning itself as the counterparty for anyone who wants large-scale compute without the domestic difficulty of building it — and taking equity, revenue shares or both in exchange.&nbsp;The Question That Follows&nbsp;Compute is the strategic asset of this decade, and the United States has spent two years constructing an elaborate apparatus to control where it goes.&nbsp;Export controls determine which chips may be sold to whom. The Remote Access Security Act, passed by the House, would extend those controls to renting compute remotely, closing the gap that let Chinese laboratories reach restricted hardware through third countries. Washington has treated the physical location of advanced chips as a matter of national security.&nbsp;American companies voluntarily relocating their compute to a foreign state-backed partner sits awkwardly inside that framework. Not illegally — Saudi Arabia is an ally, and there is no suggestion this arrangement breaches any rule. But the policy logic that says it matters where chips sit does not obviously stop applying when the company moving them is American and the destination is friendly.&nbsp;The Open Source Dimension&nbsp;There is a further wrinkle specific to what Together AI does.&nbsp;The company serves open-weight models — systems whose weights are published for anyone to download and run. The argument for open models has always been that they prevent concentration: no single company controls who may use the capability.&nbsp;A 250 megawatt facility dedicated to serving those models, financed and hardware-supplied by a single state-backed entity taking a revenue share, is a considerable concentration of the infrastructure that open models actually run on. Open weights do not help if the practical ability to serve them at scale sits in a small number of hands.&nbsp;That is not an argument against the deal. It is a reminder that openness at the model layer and concentration at the infrastructure layer are entirely compatible, and that the second is where the leverage tends to end up.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether other American AI companies follow. The domestic constraints Together AI is routing around apply to everyone, and the Gulf states have capital, power and political will in a combination almost nowhere else offers.&nbsp;If a second and third company announce comparable facilities in the next two quarters, the question stops being about one deal and becomes about whether the next phase of American AI infrastructure gets built somewhere else entirely — and what Washington intends to do about that, having spent two years insisting that where compute lives is a matter of national security.

Together AI has partnered with Saudi state-backed HUMAIN on a 250MW data centre holding 120,000 chips, expecting over $5 billion in annualised revenue — built abroad partly to sidestep American opposition to data centres.

An American AI company has decided the easiest place to build a very large data centre is not America. The Deal Together AI, which serves open-source models to customers, announced a partnership on August 31 with HUMAIN, the Saudi state-backed artificial intelligence company, for a 250 megawatt facility in the kingdom. The site would house roughly 120,000 semiconductors. Together AI will use HUMAIN's chips and give HUMAIN a share of the revenue in return, rather than buying the hardware outright. The company, valued at $8.3 billion in July, says it expects the facility to produce more than $5 billion in annualised revenue. It describes the deal as among the largest AI infrastructure agreements for open source anywhere. Why Not America The stated reason is the interesting part, and it has been reported plainly rather than hinted at: building in Saudi Arabia lets the company bypass American backlash over data centres. That backlash is real and growing. Data centres consume enormous quantities of electricity and, in many designs, water. American communities have increasingly organised against them, utilities have struggled to connect them, and several states have seen local fights over land, grid capacity and residential power prices rising alongside new construction. For a company that needs 250 megawatts, those are not abstractions. They are years of permitting and the possibility of losing anyway. Saudi Arabia offers the inverse. Power is abundant and cheap, land is not contested in the same way, and the state is actively courting exactly this construction as part of its economic diversification away from oil. What Saudi Arabia Is Assembling This is not a single opportunistic deal. HUMAIN has been signing partners at pace. Microsoft announced an enhanced partnership with HUMAIN, including new enterprise AI offerings and an AI PC. Qualcomm has announced AI infrastructure work in the kingdom with the same company. HUMAIN has separately arranged a $1.2 billion financing package with Infra to fund 250 megawatts of data centre space, and is working with center3 on plans described as reaching a gigawatt. The pattern is a state-backed entity positioning itself as the counterparty for anyone who wants large-scale compute without the domestic difficulty of building it — and taking equity, revenue shares or both in exchange. The Question That Follows Compute is the strategic asset of this decade, and the United States has spent two years constructing an elaborate apparatus to control where it goes. Export controls determine which chips may be sold to whom. The Remote Access Security Act, passed by the House, would extend those controls to renting compute remotely, closing the gap that let Chinese laboratories reach restricted hardware through third countries. Washington has treated the physical location of advanced chips as a matter of national security. American companies voluntarily relocating their compute to a foreign state-backed partner sits awkwardly inside that framework. Not illegally — Saudi Arabia is an ally, and there is no suggestion this arrangement breaches any rule. But the policy logic that says it matters where chips sit does not obviously stop applying when the company moving them is American and the destination is friendly. The Open Source Dimension There is a further wrinkle specific to what Together AI does. The company serves open-weight models — systems whose weights are published for anyone to download and run. The argument for open models has always been that they prevent concentration: no single company controls who may use the capability. A 250 megawatt facility dedicated to serving those models, financed and hardware-supplied by a single state-backed entity taking a revenue share, is a considerable concentration of the infrastructure that open models actually run on. Open weights do not help if the practical ability to serve them at scale sits in a small number of hands. That is not an argument against the deal. It is a reminder that openness at the model layer and concentration at the infrastructure layer are entirely compatible, and that the second is where the leverage tends to end up. What To Watch Whether other American AI companies follow. The domestic constraints Together AI is routing around apply to everyone, and the Gulf states have capital, power and political will in a combination almost nowhere else offers. If a second and third company announce comparable facilities in the next two quarters, the question stops being about one deal and becomes about whether the next phase of American AI infrastructure gets built somewhere else entirely — and what Washington intends to do about that, having spent two years insisting that where compute lives is a matter of national security.

Together AI has signed a partnership with HUMAIN, the Saudi state-backed AI company, for a 250 megawatt data centre housing around 120,000 semiconductors. Together AI, valued at $8.3 billion in July, expects the facility to generate more than $5 billion in annualised revenue. It is among the largest data centres built specifically to serve open-source models — and it is being built abroad partly to sidestep domestic opposition.

