Inflation is heating up but don't expect another crisis The fallout from the war in Iran cranked up the heat on households last month as energy bills rose - how uncomfortable could inflation get from here? The first thing to remember is that a small amount of price rises is normal. It is the sign of a healthy, functioning economy. But with food alone costing a third more than it did four years ago, thanks to a spike in inflation early in the war in Ukraine, it can feel a battle to make ends meet. The good news is inflation since the war in Iran erupted has actually been more muted than economists initially feared.

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A record number of aid workers faced violent attacks last year, partly driven by the increased use of armed drones, the United Nations humanitarian office has said. According to an Aid Worker Security Database, a platform that compiles major incidents affecting humanitarian workers, 907 aid workers were killed, injured or kidnapped in 2025 alone. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the level of violence "appalling" and urged states to respect the rules of war and hold perpetrators accountable. "Serving others has become more dangerous than ever," he said in a statement on Wednesday. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the proliferation of cheap and adaptable armed drones in conflicts has increased the risks.

Analysts project sales of humanoid robots could rise from $2bn in 2025 to $300bn in 2035. Analysts project sales of humanoid robots could rise from $2bn in 2025 to $300bn in 2035. Company's robots have gained global fame via videos of them performing martial arts and as dancers for pop stars EDTLast modified on Wed 19 Aug 2026 04.44 EDT Unitree, the world's biggest humanoid robot maker, has made a spectacular entry on to China's stock market, with its shares surging by more than 600%. The Chinese company's robots have gained global fame via viral videos of them performing martial arts, running at Olympic speeds and serving as backup dancers for pop stars. Photograph: Adek Berry/AFP/Getty ImagesShares in the business, officially known as Yushu Technology Co, rose to as high as 1,100 yuan (£120.39) on Wednesday, up from an IPO price of just 150.8 yuan.

Robots have been a prolific theme in Japanese pop culture and media since the 1950s, which includes global icons like the, and ( 1). Perhaps not coincidentally, Japanese citizens have a positive outlook on robotic technologies and their use in the labor sector compared to many other nations ( 2); much to their advantage, as robotics continues to be a vital pillar for ensuring Japan's economic resilience and future growth. Here, we discuss priorities and long-term agendas as presented in Japan's national robotics strategies. Although weather control is among Japan's lofty research goals for the next 25 years ( 3), geological disturbances remain inevitable. As such, disaster mitigation and response are high priorities that serve as motivation for robotics development in Japan ( 4).

What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain? Crude oil and natural gas supplies have been disrupted worldwide by the United States-Israel war on Iran, but one energy sector appears to be cashing in - coal. This week, South Africa's thermal coal producer Thungela Resources said it had doubled its half-year profits as the war has forced more countries to buy the fuel. Mining it causes water pollution, and burning it releases enormous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. In recent months, several countries, especially in Asia, have reversed or delayed promises to scale back on coal production.

Japan is considering setting out a nonbinding code for generative artificial intelligence businesses to encourage them to disclose their AI training data and methods for collecting such data to the public. A government panel Tuesday broadly approved a plan to adopt what is known as a "principle code" for generative artificial intelligence businesses to protect intellectual property rights by urging firms to disclose their AI training data and methods for collecting such data to the public. A draft code was presented at an online meeting of an expert panel on intellectual property rights in the AI era. It is based on a law on AI-related technology enacted in May 2025 and seeks to balance rights protection with technological innovation. The government will use a "comply or explain" approach, under which it will set out a nonbinding code for generative AI businesses, including system developers and service providers, allowing them to choose either to comply with the code or publicly explain why they will not comply. Firms that decide to comply with the code will announce their compliance on their websites and notify the government.

Image caption, Unitree's humanoid robots have been at the centre of a huge marketing push The world's biggest humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics made its stock market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with its shares soaring by more than 600%. In the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), the firm's shares opened at 1,100 yuan (£120.60; The listing on the tech-focused Star Market - which is widely known as China's Nasdaq - marks a milestone for Beijing's ambitious plans for the country's robotics industry. It comes as the US and China are locked in a battle to dominate the global market for robots and artificial intelligence (AI) models that power them. Robots like automated industrial equipment and smart vacuum cleaners are already widely used in factories, warehouses and homes. Now, the humanoid robotics industry is attracting huge amounts of investment as major companies - including Tesla, BYD and Amazon - are developing two-legged machines capable of performing tasks usually carried out by people.

How U.S. military funding propelled China's robot dogs A child sits next to G1 humanoid robots produced by China's Unitree Robotics as he interacts with a Go2 robot, at a Unitree store in Beijing on Aug. 1. | REUTERS WASHINGTON - China's Unitree Robotics -- among the world's biggest producers of humanoid and quadruped robots -- based designs for its most successful robot dogs on innovations funded by the U.S. military, according to a former U.S. defense technology official and three top researchers involved in the project. Unitree's $1,600 Go2 model, launched in 2023, helped the company rapidly dominate the global quadruped robot market -- its Shanghai initial public offering has drawn frenzied demand. Another Unitree robot has been shown on Chinese state television, armed and accompanying People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops on an exercise. These robots draw on breakthroughs in quadruped movement financed by the U.S. DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and other military programs, the researchers and the former official said. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

Tracking USS Lincoln's months-long mission as concerns about conditions grow To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Tracking USS Lincoln's months-long mission as concerns about conditions grow Close There have been reports of poor conditions on board the USS Abraham Lincoln, which the US Navy says will soon be brought home from the Middle East. The aircraft carrier was originally expected back in May - but the US war with Iran has kept it at sea for around 250 days straight. BBC Verify has used satellite imagery to monitor the warship's movements which last docked in December last year. Updates from your News topics will appear in My News and in a collection on the News homepage .