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Daily brief

Today's essential news — August 12, 2026

10 stories · Published · News that ends.

  1. Politics

    Syrian court sentences Assad to death in absentia for war crimes

    A Syrian court sentenced former president Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia, convicting him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country's 14-year civil war, in which the Guardian said about 500,000 people died. Crowds gathered in celebration in Idlib, a stronghold of the uprising. Assad fled to Russia after being overthrown.

  2. AI Labs

    OpenAI's longtime COO Brad Lightcap departs amid leadership shake-up

    Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's former chief operating officer and most recently its special projects lead, announced he is leaving after eight years at the company. He told staff he was starting something new and said he would help advance the mission from a different vantage point. Reports described the exit as the latest in a series of leadership changes.

  3. Deals

    Singapore Airlines books about S$1bn loss on Air India stake

    Singapore Airlines has lost about S$1 billion on its investment in Air India, the Financial Times reported, with further losses forecast. An executive quoted in the report said the timing of the decision to take a 25% stake could not have been worse. The report did not set out the airline's plans for the holding.

  4. American Football

    Jets cornerback Stiggers hospitalised after collapsing at joint practice

    New York Jets cornerback Qwan'tez Stiggers was taken to hospital by ambulance after briefly losing consciousness during a joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team indicated the 24-year-old was recovering well, and CBS Sports reported that he was later released from hospital. The cause of the collapse was not disclosed.

  5. World

    Colombia earthquake toll climbs as rescuers dig for survivors

    Rescue teams searched collapsed buildings in western Colombia after Monday's magnitude 7.4 earthquake, described as the country's strongest this century. Reported death tolls varied: the BBC cited 180, France 24 at least 224 and Al Jazeera at least 254. Thousands remain missing, aftershocks continued on Tuesday, and rescuers had not reached some communities.

  6. Security

    Delta investigates fake Wi-Fi network on flight carrying DEF CON attendees

    Delta Air Lines is investigating an unauthorised Wi-Fi network that appeared aboard a flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta carrying passengers returning from the DEF CON hacker convention. A spokesperson said the crew switched off the aircraft's legitimate network for about 30 minutes. FBI Atlanta confirmed it is looking into the incident, and no arrests have been made.

  7. Economy

    New energy vehicles extend their dominance of China's car market

    Data released by the China Passenger Car Association showed the share of new energy vehicles in the country's car market rose in July, according to CNBC. The report said Tesla's Model Y remained popular with buyers. The association's figures for total sales volumes and month-on-month changes were not detailed in the coverage.

  8. Basketball

    Fever coach Stephanie White hits back at critics after booing

    Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White responded to criticism before Tuesday's win over the Liberty, saying she stood by her players and telling critics to go to hell, after being booed by home fans. Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham voiced support for her. The franchise's own response was not reported.

  9. Politics

    North Korea fires second ballistic missile in under a week

    North Korea launched a ballistic missile as South Korea and the United States prepare to begin annual military exercises next week, its second weapons test in less than a week. Reports said the launches appear intended as signalling ahead of the drills. Pyongyang's own statement on the launch was not carried in the coverage.

  10. Consumer

    Spotify to label AI artist profiles and drop them from recommendations

    Spotify said it will apply an AI Persona label to artist profiles that represent AI-generated identities, starting next month, and will exclude their music from editorial, algorithmic and personalised recommendations. The company framed the change as an effort to be more transparent about AI-generated music. How such profiles will be identified was not detailed in the coverage.

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