Apple is reportedly working on a special glass-focused design for its 2027 iPhone Pro models, marking 20 years since the first iPhone was introduced in 2007. Bloomberg technology journalist Mark Gurman said the company is not foregoing a major anniversary surprise, countering speculation that Apple would not make a significant change. Apple has not officially commented on the reported design plans.

Jefferies analyst Edison Lee had previously said Apple cancelled plans for an entirely glass iPhone for the 20th anniversary. Gurman’s information indicates that the idea has not been fully abandoned, but has shifted toward a design that gives glass greater prominence rather than using it throughout. Gurman said the more ambitious all-glass iPhone concept was dropped at an early stage of the design process.

The reported iPhone Pro models would have glass layers on the front and back extending to the device’s side edges, with a narrow metal ring or band between them. The devices are said to carry the internal codenames V73 and V74. If implemented, the plan could reduce the use of conventional metal frames and increase the use of curved glass, potentially creating a major exterior redesign.

Forty-one countries have issued an international call for other states to provide at least 24 hours’ notice before launching ballistic missiles or spacecraft. Published on August 13, 2026, the joint appeal seeks to prevent misunderstandings, heightened tensions and unintended conflict caused by surprise launches. Participants include the United States, Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and countries across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

The countries said adequate information should be provided before launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and spacecraft. They said notices should include the launch time and location, missile type and possible trajectory. Without advance warning, a long-range missile launch could be mistaken for an actual attack, creating risks of military responses, regional tension and wider conflict.

Concerns have recently increased over several missile launches in the Pacific region. North Korea’s continuing ballistic missile tests have made the regional security situation more sensitive, according to the report. The joint statement said a 24-hour notice would allow affected countries to assess potential risks and take necessary measures, reducing the likelihood of miscalculation or an incorrect response. It also noted questions over effectiveness if all major missile powers do not participate.

Global crude oil prices declined further by late Thursday night, Bangladesh time. Brent crude fell $1.29, or 1.5%, to $87.69 a barrel by 1 a.m. West Texas Intermediate crude in the United States dropped $1.30, or 1.6%, to $81.97 a barrel, according to an Al Jazeera report.

Analysts believe the war involving the United States and Israel over Iran could reduce oil demand worldwide. Concerns over weaker demand have led to a reduction in the forecast for global oil demand growth in 2026. OPEC, the alliance of oil-producing countries, cut its projection in its monthly oil market report released on Wednesday.

Under OPEC's revised forecast, global oil demand is expected to increase by 580,000 barrels per day in 2026. However, the same conflict could create a potential oil supply crisis. Fears of major supply disruptions are limiting the scope for further declines in oil prices, as possible supply shortages continue to affect market expectations.

Global fuel oil prices rose, with Brent crude nearing $90 a barrel. Reuters data showed Brent crude gaining 72 cents, or 0.81%, to $89.63 a barrel on Wednesday morning. At the same time, US West Texas Intermediate, or WTI, crude rose 71 cents, or 0.85%, to $83.91 a barrel.

On Tuesday, benchmark contracts for both Brent and WTI ended the day more than $1 higher. Reuters said both benchmarks reached their highest levels since July 31 that day. Oil prices had already increased by nearly 5% on Monday.

The rise was linked to expectations that the prospect of a peace deal between the United States and Iran had diminished. Industry data also showed an increase in US crude oil inventories. Despite the inventory increase, uncertainty surrounding the possibility of a US-Iran peace agreement continued to support the upward trend in oil prices.

US President Donald Trump has publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino amid demands for his removal, according to a report published on August 11, 2026. In a Truth Social post, Trump said FIFA would make a “serious mistake” if it considered removing Infantino. He described Infantino as an outstanding administrator and said the official had overseen the most successful World Cup ever.

Infantino recently proposed selling commercial rights for the FIFA World Cup and all other FIFA tournaments to private investors for $15 billion. The report said the proposed deal was accused of involving a company owned by the brother of Trump’s son-in-law. Infantino withdrew the proposal after strong opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation. The report also said Infantino has faced fresh controversy over allegations of an extramarital relationship in the workplace.

Despite the withdrawal of the commercial-rights proposal, UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF remain committed to calls for Infantino’s resignation and are planning an alliance to remove him. Trump said FIFA would never again be as successful or profitable if Infantino left. The report noted that Trump and Infantino have long had close ties, including a special FIFA peace award presented to Trump during a World Cup draw event.