An American AI company is building its 250MW data centre in Saudi Arabia to avoid the fight at home

Gloria Steinem, one of the most influential voices of the feminist movement, died on Thursday (Sep 4), leaving behind a legacy of activism, writing and political organising. But long before she became a global feminist icon, a young Steinem arrived in India – an experience that would shape how she understood inequality, history and social change.At 22, shortly after graduating from Smith College, Steinem travelled to India on a Chester Bowles Asian Fellowship. She spent about a year at Miranda House in Delhi, where she learnt to wear a sari, navigate city buses and supplement her income through sari advertisements. She also helped design sandals and wrote promotional material.More importantly, India challenged the assumptions she had carried from the United States.“Being in that country (India) shattered Western romantic illusions with little ceremony, but it replaced them with new impressions far more real and less easily forgotten,” she wrote in her memoir, An Unexpected Life.“As I learned once I was there, many Americans seem to have skipped from a sketchy knowledge of ancient India to a misunderstanding of its diversity. The teachings of Gandhi introduced me to nonhierarchical thinking, which I came to learn was the most common way of thinking in much of the rest of the world, too,” she added.<h2>Learning from Gandhi’s grassroots approach</h2>After completing her studies at Miranda House in 1957, Steinem chose to travel across India rather than immediately return home. Her journey took her to Calcutta, southern India and Bombay, while her time at Paramdham Ashram Pawnar, a community associated with Gandhian reformer Vinoba Bhave, proved particularly influential.Travelling with Bhave’s followers exposed her to an approach to activism that placed ordinary people at the centre of change.“Going from village to village with Vinoba Bhave’s followers and learning about Gandhian activism probably helped me to become what I am today,” Steinem said in a 2007 interview. “But, if you want to know how people live, you have to go where they live; if you want people to listen to you, you have to listen to them. I learned that in India.”She later recalled the lessons she carried back to the US: “Change comes from the bottom up, not the top down; to learn, you must listen; to be heard you must speak; and to bring change against all odds, you must fight “as if it matters”.”<h2>From Miranda House to the feminist movement</h2>Steinem also credited her meeting with social reformer Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay with changing how she viewed history and power.“Because of Kamaladevi, I also began to understand the politics of history. I would never again accept my history books so uncritically,” she wrote.After returning to the US, Steinem immersed herself in women’s shelters, clinics, campus centres and welfare protests. In 1971, she co-founded Ms. magazine and helped establish the National Women’s Political Caucus, later contributing to organisations including the Women’s Media Center and Voters for Choice.Her activism drew hostility, including from President Richard Nixon, but criticism did little to slow her work. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013.Miranda House remained part of her life. She returned in 2014, recalling the friendships and experiences that had shaped her. Her legacy, however, extended far beyond the college — and across continents.As Hillary Clinton said after her death: “Steinem pushed open doors not just for herself, but for literally millions of women behind her.”

Gloria Steinem’s transformative years in India, including her time at Delhi’s Miranda House and exposure to Gandhian activism, deeply influenced her feminist philosophy and activism.

Gloria Steinem, one of the most influential voices of the feminist movement, died on Thursday (Sep 4), leaving behind a legacy of activism, writing and political organising. But long before she became a global feminist icon, a young Steinem arrived in India – an experience that would shape how she understood inequality, history and social change. At 22, shortly after graduating from Smith College, Steinem travelled to India on a Chester Bowles Asian Fellowship. She spent about a year at Miranda House in Delhi, where she learnt to wear a sari, navigate city buses and supplement her income through sari advertisements. She also helped design sandals and wrote promotional material. More importantly, India challenged the assumptions she had carried from the United States. “Being in that country (India) shattered Western romantic illusions with little ceremony, but it replaced them with new impressions far more real and less easily forgotten,” she wrote in her memoir, An Unexpected Life. “As I learned once I was there, many Americans seem to have skipped from a sketchy knowledge of ancient India to a misunderstanding of its diversity. The teachings of Gandhi introduced me to nonhierarchical thinking, which I came to learn was the most common way of thinking in much of the rest of the world, too,” she added. Learning from Gandhi’s grassroots approach After completing her studies at Miranda House in 1957, Steinem chose to travel across India rather than immediately return home. Her journey took her to Calcutta, southern India and Bombay, while her time at Paramdham Ashram Pawnar, a community associated with Gandhian reformer Vinoba Bhave, proved particularly influential. Travelling with Bhave’s followers exposed her to an approach to activism that placed ordinary people at the centre of change. “Going from village to village with Vinoba Bhave’s followers and learning about Gandhian activism probably helped me to become what I am today,” Steinem said in a 2007 interview. “But, if you want to know how people live, you have to go where they live; if you want people to listen to you, you have to listen to them. I learned that in India.” She later recalled the lessons she carried back to the US: “Change comes from the bottom up, not the top down; to learn, you must listen; to be heard you must speak; and to bring change against all odds, you must fight “as if it matters”.” From Miranda House to the feminist movement Steinem also credited her meeting with social reformer Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay with changing how she viewed history and power. “Because of Kamaladevi, I also began to understand the politics of history. I would never again accept my history books so uncritically,” she wrote. After returning to the US, Steinem immersed herself in women’s shelters, clinics, campus centres and welfare protests. In 1971, she co-founded Ms. magazine and helped establish the National Women’s Political Caucus, later contributing to organisations including the Women’s Media Center and Voters for Choice. Her activism drew hostility, including from President Richard Nixon, but criticism did little to slow her work. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013. Miranda House remained part of her life. She returned in 2014, recalling the friendships and experiences that had shaped her. Her legacy, however, extended far beyond the college — and across continents. As Hillary Clinton said after her death: “Steinem pushed open doors not just for herself, but for literally millions of women behind her.”

Gloria Steinem’s transformative years in India, including her time at Delhi’s Miranda House and exposure to Gandhian activism, deeply influenced her feminist philosophy and activism.

How India shaped Gloria Steinem’s journey into a feminist icon

An American Airlines flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Newark was diverted to Baltimore after a passenger allegedly went on a violent outburst midair, leading fellow travellers to restrain him to his seat with duct tape and zip ties.&nbsp;American Airlines Flight 618 was travelling to Newark, New Jersey, on September 3 when the incident reportedly occurred about two hours after takeoff.&nbsp;The unidentified passenger allegedly started shouting at the man sitting beside him before the confrontation turned physical.&nbsp;Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, and Richard Olenick witnessed the incident. They were sitting two rows ahead of the passenger.&nbsp;“Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos,” Mejia said. CBS quoted him as saying, “I turned around to look, and the poor gentleman that was sitting next to him in the aisle seat, the individual had his hands around his neck and was, like, assaulting him.”&nbsp;Mejia and Olenick said they stepped in to help the crew control the passenger. A flight attendant gave them zip ties, which they used to restrain him. They also used duct tape to secure him to his seat.A photograph shared by Olenick showed the passenger restrained with several layers of tape around his wrists, body and head.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/centcom-strikes-3-iranian-oil-tankers-after-2-us-warships-targeted-1788616635664">CENTCOM strikes 3 Iranian oil tankers after 2 US warships targeted | VIDEO</a><h3>Passenger allegedly abuses crew member</h3>The witnesses said a flight attendant first tried to calm the passenger. However, they alleged that he responded with a racial slur and homophobic remarks.&nbsp;The situation then became more aggressive, according to the witnesses. The crew and passengers eventually restrained the man, prompting the flight to divert to Baltimore.&nbsp;Law enforcement officers removed the passenger after the plane landed. Flight 618 then continued its journey to Newark.&nbsp;American Airlines said passenger and crew safety remained its highest priority.&nbsp;“The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we do not tolerate violence. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding,” American Airlines said in a statement.&nbsp;The FBI said the passenger remains in custody on state charges while agents investigate the incident.“The FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather the facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed,” the FBI said in a statement to CBS News.

