The world’s eight leading listed oil producers made about $93 billion in profit from April to June amid the Iran conflict and a global energy crunch, according to a Guardian analysis published on August 5, 2026. The report said the US-Israel war involving Iran pushed energy prices higher, with crude oil exceeding $126 a barrel at one point. Their combined profit was nearly double the figure of just under $50 billion recorded in the same period last year.

The companies were Saudi Aramco, BP, Shell, Equinor, TotalEnergies, Eni, Chevron and ExxonMobil. Aramco reported net income of more than $33 billion, up 34 percent. BP reported $5.73 billion in profit, Shell $9.84 billion in net income, Chevron $12.2 billion, and ExxonMobil $14.5 billion. The eight companies’ combined market value also rose by about $600 billion to more than $3 trillion.

Environmental groups said oil companies had profited from supply instability and urged that some earnings be used for climate-damage measures and renewable-energy investment. Global Witness official Patrick Galey called for oil companies to pay their fair share of tax. UN climate chief Simon Stiell said coal, oil and gas use must be reduced rapidly in favour of renewable energy.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called an emergency executive meeting amid intense dissatisfaction and instability within world football’s governing body over disputed decisions and commercial plans. The report, published on August 5, 2026, says the special meeting of senior FIFA officials was convened to address the emerging crisis.

Infantino had proposed selling and opening investment in FIFA’s commercial operations and the management rights for football events to the private sector. The stated aim was to multiply FIFA’s revenue. However, football executives and member associations view the initiative as a threat to football’s core identity and autonomy. Critics also allege that decisions were taken unilaterally while disregarding the views of key groups.

The plan to include private investors in tournament and broadcasting rights has prompted opposition, with several senior officials and advisers already resigning. The executive meeting may take a policy decision on whether the proposal will be withdrawn entirely or revised. The report describes the dispute as one of the biggest political and administrative crises of Infantino’s current term, saying major changes to his business plans would be needed to retain the confidence of FIFA’s governing board and regional bodies.

International crude oil prices declined on hopes of a possible agreement to normalize shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The report, published on August 5, said Brent crude, a key global benchmark, had fallen below $80 a barrel after exceeding $100 during the most intense period of the war.

By 1:10 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time on Wednesday, Brent had risen 26 cents, or about 0.33 percent, to $79.62 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude was trading 12 cents, or 0.16 percent, higher at $75.90 a barrel. Investor confidence also increased amid expectations of a possible deal to restore shipping through the strait.

Analysts said ongoing talks between Iran and Oman, the stability of the US economy, and record profits at US companies contributed to positive market sentiment. On Tuesday, as Brent declined, the Dow Jones ended above 54,000 points at a new record. Analysts cautioned, however, that the positive market situation could change quickly if the Hormuz discussions fail to produce an agreement.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations with Iran aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz have made progress. Rubio made the comments on Tuesday, but did not disclose the nature of the progress or provide details about any potential agreement.

He spoke during a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding on nuclear cooperation with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez Lezcano. Rubio did not identify other parties involved in the discussions or give a timetable for the talks.

The secretary of state’s remarks signaled US optimism about the effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The available information did not explain which issues had advanced, whether a settlement was nearing, or what further steps might follow in the negotiations.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing growing pressure after abandoning a plan to sell about 20 percent of commercial rights for the World Cup and other major FIFA tournaments to private investors. The proposal, involving a planned entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise, aimed to raise $4.2 billion and was expected to include Thrive Capital, linked to Joshua Kushner. Infantino withdrew the plan within days after strong opposition from the football world.

The report said Infantino unsuccessfully tried repeatedly to contact US President Donald Trump by phone after the plan was cancelled. It also said he sought a private meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though a State Department official said no such discussion was planned. Infantino’s longstanding closeness with Trump, including the FIFA Peace Prize and reported intervention in a disciplinary matter, has drawn broad criticism.

His support for a third term has also weakened, according to the report. The Asian Confederation has joined a rebel camp involving UEFA and CONCACAF, while Oceania’s 11 countries are reportedly moving toward that alliance. A no-confidence vote could be called through an emergency FIFA Congress; if Infantino lost, Sheikh Salman would assume interim duties. Infantino remains the only declared candidate for the March 18, 2027 FIFA presidential election.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has faced an administrative and political crisis after a controversial plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to private investors collapsed. In a report published on August 4, 2026, Infantino was said to be seeking support from US President Donald Trump to address the fallout, but Trump reportedly did not respond to repeated phone calls.