Afghanistan secured a place in the 2027 ODI World Cup main round after a thrilling three-wicket victory over Ireland in the third ODI. The result also confirmed Bangladesh’s direct participation before the 30 September cutoff date, according to the report published and updated on 11 August 2026.

Under ICC rules, the top eight teams in the rankings by the cutoff date qualify directly for the main round. Because host South Africa are already among the top eight, the team ranked ninth also receives direct entry. Following the conclusion of the Ireland-Afghanistan series, ninth-ranked Bangladesh’s place in the main round became fully assured.

The other directly qualified teams are hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe, defending champions Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England. Tenth-ranked West Indies have two ODIs remaining against India before the cutoff, but cannot rise to ninth even by winning both matches. They have therefore failed to gain direct main-round entry for a second consecutive World Cup and must return to qualifying next February.

UEFA, the AFC and Concacaf have jointly called for an independent investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to a report published on August 10, 2026. The three confederations wrote to FIFA seeking an inquiry conducted by a neutral third party outside FIFA’s internal mechanisms into Infantino’s actions.

Their concerns centre on a proposal to sell partnership interests in World Cup commercial rights. They said the proposal was pushed forward quickly without proper consultation with members and relevant stakeholders. FIFA later described the matter as a communication error, but UEFA, the AFC and Concacaf said they were not satisfied, viewing it as a failure of leadership judgment and evidence of a trust crisis within football.

The dispute was further complicated by a meeting held in Morocco, where FIFA said only one elected official attended. No FIFA Council members or member association representatives were invited, and part of FIFA’s senior-official management committee attended. The confederations also requested preservation of all relevant documents, communications and records until an inquiry is completed. They said the dispute is not primarily about money and called for FIFA funds to be used more responsibly for football development in member countries.

Costa Rican diplomat and former vice president Rebeca Grynspan is leading the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general. Grynspan, who currently heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development, would become the first woman secretary-general in UN history if elected. She would also be the first Jewish person to hold the position.

In a secret Security Council ballot involving five permanent and 10 non-permanent members, Grynspan received 10 supportive votes. Four members expressed no opinion and one raised an objection. Her main rival, former Guyanese UN envoy Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, received nine supportive votes and two objections. Grynspan’s parents emigrated from Poland to Costa Rica, while her grandparents were killed by Nazis.

Secretary-General António Guterres’ term ends on December 31, 2026. Under the customary regional rotation, a candidate from Latin America is considered likely this time. A candidate needs at least nine Security Council votes and no veto from any permanent member. The process may be finalized by October, with a new secretary-general required to be selected by the end of 2026.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to leave office and for sweeping changes to the organisation’s governance. In an interview with French newspaper Le Monde, cited in a report published on August 10, 2026, Tebas said Infantino’s era had ended and argued that football needs fundamental reform. Tebas, who has led La Liga since 2013, said Infantino’s projects were damaging football’s basic structure, particularly national leagues.

Infantino has faced criticism over a plan to sell commercial rights for FIFA competitions to private companies, for which he apologised. The report says UEFA and several football associations have demanded his resignation. Pressure has also increased following allegations that he had an extramarital relationship with a woman while serving as UEFA general secretary, an allegation Infantino has completely denied.

Tebas said the crisis was not limited to one individual but reflected major flaws in FIFA’s broader management and a lack of genuine governance principles in football. He said the selection of a successor should not merely replace one person with another. Tebas said he hoped new leadership would introduce a different approach to football’s control and administration and establish a new governance system at FIFA.

Oil prices rose on the first trading day in Asia as uncertainty persisted over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The report, published on August 10, 2026, said Brent crude futures gained 91 cents, or 1.09%, to $84.46 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 61 cents, or 0.78%, to $78.79 a barrel.

Both benchmarks had fallen more than 7% last week after hopes emerged that the strait could reopen. Markets had anticipated a possible understanding between Iran and Oman that could allow the key maritime route to resume operations. Before the war began, roughly one-fifth of the world’s total oil was transported through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said an understanding with Oman was close to being finalized, but added that the United States still had to meet several conditions. The timing of any reopening therefore remains uncertain. That unresolved situation has kept volatility in the fuel market continuing, despite the earlier decline in oil prices linked to expectations of progress on the route.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s adviser Hicham Kharja has described recent European opposition to Infantino as fear of losing dominance. Kharja, FIFA’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, said UEFA’s concern stems from football’s progress in other continents. The report was published on August 9, 2026.

