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Friday, 14 August 2026 Daily Edition

The Daily Edition

Friday, 14 August 2026

400 stories across 8 sections

The Takeaway

Nigel Farage has won a by-election in Clacton with 22,239 votes, while Apple has developed an AI model for the Chinese market in collaboration with Alibaba Group. In Japan, core consumer inflation is projected to surge to 1.8% in July due to rising food prices and energy costs. Meanwhile, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, a Chinese chipmaker, has increased prices for its premium capacity due to strong demand for AI-related products.

Asian stocks have experienced their best weekly performance since mid-June, buoyed by softer US inflation data and a rebound in the technology sector. Gold prices have declined following a two-month high, with the commodity falling to a weekly low near $4,300 due to receding Fed hike bets and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Apple's AI model development is linked to the story about SMIC increasing prices, as both involve AI demand, but there is no direct connection between these stories and the others, including Nigel Farage's by-election victory and Japan's inflation projection.

Written by urgent.news from the day's reporting.

AI

AI

China's Z.ai says new model nears Anthropic's Mythos 5 in cyber-defence tests

·channelnewsasia.com·6 outlets

Beijing, Aug 14 - Chinese AI startup Z.ai claims its open-source GLM-5.3 model has come close to matching Anthropic's restricted Mythos 5 in detecting software vulnerabilities, according to a report on August 14. Z.ai stated that GLM-5.3 scored 84.5 percent on CyberGym, a test measuring the model's ability to review code, identify security flaws, and confirm their authenticity, slightly outperforming Mythos 5's 83.8 percent.

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If the Markets Reject OpenAI and Anthropic, the US Should Nationalize Them

This essay was written with Nathan E. Sanders, and originally appeared in The Guardian . OpenAI, and then Anthropic , were each formed by AI developers who feared unrestrained corporate AI development—specifically, that companies like Google and Meta would steer the technology towards deleterious, maybe even catastrophically unsafe…

·schneier.com·2 outlets

Tech

Tech

iPhone notification from Apple sparks concerns about 'mercenary spyware'

A push notification sent by Apple to some users warning about mercenary spyware is giving many pause about just how secure their iPhones and Macs really are. The notification, sent out by Apple on Thursday, didn't mince words. “Apple detected a mercenary spyware attack targeted at your iPhone ,” it read. “There are actions you can take now to help protect your data.” Also on Thursday, Apple…

·thenationalnews.com·8 outlets

An Apple push notification warned some users about a mercenary spyware attack targeting their iPhones on Thursday. The notification, issued by Apple, read, "Apple detected a mercenary spyware attack targeted at your iPhone. There are actions you can take now to help protect your data." Apple updated its support website on Thursday to provide more details about the "threat notification" it had sent out.

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Business

Business

Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl on AI, streaming power, and why music royalties are the safest asset on Wall Street

The Warner Music Group CEO joins Mixed Signals to explain what a record label actually does in a world where anyone can upload a song to Spotify.

·semafor.com·10 outlets

Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl appeared on Mixed Signals alongside Semafor business editor Liz Hoffman to discuss the evolving landscape of the music industry and how record labels navigate the challenges posed by digital streaming and artificial intelligence. Kyncl explained that while record labels used to be the primary pathway for musicians to reach the masses through physical sales and radio airplay, the advent of online streaming platforms has transformed the industry dynamics.

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Integrated Indigo bags Agency of the Year at 2026 National Spokespersons Awards

Integrated Indigo Limited, a full-service marketing communications consultancy firm, has bagged Agency of the Year at the 2026 National Spokespersons Awards. The event, organised by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of Economic Confidential and PRNigeria, took place on Thursday, August 13, at the NICON Luxury Hotel…

·dailypost.ng·4 outlets

UAE condemns Iran over attacks on ADNOC vessels

The UAE has strongly condemned Iran over attacks on two ADNOC-affiliated vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the strikes as a serious violation of international maritime rules and a threat to regional and global energy security.

·thearabianpost.com·3 outlets

Stripe and Advent may increase offer for PayPal

A processadora de pagamentos Stripe e a Advent podem aumentar a oferta pelo PayPal, depois que a proposta inicial de US$ 60,50 por ação foi considerada insuficiente, segundo o Wall Street Journal. As partes podem chegar a um acordo nas próximas semanas, mas não há garantias de que a transação será concluída.

·braziljournal.com·3 outlets

Finance & Markets

Finance & Markets

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is shut down. The Trump administration says 9 million barrels a day are still getting out

"Hefty chunk of non-Iranian crude still getting out, unlike the Iranian crude that isn’t."