An American Airlines flight travelling from Dallas Fort Worth to Newark diverted to Baltimore after a passenger allegedly attacked another traveller and became violent before law enforcement took him into custody.

An American Airlines flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Newark was diverted to Baltimore after a passenger allegedly went on a violent outburst midair, leading fellow travellers to restrain him to his seat with duct tape and zip ties. American Airlines Flight 618 was travelling to Newark, New Jersey, on September 3 when the incident reportedly occurred about two hours after takeoff. The unidentified passenger allegedly started shouting at the man sitting beside him before the confrontation turned physical. Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, and Richard Olenick witnessed the incident. They were sitting two rows ahead of the passenger. “Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos,” Mejia said. CBS quoted him as saying, “I turned around to look, and the poor gentleman that was sitting next to him in the aisle seat, the individual had his hands around his neck and was, like, assaulting him.” Mejia and Olenick said they stepped in to help the crew control the passenger. A flight attendant gave them zip ties, which they used to restrain him. They also used duct tape to secure him to his seat. A photograph shared by Olenick showed the passenger restrained with several layers of tape around his wrists, body and head. Also Read: CENTCOM strikes 3 Iranian oil tankers after 2 US warships targeted | VIDEO Passenger allegedly abuses crew member The witnesses said a flight attendant first tried to calm the passenger. However, they alleged that he responded with a racial slur and homophobic remarks. The situation then became more aggressive, according to the witnesses. The crew and passengers eventually restrained the man, prompting the flight to divert to Baltimore. Law enforcement officers removed the passenger after the plane landed. Flight 618 then continued its journey to Newark. American Airlines said passenger and crew safety remained its highest priority. “The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we do not tolerate violence. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding,” American Airlines said in a statement. The FBI said the passenger remains in custody on state charges while agents investigate the incident. “The FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather the facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed,” the FBI said in a statement to CBS News.

An American Airlines flight travelling from Dallas Fort Worth to Newark diverted to Baltimore after a passenger allegedly attacked another traveller and became violent before law enforcement took him into custody.

Duct taped to his seat: Violent passenger forces American Airlines flight to divert

DeepSeek is preparing to order at least 160,000 of Huawei's next-generation Ascend 950DT accelerators for a new gigawatt-scale data centre at Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia, according to a Bloomberg report.&nbsp;If it completes, it would be one of the largest known clusters of domestically manufactured Chinese AI accelerators anywhere — a roughly $2.56 billion order placed by China's most closely watched AI lab, with Nvidia locked out of the market.&nbsp;It reads as a decoupling milestone. The details complicate that reading considerably.&nbsp;The Caveat&nbsp;DeepSeek does not currently plan to use the 950DT chips for training.&nbsp;That is the part worth sitting with. Huawei designed and marketed the 950DT for training — the computationally brutal step where a model is actually built. DeepSeek intends to use them to run its models, not to create them, and has so far relied on Nvidia accelerators for training even after attempting to train earlier models on Huawei silicon.&nbsp;So the largest domestic-silicon order yet placed by a Chinese lab is, on current plans, an inference order. The dependency that actually constrains DeepSeek — access to Western chips for training — is not what this purchase resolves.&nbsp;The Second Constraint&nbsp;There is also a supply problem, and it is Huawei's.&nbsp;Component shortages, particularly for high-end memory, are reported to cap total 950DT output at the low hundreds of thousands of units this year. Against that ceiling, a single 160,000-unit order is enormous, and fulfilling it could stretch beyond twelve months.&nbsp;The data centre is scheduled to come online partially by late 2027 or early 2028 — a timeline that tells you this is a bet on capacity that does not exist yet, from a supplier that cannot currently build it at the required rate.&nbsp;Why It Still Matters&nbsp;None of which makes the order insignificant. Three things follow from it regardless.&nbsp;It commits Huawei's constrained output to a domestic customer, at a scale that squeezes everyone else in China queuing for the same chips. It gives Huawei a reference deployment at gigawatt scale, which is the credential its accelerator business has lacked. And it demonstrates that a serious Chinese lab will now plan multi-year infrastructure around domestic silicon rather than waiting for export policy to loosen.&nbsp;That last point is the durable one. Export controls were designed to make Chinese labs dependent on American hardware. A 160,000-chip order placed against a supplier that cannot yet deliver is not the behaviour of a company expecting that dependency to be restored.&nbsp;The Energy Question&nbsp;A gigawatt is the other number in this story, and it gets less attention than it deserves.&nbsp;That is a full nuclear reactor's worth of generation dedicated to a single facility. Inner Mongolia is a plausible site for exactly that reason — cheap land, cold air, and proximity to coal and wind generation — but a build of this scale is a regional energy commitment as much as a computing one.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether the order is confirmed at the reported volume or quietly reduced as Huawei's memory constraints bite. Whether DeepSeek's stated inference-only plan holds, or whether it shifts training onto the 950DT once the cluster exists — which would be the genuinely significant development. And whether other Chinese labs follow with orders of their own, or wait to see whether this one is delivered.&nbsp;For now the correct reading is narrower than the headline number suggests. This is a very large bet on Chinese silicon for the easier half of the problem.

DeepSeek is set to order 160,000 Huawei Ascend 950DT accelerators for a gigawatt data centre in Inner Mongolia. But it does not plan to train on them — and Huawei may not be able to build them fast enough.

