New START

Iranian children are returning to school while the country remains under the shadow of war. The start of the academic year comes against the backdrop of ongoing regional conflict, raising questions about how students, families and teachers are coping with the situation and what conditions await pupils in classrooms this year.

New data shows Europe's electric vehicle sales surged in January, widening the gap with the United States, where EV adoption is growing far more slowly. Analysts point to Europe's stricter emissions rules and broader model availability as key drivers of the continent's stronger start to the year.

Spain is recording a sharp rise in COVID-19, with estimated incidence climbing 69% in a week to 85 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, up from 50.4 the previous week. Test positivity for SARS-CoV-2 also rose steeply, from 19% to 25.8%. The figures point to a new wave of infections gaining momentum across the country.

Meta is starting a new enterprise business, a move widely read as an effort to justify its enormous spending on artificial intelligence. The company has poured billions into AI infrastructure and models, and is now looking to businesses as customers to generate returns. Observers see it as a sign Meta wants its AI investments to pay off directly rather than only improve its advertising products.

The United Nations University argues that artificial intelligence regulation should be grounded in human rights rather than technology-specific rules. The piece contends that existing international human rights frameworks — covering privacy, non-discrimination and freedom of expression — already provide a basis for holding governments and companies accountable as AI systems spread into public services and daily life, and calls for these principles to anchor new governance efforts.

Andy Burnham said he will set the UK in a "new direction" ten years after the Brexit vote, speaking as the prime minister arrived in Liverpool for the Labour Party conference. The conference runs from Sunday to Wednesday, and Burnham's intervention is drawing attention amid speculation about his ambitions and the party's future direction.

Major League Baseball's playoffs begin Tuesday with Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers chasing a third consecutive World Series championship. Despite the Dodgers' dominance, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are drawing much of the early spotlight as coverage of the postseason gets underway.

SNAP benefit checks will increase starting October 1, giving food assistance recipients a modest cost-of-living bump. However, new rules being phased in may ultimately reduce benefits for some households, meaning the raise could be offset by stricter eligibility and work requirements ahead. Recipients and advocates are watching how the changes will affect monthly payments.

Meta has hired CJ Desai, the CEO of database company MongoDB, to lead a new enterprise AI business, according to a report by SiliconANGLE. The move signals Meta's intent to expand its artificial intelligence offerings beyond consumer products and into tools sold to corporate customers. Details about the unit's products, timeline and Desai's start date have not yet been disclosed.

Tropical Storm Hanna has formed in the central Atlantic, becoming the latest named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Forecasters are tracking the system as it develops, and the naming marks the storm's official upgrade from a tropical disturbance. Early reports give no details yet on its projected path, strength or any threat to land.

Apple has started offering a lease program covering iPhones and other devices, according to Scripps News. The move would let customers pay monthly to use Apple hardware rather than buying it outright, adding a new option alongside existing installment plans and trade-in offers. Details on pricing, availability and lease terms have not been widely reported yet.

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has started transmitting data to Earth ahead of the start of its regular science observations. The agency tested whether ground stations could handle the incoming data stream once the telescope begins full operations. The trials involved ground stations operated by three agencies, including Japan's JAXA. The telescope's early data transmissions mark a key step toward the start of its planned survey mission.

New York has filed a lawsuit against prediction market platform Polymarket, alleging it operates as illegal gambling. The legal action comes as online betting adoption surges: Bank of America consumer data shows platform usage rose 40% in July, with first-time use tripling since the start of the year. Regulators are increasingly scrutinising fast-growing betting and prediction platforms as mainstream consumer adoption accelerates.

NextEra Energy and Entergy topped U.S. solar project starts in the fourth quarter, according to Industrial Info Resources. The ranking highlights which utility companies drove the most new solar construction activity at the end of the year, underscoring continued momentum in America's renewable energy build-out despite a challenging policy environment.

Golden State Warriors centre Kristaps Porziņģis will miss the start of the team's training camp due to what the club describes as a personal health issue, and he is considered out indefinitely. No timeline for his return has been given, leaving the Warriors short-handed in the frontcourt as camp opens.

Hockey fans are checking NHL standings and previews as the new season approaches. Coverage focuses on the Metropolitan Division, with outlets offering team-by-team predictions and reasons for optimism. Other storylines include the Carolina Hurricanes' bid to repeat as champions, superstar trade requests, and commissioner Gary Bettman's comments on players forcing trades despite no-trade clauses.

The NBA preseason is underway, with several teams opening their exhibition schedules. The Philadelphia 76ers rested Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and LeBron-adjacent stars in their opener against the New York Knicks, while the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat also began camp play. Coverage is focused on rotation battles, young players like Tarik Biberovic proving their value, and Caitlin Clark's growing influence on basketball interest.

New research suggests magnetic fields may have played a key role in the formation of the solar system, potentially influencing how material in the early solar nebula collapsed and clumped into the sun and planets. The finding adds to ongoing debate among scientists about the physical processes that set planetary formation in motion more than 4.5 billion years ago.

The US Supreme Court has begun a new term with major cases on its docket, including immigration, gun rights and religious questions. Separately, the court rejected Zillow's appeal in a lawsuit against the real estate company. The start of the term and the high-profile issues being weighed have drawn attention in Mexico and Spanish-language media across the region.

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson is trending in fantasy football circles, with managers weighing him against other roster options such as Devaughn Vele and Saquon Barkley in start-or-sit decisions. Discussion centers on his potential value as a tight end streamer or depth add, with advice split depending on league format and week-to-week matchups.

A new opinion piece argues that an 'America First' foreign policy should start with an honest accounting of the real costs of American wars — financial and human — and asks who ultimately pays the price when the United States goes to war. The argument challenges policymakers to weigh the burden borne by service members and taxpayers before committing to future conflicts.

The news agency YASIA has published a horoscope for October 5, 2026, covering all twelve zodiac signs. Astrology columns like this are a staple of Russian-language media, and readers regularly check them at the start of a new day for guidance on love, work and health. The forecast offers sign-by-sign predictions for the day ahead.