Efforts are underway to organise a "meaningful" meeting between United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the United Nations General Assembly next week. Ukrainian and US diplomatic teams are "actively" working to set up a meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump at the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York, according to press briefing by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi. Tykhyi said Zelenskyy's visit will include dozens of bilateral negotiations and engagements with US legislators, business leaders and the Ukrainian community in the US. Zelenskyy and Trump last met at the White House in July in a much-anticipated encounter after a heated 2025 televised meeting at the Oval Office ended abruptly, with US Vice President JD Vance calling Zelenskyy "disrespectful" for not thanking the US for its support for Ukraine. As Ukrainian officials were preparing for the UN visit, a Russian drone strike on a bus killed at least five people and injured seven others on Wednesday in the city of Nikopol near the southern Ukraine front line.

Global energy prices have spiked alarmingly again, driven largely in recent days by the escalating conflict between Yemen's Houthis and Saudi Arabia causing chaos for the oil industry. Petrol and diesel costs have risen rapidly in most countries while the wholesale price of natural gas - used for heating homes and generating electricity - has almost doubled in the UK and Europe since July. There are growing concerns of another inflationary shock on the world economy, which could cause interest rates to rise, increase mortgage costs and raise the price of almost everything in the shops including food. So what is behind this latest surge - and what are the implications for the world economy? The global oil price is currently above $108 (£80) per barrel, up from $70 (£52) in June 2026 - a roughly 50% increase.

Is the war entering a new phase? Ukrainian officials say that a Russian drone strike on a bus near the front line in southern Ukraine has killed at least five people and injured seven others. The attack on Wednesday hit an area around the city of Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region governor Oleksandr Hanzha said on the Telegram messaging app. Photos posted by Ukrainian officials showed windows blown out of a white minibus, with a trail of blood streaming down the side of the vehicle. "Russians cynically struck a passenger bus. They targeted a minibus which carried people going about their daily business," said Mykola Lukashuk, head of the Dnipropetrovsk region council.

Did Iran capture a US submarine? Saudi Arabia has cancelled some oil deliveries to Europe after drone attacks shut down its key export pipeline to the Red Sea. The rare move has caused global panic and forced buyers to rush for alternatives. Why is the far-right embracing crypto? NATO downs drone over Lithuania, 'probably' launched by Russia

Iran is deliberately hunting U.S. unmanned surface vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to gather intelligence on American surveillance capabilities, drone experts warn.

Ukraine races to counter Russia's jet-powered drone attacks Paramedics prepare to transport a resident injured during a Russian drone strike on a gas station in Kyiv on Tuesday. KYIV/LONDON - In early July, Ukraine's military invited a large group of producers to test a new generation of interceptors developed to counter the jet-powered attack drones Russia has used to devastating effect in recent months. According to two sources familiar with the exercise, it did not go to plan. Many of the interceptor drones proved difficult to control at speeds sometimes exceeding 400 kilometers per hour. Some crashed into nearby fields and forests, the sources said.

Mohammed bin Salman (R) has asked Donald Trump (L) for more military support to counter the Houthis. The U.S.-Iran war has reached crisis point for Saudi Arabia and its de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The kingdom was spared the worst of the Islamic Republic's counterstrikes against the U.S. and Israel early in the conflict, and was even benefiting from higher crude prices as it used a land pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. That all changed when the Houthis started firing at Saudi Arabia on a near-daily basis this month. The Iran-backed militants have also captured more territory in Yemen, where they are based, tightening their control over Bab el-Mandeb, another vital strait for shipping and energy markets.

Is the war entering a new phase? An Italian fighter jet flying for NATO has brought down what officials said was a suspected Russian drone in Lithuanian airspace. According to Lithuania's national crisis management centre, the drone entered the country's airspace on Tuesday from Belarus and was shot down near the small settlement of Pratkunai in central Lithuania, just north of the country's second-largest city, Kaunas. Debris from the device was being examined to determine if it was from Russia or another country. The intervention by the Italian fighter jet demonstrated "the value of the Atlantic alliance" and "what it means to be an ally", Kaunas said after meeting crews who were at the scene.

Is the war entering a new phase? NATO downs drone over Lithuania, 'probably' launched by Russia NATO downs drone over Lithuania, 'probably' launched by Russia A NATO fighter jet shot down a drone in southern Lithuania shortly after midnight on Tuesday, which Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto says "probably originated from Russia". Share NATO downs drone over Lithuania, 'probably' launched by Russia on social media Who is NFL billionaire Robert Kraft? Athletes share'what women in sport look like' to rebut Sydney Sweeney ad Millions line up for'sacred henna' at Indian temple

Despite their problems, robot delivery likely isn't going to go away any time soon; on the contrary, it's predicted to vastly expand. A recent study by Transforma Insights suggests that the world will have 559,000 automated urban delivery vehicles by 2035, compared to 28,000 in 2025. Considering this prediction, this robot revolution could have a big impact on gig workers. For companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash, both of which have faced scrutiny when it comes to paying their drivers ethically, robots are an easy way to increase overall company profits. However, the distance limitations of current robot models -- about two miles -- tend to limit their usage to more urban areas, meaning that, at least for the time being, humans cannot be completely taken out of the equation.