DeepSeek is preparing to order at least 160,000 of Huawei's next-generation Ascend 950DT accelerators for a new gigawatt-scale data centre at Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia, according to a Bloomberg report. If it completes, it would be one of the largest known clusters of domestically manufactured Chinese AI accelerators anywhere — a roughly $2.56 billion order placed by China's most closely watched AI lab, with Nvidia locked out of the market. It reads as a decoupling milestone. The details complicate that reading considerably. The Caveat DeepSeek does not currently plan to use the 950DT chips for training. That is the part worth sitting with. Huawei designed and marketed the 950DT for training — the computationally brutal step where a model is actually built. DeepSeek intends to use them to run its models, not to create them, and has so far relied on Nvidia accelerators for training even after attempting to train earlier models on Huawei silicon. So the largest domestic-silicon order yet placed by a Chinese lab is, on current plans, an inference order. The dependency that actually constrains DeepSeek — access to Western chips for training — is not what this purchase resolves. The Second Constraint There is also a supply problem, and it is Huawei's. Component shortages, particularly for high-end memory, are reported to cap total 950DT output at the low hundreds of thousands of units this year. Against that ceiling, a single 160,000-unit order is enormous, and fulfilling it could stretch beyond twelve months. The data centre is scheduled to come online partially by late 2027 or early 2028 — a timeline that tells you this is a bet on capacity that does not exist yet, from a supplier that cannot currently build it at the required rate. Why It Still Matters None of which makes the order insignificant. Three things follow from it regardless. It commits Huawei's constrained output to a domestic customer, at a scale that squeezes everyone else in China queuing for the same chips. It gives Huawei a reference deployment at gigawatt scale, which is the credential its accelerator business has lacked. And it demonstrates that a serious Chinese lab will now plan multi-year infrastructure around domestic silicon rather than waiting for export policy to loosen. That last point is the durable one. Export controls were designed to make Chinese labs dependent on American hardware. A 160,000-chip order placed against a supplier that cannot yet deliver is not the behaviour of a company expecting that dependency to be restored. The Energy Question A gigawatt is the other number in this story, and it gets less attention than it deserves. That is a full nuclear reactor's worth of generation dedicated to a single facility. Inner Mongolia is a plausible site for exactly that reason — cheap land, cold air, and proximity to coal and wind generation — but a build of this scale is a regional energy commitment as much as a computing one. What To Watch Whether the order is confirmed at the reported volume or quietly reduced as Huawei's memory constraints bite. Whether DeepSeek's stated inference-only plan holds, or whether it shifts training onto the 950DT once the cluster exists — which would be the genuinely significant development. And whether other Chinese labs follow with orders of their own, or wait to see whether this one is delivered. For now the correct reading is narrower than the headline number suggests. This is a very large bet on Chinese silicon for the easier half of the problem.

DeepSeek is preparing to order at least 160,000 of Huawei's next-generation Ascend 950DT accelerators for a gigawatt-scale data centre in Inner Mongolia, in what would be one of the largest known clusters of Chinese-made AI silicon. But the company does not currently plan to use them for training — the step Huawei built the chip to handle.

DeepSeek is buying 160,000 Huawei chips, and the detail that matters is what it will not use them for

Some of the highest-ranking officials in the US military have undergone polygraph tests as part of an investigation into the leak of highly classified information about the country’s weapons stockpiles, CBS reported, citing US officials.&nbsp;The investigation focuses on sensitive details about the supply of advanced weapons and ammunition. US officials became concerned because only a small number of people had access to the information.&nbsp;According to CBS, President Donald Trump was furious over the leaks. Officials also examined whether someone with access to the classified information could be working for a foreign intelligence service.&nbsp;However, the investigation did not include every senior military official. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, for example, did not take a polygraph test, according to the report.&nbsp;The latest action follows reports from July that the United States had started rationing some munitions, particularly missile interceptors, because of concerns over supplies after months of fighting with Iran.&nbsp;The reports prompted a stronger response from the Pentagon. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon and the Justice Department had created a joint task force to investigate and prosecute people suspected of leaking sensitive government information to the media.&nbsp;Senior US officials rejected claims that the country faced a serious ammunition shortage.&nbsp;Trump said, “We have a lot of ammunition, different types,” while also acknowledging that “for some of the more sophisticated stuff, we'd certainly like to have more.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/13-years-on-nia-court-convicts-10-in-jhiram-ghati-attack-that-killed-29-including-senior-congress-leaders-1788620941877">13 years on, NIA court convicts 10 in Jhiram Ghati attack that killed 29 including senior Congress leaders</a><h3>Around 50 Joint Staff members tested</h3>The New York Times reported on Friday that around 50 members of the military’s Joint Staff had been ordered to take polygraph tests.&nbsp;The Joint Staff serves as the Pentagon’s main planning and advisory body. Investigators are trying to determine how classified information about US weapons stockpiles reached journalists.&nbsp;Polygraph tests are normally used during background checks and security clearance reviews for government employees who handle highly sensitive information.&nbsp;Using the tests on such a large scale during a leak investigation is highly unusual. Analysts and officials told the media that the move could be rare, if not unprecedented.&nbsp;The investigation comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to stop unauthorised disclosures of classified information from within the US government.

Trump administration has expanded a rare investigation into classified weapons leaks by subjecting some senior US military officials and around 50 Joint Staff members to polygraph tests.

Some of the highest-ranking officials in the US military have undergone polygraph tests as part of an investigation into the leak of highly classified information about the country’s weapons stockpiles, CBS reported, citing US officials. The investigation focuses on sensitive details about the supply of advanced weapons and ammunition. US officials became concerned because only a small number of people had access to the information. According to CBS, President Donald Trump was furious over the leaks. Officials also examined whether someone with access to the classified information could be working for a foreign intelligence service. However, the investigation did not include every senior military official. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, for example, did not take a polygraph test, according to the report. The latest action follows reports from July that the United States had started rationing some munitions, particularly missile interceptors, because of concerns over supplies after months of fighting with Iran. The reports prompted a stronger response from the Pentagon. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon and the Justice Department had created a joint task force to investigate and prosecute people suspected of leaking sensitive government information to the media. Senior US officials rejected claims that the country faced a serious ammunition shortage. Trump said, “We have a lot of ammunition, different types,” while also acknowledging that “for some of the more sophisticated stuff, we'd certainly like to have more.” Also Read: 13 years on, NIA court convicts 10 in Jhiram Ghati attack that killed 29 including senior Congress leaders Around 50 Joint Staff members tested The New York Times reported on Friday that around 50 members of the military’s Joint Staff had been ordered to take polygraph tests. The Joint Staff serves as the Pentagon’s main planning and advisory body. Investigators are trying to determine how classified information about US weapons stockpiles reached journalists. Polygraph tests are normally used during background checks and security clearance reviews for government employees who handle highly sensitive information. Using the tests on such a large scale during a leak investigation is highly unusual. Analysts and officials told the media that the move could be rare, if not unprecedented. The investigation comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to stop unauthorised disclosures of classified information from within the US government.

Trump administration has expanded a rare investigation into classified weapons leaks by subjecting some senior US military officials and around 50 Joint Staff members to polygraph tests.

