US building twice as much gas-fired capacity as China in AI boom, analysis finds 25. August 2026 (12:00) There has been a 76% increase in under-construction gas-fired projects amid ‘frenzy’ to build more datacentersThe US has surged ahead of China in the building of new gas-fired power generation, largely to feed a boom in artificial intelligence (AI) that is adding vast amounts of planet-heating emissions, a new analysis has found.For decades, China’s rapid economic growth has seen it outpace the US in the addition of new gas power generation but a recent “frenzy” in datacenter construction for AI has reversed this, said Global Energy Monitor (Gem) in its new report. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wisconsin kitten with 29 toes breaks world record for most toes on a cat 25. August 2026 (12:00) Maine Coon named Erebus Anomaly breaks previous record of 28 toes held for over two decades after overcoming illnessA Maine Coon kitten from Wisconsin overcame a bout with pneumonia to break a 24-year-old world record for most toes on a cat, setting the new mark at 29.Erebus Anomaly’s unique story received US national media attention on Monday, when ABC’s World News Now program recounted what one of his owners called a “miraculous” recovery from illness in his infancy – and the subsequent Guinness World Record that he clinched. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Darline Graham and Ralph Norman head to South Carolina’s Senate runoff 25. August 2026 (12:00) Republican nominee to face Democrat Annie Andrews in midterm after rushed campaigns for Lindsey Graham’s seatReese Boyd, the chair of the Horry county Republican party marveled on Monday afternoon at how little time Senator Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman have had to campaign for the Senate primary: “This is not the normal way of things.”“This is something that usually lasts at least, you know, the better part of a year,” he said. “People normally spend the better part of 18 months getting ready for it. Who knows? This may be the right way to do it? Who knows.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Federal MP Luke Gosling charged with breaching bail after alleged assault in NT 25. August 2026 (11:54) Member for Solomon was charged after an alleged incident at a cultural festival in Darwin in JulyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNorthern Territory police has charged federal Labor MP Luke Gosling with one count of breaching bail conditions less than one month after he was arrested over the alleged assault of the Territory’s administrator, David Connolly.Gosling was charged with two counts of assault over an incident that allegedly occurred at a cultural festival in Darwin on 18 July. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Government lays out housing plans but Burnham backtracks on social renting pledge – UK politics live 25. August 2026 (11:53) £10bn for housing with 60% social renting is at odds with PM’s previous call for programme to be spent entirely on social homesAndy Burnham has said he plans to travel to the US next month to join European leaders lobbying Donald Trump to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles.The UK prime minister told Bloomberg he was “looking forward to going to New York” in September, which is when the UN general assembly will meet. He said details of the trip were not “fully confirmed” but it was “likely” to go ahead. The trip would be Burnham’s first US visit since becoming prime minister in July. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Yorkshireman believed to be first Briton to die fighting for Russia against Ukraine 25. August 2026 (11:51) Bradley Townsend reportedly killed by a drone on 10 June in Donetsk region after joining up with separatistsEurope live – latest updatesA man from Yorkshire is believed to be the first British citizen to die fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old fisher from Barnsley, left Britain in April to join up with Russian separatists in eastern Donbas to aid in their invasion of Ukraine, despite having no previous combat experience or familiar ties to eastern Europe. Alongside 49-year-old Ben Stimson and 39-year-old Aiden Minnis, Townsend was granted Russian citizenship for joining the country’s military campaign. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Burnham to take Zelenskyy’s pleas for Patriot missiles to Trump – Europe live 25. August 2026 (11:43) UK PM to join delegation of leaders lobbying US president to step up suppliesBurnham plans trip to New York as Ukraine pleads for US-made missilesWe are seeing the first reports of German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement this morning ahead of a cabinet meeting in Brandenburg.He has spoken out for the first time about the attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport earlier this month. As my colleagues Deborah Cole and Andrew Roth reported at the time, a small drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle airport, a major cargo and military logistics hub that handles aid shipments to Ukraine. The incident triggered an alarm and forced several flights to be diverted. German police deployed a bomb disposal robot to defuse and destroy the explosive device, which was found in the vicinity of several Ukrainian cargo planes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The whitewashing of the Green India Mission forest expansion project 25. August 2026 (11:03) The flagship environmental initiative has achieved ‘negligible’ results. Why so little progress, and what are the risks as the planet gets hotter? Plus, fusion dance pioneer Usha Jey• Don’t get This is India delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereIndia set out to expand its forested areas a decade ago. Last week, however, we learned that the forest cover programme had barely taken root when the government’s auditors released their findings of the flagship Green India Mission. The shortfall of 97.57% from India’s initial pledge in 2014 was stark enough to alarm the government’s own auditor, who described the progress as “negligible”.Yet if you ask the government about forest cover, you’ll get a far greener picture. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Woman allegedly repeatedly stabbed with scissors while protecting son from ‘random’ Melbourne CBD attack 25. August 2026 (11:01) Man arrested after being restrained and pinned down by ‘heroic’ bystanders, Victoria police sayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA mother has been taken to hospital after allegedly being repeatedly stabbed by a stranger while protecting her 10-year-old son during a “random attack” in Melbourne’s CBD.The alleged attacker, 27, was arrested at the scene after he was restrained and pinned down by three bystanders, according to Victoria police. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Year of after-school care now costs £2,800 a child in parts of UK 25. August 2026 (10:58) Bills have jumped 42% in England over the past 10 years – and that excludes the cost of breakfast clubs and extracurricular activities Parents of primary schoolchildren in England will pay 42% more for after-school childcare this year than they did 10 years ago, with annual bills now exceeding more than £2,800 a child in some parts of the UK.A Guardian analysis of data collected by the children’s charity Coram has revealed that the annual cost of after-school care for children aged 5 to 11 in England has risen by 5% over the past year to £2,636. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
