Fastly

Authorities in Japan have urged nearly two million people to evacuate as a powerful typhoon batters the country, bringing destructive winds and heavy rain. Emergency warnings have been issued across affected regions, with residents told to move to safety ahead of the storm's peak. The scale of the evacuation order reflects concerns about flooding, landslides and widespread damage.

Ukraine reports what is described as a military milestone: a Ukrainian uncrewed naval drone has sunk a Russian kamikaze drone boat, marking a rare drone-versus-drone engagement at sea. The clash highlights how uncrewed surface vessels are becoming both attack weapons and targets in the Black Sea conflict, as both sides race to counter each other's fast-evolving maritime drone technology.

A major storm is moving into the US north-east, bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Reports describe power outages affecting homes and flooded roads across the region as conditions worsen. Coverage so far focuses on the immediate impacts and warnings for residents to prepare for further disruption. The posts are mainly news headlines reporting the storm's arrival rather than personal accounts, so the full extent of damage or the number of people affected is not yet clear from what has been shared.

European ministers met to discuss strengthening the bloc's external border controls and introducing fast-track procedures for returning migrants whose asylum claims are rejected. The talks form part of a broader push to tighten migration policy amid continuing political pressure over irregular arrivals. Details of any agreements reached were not immediately available.

Countries have adopted a global blueprint aimed at tackling crime that evolves rapidly in the digital age. The agreement, associated with the United Nations, is intended to give governments a shared framework for confronting offences such as cybercrime and other technology-enabled criminal activity. The adoption marks a step toward international cooperation on laws and procedures that have so far lagged behind fast-changing digital threats, and it is drawing attention as a significant development in global crime policy.

Leading AI companies are investigating tens of thousands of security incidents, according to an Axios scoop. The scale suggests the fast-growing AI industry is facing mounting cybersecurity threats across its labs, products and infrastructure. The report is likely to fuel debate about whether AI firms are investing enough in security as they race to deploy powerful new models.

Chinese artificial intelligence models are rapidly rising in global popularity, prompting concern among officials in Washington. The trend suggests China's AI developers are becoming competitive with leading US systems, intensifying debate in the United States over export controls, national security and how to respond to the country's fast-growing AI industry.

Brazilian President Lula has announced a ban on online gambling ahead of the country's presidential election. The move affects the fast-growing betting industry, which has expanded rapidly among Brazilian consumers in recent years. With the election approaching, the decision is being closely watched for its political and economic implications, and reactions are emerging from across Brazil's political spectrum and the gambling sector.

Apple is reportedly looking at the rapidly growing fitness tracker segment, a move analysts say could affect the outlook for AAPL stock. Entering or expanding in wearables focused on fitness tracking would put Apple in sharper competition with established device makers in a market that continues to expand as consumers track health and activity more closely. Investors are watching what the strategy could mean for future revenue.

President Trump has pushed to accelerate artificial intelligence development with minimal regulation, but Anthropic has become an obstacle to that agenda. The company's safety-focused stance and disagreements with the White House over how fast and freely AI should advance have put it at odds with an administration otherwise eager to champion the industry.

Germany's rapid shift to electric vehicles is cutting emissions but also eroding fuel-tax revenue that finances road maintenance. The pace of the transition has pushed policymakers to consider redesigning how roads are funded, sparking debate among economists and commentators about alternatives such as distance-based charges and other road-user fees to replace declining fuel taxes.

JetBrains has announced Air, described as a system of products aimed at agentic software development, where AI agents take on coding tasks alongside human developers. The announcement from the maker of IntelliJ IDEA and other developer tools is drawing attention from the programming community, as established IDE vendors race to define how agentic AI should be integrated into daily development workflows.

A fast-spreading retail theft scheme is hitting major US chains, including Walmart, Target, and CVS, according to a report by TheStreet. Details of how the scam operates or which locations are most affected were not provided. Shoppers and retailers are being urged to stay alert as losses from organised retail crime continue to climb across the sector.

Costco has shared an update on how much it has refunded to members as a result of tariffs, according to Fast Company. The warehouse club says it has passed money back to shoppers rather than absorbing tariff-related costs entirely. Shoppers and retail watchers are tracking the update as tariffs continue to affect prices at major US retailers.

Major fast-fashion retailers, including Uniqlo and Zara, are launching clothes-mending and repair offerings aimed at Gen Z shoppers. The brands are betting that repair services appeal to younger consumers' interest in sustainability and making garments last longer, while building loyalty in a competitive retail market.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman says artificial intelligence can compress what used to take startup founders three months of work into roughly 17 minutes. The claim, made as AI tools spread rapidly through the startup world, has drawn attention from founders and investors weighing how dramatically AI can accelerate product development and company building.

Amazon is extending its Prime delivery service to merchants' own websites at no additional fee, allowing Prime members to get fast shipping when shopping directly from independent retailers rather than only through Amazon's marketplace. The move is being discussed as a significant retail development, since it could shift how consumers shop and increase competition pressure on other e-commerce and logistics providers.

Questions are being raised about whether river cruising, a popular and fast-growing segment of the tourism industry, faces long-term risk from climate change. Low water levels on major rivers in recent years have already disrupted sailings in Europe, prompting debate about droughts, changing rainfall and the viability of routes that depend on stable water depths.

Costa Rica is courting Indian companies to establish global service delivery, technology, and artificial intelligence centers in the country. The effort targets India's fast-growing IT and outsourcing sector, positioning Costa Rica as a nearshore hub for the Americas. Officials see investment from India as a way to diversify the economy and create high-skilled jobs, though details on specific companies or deals remain limited.

SpaceX has completed the launch rehearsal for Starship Flight 14, the next test flight of its giant rocket system. The wet dress rehearsal puts the full launch sequence through its paces ahead of liftoff from Starbase, Texas. It is another step in SpaceX's rapid testing campaign for the Starship program, which is central to NASA's lunar landing plans and the company's deep-space ambitions.

Chinese robotics firm AGIBOT marked a milestone, delivering its 20,000th robot from its production line to Chimelong, the theme park and resort operator. The handover was announced at a launch event, underlining the company's rapid manufacturing scale-up in service and industrial robotics and its growing commercial ties with Chimelong.

New York has filed a lawsuit against prediction market platform Polymarket, alleging it operates as illegal gambling. The legal action comes as online betting adoption surges: Bank of America consumer data shows platform usage rose 40% in July, with first-time use tripling since the start of the year. Regulators are increasingly scrutinising fast-growing betting and prediction platforms as mainstream consumer adoption accelerates.