US military officials face lie detector tests over depleting weapons stockpile leak amid Iran war

Rescuers in Nepal pulled a Chinese worker alive from a hydropower tunnel and found a woman trapped inside a damaged house on Saturday, 10 days after devastating floods killed at least 1,300 people and left more than 5,000 missing.The Chinese man was rescued from a 225-metre (740-foot) tunnel at the Trishuli hydropower project, Nepal’s army said. He was brought out by a joint team of Nepalese soldiers and South Korean disaster experts before being flown to hospital for a health assessment.The rescue brings to three the number of workers found alive at the hydropower project. Two Nepalese workers were pulled out on Friday.Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the man was in stable condition. In audio released by the broadcaster, he described repeatedly shouting when he saw the lights of rescue teams, but said they could not hear him.“When they rescued me today, when they shone (the light) before my eyes, I couldn’t believe it,” he said.<h2>Woman pulled out from damaged house</h2>In Nuwakot, rescuers separately found a woman alive inside a damaged house. Nepal’s army said she was airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment after being pulled from the debris.Images showed rescuers giving her bottled water before carrying her out, wrapped in a grey blanket.<h2>Hundreds feared trapped in tunnels</h2>Search teams have shifted their focus to 12 hydropower projects across Nepal, where around 900 workers are reported missing. Authorities believe about 500 people could still be trapped inside tunnels.Specialist rescue teams from India, China, South Korea and the United States are helping Nepalese forces search through debris, collapsed structures and tunnels.The August 26 floods, believed to have been triggered by a glacier collapse, caused widespread destruction across Nepal. With thousands still unaccounted for, rescue teams are continuing to search areas where survivors could remain trapped.

Nepal rescuers pulled a Chinese worker from a hydropower tunnel and a woman from a damaged house 10 days after floods killed 1,300 people, while over 5,000 remain missing.

Rescuers in Nepal pulled a Chinese worker alive from a hydropower tunnel and found a woman trapped inside a damaged house on Saturday, 10 days after devastating floods killed at least 1,300 people and left more than 5,000 missing. The Chinese man was rescued from a 225-metre (740-foot) tunnel at the Trishuli hydropower project, Nepal’s army said. He was brought out by a joint team of Nepalese soldiers and South Korean disaster experts before being flown to hospital for a health assessment. The rescue brings to three the number of workers found alive at the hydropower project. Two Nepalese workers were pulled out on Friday. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the man was in stable condition. In audio released by the broadcaster, he described repeatedly shouting when he saw the lights of rescue teams, but said they could not hear him. “When they rescued me today, when they shone (the light) before my eyes, I couldn’t believe it,” he said. Woman pulled out from damaged house In Nuwakot, rescuers separately found a woman alive inside a damaged house. Nepal’s army said she was airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment after being pulled from the debris. Images showed rescuers giving her bottled water before carrying her out, wrapped in a grey blanket. Hundreds feared trapped in tunnels Search teams have shifted their focus to 12 hydropower projects across Nepal, where around 900 workers are reported missing. Authorities believe about 500 people could still be trapped inside tunnels. Specialist rescue teams from India, China, South Korea and the United States are helping Nepalese forces search through debris, collapsed structures and tunnels. The August 26 floods, believed to have been triggered by a glacier collapse, caused widespread destruction across Nepal. With thousands still unaccounted for, rescue teams are continuing to search areas where survivors could remain trapped.

Nepal rescuers pulled a Chinese worker from a hydropower tunnel and a woman from a damaged house 10 days after floods killed 1,300 people, while over 5,000 remain missing.

Chinese worker, woman rescued alive 10 days after Nepal floods

Export licences for graphics processors are not a traditional instrument of peacemaking. According to a Wall Street Journal report, they were used as one in the South Caucasus.&nbsp;US negotiators are said to have used the promise of access to Nvidia Blackwell processors for an Armenian AI data centre as an incentive in the talks that produced a provisional peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signed at the White House in August.&nbsp;The Armenian side has not treated this as an awkward revelation. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said publicly that he personally lobbied President Donald Trump to expedite the chip-transfer approvals, and framed the matter as part of the peace agreement itself.&nbsp;The Project&nbsp;The data centre at the centre of this is real and already approved.&nbsp;The AI startup Firebird received US government clearance to export Nvidia chips to Armenia for a supercomputer project — a 100-megawatt facility backed by an initial $500 million investment, using Dell servers and Nvidia's Blackwell processors. The first phase was slated for mid-2026.&nbsp;For Armenia, a landlocked country of under three million people, a facility of that size is not an incremental technology investment. It is an attempt to become infrastructure that other countries need.&nbsp;What Makes This Unusual&nbsp;Export controls on advanced chips have been used as a stick for years. Washington restricts what Nvidia can sell to China, and the policy is straightforwardly punitive in intent.&nbsp;Using the same controls as a carrot is a different proposition. It treats an export licence as a sovereign favour to be traded — which, functionally, is what it has become. The scarcity is manufactured by policy, which means the ability to relieve it is a diplomatic asset that costs the United States nothing to create.&nbsp;That is an efficient form of leverage. It is also one that only works while the scarcity holds.&nbsp;The Uncomfortable Part&nbsp;There is a reading of this that is genuinely positive: a peace agreement was signed, and if compute access helped get it there, that is a cheaper inducement than most of the alternatives available to American diplomacy.&nbsp;The harder question is what it establishes. If chip access is a bargaining chip in territorial negotiations, then the allocation of AI infrastructure becomes a function of geopolitical alignment rather than economic demand — and countries learn that the route to compute runs through Washington's foreign policy priorities.&nbsp;It also creates a dependency with a short half-life. An export approval can be withdrawn, and a 100-megawatt facility built around a specific vendor's processors is not easily repurposed if the political weather changes.&nbsp;The Physical Cost&nbsp;The facility's demands are worth stating plainly, because they are rarely part of the diplomatic conversation.&nbsp;A 100-megawatt data centre consumes roughly the annual electricity of a city of 120,000 people, and cooling it can require more than 500,000 gallons of water per day. In a region where water allocation is itself a source of tension, that is not a neutral footprint.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether the provisional agreement holds, and whether the chip approvals survive it if it does not. Whether Firebird's first phase actually comes online on schedule. And whether other governments now approach Washington with the same trade in mind — because the precedent, once set, is available to anyone with a border dispute and a plot of land.&nbsp;The lesson other capitals will take from this is not about Armenia. It is that compute is now something you can negotiate for.

US negotiators used the promise of Nvidia Blackwell access for an Armenian AI data centre as an incentive in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks, the WSJ reports. Armenia's PM says he lobbied Trump directly.

