German drone maker Helsing has enlisted Japanese e-commerce and finance firm Rakuten to help finalize a deal to sell its unmanned systems to Japan's army, a spokesperson for Rakuten said on Monday. Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force is currently testing Helsing's HX-2 strike drone, as Tokyo looks to modernize its military and counter an increasingly assertive China. The field tests will run until the end of September, the spokesperson said. Helsing struck an "initial agreement" for the Japanese government to use its systems earlier this year, a spokesperson for the Munich-based company said, adding that the move was made possible by an unnamed "local brokerage partner." Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Donald Trump Jr. (left) and Eric Trump gesture outside the Nasdaq building after ringing the opening bell to celebrate the closing of ALT5's $1.5 billion offering and adoption of its $WLFI Treasury Strategy at the Nasdaq Market, in New York on Aug. 13, 2025. BOSTON - U.S. President Donald Trump-backed World Liberty Financial is collaborating with a Hong Kong-based venture offering artificial intelligence models developed by Chinese companies the U.S. administration has flagged for national security concerns. WorldClaw, founded earlier this year, offers customers access to a suite of AI models and accepts World Liberty's crypto tokens as payment. The Trump family, through its ownership stake, earns revenue from the use of World Liberty's tokens. A review found that 43 of the 90 models available through WorldClaw's website -- nearly half -- were developed by Alibaba, Baidu, Z.ai and other Chinese technology companies the Trump administration says pose risks to national security and intellectual property. WorldClaw also offers access to dozens of models from U.S. firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic.

Russia has accused the UK of deliberately opting for an escalation of the Ukraine crisis following confirmation that British-made drones had been used in strikes on targets in Russia. In doing so, the United Kingdom is acting as an accomplice and co-perpetrator of the bloody crimes and terrorist attacks, the Russian Embassy to the UK wrote in a statement. London's actions will inevitably carry consequences for which it will have to answer, it said, adding that the deeper its involvement in the conflict, the higher the price it will pay. In response, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told BBC News that Britain stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine. Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this Government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies, said the spokesperson in a statement.

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Pentagon orders 30 U.S. universities to audit foreign ties to China, Russia, and Iran or risk losing federal funding over national security concerns.

Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Say More Safety Net Creator Hub Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Mashable Selects Switch Off Trending Now In My Bag VidCon with Mashable All Series More than 4.6 million license plates appear in the website's collection of public Flock records. Olivia Tauber is the deputy editor of digital culture, covering creators, media, movies, beauty, and more. Based in New York, her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Cut, Teen Vogue, Complex, and Interview Magazine. She holds a Master's degree in Journalism from NYU and a Bachelor's from the University of Michigan. She also runs Fan Mail, a weekly pop-culture newsletter.

Harvard professor Ricardo Hausmann used AI to condense a Financial Times opinion piece on tariffs according to an editors note, violating the FT editorial code of conduct.

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U.S. military bases lack sensor systems and counter-drone defenses to stop attack drone swarms, a senior commander warns as the Pentagon pursues laser and microwave weapons.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reportedly exchanged messages with someone posing as a senior government official in the United States. The UK leader believed he was speaking to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles in a recent exchange of messages, the Politico news outlet reported on Monday. US authorities have warned in recent months about AI being used to impersonate senior government officials. The contents of the messages remain unclear. Burnham then reportedly became suspicious, cut off communications and informed the relevant authorities.