Infantino had proposed selling commercial rights for various FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. UEFA strongly opposed the plan and had even threatened a World Cup boycott. Infantino later withdrew the proposal after objections from several football bodies. UEFA was subsequently accused of continuing efforts to remove him.

Kharja, a former Morocco international, said many young dual nationals born and trained in Europe now want to represent Morocco. He argued that this trend of players choosing the countries of their roots is unsettling Europe. He also said Infantino’s most vocal critics are European and fear a reduction of their influence in upcoming competition, while seeking to preserve football’s sole dominance.

Elon Musk’s net worth has again surpassed $800 billion after SpaceX shares rose 11.7%, according to Forbes. By the close of trading on Friday, his wealth reached $823.6 billion. His fortune increased by more than $100 billion in less than two weeks as SpaceX shares climbed to $129, their highest level in three weeks.

Musk’s wealth had fallen below $700 billion on July 27 after a sharp decline in SpaceX shares. The company released quarterly financial results early last week showing that quarterly spending had risen nearly sixfold over a year, which initially pushed its share price down. SpaceX reported quarterly revenue of $7.8 billion, above Wall Street’s forecast of about $6.9 billion.

The company’s net loss narrowed from $1 billion to $541 million in the latest quarter. Starlink satellite internet is one of SpaceX’s main revenue sources, and its revenue nearly doubled in the second quarter. Capital expenditure rose to $18.3 billion, including $15.8 billion spent on artificial intelligence. Musk owns about 38% of SpaceX, making his personal wealth directly sensitive to changes in the company’s share price.

An article adapted from Middle East Eye alleges that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is intensifying efforts to influence elections in Europe, South America and elsewhere to bring pro-Israel governments to power. Author Antony Loewenstein links those claims to Israel’s arms and surveillance-technology sector, arguing that private companies operate closely with the state and advance its interests internationally.

The article cites reporting by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and two other media outlets on NSO Group, maker of Pegasus spyware. It says NSO co-founder Shalev Hulio played a central role in selling Pegasus to Panama in 2012 and used a diplomatic passport when entering Panama in 2013. The article argues that surveillance companies’ access to mobile-phone data could provide information usable for political influence.

It further alleges that Israeli companies have used bot farms, disinformation against pro-Palestinian candidates and social-media manipulation in places including Scotland, France, Colombia and Honduras. The piece describes alleged efforts to weaken left-wing or governments considered unfriendly to Israel and the United States in Latin America. Its suggestion of possible Israeli assistance to a Brazilian campaign is presented as the author’s inference rather than a documented finding.

Google has added several artificial intelligence-powered features to Google Maps, including the Gemini-based Ask Maps assistant, according to a report published on August 9, 2026. The tools are designed to help users order food, check live public-transport delays and plan trips. Users can give multi-step instructions in natural language, such as requesting a specific food item while returning home, and Ask Maps can find nearby restaurants, allow a selection and add the item to a cart for review and payment.

The food-ordering feature is being launched through partnerships with restaurant technology companies Square and Toast, with Uber Eats expected to join soon. Ask Maps can also compare real-time hotel prices and room availability, while suggesting nearby attractions and activities. A new transit widget provides immediate information on delays affecting buses, trains, metro services and ferries.

Google has also introduced Personal Intelligence in Ask Maps, allowing users to optionally connect Gmail for upcoming travel information and more tailored recommendations. Gmail access is off by default. Ask Maps is expanding to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and more than 150 English-supported countries and regions. Some features will initially be available only to US users, while transit updates, conversation memory and personalized responses will roll out gradually in supported areas on web and iOS.

Meta has launched Muse Code, an artificial intelligence-based coding tool for developers, the company said on August 5. Powered by Meta’s latest AI model, Muse Spark 1.2, the tool is designed to help with software creation, code writing, and identifying and fixing errors. Muse Code is currently available in beta.

Meta said Muse Code was specially trained to manage long and complex coding projects. It can use multiple AI assistants, or sub-agents, at the same time to complete difficult and time-consuming tasks more quickly. Muse Spark 1.2 and Muse Code were trained together, allowing the two technologies to work jointly on coding-related tasks.

The beta version will save users’ work records, enabling them to resume from a previous point if the software closes. Developers can access it through a pay-as-you-go model. Under its standard plan, Meta charges $1.25 per one million input tokens and $4.25 per one million output tokens. Meta is positioning Muse Code to compete with technologies including Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s Codex.