Export licences for graphics processors are not a traditional instrument of peacemaking. According to a Wall Street Journal report, they were used as one in the South Caucasus. US negotiators are said to have used the promise of access to Nvidia Blackwell processors for an Armenian AI data centre as an incentive in the talks that produced a provisional peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signed at the White House in August. The Armenian side has not treated this as an awkward revelation. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said publicly that he personally lobbied President Donald Trump to expedite the chip-transfer approvals, and framed the matter as part of the peace agreement itself. The Project The data centre at the centre of this is real and already approved. The AI startup Firebird received US government clearance to export Nvidia chips to Armenia for a supercomputer project — a 100-megawatt facility backed by an initial $500 million investment, using Dell servers and Nvidia's Blackwell processors. The first phase was slated for mid-2026. For Armenia, a landlocked country of under three million people, a facility of that size is not an incremental technology investment. It is an attempt to become infrastructure that other countries need. What Makes This Unusual Export controls on advanced chips have been used as a stick for years. Washington restricts what Nvidia can sell to China, and the policy is straightforwardly punitive in intent. Using the same controls as a carrot is a different proposition. It treats an export licence as a sovereign favour to be traded — which, functionally, is what it has become. The scarcity is manufactured by policy, which means the ability to relieve it is a diplomatic asset that costs the United States nothing to create. That is an efficient form of leverage. It is also one that only works while the scarcity holds. The Uncomfortable Part There is a reading of this that is genuinely positive: a peace agreement was signed, and if compute access helped get it there, that is a cheaper inducement than most of the alternatives available to American diplomacy. The harder question is what it establishes. If chip access is a bargaining chip in territorial negotiations, then the allocation of AI infrastructure becomes a function of geopolitical alignment rather than economic demand — and countries learn that the route to compute runs through Washington's foreign policy priorities. It also creates a dependency with a short half-life. An export approval can be withdrawn, and a 100-megawatt facility built around a specific vendor's processors is not easily repurposed if the political weather changes. The Physical Cost The facility's demands are worth stating plainly, because they are rarely part of the diplomatic conversation. A 100-megawatt data centre consumes roughly the annual electricity of a city of 120,000 people, and cooling it can require more than 500,000 gallons of water per day. In a region where water allocation is itself a source of tension, that is not a neutral footprint. What To Watch Whether the provisional agreement holds, and whether the chip approvals survive it if it does not. Whether Firebird's first phase actually comes online on schedule. And whether other governments now approach Washington with the same trade in mind — because the precedent, once set, is available to anyone with a border dispute and a plot of land. The lesson other capitals will take from this is not about Armenia. It is that compute is now something you can negotiate for.

US negotiators used the promise of Nvidia Blackwell access for an Armenian AI data centre as an incentive in the talks that produced a provisional Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Armenia's prime minister has said he personally lobbied Donald Trump to speed the chip approvals, framing the request as part of the deal.

Nvidia chips were reportedly used as leverage to help broker a peace deal in the Caucasus

Dr Ruth Bar, the woman at the centre of a 1993 scandal involving Benjamin Netanyahu, has spoken about the affair that briefly threatened to derail the Israeli politician’s early rise within the Likud party. On January 14, 1993, Netanyahu appeared live on Israel’s Channel 1 and publicly admitted that he had had an extramarital affair with Bar, who was working as his strategic adviser during his campaign for the Likud leadership.At the time, the party was choosing a successor to Yitzhak Shamir after Likud’s defeat to Yitzhak Rabin in the 1992 election. Netanyahu’s main rival in the leadership contest was David Levy.Netanyahu had returned to Israel from the United Nations only a few years earlier and joined Likud, where his political style and rapid rise unsettled established figures in the party.Among those who viewed him as a threat were the so-called “Likud princes”, including Bennie Begin, Ehud Olmert, Dan Meridor, Roni Milo and Limor Livnat.<h2>A threat to Netanyahu’s political ambitions</h2>As Netanyahu gained momentum in the leadership race, his personal life suddenly became part of the political drama.According to the account, someone called his family home and told his wife, Sara, that Netanyahu was having an affair with his strategic adviser. The caller allegedly threatened to make a tape containing evidence of the relationship public unless Netanyahu withdrew from the race.Netanyahu chose not to step aside. Instead, he decided to address the allegations himself.He arrived at the Channel 1 studio, where news anchor Ya’acov Ahimeir and police affairs reporter Uri Cohen-Aharonov were waiting, and admitted on live television that he had cheated on his wife.Netanyahu also accused a “senior Likud politician”, referring to David Levy, of attempting to blackmail him. He further claimed he was surrounded by what he described as a “gang of criminals”.<h2>The tape that never surfaced</h2>The confession triggered an immediate uproar across Israel, which had only one television channel at the time.The alleged tape, however, was never released.According to the account, there was no tape in the first place. The threat may have been a prank or an attempt to intimidate Netanyahu, but it was enough to push him into making a highly unusual live television confession.The episode became one of the most dramatic moments of Netanyahu’s early political career. Despite the scandal, he went on to win the Likud leadership contest and eventually became one of Israel’s most prominent political figures.<h2>Who is Ruth Bar?</h2>Bar’s name was published at the time, but she largely disappeared from public view after the scandal. With social media and today’s digital news ecosystem still years away, she was able to return to a private life and continue working as a psychologist and strategic consultant. Bar later worked with senior Israeli political figures, including Shlomo Lahat, Zvi Bar, Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert, Dan Meridor and Gabi Ashkenazi.Her professional clients also included major Israeli companies and brands such as Osem-Nestlé, Tivall, Sabra, Strauss, Jafora, Materna, Tara, Nirlat and Electra.In the financial sector, she worked with institutions including Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Clal, Psagot and Gazit Globe, as well as Israel’s Tourism Ministry.

In 1993, Benjamin Netanyahu publicly admitted to an extramarital affair with strategic adviser Dr. Ruth Bar after facing blackmail threats, though he ultimately secured the Likud party leadership.

Dr Ruth Bar, the woman at the centre of a 1993 scandal involving Benjamin Netanyahu, has spoken about the affair that briefly threatened to derail the Israeli politician’s early rise within the Likud party. On January 14, 1993, Netanyahu appeared live on Israel’s Channel 1 and publicly admitted that he had had an extramarital affair with Bar, who was working as his strategic adviser during his campaign for the Likud leadership. At the time, the party was choosing a successor to Yitzhak Shamir after Likud’s defeat to Yitzhak Rabin in the 1992 election. Netanyahu’s main rival in the leadership contest was David Levy. Netanyahu had returned to Israel from the United Nations only a few years earlier and joined Likud, where his political style and rapid rise unsettled established figures in the party. Among those who viewed him as a threat were the so-called “Likud princes”, including Bennie Begin, Ehud Olmert, Dan Meridor, Roni Milo and Limor Livnat. A threat to Netanyahu’s political ambitions As Netanyahu gained momentum in the leadership race, his personal life suddenly became part of the political drama. According to the account, someone called his family home and told his wife, Sara, that Netanyahu was having an affair with his strategic adviser. The caller allegedly threatened to make a tape containing evidence of the relationship public unless Netanyahu withdrew from the race. Netanyahu chose not to step aside. Instead, he decided to address the allegations himself. He arrived at the Channel 1 studio, where news anchor Ya’acov Ahimeir and police affairs reporter Uri Cohen-Aharonov were waiting, and admitted on live television that he had cheated on his wife. Netanyahu also accused a “senior Likud politician”, referring to David Levy, of attempting to blackmail him. He further claimed he was surrounded by what he described as a “gang of criminals”. The tape that never surfaced The confession triggered an immediate uproar across Israel, which had only one television channel at the time. The alleged tape, however, was never released. According to the account, there was no tape in the first place. The threat may have been a prank or an attempt to intimidate Netanyahu, but it was enough to push him into making a highly unusual live television confession. The episode became one of the most dramatic moments of Netanyahu’s early political career. Despite the scandal, he went on to win the Likud leadership contest and eventually became one of Israel’s most prominent political figures. Who is Ruth Bar? Bar’s name was published at the time, but she largely disappeared from public view after the scandal. With social media and today’s digital news ecosystem still years away, she was able to return to a private life and continue working as a psychologist and strategic consultant. Bar later worked with senior Israeli political figures, including Shlomo Lahat, Zvi Bar, Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert, Dan Meridor and Gabi Ashkenazi. Her professional clients also included major Israeli companies and brands such as Osem-Nestlé, Tivall, Sabra, Strauss, Jafora, Materna, Tara, Nirlat and Electra. In the financial sector, she worked with institutions including Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi, Clal, Psagot and Gazit Globe, as well as Israel’s Tourism Ministry.