FIFA had planned to establish a separate company to manage World Cup commercial operations and sell about 20 percent stakes in various tournaments, aiming to raise $4.2 billion. Infantino agreed to cancel the plan after strong opposition from UEFA and several national football federations. The proposed investment deal’s main partner was Thrive Capital, the firm of Joshua Kushner.

The report said Infantino also tried to contact US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, but the US administration said no such meeting had been scheduled. Trump stated that he had held no discussions with the FIFA president about the proposed deal. Following the plan’s collapse, several influential football bodies, including the Football Association of Wales, withdrew support for Infantino, leaving his leadership under uncertainty ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sought support from the Trump administration after a plan to sell part of World Cup commercial rights was abandoned, according to the New York Post, cited by the report published on August 4. The report said Infantino unsuccessfully tried repeatedly to contact US President Donald Trump by phone after the controversial proposal was withdrawn on Friday.

FIFA had planned to sell about 20 percent ownership in the World Cup and other football tournaments, seeking to raise up to $4.2 billion from private investors. The proposal involved placing commercial assets of world football’s governing body under a new company supported by private investors. It was dropped following strong opposition from relevant parties, while the report said negative media coverage had left Infantino feeling isolated.

The failed initiative has put added scrutiny on Infantino’s candidacy for a fourth term as FIFA president from 2027 to 2031. Thrive Capital, linked to Joshua Kushner, brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was expected to be involved. US Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said there were no plans for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to speak with Infantino and no meeting had been arranged.

Opponents of FIFA president Gianni Infantino are increasing pressure for his resignation and threatening non-cooperation with world football’s governing body if he remains in office. Senior UEFA officials reported the position on 4 August 2026. Their anger centres on Infantino’s attempted plan to sell shares in some major FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, although the proposal ultimately failed.

The precise form of any non-cooperation remains unclear, but opponents are strongly considering boycotting FIFA meetings. Opposition intensified after UEFA threatened legal action over the proposal. Wales has publicly withdrawn support for Infantino’s candidacy for a fourth term, while England’s Football Association may follow. Sources told BBC Sport that the Scottish FA’s position is also aligned with UEFA’s.

Infantino is due to seek re-election for a final time in March 2028 and needs 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 member countries to win. Serbia, Sweden and Finland have withdrawn support, while Morocco, Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait and Sri Lanka support his continued leadership. An emergency FIFA Council meeting could seek to force his resignation if 19 of its 37 members call for one; it would have to be held within two weeks.

Oil prices rose again on Tuesday as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran reduced hopes for a swift diplomatic resolution. Brent crude futures gained 62 cents, or 0.7 percent, to reach $84.39 a barrel. The report said the worsening tensions were contributing to uncertainty in the oil market.

US West Texas Intermediate crude also increased, rising 61 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $80.95 a barrel. The market response was linked to the lower prospect of a rapid diplomatic settlement between Washington and Tehran.

Before the rebound, Brent had fallen 7 percent and reached its lowest level in three weeks. WTI had dropped more than 5 percent in the previous session, falling to its lowest level in nearly a week. The report identified continued US-Iran tensions and diminished expectations of a quick diplomatic outcome as factors affecting oil market conditions.

An analytical report published on August 3, 2026 alleges that Israel has become an important ally of governments and political forces with authoritarian tendencies through advanced surveillance technology, spyware and election-related influence operations. It says Israel is expanding its strategic influence internationally through a combination of state diplomacy, cyber technology and private surveillance companies.

According to the report, NSO Group’s Pegasus software has been used by governments in multiple countries, with allegations of surveillance targeting journalists, human rights activists, opposition politicians and people in allied countries. An investigative report also claimed that NSO co-founder Shalev Hulio visited Panama in 2013 using an Israeli diplomatic passport and had directly helped secure a 2012 Pegasus sales agreement with the Panamanian government. Analysts cited in the report said such firms may serve Israeli strategic interests beyond commercial activity.

The report further alleges Israeli firms were involved in misinformation, bot networks and opinion-shaping activities in Scotland, France, Colombia and Honduras. It highlights alleged political activity in Latin America and raises the possibility of online campaigning and cyber strategies ahead of Brazil’s upcoming election. No formal response from the Israeli government or the companies concerned was included.

NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a space telescope used to observe gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy astronomical events, is descending because of orbital decay. The report, published on August 3, 2026, says recent intense solar activity has slightly expanded Earth’s upper atmosphere, increasing atmospheric drag. NASA scientists estimate that, if the current trend continues, Swift could re-enter Earth’s atmosphere during the second half of 2026.

NASA has begun a special orbit-boost mission costing about $30 million to protect the observatory and keep its research operations running. Catalyst Space Technologies’ Link spacecraft was launched from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean on July 3 and is moving step by step toward Swift. Equipped with three robotic arms, Link is expected to reach an orbit near the telescope in about a month.

After arriving, Link will first inspect its solar panels and internal systems before beginning the sensitive rendezvous-and-capture process. Over subsequent months, it will monitor Swift’s movement, position and rotation, then attempt a safe capture using its mechanical arms. Controlled thrust will then gradually raise Swift’s orbit. Launched in 2004, Swift has observed gamma-ray bursts for two decades.

Multimodal artificial synapses are being developed to process different kinds of sensory information in a way compared with the human brain. A report published on August 3, 2026 said the devices can respond not only to electrical signals but also to light, sound, temperature, gases and other external stimuli. The technology could play an important role in future intelligent robots capable of using multiple human-like senses.

A key feature is synaptic plasticity, in which a device’s electrical properties change after stimulation and retain that effect for some time after the stimulus stops. Connecting many artificial synapses could create neuromorphic networks that store and compute information within the same structure. This could reduce repeated data transfers between memory and processors and potentially save energy.

Memristors can change resistance through ion movement, electron trapping and phase changes. An h-BN-based artificial synapse was reported to use as little as about 600 picowatts during switching, with switching times below 10 nanoseconds. A MoTe₂-based device achieved about 90 millivolts of switching voltage and about 150 attojoules of switching energy. Potential applications include autonomous vehicles, smart cameras, industrial automation, medical-assistive robots, artificial vision, advanced sensors and human-machine communication.

Reports of a Ukrainian attack on an Iran-linked vessel in the Caspian Sea on July 25 have raised concerns that Ukraine could become a new front in conflict with Iran. Military and security analysts say the broader confrontation has not ended, even though the United States and Iran have temporarily suspended direct military action.

Tehran reacted angrily to the Caspian incident and warned of harsh retaliatory measures against Ukraine. Analysts say continued attacks could force Iran to deploy additional military resources along its northern borders and maritime areas, potentially shifting missile units, air defenses, drones and intelligence capabilities away from the Middle East. They argue this could weaken Iran's ability to concentrate forces on its main regional battlefield.

Within days of the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky separately held high-level meetings with US President Donald Trump in Washington. Zelensky also discussed licensed Patriot missile production and drone technology with NATO's US representative Matthew Whitaker and Raytheon representatives. Experts say any future Ukraine-Iran conflict would likely center on long-range drones, missile strikes, covert warfare and intelligence operations rather than conventional ground combat.

Seven OPEC Plus member countries have decided to increase crude oil production by about 188,000 barrels per day from September this year. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman formally announced the decision in a joint statement. They said the higher production quota forms part of a coordinated commitment to maintain stability in the global energy market.

The September increase will fully reverse a 2023 agreement to cut supply by 1.65 million barrels per day. The United Arab Emirates had also participated in that supply-cutting decision, but left the OPEC alliance in May this year.

Jorge Leon, a senior analyst at Rystad Energy, said OPEC Plus had ended its voluntary supply cuts and now faced the challenge of managing a potential oil surplus if export flows normalize. He cautioned that immediate market effects may be limited because shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz still faces restrictions and disruptions. Leon said the decision's full impact on the market would be felt if overall export movement returns to normal.

Opposition has intensified against FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposed plan to transfer World Cup commercial rights to private investors, according to an analysis published on August 3, 2026. The article says the proposal would have strengthened Infantino’s own power and influence, while critics of his money-focused approach view the past week as a moral victory for football.

The reported resistance includes Infantino’s longtime adviser Carlos Cordeiro and FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour. UEFA has also attacked the proposal in strong terms. England’s Football Association is described as taking a firm position against Infantino in support of wider interests, despite FA chair Debbie Hewitt having previously presented him with a personalized England shirt.

The analysis cites Infantino’s closeness to Trump as a factor in what it characterizes as increasingly power-seeking and self-focused behavior. It says 143 countries have been brought into the same position, an unusual level of unity in football. However, the writer cautions that Infantino may continue fighting to retain his position, while portraying the dispute as a broader ethical awakening within the sport.