·fortune.com·12 outlets

The United States and Iran remain at an impasse regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with each side observing how long the other can endure the situation. Despite the ongoing deadlock, signs of substantial oil flows out of the Persian Gulf suggest that President Donald Trump is banking on having additional room for maneuver.

In the past week, the administration has contested the claim that Iran has effectively blocked the crucial chokepoint using missiles and drones. However, traffic data since the U.S.-Iran ceasefire fell apart indicates only a trickle of ships are openly navigating the strait, hinting at a forthcoming supply shock for global energy markets.

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World

World

Oppong Nkrumah challenges Chief Justice’s legal vacation directives at Supreme Court

Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has invoked the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to challenge the Chief Justice’s decision to direct some judges to hear selected criminal cases during the legal vacation. In a writ filed at the Supreme Court, Mr Oppong Nkrumah is seeking declarations that the warrants issued by […]

·adomonline.com·12 outlets

Ghanaian Member of Parliament Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has taken the Supreme Court to court, challenging the Chief Justice's recent directives regarding judicial duties during the legal vacation period. In a legal challenge, Nkrumah seeks a declaration that the Chief Justice's orders are unconstitutional. His arguments revolve around the inconsistency of the directives with certain constitutional articles and the High Court Rules.

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US missionary released following kidnap in Niger, Christian group says

An American missionary has been released after spending more than nine months in captivity, the international Christian organisation he worked for has said. Kevin Rideout – who was kidnapped outside his home in Niger’s capital Niamey last year – was “in good health in the care of US officials”, SIM International said in a statement […]…

·kbc.co.ke·9 outlets

Science

Science

Water can survive surprisingly close to the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, James Webb Space Telescope finds

Water and cosmic dust can survive in the harsh environment near Sagittarius A*, new observations reveal.

·space.com·5 outlets

An aging star, IRS 3, has been discovered orbiting the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*. Using the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists found evidence of water and cosmic dust surrounding IRS 3, which is located just 0.55 light-years away from Sgr A*. The team utilized the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on Webb to study the star and its environment, revealing that water and dust can not only survive, but thrive in conditions that would typically destroy them.

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Three Supermassive Black Holes Discovered In a Single Galaxy For the First Time

Astronomers using JWST have found three actively feeding supermassive black holes in the distant galaxy J0148-4214, seen as it existed about 1.2 billion years after the Big Bang. Two sit just 620 light-years apart near the galaxy's center and are expected to merge within a few hundred million years.

  • Three supermassive black holes found in galaxy J0148-4214
  • Two massive black holes to merge in few hundred million years
  • JWST discovery reveals black hole masses and galactic mass

·science.slashdot.org·3 outlets

Health & Medicine

Health & Medicine

Congo Ebola outbreak on track to become deadliest in history

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to worsen, with the number of confirmed cases climbing to over 4,600. At least 2,100 people have died, a death toll that was reached almost three times faster than the outbreak over a decade ago. William Brangham discussed the crisis with epidemiologist Dr. Anne Rimoin, director of the Center for Global Health Security at UCLA.

·pbs.org·10 outlets

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is on track to become the deadliest in history, with the number of confirmed cases reaching over 4,600 and at least 2,100 deaths. This death toll was reached almost three times faster than the outbreak over a decade ago in West Africa. William Brangham spoke with epidemiologist Dr. Anne Rimoin, director of the Center for Global Health Security at UCLA, about the current crisis.

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NHIA releases GH¢35.1 million for Free Primary Healthcare services

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has released GH¢35,099,215.84 as first-quarter payment to the 107 districts currently implementing the Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) programme. The initiative was launched on April 15, this year, at Dodowa by President John Dramani Mahama, and marks a significant expansion of Ghana’s…

·ghanaiantimes.com.gh·3 outlets

Culture

Culture

Britain's Finlay Tarling dies in Volta a Portugal accident

British cyclist Finlay Tarling dies at the age of 19 in a serious accident during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal.

·bbc.co.uk·7 outlets

British cyclist Finlay Tarling, aged 19, tragically passed away following a severe accident during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal. The younger sibling of professional cyclist Josh, who rides for Netcompany-Ineos, had previously represented Great Britain in both road and track racing. Tarling was part of the NSN Development Team when the unfortunate incident occurred on a 166.8km route between Melgaco and Fafe.

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‘Deli Boys’ Canceled After 2 Seasons at Hulu

The second season of the Onyx Collective comedy was released in May The post ‘Deli Boys’ Canceled After 2 Seasons at Hulu appeared first on TheWrap .

  • "Deli Boys" canceled after two seasons on Hulu
  • Show received 98% critic approval on Rotten Tomatoes
  • Series focused on Pakistani American brothers' criminal empire

·thewrap.com·5 outlets

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