In 1993, Benjamin Netanyahu publicly admitted to an extramarital affair with strategic adviser Dr. Ruth Bar after facing blackmail threats, though he ultimately secured the Likud party leadership.

‘I had an affair with Netanyahu’: Ruth Bar breaks silence on 1993 scandal

Anthropic has confirmed that it submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the Securities and Exchange Commission on a confidential basis. Reporting around that filing points to a Nasdaq listing as soon as October, with Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley leading an offering expected to raise more than $60 billion.&nbsp;If it completes near those figures it would be among the largest public offerings in the history of the stock market.&nbsp;A Caution On The Numbers&nbsp;The valuations attached to this listing deserve scepticism, and the range is the reason.&nbsp;Google's investment earlier in 2026 was struck at a reported $350 billion valuation. A Series H-1 in May has been reported at $965 billion. The New York Times reported in late August that an eventual IPO could value the company at $2 trillion.&nbsp;Those figures span a factor of nearly six within a single year. Some of that is genuine repricing in a fast-moving market, but a spread that wide across sources and dates is not a valuation — it is a range of opinions about one, and no single number in it should be reported as settled.&nbsp;Because the S-1 was submitted confidentially, it is not available on EDGAR. Anthropic has not set a share price, a share count, or a listing date, and has said the timing and completion of any offering depend on market conditions.&nbsp;The Risk Factor&nbsp;The detail that makes this filing genuinely unusual was reported by CNBC in late August: the S-1 is expected to name public backlash against AI among its risk factors.&nbsp;Risk-factor sections are typically defensive boilerplate, drafted to inoculate against future litigation. But this one is close to the company's foundational premise. Anthropic has positioned itself for years as the lab that takes AI risk seriously — and it is now, reportedly, obliged to tell prospective shareholders that public hostility to its industry could damage the business.&nbsp;There is no contradiction in that, strictly speaking. A company can believe the technology is dangerous, believe it should be built carefully, and disclose that others disagree. But it does compress an unusual amount of tension into a regulatory document.&nbsp;What The Filing Will Actually Reveal&nbsp;The financial disclosure is the part worth waiting for.&nbsp;Anthropic's annualised revenue was reported at around $30 billion as of April 2026. What has never been public is the cost of producing it: compute spend, gross margin, the economics of serving frontier models at scale. Private rounds do not require that; a public listing does.&nbsp;The same filing will settle a related question. Google and Amazon have both taken large positions in Anthropic — Google committing up to $40 billion in total, Amazon roughly $33 billion — and their stakes have contributed materially to reported profits at both companies. An IPO puts a market price on those holdings rather than a negotiated one.&nbsp;Why Now&nbsp;Two readings, and both are defensible.&nbsp;The optimistic one: the company has the revenue trajectory to justify a listing and is choosing to raise while conditions are favourable, funding compute commitments that run to many tens of billions.&nbsp;The sceptical one: private valuations have run far ahead of what late-stage investors will keep funding, and a public listing transfers that risk to a broader base of buyers. Companies rarely list at the bottom of their own perceived value.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;Whether the public S-1 arrives before the October window and what gross margin it discloses. Whether the AI-backlash risk factor survives into the final document or is softened. And whether the listing prices anywhere near the figures now circulating — because the gap between $350 billion and $2 trillion is not a rounding error, and the market is about to resolve it.

Anthropic has confirmed a confidential S-1 with the SEC, with reporting pointing to an October Nasdaq listing raising $60bn+. Quoted valuations range from $350bn to $2 trillion.

Anthropic has confirmed that it submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the Securities and Exchange Commission on a confidential basis. Reporting around that filing points to a Nasdaq listing as soon as October, with Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley leading an offering expected to raise more than $60 billion. If it completes near those figures it would be among the largest public offerings in the history of the stock market. A Caution On The Numbers The valuations attached to this listing deserve scepticism, and the range is the reason. Google's investment earlier in 2026 was struck at a reported $350 billion valuation. A Series H-1 in May has been reported at $965 billion. The New York Times reported in late August that an eventual IPO could value the company at $2 trillion. Those figures span a factor of nearly six within a single year. Some of that is genuine repricing in a fast-moving market, but a spread that wide across sources and dates is not a valuation — it is a range of opinions about one, and no single number in it should be reported as settled. Because the S-1 was submitted confidentially, it is not available on EDGAR. Anthropic has not set a share price, a share count, or a listing date, and has said the timing and completion of any offering depend on market conditions. The Risk Factor The detail that makes this filing genuinely unusual was reported by CNBC in late August: the S-1 is expected to name public backlash against AI among its risk factors. Risk-factor sections are typically defensive boilerplate, drafted to inoculate against future litigation. But this one is close to the company's foundational premise. Anthropic has positioned itself for years as the lab that takes AI risk seriously — and it is now, reportedly, obliged to tell prospective shareholders that public hostility to its industry could damage the business. There is no contradiction in that, strictly speaking. A company can believe the technology is dangerous, believe it should be built carefully, and disclose that others disagree. But it does compress an unusual amount of tension into a regulatory document. What The Filing Will Actually Reveal The financial disclosure is the part worth waiting for. Anthropic's annualised revenue was reported at around $30 billion as of April 2026. What has never been public is the cost of producing it: compute spend, gross margin, the economics of serving frontier models at scale. Private rounds do not require that; a public listing does. The same filing will settle a related question. Google and Amazon have both taken large positions in Anthropic — Google committing up to $40 billion in total, Amazon roughly $33 billion — and their stakes have contributed materially to reported profits at both companies. An IPO puts a market price on those holdings rather than a negotiated one. Why Now Two readings, and both are defensible. The optimistic one: the company has the revenue trajectory to justify a listing and is choosing to raise while conditions are favourable, funding compute commitments that run to many tens of billions. The sceptical one: private valuations have run far ahead of what late-stage investors will keep funding, and a public listing transfers that risk to a broader base of buyers. Companies rarely list at the bottom of their own perceived value. What To Watch Whether the public S-1 arrives before the October window and what gross margin it discloses. Whether the AI-backlash risk factor survives into the final document or is softened. And whether the listing prices anywhere near the figures now circulating — because the gap between $350 billion and $2 trillion is not a rounding error, and the market is about to resolve it.

Anthropic has confirmed it submitted a confidential draft S-1 to the SEC, with reporting pointing to an October Nasdaq listing that could raise more than $60 billion. The valuations attached to it vary enormously depending on the source and the date — and the filing is reported to name public hostility to AI among its risk factors.

A company built on AI safety is about to ask public markets to price it

Microsoft AI has released MAI-Transcribe-2 with an unusually blunt claim attached: that it is the fastest, most accurate and cheapest speech recognition model in the world.&nbsp;The price is $0.10 per hour of audio — around $1.67 per thousand minutes — and it undercuts the transcription services offered by OpenAI, Google and ElevenLabs.&nbsp;The Number Behind The Number&nbsp;The more revealing comparison is internal.&nbsp;MAI-Transcribe-1 launched at $0.36 per hour, itself considered competitive at the time. The new model arrives at roughly 72 per cent below that, from the same company, within a single product generation.&nbsp;That is not a response to a competitor undercutting Microsoft. It is Microsoft undercutting itself, which is what a company does when it has decided the category should not be a profit centre at all.&nbsp;The Expiry Date&nbsp;One detail deserves more prominence than it is getting: $0.10 is an introductory price that runs only through the end of 2026.&nbsp;Microsoft has not said what the model will cost afterwards. Anyone building a product on that rate is building on a number with a known expiry and no announced successor — and transcription is exactly the kind of dependency that is easy to adopt and awkward to migrate off once it is embedded in a workflow.&nbsp;This is a familiar shape. Price low enough to move the market, let the integrations accumulate, then set the real rate once switching has become someone else's engineering problem.&nbsp;That is not an accusation of bad faith. It is the standard playbook, and it is worth naming while the discount is still in effect rather than after.&nbsp;Where It Runs&nbsp;The model is available now through Microsoft Foundry and the MAI Playground, with OpenRouter availability described as coming soon.&nbsp;Reports of the team size behind it — one account puts it at around ten people — and of speed gains of roughly ten times over OpenAI's comparable offering come from coverage of the launch rather than from independently verified benchmarks, and should be treated as claims rather than settled numbers until third parties have run their own tests.&nbsp;Why Microsoft Would Do This&nbsp;Transcription is not a business Microsoft needs to win on margin. It is a feature that makes other things work: meeting summaries in Teams, accessibility across Office, call handling in customer service, and the voice layer of any agent that has to listen before it acts.&nbsp;Priced near zero, it becomes a reason to stay inside Microsoft's stack rather than a line item customers evaluate on its own. Priced at $0.36, it was a purchase decision. At $0.10, it is closer to an assumption.&nbsp;The competitive effect lands hardest on companies for which speech recognition is the entire business rather than a supporting feature. ElevenLabs and similar specialists cannot subsidise transcription from an operating system and a cloud contract.&nbsp;What To Watch&nbsp;What the post-introductory price turns out to be, and how much notice customers get. Whether independent benchmarks support the accuracy claim once researchers outside Microsoft can test it. And whether OpenAI and Google respond with cuts of their own — which would confirm that speech recognition has finished its transition from product to utility.&nbsp;For buyers, the practical advice is narrow: the rate is real, it is good, and it is dated. Plan for what happens in January.

MAI-Transcribe-2 costs $0.10 per audio hour, 72% below Microsoft's own previous model, undercutting OpenAI, Google and ElevenLabs. The rate is introductory and runs only through the end of 2026.

Microsoft AI has released MAI-Transcribe-2 with an unusually blunt claim attached: that it is the fastest, most accurate and cheapest speech recognition model in the world. The price is $0.10 per hour of audio — around $1.67 per thousand minutes — and it undercuts the transcription services offered by OpenAI, Google and ElevenLabs. The Number Behind The Number The more revealing comparison is internal. MAI-Transcribe-1 launched at $0.36 per hour, itself considered competitive at the time. The new model arrives at roughly 72 per cent below that, from the same company, within a single product generation. That is not a response to a competitor undercutting Microsoft. It is Microsoft undercutting itself, which is what a company does when it has decided the category should not be a profit centre at all. The Expiry Date One detail deserves more prominence than it is getting: $0.10 is an introductory price that runs only through the end of 2026. Microsoft has not said what the model will cost afterwards. Anyone building a product on that rate is building on a number with a known expiry and no announced successor — and transcription is exactly the kind of dependency that is easy to adopt and awkward to migrate off once it is embedded in a workflow. This is a familiar shape. Price low enough to move the market, let the integrations accumulate, then set the real rate once switching has become someone else's engineering problem. That is not an accusation of bad faith. It is the standard playbook, and it is worth naming while the discount is still in effect rather than after. Where It Runs The model is available now through Microsoft Foundry and the MAI Playground, with OpenRouter availability described as coming soon. Reports of the team size behind it — one account puts it at around ten people — and of speed gains of roughly ten times over OpenAI's comparable offering come from coverage of the launch rather than from independently verified benchmarks, and should be treated as claims rather than settled numbers until third parties have run their own tests. Why Microsoft Would Do This Transcription is not a business Microsoft needs to win on margin. It is a feature that makes other things work: meeting summaries in Teams, accessibility across Office, call handling in customer service, and the voice layer of any agent that has to listen before it acts. Priced near zero, it becomes a reason to stay inside Microsoft's stack rather than a line item customers evaluate on its own. Priced at $0.36, it was a purchase decision. At $0.10, it is closer to an assumption. The competitive effect lands hardest on companies for which speech recognition is the entire business rather than a supporting feature. ElevenLabs and similar specialists cannot subsidise transcription from an operating system and a cloud contract. What To Watch What the post-introductory price turns out to be, and how much notice customers get. Whether independent benchmarks support the accuracy claim once researchers outside Microsoft can test it. And whether OpenAI and Google respond with cuts of their own — which would confirm that speech recognition has finished its transition from product to utility. For buyers, the practical advice is narrow: the rate is real, it is good, and it is dated. Plan for what happens in January.

Microsoft AI has released MAI-Transcribe-2, claiming it is the fastest, most accurate and cheapest speech recognition model available, at $0.10 per hour of audio. That is roughly 72 per cent below what its own predecessor launched at — but the company has confirmed the rate is introductory and only holds through the end of 2026.

Microsoft cut AI transcription pricing by 72 per cent, and the rate expires in December

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A company built on AI safety is about to ask public markets to price it

Microsoft cut AI transcription pricing by 72 per cent